There used to be sidings on the railway line where the continuation of Straight Furlong meets the main Peterborough to Ely line, just to the east of the Hundred Foot River. I have read a couple of books where their authors claim that using this line is the best way to see the washes in flood. But these days I wonder if the road viaduct at Mepal isn't just as good.
The sidings used to serve as Pymoor's station, although I understand that it was only used for goods traffic. There is no longer any station between Manea and Ely, although there used to be one at Black Bank serving the larger village of Little Downham.
At the sidings three houses are found just to the north of the line and one to the south. In spite of a deep dip as the road passes under the line, there is still only nine feet of headroom under the bridge. Before the local roads were metalled, all heavy goods bound for and leaving the village were carried by rail. (Before the railway, the river was used.)
The 1824 Ordance Survey map of the area shows that this was the main road at that time. The current main road, which turns towards the river just south of Pymoor Sidings and passes under a bridge with 14 feet of headroom, did not exist at that time. The track which now services Primrose Hill Farm was at that time the main road towards Welney and Wisbech.
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