Needham Market
A Friday evening in June 1976 finds the busy 18.40 Liverpool Street to Norwich service stranded near Needham Market in 'the middle of nowhere'. The class 47 at its head had failed and, being 1976, the driver could not call for assistance by radio or mobile phone. As seen here, he has flagged down a Cambridge to Ipswich service to relay his needs to the DMU driver for passing on down the line. The passengers had no means of outside communication either, so when the train eventually arrived in Norwich over two hours late, there was a crowd of anxious partners, friends and relatives who had also waited two hours or gone to the station when their loved ones failed to come home. It could have been worse. I might not have made it to Captain America's Hamburger Heaven in Exchange Street in time for a quarter pound De Luxe (cheese, lettuce, tomato, dill, mayo) with crispy fries and relishes. 80p. Just saying.
Location: Needham Market
Original line: Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds Railway
Photographer: Mark Dufton
Contact photographer: Mark Dufton
Date: 18/06/1976
Image number: 83894
