Railways in Thrapston

Bridge Street Station

Following Dr Beeching’s report on the viability of the country’s railways, Bridge Street Station was closed and the site sold. It was purchased by Douglas Scott who eventually relocated his business there.

We only used the railway on two or three occasions when we took our children on excursions to the seaside.

People

I didn’t know the stationmaster but I remember Mr. Lingard the signalman, Ron Harris the booking clerk and of course Dicky Day was to be seen regularly with his horse and dray delivering parcels around the town.

Goods

The fishmonger would send his lad to collect a box of fish on most days, and on market day you would see cattle which had been unloaded at the station being driven to the cattle market in Market Road.

Land Purchase

The railway land to the north of the station and including the line as far as the Parish boundary was bought by the Parish Council and is maintained by them as an amenity.

Three Arch Bridge

The stream that crosses Bridge Street between what is now Scott’s joinery works and the Bridge Hotel, under the three arches bridge, was part of the railway installation and was constructed to provide a water supply for the steam locomotives.

Extract from: Recollections of Thrapston and its people after the Second World War. By Bernard Dennison.  (Recorded October, 2005)