Mellis & Eye Railway

This railway was the shortest branch line with a regular passenger train service in East Anglia. It was conceived by local gentry, landowners and businessmen to improve transportation of their produce to London and the provincial markets, and the line preserved its independent status for 33 years before being absorbed into the Great Eastern Railway. The Suffolk market town of Eye was at one time among the most affluent boroughs in the country and before 1832 returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons. Passengers on the London to Norwich line now travel through Mellis at speed, oblivious to the fact that it once served as the junction for a fascinating branch line, which faithfully served the locality and just failed to reach its centenary. 112 pages A5 softback with 80 illustrations.