Thetford Bridge railway station

Former railway station in England

52°24′41″N 0°45′48″E / 52.4113°N 0.7634°E / 52.4113; 0.7634Grid referenceTL880828Platforms2Other informationStatusDisusedHistoryOriginal companyThetford and Watton RailwayPre-groupingGreat Eastern RailwayPost-groupingLondon and North Eastern RailwayKey dates15 November 1875 (1875-11-15)Station opened8 June 1953 (1953-06-08)Station closed

Thetford Bridge railway station served the eastern part of Thetford, Norfolk, England between 1875 and 1953.

History

The railway line between Bury St Edmunds and Thetford was proposed by the Bury St Edmunds and Thetford Railway (B&TR) and authorised on 5 July 1865; but the company had problems in raising the necessary money.[1] After assistance was given by the Thetford and Watton Railway (T&WR), the plan was modified, and instead of running to the main station at Thetford, a curve was built so that T&WR trains from Swaffham could run directly to the Bury St Edmunds line without reversing at Thetford.[2] This curve was opened first, on 15 November 1875, along with Thetford Bridge station.[3] The B&TR line between Bury St Edmunds and Thetford Bridge was opened on 1 March 1876.[4] The B&TR was purchased by the Great Eastern Railway (GER) in 1878.[1]

Trains on the B&TR were operated by the T&WR until 1879, when operation was taken over by the GER;[5] after this, trains from Bury began to run to Thetford; the east to south curve at Thetford Bridge was not used after 1880.[6] Thetford Bridge was then the last station before Thetford.[7]

In September 1911 the station was used as a railhead by the British Army who were running a series of war games.[8]

In January 1923 the station was taken over by the London and North Eastern Railway.

Following nationalisation in 1948 Thetford Bridge was operated by the Eastern Region of British Railways.

The station closed on 8 June 1953.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b Awdry, Christopher (1990). Encyclopaedia of British Railway Companies. London: Guild Publishing. p. 120. CN 8983.
  2. ^ McCarthy, Colin; McCarthy, David; Cobb, Michael (August 2007). Waller, Peter (ed.). Railways of Britain: Norfolk and Suffolk. Hersham: Ian Allan. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-7110-3223-1. 0708/c1.
  3. ^ a b Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 228. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
  4. ^ Allen, Cecil J. (1956) [1955]. The Great Eastern Railway (2nd ed.). Hampton Court: Ian Allan. p. 217.
  5. ^ Awdry 1990, p. 166
  6. ^ McCarthy, McCarthy & Cobb 2007, map 26
  7. ^ Conolly, W. Philip (January 1976). British Railways Pre-Grouping Atlas and Gazetteer (5th ed.). Shepperton: Ian Allan. p. 12, section B5. ISBN 0-7110-0320-3. EX/0176.
  8. ^ Ashton, Geoff; C Moss; D Challis (July 2013). "A revealing portrait of Thetford Bridge Station in 1911". Great Eastern Railway Journal. 155: 23.

External links

  • Thetford Bridge Station on navigable 1946 O.S. map


Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Thetford
Line closed, station open 		  Great Eastern Railway
Thetford to Bury St Edmunds line 		  Barnham
Line and station closed
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