The LNER Encyclopedia

Does anybody have the identity and date of the last oil train to use the remaining stub of the GER Mildenhall branch at Barnwell Junction, near Cambridge? Some time in 1994 has been suggested to me, but it may have been later - I would imagine before 2000? Barnwell oil depot is now very heavily fenced off from the small wood, which used to be the line, but is back in use as a house-fuel depot, used by various road tanker companies.Network Rail have no details of last use for the line, as their FoI Request available records only go back ten years! The status of the remaining line is rather obscure in that although still owned by Network Rail, it appears on neither their list of present sidings or on their list of railway land for sale.

I've asked the question to a couple of serving signalmen and a chap who lives in Cambridge.

I've asked someone who until recently was the manager of Cambridge PSB, and got a quick reply, though hardly definite I'm afraid. : -

- "1996 is as close as we can remember. Can’t pin down an accurate month."

I'll see if I can reach one of the ex-signalman, shift managers there that I know.

I'm pretty sure that I saw trains still going in there around 2000ish.

I wrote the method of working for several places around Cambridge in 1995 (in Mainline Freight days) but can't remember doing Barnwell - maybe closed by then - or maybe somebody else had already done one.

Just to keep you up-dated about the last bit of the Mildenhall Branch. An FoI to Network Rail has revealed that Barnwell Oil Siding is presently being sold to several purchasers, the majority one being Cambridgeshire County Council, who intend to convert the route into some as yet unspecified new cycleway route. The siding was on a 125-year lease to DB Cargo from NR - not that DB have ever used it. There is presumably some 1000 yds of traditional track, chairs, buffer stops, etc, going begging for any preserved railway wanting to reclaim them..?

Hi I know this post was a while ago but today the Railway I volunteer at the Whitwell and Reepham Railway has just finished removing all track work from this siding/ex branch and is going to re use the good stuff reclaimed from today sleepers chairs etc so now the only thing left is the track bed