A 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. After financial 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. This curve was opened first, on 15 November 1875, along with Thetford Bridge station, but the B&TR line between Bury and Thetford Bridge was opened almost 4 months later on 1 March 1876.
As can be seen in this old OS map, a bridge took the main road up and over Thetford Bridge station, and the comparative aerial view of the area today shows the modern roundabout which was built just north of where the station used to be. Fragments of the old bridge road can still be accessed on top of what used to be the old bridge and the cache is hidden near this remnant of abandoned road .
DON'T TRY AND ACCESS THE CACHE FROM THE B1088. Try the other side!
This view of the old closed down station also shows the ongoing construction of the roundabout:
The B&TR was acquired by the (GER) in 1878. After 1879, trains from Bury began to run to Thetford; the east to south curve at Thetford Bridge was not used after 1880. Thetford Bridge was then the last station before Thetford itself.
In September 1911 the station had been used as a railhead by the British Army who were running a series of war games. In January 1923 the station was taken over by the London and North Eastern Railway. The station closed on 8 June 1953.
A view from the bridge northwards towards the disused station building which at one stage was used as a youth hostel by the YHA:
The disused station and bridge
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