It may have seemed like the perfect do-er upper... a beautiful country cottage overlooking wild, open marshes, which had come onto the market for the first time in almost 30 years.

But Gate House Cottage failed to sell at auction this week, as potential buyers may have been deterred by one other distinguishing feature.
 
The property is a former railway crossing keepers cottage and lies right next to the busy Lowestoft to Ipswich train line - meaning it has 22 trains running just metres past it every day.The two bedroom cottage - Dawdys Crossing Gatehouse on Burnt Hill Lane in Carlton Colville, Lowestoft - failed to sell at auction. Picture: Auction House East AngliaThe two bedroom cottage - Dawdys Crossing Gatehouse on Burnt Hill Lane in Carlton Colville, Lowestoft - failed to sell at auction. Picture: Auction House East Anglia (Image: Auction House East Anglia)

The two bedroom cottage, known as Dawdys Crossing Gatehouse on Burnt Hill Lane in Carlton Colville, Lowestoft had gone on sale at an auction on Wednesday.

But it did not quite hit its reserve price after bidding halted at £176,000.

Marketed by Auction House East Anglia, and offered in association with Ange and Co, the auctioneer had described the property as "quite a unique opportunity" and had mentioned the railway connection prominently.

The two bedroom cottage - Dawdys Crossing Gatehouse on Burnt Hill Lane in Carlton Colville, Lowestoft - failed to sell at auction. Picture: Auction House East AngliaThe two bedroom cottage - Dawdys Crossing Gatehouse on Burnt Hill Lane in Carlton Colville, Lowestoft - failed to sell at auction. Picture: Auction House East Anglia (Image: Auction House East Anglia)

"It's a former railway keepers cottage on the Lowestoft to Ipswich train line.

"It goes right past the lounge room windows and it actually lasts about a second-and-a-half, with there usually being two or three carriages at most.

"It's a lovely setting, with a lovely garden and very rural."

Telephone and internet bids were received for lot 122 of the auction as the two-bed cottage went under the hammer.

However, the auctioneer said that despite a bid of £176,000 from a prospective internet buyer it was "close, but not quite enough to reach the reserve".