Newmarket to Haughley & Laxfield

The lines east and west of the junction at Haughley provide a fascinating contrast. Westwards, the route was one of the earliest railways in the area and has become a busy artery for long distance freight traffic, while retaining a regular passenger service to important towns. Eastwards, the short-lived Mid Suffolk Light Railway was a latecomer to the railway scene, was never completed, and served only a succession of villages as it ambled across the countryside for some 20 miles. We see activities on both lines over the years, and also look at the preservation centre which recreates much of the atmosphere of the Light Railway.