Soham Rail Disaster memorial

On a quiet stretch of railway line east of Ely stands a memorial to one of Britain's worst railway disasters. In 1952, two trains collided near Soham, killing 44 people - mostly railway workers and passengers. The impact was so violent it derailed both locomotives and sent shockwaves through the small Cambridgeshire community.

The memorial marks the spot where an act of extraordinary courage prevented an even greater catastrophe. Fireman James Aitchison and driver Benjamin Ginns spotted a burning truck on their train and made a split-second decision to detach it and draw away the rest of the carriages. Their quick thinking likely saved dozens more lives. Both men died in the collision.

Visiting feels properly sobering. It's not a tourist attraction in the conventional sense - you're standing at a genuine site of loss, where real people perished. There's no visitor centre or car park facilities that we could find. The memorial itself is straightforward and respectful, and the location - the rail line that killed them - gives the whole experience an unsettling weight.

It's not for everyone, frankly. History buffs interested in British transport heritage will find it worthwhile, and the quiet East Anglian countryside around Ely makes it part of a broader trip. But don't expect displays or interpretive panels. Allow 30 minutes if you're making the journey from Trelander Camping or Hatters Meadows - both solid bases for exploring the Fens. Bring a sense of reflection rather than expecting entertainment.