Interview: Bridge Farm in the 1940s with Steve Masterman, local farmer

Bridge Farm in the 1940s
Steve Masterman recounts some of the tales he learnt from his father of life at Bridge Farm, alongside the East Coast Main Line, near the Naburn Bridge over the River Ouse. The farm can be seen in the background of this photograph

The interview begins with fascinating tales of how the bridge was defended during the Second World War .

It continues with description of using the railways to get livestock to the markets in York and Selby, not to mention herding them from Tadcaster along the A64 !

This clip also includes further stories about the war and about how the bridge was operated. We hear about a runaway train that hit the bridge, leaving damage that can still be seen today and about the tragic death of someone caught on the bridge as a train went past.

A transcript of the interview can be found here    Bridge Farm Transcription

If you want to know more about the bridge follow this link .

http://railwaytogreenway.org/archive-items/railway-archive/127-2/ 

to go directly to that page or this link  for more photographs.

Steve also shared some photographs of heavy lifting equipment removing the rails after the line was closed but before it was sold to Sustrans for £1, 

 

Date
December 2018
Ref no
R2G/Rail/037, R2G/Riv/014
Level
Item
Archive
Access status
Only on the website
Extent
17 minute audio interview, one photograph
Theme
Railway, River
Decade
  • Decade