The Gainsborough Line

The Gainsborough Line marks a delightful rural railway journey running from Marks Tey in Essex to Sudbury in Suffolk.

Leaving Marks Tey junction with the Great Eastern Main Line, the train emerges from leafy cuttings to cross the impressive 32 arch viaduct (the second largest brick built structure in England) above the village of Chappel, and high above the river Colne.

August after the viaduct is the station for Chappel and Wakes Colne and home to the East Anglian Railway Museum.  This thriving little railway runs alongside the branch line and hosts a number of themed events each year – worth a visit, as is a walk under the viaduct.

The next station is Bures which is intersected by the county boundary and the river Stour which runs through this village providing pleasant river walks and an opportunity to have one foot in Essex and one in Suffolk.

Sudbury, the end of the line, is an attractive market town, with many historic buildings including Gainsborough’s House Museum, opportunities for shopping and leisure activities. All stations have eating and drinking facilities nearby and the annual Chappel beer festival attracts thousands from around the region.