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Written by Brian Carter - 08 Feb 2005
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Location notes
Stowmarket is north of Ipswich, Suffolk on the Norwich - Liverpool Street 'Great Eastern Main Line'.
Railway type and traffic
Passenger: two Greater Anglia loco hauled Norwich - Liverpool Street trains per hour (loco on south end); Cambridge - Ipswich DMU every hour; Peterborough - Ipswich (- Liverpool Street) DMU (class 170) every two hours.
Freight: container trains to and from Felixstowe and Harwich (mostly Freightliner and GB Rail freight, but some DB Schenker); North Walsham - Harwich condensate tanks a few times each week (DB Schenker); Lafarge stone train to Barham once or twice a week (DB Schenker).
Environment
A dual carriageway road bridge on the southern edge of Stowmarket, but just outside the built up area. The pavement is very wide. Passing motorists occasionally shout and hoot at you.
Road directions
From the A14 from Ipswich or Bury St. Edmunds take the A1120 towards Stowmarket (this is the second Stowmarket turn if coming from the Bury direction). After crossing the railway turn round at the roundabout and head back towards the A14.

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Stowmarket, A1120 over bridge map co-ordinates
Parking
Some people park on the wide pavement, right next to where they will stand to take photos. However, passing pedestrians, joggers and cyclists sometimes complain about blocking the path. You can actually pull off the main carriageway of the road about 50 yards to the east of the bridge without causing any obstruction.
Public transport
The bridge is about 1.25 miles from Stowmarket station. There are some local buses, operated by First Eastern Counties.

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Amenities
About 0.25 miles to the east, on the way back to the A14, is a Tesco supermarket, with a cafe, toilets and petrol. Alternatively there are amenities in Stowmarket.
Accommodation
Try Stowmarket or Ipswich. There is a big hotel next to the roundabout to the west of the bridge.
Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin:
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Stowmarket, A1120 over bridge

Googly map
Streetmap links
Stowmarket, A1120 over bridge general view map
Stowmarket, A1120 over bridge close up map

Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Stowmarket, A1120 over bridge



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Photographic notes
The line runs North West - South East, but the only shots are looking north (looking south is too head on). There are no real problems with shadows except when the sun is very low. The bridge parapet is low enough that steps are not really needed, but some people might find them useful.
In the morning shoot from the east side of the line, using a 50mm or 85mm lens (a shot is also possible with a longer lens); the sun moves too far round after about 10am.
From about midday or just before shoot from the west side of the line, again using a 50mm or 85mm lens (or longer). The sun moves off the nose at about 3 or 4pm (but is OK for longer on a class 90 with a sloping front).

You can shoot video here, but the shot will not be very long (the shot from the east side would be longer) and there may be some traffic noise.


General views - All photographs © Brian Carter unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking north


Fig 1 - Looking north

From the east side of the line, at about 9.30am in late April 2004.

Fig 2 - Looking north


Fig 2 - Looking north

From the west side of the line, at about 3pm in mid April 2004.

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