In September 2016, Neal and Nigel Davis, who as regular CVC readers will be aware, are prolific vehicle restorers with a particular liking for the slightly unusual, were visiting the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway for the first time. The ‘Middy’ is Suffolk’s only preserved standard-gauge railway and unusually, it sets out to create the atmosphere of a genuine light railway between the wars – right down to small engines, four-wheel coaches and grounded van and coach bodies forming many of the station buildings. It’s all intentionally low-key, as too many visitors would need extra facilities which in turn would spoil the rural railway image the Middy tries to promote.
Anyway, Neal and Nigel had moved to Norfolk a year or so earlier, and on his various ‘relocation’ journeys up the A140 from his former home in Essex, Nigel had noticed the brown tourist signs to the Mid-Suffolk, a line which neither brother had even heard of. So as both are interested in rail as well as road transport, once they’d sorted out the new home, they took a look…
SURPRISE SPOTTED!
On arrival, there was bad news – “no trains today”. It was, however, a ‘volunteers day’ so the pair instead had a look around the yard. Almost immediately, Neal spotted a part-dismantled and extremely down-at-heel looking Dennis four-tonner
