Meet beautiful steam trains, traverse ancient orchards and find out how a dragon – or alligator – found its way to an East Anglian village! We’ll hear about local life and legend in the landscape that inspired one of England’s most influential painters. It’s all to be discovered along Greater Anglia’s Gainsborough Line.

The Gainsborough Line may be the shortest line in our series, but its history is long! We begin our adventure crossing a magnificent viaduct – and one of the largest brick-build structures in England.

Just minutes outside Marks Tey at Chappel and Wakes Colne lies the East Anglian Railway Museum. Engineer and fix-it fan Peter gives us an incredible insight into the work he and his colleagues do to restore and revive the majestic history of rail travel and trade. With engines dating from the birth of steam to our recent past we hear how experts are getting hands on with the nuts and bolts of rail and giving us a fun family day out in the process!

We stop off at Bures where the River Stour forms the boundary of Essex and Suffolk. Gill is a local parish councillor and guides us from the beautiful station garden in full bloom, through this picturesque and historic village. She shares its claim to the crowning of King Edmund – the last East Anglian King – as well as a bizarre tale about a dragon, which you might still spot today! She also points out snapshots of Tudor architecture that tell of life here through the ages.

Oh and do you know what Pickleball is? You heard it here first!

The final stop on the Gainsborough Line is Sudbury and home to Gainsborough’s House. This museum is currently being redeveloped to include a major arts hub and was the birthplace and home of this English Landscape Master. We speak to Museum Director Mark and find out about the life and local inspirations of the painter before taking a watery and wonderful walk in the sunshine.

Lives on the Lines is created on behalf of the Community Rail Partnerships with Greater Anglia.

Presented and produced by Katharine Kerr for Fresh Air Production.

Find out about the Gainsborough Line and the Essex and South Suffolk Community Rail partnership at https://www.esscrp.org.uk

And explore travel with Greater Anglia at https://www.greateranglia.co.uk

@greateranglia

East Anglian Railway Museum https://www.earm.co.uk

@earailwaymuseum

Gainsborough House Museum http://www.gainsborough.org

@GH_Sudbury

Bures community website

http://www.bures-online.co.uk

Meet beautiful steam trains, traverse ancient orchards and find out how a dragon &ndash; or alligator &ndash; found its way to an East Anglian village! We&rsquo;ll hear about local life and legend in the landscape that inspired one of England&rsquo;s most influential painters. It&rsquo;s all to be discovered along Greater Anglia&rsquo;s Gainsborough Line.
The Gainsborough Line may be the shortest line in our series, but its history is long! We begin our adventure crossing a magnificent viaduct &ndash; and one of the largest brick-build structures in England.
Just minutes outside Marks Tey at Chappel and Wakes Colne lies the East Anglian Railway Museum. Engineer and fix-it fan Peter gives us an incredible insight into the work he and his colleagues do to restore and revive the majestic history of rail travel and trade. With engines dating from the birth of steam to our recent past we hear how experts are getting hands on with the nuts and bolts of rail and giving us a fun family day out in the process!
We stop off at Bures where the River Stour forms the boundary of Essex and Suffolk. Gill is a local parish councillor and guides us from the beautiful station garden in full bloom, through this picturesque and historic village. She shares its claim to the crowning of King Edmund &ndash; the last East Anglian King &ndash; as well as a bizarre tale about a dragon, which you might still spot today! She also points out snapshots of Tudor architecture that tell of life here through the ages.
Oh and do you know what Pickleball is? You heard it here first!
The final stop on the Gainsborough Line is Sudbury and home to Gainsborough&rsquo;s House. This museum is currently being redeveloped to include a major arts hub and was the birthplace and home of this English Landscape Master. We speak to Museum Director Mark and find out about the life and local inspirations of the painter before taking a watery and wonderful walk in the sunshine.
Lives on the Lines is created on behalf of the Community Rail Partnerships with Greater Anglia.
Presented and produced by Katharine Kerr for <a href="https://www.freshairproduction.co.uk">Fresh Air Production.</a>
Find out about the Gainsborough Line and the Essex and South Suffolk Community Rail partnership at <a href="https://www.esscrp.org.uk">https://www.esscrp.org.uk</a>
And explore travel with Greater Anglia at <a href="https://www.greateranglia.co.uk">https://www.greateranglia.co.uk</a>
<a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/greateranglia/media">@greateranglia</a>
East Anglian Railway Museum <a href="https://www.earm.co.uk">https://www.earm.co.uk</a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/earailwaymuseum">@earailwaymuseum</a>
Gainsborough House Museum <a href="http://www.gainsborough.org">http://www.gainsborough.org</a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/GH_Sudbury">@GH_Sudbury</a>
Bures community website
<a href="http://www.bures-online.co.uk">http://www.bures-online.co.uk</a>

Take an audible journey by train and meet fascinating people living and working across our Great Anglian landscape.

We’ll explore majestic coastlines, the phenomenal wildlife of broads and fens, breathtaking cathedral cities and magical market towns, meeting the people that make East Anglia such a unique and special place to live and visit.

The Community Rail Partnerships invite you to travel six of Greater Anglia’s rural branch rail lines across Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire in this audible adventure.

The railways have connected communities and counties across Britain for nearly two centuries, and that time has seen enormous innovation in the trade, work opportunities and lifestyles of the British people. Rail has tracked our lives through innovation, migration, boom and bust, and today the Greater Anglia rural branch lines connect communities here for work, days out and enjoying the beautiful East Anglian landscape.

Settle in for a listen and enjoy a journey through history, culture, art and nature…. it might just inspire a few adventures of your own!

Lives on the Lines is created on behalf of the Community Rail Partnerships with Greater Anglia.

https://www.greateranglia.co.uk

@greateranglia

Presented and produced by Katharine Kerr for Fresh Air Production.

You can explore travel along the branch lines and the brilliant work of Community Rail Partnerships

https://herewardcrp.org

https://www.esscrp.org.uk

https://eastsuffolklines.co.uk

https://wherrylines.com

https://bitternline.com

Take an audible journey by train and meet fascinating people living and working across our Great Anglian landscape.
We&rsquo;ll explore majestic coastlines, the phenomenal wildlife of broads and fens, breathtaking cathedral cities and magical market towns, meeting the people that make East Anglia such a unique and special place to live and visit.
The Community Rail Partnerships invite you to travel six of Greater Anglia&rsquo;s rural branch rail lines across Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire in this audible adventure.
The railways have connected communities and counties across Britain for nearly two centuries, and that time has seen enormous innovation in the trade, work opportunities and lifestyles of the British people. Rail has tracked our lives through innovation, migration, boom and bust, and today the Greater Anglia rural branch lines connect communities here for work, days out and enjoying the beautiful East Anglian landscape.
Settle in for a listen and enjoy a journey through history, culture, art and nature&hellip;. it might just inspire a few adventures of your own!
Lives on the Lines is created on behalf of the Community Rail Partnerships with Greater Anglia.
<a href="https://www.greateranglia.co.uk">https://www.greateranglia.co.uk</a>
<a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/greateranglia/media">@greateranglia</a>
Presented and produced by Katharine Kerr for <a href="https://www.freshairproduction.co.uk">Fresh Air Production.</a>
You can explore travel along the branch lines and the brilliant work of Community Rail Partnerships
<a href="https://herewardcrp.org">https://herewardcrp.org</a>
<a href="https://www.esscrp.org.uk">https://www.esscrp.org.uk</a>
<a href="https://eastsuffolklines.co.uk">https://eastsuffolklines.co.uk</a>
<a href="https://wherrylines.com">https://wherrylines.com</a>
<a href="https://bitternline.com">https://bitternline.com</a>

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