Lakenheath, Kennett, Darsham and Westerfield among Suffolk’s 10 least used railway stations according to Office of Rail and Road figures
Suffolk’s 10 least used train stations have been revealed in new data released by the Office of Rail and Road.
The figures, published on Thursday, compiles entry and exit figures from season tickets, singles and returns – as well the main destination rail users at certain stations have – from April 2023 March 2024.
SuffolkNews has taken the ‘all tickets’ entries and exits statistic and used it to rank all 28 of the county’s railway stops to find the stations with the fewest visitors.
10: Wickham Market – 62,200 entries and exits
Starting out this list is Wickham Market railway station, which is actually in Campsea Ashe.
It recorded just over 62,000 visitors in the latest data period, an increase of around 4,500 on last year’s data.
It was formerly a junction for the Framlingham branch line, which stopped passenger services in November 1952.
It is between Saxmundham and Melton on the East Suffolk Line.
9: Darsham – 60,836 entries and exits
A drop of around 1,400 entries and two stops towards Lowestoft takes us to the next station on this list, Darsham.
Also on the East Suffolk Line, the station boasted an increase of nearly 5,000 entries and exits on last year’s data.
It used to have direct services to and from London Liverpool Street but, like the preceding station, these were withdrawn in 2010.
It is situated between Halesworth and Saxmundham.
8: Oulton Broad South – 56,484 entries and exits
The next station on this list makes it three in a row for the East Suffolk Line with Oulton Broad South.
An increase of more than 5,000 on last year’s figures, it is the penultimate stop on the line in the Lowestoft direction.
As suggested by the name, it is one of two stations serving the suburb, alongside Oulton Broad North.
The sister station more than doubles Oulton Broad South’s figures with 125,458.
7: Kennett – 50,266 entries and exits
The next stop on this list takes us to the Ipswich to Cambridge line with Kennett.
On the very fringe of Suffolk, it is situated between its eponymous village and Kentford.
In line with the preceding stations on this list it also saw an increase in usage, albeit more so than the others at nearly 6,500 entries and exits.
Kennett was first opened in 1854.
6: Bures – 46,312 entries and exits
The next stop on the list adds another line to the mix, with Bures on the Gainsborough line.
A small single-track service with four stops, Bures is the penultimate stop before Sudbury.
Similar to Kennett, it also a county-boundary straddler, but in this instance with Essex.
Bures saw a modest increase in usage on last year’s figures of 1,244 entries and exits.
5: Trimley – 45,948 entries and exits
The mid point of this list brings us yet another service, with Trimley on the Felixstowe branch line.
Similar to the preceding station, it is a single-platform stop, and is situated between the ultimate stop of the coastal town and Derby Road.
The station experienced a year-on-year usage increase of 4,784.
It was first opened in 1891 by Great Eastern Railway.
4: Westerfield – 16,444 entries and exits
A sharp drop off of nearly 30,000 brings us the next of Suffolk’s least used stations in Westerfield.
Also on the Felixstowe branch line, it is the terminus of the Ipswich end of the service.
It is also on the East Suffolk line, situated between Woodbridge and the county town for this service.
It saw an increase of 2,474 entries and exits year-on-year.
3: Brampton – 11,920 entries and exits
Another East Suffolk line entry brings the third-placed station of Brampton.
Situated between Halesworth and Beccles, it experienced an increase of usage in the last year of 2,530.
Despite its name, it is actually closer to the village of Redisham.
It has featured in an episode of Jonathan Creek.
2: Somerleyton – 10,076 entries and exits
Suffolk’s second quietest station marks the first entry for the Wherry lines in Somerleyton.
Situated between Haddiscoe and Oulton Broad North, the station has one train calling at it every two hours in each direction.
It is less than two miles from Somerleyton Hall on foot.
The year-on-year usage for the station increase by just over 1,000.
1: Lakenheath – 480 entries and exits
Once again, Suffolk’s least used railway station is Lakenheath.
Between April 2023 and March 2024, just 480 passengers entered and exited the station.
It is the only station on this list to record a decrease in usage year-on-year, with 82 less visitors than the previous period.
No trains call at Lakenheath during the week, while on weekends there are trains to Stansted Airport and Norwich.
