The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway

30th May 2006 to 27th August 2007

The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway was intended to open up an area of countryside badly affected by agricultural depression and poor transport facilities. The original scheme was for a 50-mile network of lines but in the end only part of one line, originally intended to run from Haughley, on the main London to Norwich line, to Halesworth, was built. It opened in 1904. Even that line ended in a field at Cratfield, several miles short of its intended destination, and before long it was cut back to Laxfield.

The line closed to both passengers and goods in 1952. Once the track was lifted much of the line was taken back into the fields from which it had been hewn not so many years before. However, enthusiasts have opened a museum at Brockford station and reconstructed a small part of the line on which they run steam trains several times a year. It is well worth a visit. (See www.mslr.org.uk for details)

A small part of the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway survives today at Brockford. "Little Barford", an Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 saddle tank in steam at the restored station. 2003-06-29 16:12:44	Mid-Suffolk Light Railway - Brockford station: seen from the brake van of a train being propelled into the platform. The buildings came from Mendlesham, Wilby and Brockford itself. 2003-06-29 16:49:04	Mid-Suffolk Light Railway: the restored station at Brockford 2003-06-29 16:58:45	Mid-Suffolk Light Railway: Cratfield 2006-05-25 15:39:00
Halesworth - the intended destination of the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway. 2006-05-25 14:05:03	Mid-Suffolk Light Railway: The site of Haughley Junction station. 2007-04-09 11:35:39	Mid-Suffolk Light Railway: Haughley Junction station site 2007-04-09 11:45:29	Mid-Suffolk Light Railway: Looking along the trackbed to Haugh Lane bridge 2007-04-09 11:46:18
Mid-Suffolk Light Railway: Haugh Lane bridge 2007-04-09 11:43:00	Mid-Suffolk Light Railway: the remains of Laxfield station platform 2006-05-25 16:06:07	Mid-Suffolk Light Railway: the site of Laxfield level crossing 2006-05-25 16:06:00	LBSCR 'Terrier' 0-6-0T no 662 Martello, on loan from Bressingham, at the Brockford headquarters of the 'Middy' - the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway 2007-08-26 15:15:00
LBSCR 'Terrier' 0-6-0T no 662 Martello, on loan from Bressingham, shunts wagons at Brockford on the 'Middy' - the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway. 2007-08-26 15:42:00	LBSCR 'Terrier' 0-6-0T no 662 Martello, on loan from Bressingham, approaches Brockford station on the 'Middy' - the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway 2007-08-26 16:51:00	Mid-Suffolk Light Railway - Stradbroke 2006-05-25 16:42:00	Mid-Suffolk Light Railway - Stradbroke 2006-05-30 00:00:00
Mid-Suffolk Light Railway - Stradbroke 2006-05-30 00:00:00