Higham railway station (Suffolk)
Higham | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Location | Suffolk |
| Platforms | 2 |
| History | |
| Original company | Great Eastern Railway |
| Key dates | |
| 1 Apr 1854 | Opened[1] |
| 2 Jan 1967 | Closed to passengers |
| 28 Dec 1964 | Closed to goods[2] |
Higham railway station was a station serving Higham in the English county of Suffolk. It was opened by the Great Eastern Railway in 1854 when the railway was extended from Newmarket to Bury St Edmunds. From 1929 onwards the four station staff were replaced by a 'Porter-in-charge' until the station's closure by British Railways in 1967.[3]
History
Higham station was unique on the line for having an exceptionally large goods shed which dealt with a heavy agricultural traffic in the early twentieth century until goods traffic was withdrawn in 1964.[4] The station also dealt with traffic from the nearby Rothamsted Research Broom's Barn.
According to the Official Handbook of Stations the following classes of traffic were being handled at this station in 1956: G, P, F, L, H, C and there was a 1-ton 10 cwt crane. [5]
| Preceding station | Historical railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saxham & Risby Line open, station closed |
Great Eastern Railway Ipswich-Cambridge/Peterborough |
Kennett Line and station open | ||
Present day
Following the station's closure, the station building and goods shed were sold off and the track layout rationalised, resulting in the removal of the south platform and the closure of the signal box in 1970.[6]
Today, the station and the goods shed is in private ownership and well preserved as a crafts and lighting gallery, with the goods shed extended in 2002 and converted to a show room.[7] The station building is the sole remaining example dating from the extension of the Newmarket line - identical buildings at Saxham and Risby railway station and Kennett railway station have since been demolished.[8]
On 10 September 2016, the goods shed caught fire, closing the line, and was demolished the next day due to the risk of the building collapsing on to the line.[9][10]
References
- ^ Butt, R. V. J. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199. OL 11956311M.
- ^ Clinker, C.R., (1978) Clinker’s Register of Closed Station, Avon Anglia ISBN 0-905466-19-5
- ^ http://www.little-saxham.suffolk.gov.uk/history/station.shtml
- ^ http://www.flickr.com/photos/blue-pelican-railways/8647970735/in/photostream/
- ^ Official Handbook of Stations, British Transport Commission, 1956
- ^ http://www.flickr.com/photos/blue-pelican-railways/8618089921/in/photostream/
- ^ http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/865381
- ^ http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Former_railway_station_at_Higham,_Suffolk_-_geograph.org.uk_-_35109.jpg
- ^ "Ipswich to Cambridge trains cancelled after fire at disused station". BBC News Online. 2016-09-10. Retrieved 2016-09-13.
- ^ "Old railway station building wrecked by blaze demolished at Higham as line set to reopen this evening". Ipswich Star. 2016-09-11. Retrieved 2016-09-13.
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