Station Name: SUDBURY (1st site) [Source: Nick Catford]
An undated view of the single-platform terminus at Sudbury. The two-storey building was the stationmaster’s house with the booking office on the lower floor. The single-storey building on the platform is assumed to be contemporary with the station. The water tank at the end of the platform is also an original structure. The engine shed is seen on the right.
Photo from John Mann collection This map shows the proposed station at Sudbury. The station buildings show are somewhat different in shape to those that were built. The shed was originally planned to be two- road. The plan shows 22 lots of land to be sold by the Stour Valley Railway. No.1 plot (top left) became the Great Eastern Hotel. The roads around the plots are all labelled 'proposed new road'. The road at the top became Station Road with Great Eastern Road running from top to bottom. Two tramways are seen in two of the new roads.
1884 1:500 OS Town Plan shows the original Sudbury station now incorporated into the goods station, The station building and platforms are clearly shown. There appears to be another long building on the platform. This is not visible in any later photographs, The engine shed is seen opposite the main station building with a siding to the west of the shed serving a cattle dock and pens, with an entrance from Cornard Road. The water tank at the south end of the platform fed a water column shown near the bottom of the map. On the bottom right corner a siding serves Oliver's Brewery which opened in 1874. The goods shed is seen in the left corner of the map as are five sidings crossing Great Eastern Road to serve maltings. Note the four wagon turntables giving access to a further maltings siding running south.
The main station building of the first Sudbury station in 1949. The building, which once incorporated the stationmaster's house and booking office, has been converted into a goods warehouse.
Copyright photo from John Alsop collection Looking north towards Sudbury goods yard from the public footbridge to the east of the second Sudbury station. The footpath (seen on the left) runs into the station forecourt at the end of Station Avenue. All the sidings are occupied with a loco shunting in the yard. The first Sudbury station
is out of view to the right. Photo from John Mann collection An aerial view c early 1950s showing the first Sudbury station (centre right). The two station buildings and the water tank are clearly visible on the platform as is the engine shed to the south of the station building. The goods shed is seen centre left. The roof of Oliver's Brewery is just visible bottom left. The large area without buildings at the bottom is Wheeler's timber yard. Great Eastern Avenue runs from left to right with Cornard Road running across the bottom right corner. The tree-lined Station Avenue
is seen on the left. Reproduced with the kind permission of Simmons Aerofilms Ltd Great Eastern Street is seen running diagonally access the bottom right corner with the first station building and engine shed seen bottom right. Two sidings are seen running across Great Eastern Street serving maltings and other industrial premises.
Reproduced with the kind permission of Simmons Aerofilms Ltd During the early 1960s the goods yard handled little traffic and some of the sidings were used for stabling carriages. Two Cravens class 105 DMUs are seen her, one in the first station platform, the other in the shed road. By this time the shed had been demolished.
Photo from John Mann collection Sudbury goods yard closed in 1966 and by February 1974 all the sidings had been lifted and the buildings put to other uses. This view of the first station from the trackbed shows the platform and main station building.
Photo by David Burrows from his Flickr photostream Another trackside view of the first Sudbury station in February 1974. The overgrown platform can be made out bottom right.
Photo by David Burrows from his Flickr photostream In February 1974 the station building remains in good condition and the inside of the main door appears to have been recently repainted. The logo on the door is 'Seacream' a
wholesale fish merchant based in Lowestoft. Photo
by David Burrows from his Flickr photostream
The site of Sudbury first station is now occupied by the service area of Roys supermarket. Click here for pictures of Sudbury goods yard Home Page
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