1. 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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Fluorescent sign from Oakington.
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Fluorescent sign from Oakington.

OakingtonLamp

  • A Railway Development Society Special recorded between Histon and Girton Road crossing on 31st March 1979.
  • This signal marks the point where the Up goods loop or refuge siding at Histon split from the main line. The remaining disconnected signal is Histon's Up inner distant. This was signal 9 on the Histon box, lever frame. It was motor driven as was the outer distant which was located Oakington side of Girton Gates and operated in conjunction with the inner distant..  Above it was a home signal (10 on the lever frame) and to the left a smaller signal for access into the goods loop (4 on the lever frame)  The up goods loop had the capacity to hold 90 standard size wagons plus engine and brake van. Photo dated 13th June 1974
  • Very poor image of Girton Road crossing (No 15) in April 1973. Note British Railways called it Girton Road Crossing so I have used their description. It is also known locally as Park Lane crossing, Meadow Road or Gatehouse Road.
  • 6773 with pre TOPS Number, later 37073 at Girton Road Crossing in April 1973
  • Girton Road crossing  31st March 1979. A Railway Development Society special running from Cambridge to Swavesey waits at the gates. The crossing keepers hut was to the right foreground with a five lever ground frame.
  • 47115 waits at Girton Road Crossing. Date and photographer unknown.
  • The final days of Girton Road Crossing.  November 2006. Photo with kind permission of Peter Heath.
  • View from Girton Road Crossing, Histon looking south east towards Histon Station on 18th January 1976.  The square concrete stump to the right behind the stop sign is the remains of a three aspect colour light signal which doubled up as the stop signal for the gates and Oakington's Down distant.
  • View from Girton Road Crossing Histon looking north west towards Oakington after the Down line had been lifted at this point. Approximately near the twin power line posts was the red  semaphore stop signal for the gates and below it Histon station's, motor driven, outer distant. 18th January 1976.
  • 37026 approaches Girton Road crossing.  24th April 1978
  • Girton Road  crossing in 1920. Photo. Thanks to Mrs Eleanor Whitehead.
  • Girton Road Crossing c1907 with crossing keeper George Adams and his wife.  The wooden gate house was demolished in the early sixties. I can just about remember it. To the right is the brick built crossing keepers hut, later replaced. Photo thanks to Mrs Eleanor Whitehead.
  • Girton Road crossing, Track removal for the guided busway. November 2006. Photo with kind permission of Peter Heath.
  • Notice from Girton Road  Crossing/Park Lane Crossing from October 1965.
  • 31240 arrives at Oakington with a ballast train.  November 1980.
  • Oakington facing Longstanton from the crossing gates.  18th January 1976.
  • Oakington. Interesting  spandrel design on the down platform shelter.10th September 1979
  • Fluorescent sign from Oakington.
  • Tony McDonald, the proud owner of this station name  board which he purchased at auction. Thanks to Tony for the photo.  November 2021.
  • The line looking south east from Oakington Crossing Gates towards Girton Road Crossing and Histon.  March 1974
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