2. Railways

Cambridge-St Ives-March

This collection is dedicated to the memory of the late Steve Wilkinson of Histon who fought tirelessly in conjunction with the Railway Development Society (Rail Future) to re open the Cambridge- St Ives line.

Timeline:-
Chesterton Junction to St Ives- opened 17th August 1847.
St Ives to March South Junction- opened 1st February 1848.

The fifteen and a half mile line from St Ives to March South Junction closed on 6th March 1967 when freight traffic declined. The passenger service was also recommended for closure in the Beeching Report of 1963. Little trace of this section of the line exists today. Long sections have been converted to road and the various cuttings to landfill. Many thanks to Stewart Ingram for permission to include some of his pictures from the last day of working. The passenger service from St Ives to Cambridge closed on 5th October 1970, but fortunately the line stayed open for freight traffic to Chivers at Histon until 1983 and a long term sand contract from ARC at Fen Drayton ensured the line stayed open until May 1992. This section of the line has been totally destroyed by the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway which opened on 7th August 2011. Here are a few photos to show how it looked in it's final operational days plus a few relics. The line was once a very busy freight route to March, Whitemoor Yard and the Yorkshire coalfields with over 70 workings a day, the line being open all night.

Maps used in this gallery. Ordnance survey- 1" to a mile. Sheet 135 Cambridge and Ely (1954) and Sheet 134 Huntingdon and Peterborough.
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Chatteris. Everyone appears to be wearing their Sunday best for a day out, perhaps to Sunny Hunny.<br /> Note the advertisement for W Vernon and Sons. These were millers based in Birkenhead. <br /> <br /> Image:- Thanks to Brian Hemment.
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Chatteris. Everyone appears to be wearing their Sunday best for a day out, perhaps to Sunny Hunny.
Note the advertisement for W Vernon and Sons. These were millers based in Birkenhead.

Image:- Thanks to Brian Hemment.

ChatterisBrianhemment

  • Compared to the previous photo, this is a contemporary view of the same location. The track bed is now the A141 Fenland Way. The only remaining recognisable feature is the building to the extreme right.<br /> <br /> Image:- Barry Saunders.
  • A rather nice original totem from Chatteris.<br /> <br /> Image:- Thanks to Edd Bird.
  • Chatteris. Station forecourt. Image probably taken after closure as the station house appears to be derelict and boarded up.
  • Chatteris
  • Chatteris. Goods shed.
  • Chatteris Station facing north on 26th August 1973. The concrete post of the Up starter signal remains on the right. Note also the staggered platfoms and the WH Smith bookstall. The station at the time was used as a highways depot. Today nothing remains ,The A141 road uses the trackbed. The demolished station building was behind the bookstall. All that remains is a mound of rubble.
  • A lovely atmospheric shot of Chatteris on the last day of operations, 4th March 1967 with a Wickham two car unit leaving for March. E50417/E56172. In the background can be seen Slade End Crossing's down distant on the same post as the stations up home signal.The side of the goods shed can be seen near the signal. The station is now part of the A141 road. Photo with kind permission of Stewart Ingram.<br /> <a href="http://chatteris.ccan.co.uk/content/catalogue_item/sign-at-chatteris-railway-station-photo-courtsey-of-r-edwards">http://chatteris.ccan.co.uk/content/catalogue_item/sign-at-chatteris-railway-station-photo-courtsey-of-r-edwards</a>
  • Chatteris station gates c1960. The station is to the immediate right as is the concrete lattice Up starter signal. <br /> <br /> Image:- Thanks to Brian Hemment.
  • Chatteris. In great Eastern days, a scene repeated all over East Anglia with a wagon being loaded with farm produce, ready for the pick up goods. The horse is patiently waiting. <br /> <br /> Image:- Thanks to Brian Hemment.
  • Chatteris. Crossing gates unknown location.
  • The attractive station building at Chatteris. Now sadly demolished.<br /> <br /> Image:- Brian Pask.
  • Chatteris. Everyone appears to be wearing their Sunday best for a day out, perhaps to Sunny Hunny.<br /> Note the advertisement for W Vernon and Sons. These were millers based in Birkenhead. <br /> <br /> Image:- Thanks to Brian Hemment.
  • Chatteris
  • Chatteris facing south.
  • Chatteris track layout North of the station. May 1967. Courtesy of Richard Pike. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/68227206@N05/7155728237">http://www.flickr.com/photos/68227206@N05/7155728237</a>
  • Chatteris track layout South of the station. May 1967. Courtesy of Richard Pike.
  • Slade End (Doddington Road) crossing gates north of Chatteris where the A141 crossed, (Doddington Road) looking north on 4th March 1967. Chatteris Station's Up distant can be seen in the background. Today the new route of the A141 uses the track bed. Photo with kind permission of Stewart Ingram.
  • Chatteris
  • Slade End crossing keepers house on Doddington Road. The area is now a roundabout.<br /> <br /> Photo:- Thanks to Brian Hemment.
  • Chatteris Dock.
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