This grand thoroughfare owes its existence not to trams, but an earlier form of transport: the train. By 1850 trains were linking Norwich to both London and many local towns and cities, including Yarmouth and Ipswich. As goods and people flowed into Thorpe Station it was soon realised that the somewhat narrow Rose Lane, the main road connection the station to the City, formed a bottle neck. In particular, there was clearly a need to establish a route between the station and the Cattle Market.