Braughing-A Family Station.

[Jingling Geordie]

I managed to get to visit this Station which was on the Buntingford Branch Line and met the owner of the property. He was the son of the last Station Master. Part of the station is occupied by his son and he the rest.

The station can be viewed on Nick Catford's web site.

A Station Master’s Son.

The German’s bombs so frightened mum
That dad, us from Colchester, moved.
To rural backwater sad and glum
Called Braughing. I wasn’t amused.

A boy of nine does as he’s told,
I just counted the days away.
Till I was adult, mature, old.
Nineteen was when I had my say.

“I will live life with abandon.
No Railway Station can hold me.”
Went off down the road to Standon
So mum could still do my laundry.

Passengers went in sixty-three.
Goods lasted another few years
No one outside other than me
For the lost line shed any tears

Mum and dad in the station house
Long after the railway had gone.
Father went first, quiet as a mouse,
Mother somehow seemed to hold on.

Mum died, empty the station stood.
I went and made a rash purchase
I’m back in my old home for good.
Old bird midst his much loved perches.

JG2008

[swisstrains]

That's nice

[Jingling Geordie]

Thanks,

The poem echoes the way the man speaks. He has a Mark 2 open carriage parked on a short length of track, has kept the the trackway at original level, the platforms are joined by a flat bridge.

The day after he and his son had completed re-building the original signal box the violent storms that hit the country reduced it it to matchwood. So he rebuilt one in conchrete.

A remarkable man,

JG

[Gandalf]

The Buntingford to St Margrets line would have been a good one for preservation. A pleasant and gentle ride through the Hertfordshire contryside plus a connection to Liverpool Street. All it would have needed was an N7 and J15 and a few coaches.
Sadly gone.
John (G)

[Jingling Geordie]

See not all Hoodies are bad news.

When the line was freight only and only a few stations were still served the gentlemen I met's father became "Station Master" for all the stations including those that had closed.

I believe he had to keep an eye on the buildings etc.

One of my mates who drives out of Bishop Stortford worked on the freight link as "the boy", he had to open and close crossing gates, uncouple/couple up etc.

62430