INCIDENTS ON THE LINE:- In 1861the line was being extended from Castle Heddingham to Yeldham. Winter hindered the execution of the works due to heavy rain. At a cutting near Yeldham on 10/01/1862 5 tons of earth fell and buried 2 labourers - Henry Bunton and John Walkinson and injuring Thomas Ruggles. It took 30 minutes to get the 2 buried men out, Henry Burton was already dead and John Walkinson died soon after. Thomas Ruggles escaped with just an injured leg. The line to Yeldham opened on 26/05/1862. The train operators ran special 'excursion' tickets on Sundays to Colchester, Ipswich and Harwich. This gave the opportunity to locals to travel further than the confines of their own and adjoining villages for the first time. There was as yet no competition from roads, so became very popular. The only people against these excursions were the local clergy, who suffered dwindling congregations and therefore tried to put a stop to Sunday trains altogether. They were however unsuccessful. The railway owned a meadow close to Chappel station. This was used by the locals, including the village football matches. Among the team members were porters from the station. During the Saturday afternoon matches there was a 'Sudbury Train Rule'. At 15:34 there was a train due from Sudbury and a Colne Valley train connection at 15:32. So there was no interference in the game, as soon as the home signal was lowered the referee would blow his whistle for half time. At which point the young porter lads rushed over the fence and ran to the porters room, where they would change into their uniforms and deal with the trains. The second half would then continue upon their return. On 08/12/1899 a goods train at Halstead was involved in an accident. There were long sidings at Halstead running parallel to the main line. The driver of the goods train was ready to proceed on the main line but unbeknown to him the points were set for the sidings. With the goods train heading towards the buffer stops, the driver unaware of what was happening, was happily increasing speed. The gatekeeper, Henry Kibble, was frantically waving his hand lamp at the train in vain. The engine hit the buffer stops and smashed its way through the gates, eventually embedding into the signal box on the other side of the road. Luckily no one was hurt. As one of the wagons smashed, its cargo - live chickens - ran all over the village. The local people were drawn to the scene of the accident, and many of the chickens ended up as their dinner.