HOPES of saving a village station from the bulldozers are back on track – following the discovery that it has an important place in railway history.Villagers had just about given up hope of keeping Trimley station after English Heritage refused to back a move to have it listed for its architectural importance.

HOPES of saving a village station from the bulldozers are back on track – following the discovery that it has an important place in railway history.

Villagers had just about given up hope of keeping Trimley station after English Heritage refused to back a move to have it listed for its architectural importance.

But now they are to try again to have it listed . . . after it was found to be the last surviving station built by the Great Eastern Railway.

Parish councillor Bryan Frost said it was hoped the new information would change the authorities' view of the building and allow it to be kept and restored and found a new use.

"The station building with the storeroom and station master's house is the only remaining intact station built by the former Great Eastern Railway," he said.

"That makes it quite important in the history of the railway in this region and I think it is worth having another go at having it listed.

"I think we should also ask that if the canopy on the far platform is to be removed, it should be moved over the platform used by passengers instead of being demolished and lost."

Trimley St Mary Parish Council has given Mr Frost the go-ahead to apply again to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport for listing status.

The Great Eastern Railway existed from 1862 to 1923 and ran the lion's share of rail services in East Anglia, catering for commuters, holidaymakers and farmers, running a comprehensive network of branch lines.

It built Trimley's station on the 12-mile Felixstowe-Ipswich line in 1891.

But Network Rail says the building has deteriorated and is just too dangerous to leave standing.

It has has suffered years of neglect and attacks by vandals, is too expensive to maintain, would need £100,000 spent to restore it, and is "unsafe and has become a hazard".

Network Rail – which took ownership of the station from Railtrack – said the station would be demolished and a 4ft 6in wooden picket fence placed across the gap. Train services will not be affected.

Several campaigns to market the property have failed to find an alternative use. Demolition would allow extra car parking for customers and remove an eyesore.

The station did once have planning permission for a restaurant and wine bar, but the scheme never got off the ground.