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 (1954)

Cast Iron http://www.castiron.org.uk/

Film of the line in 1968
http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-cambridge-st-ives-1968/

Cambridge- St Ives- March/ Death of a railway 1964.
http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-death-of-a-railway-1964/
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Histon Crossover. c1981
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Histon Crossover. c1981

  • The 34 lever frame at Histon box showing a good view of the up signal levers to the left. The white levers are spare and were used in connection with Chivers Sidings. The blue levers to the left are for the up goods loop facing point locks and switching. April 1973.
  • The last entry in the train register in Histon Signal Box. Friday April 28th 1972. The final entry is a 755 bell code (box closing) to Chesterton Junction.
  • First Aid arrangements at Histon. The signal box was originally open all hours.
  • View from the signal box window looking towards Oakington. The goods shed is to the right along with the rear of Chivers factory. The up goods loop terminated just out of site around the curve. The up line is out of use and terminates in buffer stops about a mile further down. I'm still trying to find out the purpose for the green water tower on the left. 17th September 1978.
  • Histon signal box interior after a visit from the vandals. 17th September 1978. The interior had been stripped by this time and all signalling equipment removed.
  • Histon Crossover. c1981
  • Histon Crossover circa 1981.
  • Chivers Factory here viewed from the crossing gates, produced preserves and jelly and was deliberately sited next to the railway to utilise the freight facilities. It had its own sidings which officially closed in 1967 although consignments of Transfesa ferry vans loaded with oranges from Spain continued until 1983. Picture dated 23rd November 1979. Most of this site has now been demolished.
  • Ivatt Class 2MT 46465 was a familiar engine on shunting duties at Chivers Sidings in the early sixties. It is seen here at Ely,
  • The Household Cavalry on an overnight stop in Chivers Sidings c1955. Photo courtesy of Mrs Eleanor Whitehead.
  • Histon to Oakington
  • A rare shot of five transfesa ferry vans, I think standing on the old up goods loop at Histon on 9th February 1980. The vans contain Seville oranges from Spain used in the production of marmalade at the nearby Chivers Factory. The deliveries were seasonal and ceased in 1983. The view is facing Histon Station. The signal box can just about be made out in the far distance. It looks like a recent delivery as the vans appear to be still loaded.
  • Mile Post 61 ie 61 miles from Liverpool Street at Histon, located somewhere near the end of the goods loop. 9th February 1980
  • Reminiscent of past days, 31313 catches the setting sun between Histon Station and Girton Road crossing. The working is a return RDS special from Liverpool Street to Swavesey. 12th April 1980.
  • A Railway Development Society Special recorded between Histon and Girton Road crossing on 31st March 1979.
  • A Railway Development Society special approaching Girton Gates on 31st March 1979. The up line was truncated at this point and during the summer of 1976 was used to store wagons.
  • The line between Girton Road crossing and Histon looking south east towards Histon. The signal in the distance is Histon's Up Inner Distant and marks the location where the Up goods loop splits off. March 1974
  • 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
  • 37083 on an up sand working between Girton Road Crossing and Histon on 13th June 1974. Note the concrete Dowmac sleepers on the up track which were installed on an experimental basis on this line. The train is passing an occupation crossing and a footpath to Girton. Single line working is in operation on the down line. To the left of the engine was a stile leading to the footpath. This was a favourite haunt for me, aged about nine, at the end of steam traction, in about 1961/62. My best sighting by far here was Patriot, 45541 "Duke of Sutherland" running light engine towards March.
  • The rear of the previous train showing 37083 between Park Lane Crossing and Histon with another shot of the experimental Dowmac concrete sleepers. 13th June 1974.
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