A Cravens DMU at Worlington on 28 April 1962. The DMU is in a later form and has an electrification warning flash on its lower cab front, coupling code symbols (blue square) and a rubber, or rubber type material, panel between driving cab and first passenger window. In time it was found that the exchange of single-line tokens with a moving train caused body panel damage and the rubber panels were fitted to prevent this. In the Cambridge area, and most likely elsewhere too, the tokens were carried in a pouch attached to a large loop. The driver would hold out an arm onto which the loop would drop, the pouch having been held up, loop uppermost, by the signalman. As the loop caught onto the driver's arm, the motion of the train could cause the pouch to swing back and hit the body-side panel. On the Mildenhall branch, however, this system does not appear to have been used as signal boxes were all at stations and trains stopped to exchange tokens. Such an exchange between DMU driver and signalman can be seen on the Burwell page. Back at Worlington, examination of the less-than-perfect photograph under magnification shows the DMU to be showing Cambridge on its destination blind. Given the date, the train can therefore only be the 7.34am from Mildenhall. By this time it was the only up train to traverse the entire branch. This service was, or was supposed to be, operated by a railbus which, on arrival at Cambridge, formed a service to Chappel via Halstead before running light to Witham. After closure of the Colne Valley Line it ran via Sudbury. Often a DMU was substituted and this was likely to have happened here. Close examination also shows the driver to be looking out towards the halt and its access path, suggesting that he was not bothering to stop the DMU as no passengers wished to board or alight; this had become common practice following introduction of the diesels.
Photo from Jim Lake collection


Five years after the final train ran, with D5662 in charge, this is the site of Worlington Golf Links Halt in July 1969. It would be difficult to tell if the view is looking east or west were it not for the smoke stain on the bridge. We are looking east towards Mildenhall and the halt was in the right foreground. Mildenhall station is just beyond the gap in the trees in the far distance. Trains were allowed three minutes, departure to departure, from Mildenhall to Worlington. That equates to an average speed of 20mph but should anyone wish to board or alight at Worlington much of that three minutes would be occupied in dealing with the steps. The running time between Isleham and Mildenhall, with a booked stop of Worlington, was nine minutes. The final GER working timetable prior to the halts opening in 1922 showed nine or eleven minutes, the latter including two minutes recovery time applicable only to certain trains.
Photo by John Mann


The site of Worlington Golf Links Halt in July 1969. The 'platform' was the clearer area in the foreground while the access path was directly ahead of the camera. Fencing and part of the gate can be seen in the background, behind which was the road. The bridge is to the left,
Photo by John Mann


The site of bridge 2257 at Worlington in 1971. The halt was on the right and beyond the line of bushes. The bridge was partly demolished and the gap infilled. Comparison of this view with others which show the bridge in situ give an idea of the extent to which the road was lowered. As the railway was in a cutting at this point, there were no steeply climbing road approach embankments as at other locations, so the work involved in removing the bridge at Worlington was minimal. This bridge was one of those which became the responsibility of Suffolk County Council in 1934. What at first glance appears to be a pathway on the left is, on closer inspection, just the side of the railway cutting which for some reason the undergrowth has not yet taken over, other than at the top of the bank.
Photo from John Mann collection


Worlington Golf Links Halt seen from what was the bridge in 1971, looking in the Isleham direction. The fencing on the left is post-railway and probably marks the property boundary between BR and Suffolk CC. The access path for the halt was to the right of this fence, the gate and railway fencing being visible at the top of the bank. It appears that the sleeper platform facing at Worlington was removed when the line was dismantled. At one, if not both, of the other halts the facing remained in situ for many years after closure. In the distance Manor Farm occupation bridge No.2256 can be seen. This view is deceptive as the track curved to the right and did not run straight ahead as it appears to here. The fencing beneath bridge 2256 suggests that the land beyond it had already been sold off.
Photo from John Mann collection


Looking east along the trackbed towards Worlington Golf Links Halt in May 2015. The south side of the cutting can be seen on the right while the circular gap in the trees in the distance marks the approximate location of the infilled bridge. With the passage of time it is hard to imagine steam and diesel locomotives, DMUs and railbuses trundling through this spot. The platform would have been on the right. Note the lack of fly-tipped rubbish and other such blights.
Photo by Nick Catford


May 2015 and looking west along the trackbed from the site of the halt. The access pathway is on the left. Considering that the railway had been gone for half a century and was in a cutting at this point, the trackbed is reasonably clear. Other similar locations in similar circumstances are today either waterlogged and/or totally impassable.
Photo by Nick Catford


The top of the access path from the halt in May 2015. The post and other collapsed lengths of wood on the left are the remains of the fencing which incorporated the gate. The rotten stumps in the centre of the image will be the remains of railway boundary fencing and appear to be of the type made from redundant sleepers. The slope on the right is the south side of the cutting.
Photo by Nick Catford

1971

1971

May 2015

May 2015

May 2015

May 2015

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