On the way North we ambled over to Orford... then a wrong turn and ended up in Snape. My knowledge of this extends only to early MRJs and the East Suffolk Light so being able to wander around the Maltings was a nice surprise. The LH side is being 'transformed' into luxury flats (yawn) but the RH bit is still delightfully tatty; the set of arches over the back gate is lovely, though I couldn't work out what they were originally supporting.
A bit of lightweight trespassing threw up a yard, not only full of new building material, but a slew of antique furniture, baths and the like, and this pair: a 68 moggy and a Fiat. Plus on the first floor(!) a 70s Hillman.
Across the road is the old goods station complete with rotting Great Eastern van.
And to the left, the station buildings. The line continued through the archway. Google Snape at your peril, you will just get a lot of photos of Allan Rickman.
Worth half an hour's walk around if you're passing.
That does look worth a visit......I seem to remember that Oakwood have a book on the Snape branch. It seems quite a thick book for a rather small branch line, though I haven't had a proper look at a copy.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have visited Norfuck* several times and usually go through Suffolk to get there, my knowledge of this bit of Suffolk is really limited to what I've read in Iain Rice's various writings although I did go to Southwold for breakfast once.
I will have to see what the summer brings in terms of weekends off and bike rallies up that way........better get a new exhaust for the bike first though!
Stig
*I assume this is a quaint "local" spelling as that was how it was spelt on the "Welcome to......." sign at a bike rally near Diss.
What great finds, I am envious. Proper bit of rurex...I love your description as "lightweight trespassing". The old GER van is a gem.
ReplyDelete