Colne Valley and Halstead Railway
Encyclopedia
The Colne Valley and Halstead Railway (CVHR) is a closed railway between Haverhill
, Suffolk
and Chappel and Wakes Colne
, Essex
, in England
.
A railway in the Colne Valley was first proposed in 1846 when the "Colchester, Stour Valley, Sudbury and Halstead Railway Company" was incorporated to build a line from Marks Tey
on the Eastern Counties Railway
to Sudbury
, with branches to Halstead
and from Colchester
to Hythe. A later extension to Bury St. Edmunds
and Clare
was also approved, however a shortage of funds resulted in only the Stour Valley Railway
to Sudbury and Sunshine Coast Line line to Hythe branch being built.
In 1856 the Colne Valley and Halstead Railway Company was formed by local people to build a line from Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station
to Halstead
. It was authorised on 30 June 1856, and opened on 16 April 1860 between Chappel (north of Marks Tey
) to Halstead
, a distance of 6 miles (9.7 km).
A 13 miles (20.9 km) extension was authorised on 13 August 1859 and opened in stages:-
Physical connection with the Stour Valley Railway
at Haverhill was provided in 1865 and although close relations were maintained with the GER, the Colne Valley and Halstead Railway remained completely independent, until it became part of the London and North Eastern Railway
in the 1923 regrouping
. The CVHR station, renamed 'Haverhill South', was closed to passengers in 1924 but remained open for goods until 1965.
Since 1973, A mile of track has been preserved having been reconstructed during 1973-75 period as the Colne Valley Railway
, including Castle Hedingham station.
There's hope one day the line could someday extend towards Yeldham
as the old railway station has recently been cleared for both a path and possibly for a future extension.
Haverhill, Suffolk
Haverhill is an industrial market town and civil parish in the county of Suffolk, England, next to the borders of Essex and Cambridgeshire. It lies southeast of Cambridge and north of central London...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
and Chappel and Wakes Colne
Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station
Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station is a railway station serving the villages of Wakes Colne and Chappel in Essex.The station itself is located in Wakes Colne. It has one platform station on the Marks Tey/Sudbury branch line...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
Marks Tey
Marks Tey is a large village in Essex, England located six miles west of Colchester.Marks Tey railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line, and is a junction for the Sudbury Branch Line to Sudbury...
on the Eastern Counties Railway
Eastern Counties Railway
The Eastern Counties Railway was an early English railway company incorporated in 1836. It was intended to link London with Ipswich via Colchester, and then on to Norwich and Yarmouth. Construction began in late March 1837 on the first nine miles, at the London end of the line.Construction was...
to Sudbury
Sudbury, Suffolk
Sudbury is a small, ancient market town in the county of Suffolk, England, on the River Stour, from Colchester and from London.-Early history:...
, with branches to Halstead
Halstead
Halstead is a town and civil parish located in Braintree District of Essex, England, near Colchester and Sudbury. It has a population of 11,053. The town is situated in the Colne Valley, and originally developed on the hill to the north of the river...
and from Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
to Hythe. A later extension to Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds is a market town in the county of Suffolk, England, and formerly the county town of West Suffolk. It is the main town in the borough of St Edmundsbury and known for the ruined abbey near the town centre...
and Clare
Clare, Suffolk
Clare is a small town on the north bank of the River Stour in Suffolk, England.Clare is from Bury St Edmunds and from Sudbury. It lies in the 'South and Heart of Suffolk' . As a cloth town, it is one of Suffolk's 'threads'. Clare is the current holder of Village of the Year and has won the...
was also approved, however a shortage of funds resulted in only the Stour Valley Railway
Stour Valley Railway
The Stour Valley Railway is a partially closed railway line that ran between , near Cambridge and in Essex, England. The line opened in sections between 1849 and 1865...
to Sudbury and Sunshine Coast Line line to Hythe branch being built.
In 1856 the Colne Valley and Halstead Railway Company was formed by local people to build a line from Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station
Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station
Chappel and Wakes Colne railway station is a railway station serving the villages of Wakes Colne and Chappel in Essex.The station itself is located in Wakes Colne. It has one platform station on the Marks Tey/Sudbury branch line...
to Halstead
Halstead
Halstead is a town and civil parish located in Braintree District of Essex, England, near Colchester and Sudbury. It has a population of 11,053. The town is situated in the Colne Valley, and originally developed on the hill to the north of the river...
. It was authorised on 30 June 1856, and opened on 16 April 1860 between Chappel (north of Marks Tey
Marks Tey
Marks Tey is a large village in Essex, England located six miles west of Colchester.Marks Tey railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line, and is a junction for the Sudbury Branch Line to Sudbury...
) to Halstead
Halstead
Halstead is a town and civil parish located in Braintree District of Essex, England, near Colchester and Sudbury. It has a population of 11,053. The town is situated in the Colne Valley, and originally developed on the hill to the north of the river...
, a distance of 6 miles (9.7 km).
A 13 miles (20.9 km) extension was authorised on 13 August 1859 and opened in stages:-
- 1 July 1861 Halstead–Castle HedinghamCastle HedinghamCastle Hedingham is a small village in northeast Essex, England, located four miles west of Halstead and is situated in the Colne Valley on the ancient road from Colchester, Essex, to Cambridge....
- 26 May 1862 Castle Hedingham–YeldhamYeldham railway stationYeldham railway station was located in Great Yeldham, Essex. It closed in 1962.-External links:*...
- 10 May 1863 Yeldham–Haverhill (CVHR)Haverhill (CVHR) railway stationHaverhill railway station was a station in Haverhill, Suffolk. It was a terminus on the Colne Valley and Halstead Railway. It was sometimes known as Haverhill South to distinguish it from Haverhill railway station on the Stour Valley Railway which also served the town.Former Services-External...
Physical connection with the Stour Valley Railway
Stour Valley Railway
The Stour Valley Railway is a partially closed railway line that ran between , near Cambridge and in Essex, England. The line opened in sections between 1849 and 1865...
at Haverhill was provided in 1865 and although close relations were maintained with the GER, the Colne Valley and Halstead Railway remained completely independent, until it became part of the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
in the 1923 regrouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
. The CVHR station, renamed 'Haverhill South', was closed to passengers in 1924 but remained open for goods until 1965.
Heritage Railway Preservation
The line continued to remain open until 30 December 1961, when passenger traffic ended. In 1965 freight traffic ended, and the line was taken up a year later.Since 1973, A mile of track has been preserved having been reconstructed during 1973-75 period as the Colne Valley Railway
Colne Valley Railway
The Colne Valley Railway is a heritage railway based at Castle Hedingham Station, near Halstead in Essex, England. The railway consists of a mile-long running line, with a fully reconstructed station, signal box and railway yard...
, including Castle Hedingham station.
There's hope one day the line could someday extend towards Yeldham
Yeldham railway station
Yeldham railway station was located in Great Yeldham, Essex. It closed in 1962.-External links:*...
as the old railway station has recently been cleared for both a path and possibly for a future extension.
External links
- Marks Tey–Bures–Sudbury Rail Line (1849–1990)
- The Sudbury Line Website News and Information about the Sudbury Branch