Elsenham railway station
Encyclopedia
Elsenham railway station serves the village of Elsenham
in Essex
, England
. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by National Express East Anglia. The ticket office (on the southbound platform) is staffed part-time, there are self service ticket machines on each of the platforms (which are 'staggered', the northbound being north of the level crossing and the southbound being south of the level crossing) and a Permit to Travel machine is also available on the southbound platform. Electronic real-time 'Next Train' indicators are available on both platforms.
The station is 57 kilometres (35.4 mi) north of London Liverpool Street on the West Anglia Main Line
to . It was opened in 1845 and retains its original layout with staggered platforms on either side of a road level crossing
. From 1913 to 1952 it was the junction for the Elsenham & Thaxted Light Railway
.
the station pedestrian crossing, next to the manually operated road level crossing
, between the staggered platforms. Although flashing red lights and a klaxon sound indicated that a train was approaching, it is likely that they thought these applied to the train they wanted to catch to Cambridge
, which was just pulling in to the opposite platform. The curvature of the line gives only 3 seconds visibility of an approaching non-stop train. Network Rail
has responded to requests from the girls' families to erect a footbridge
and other safety works. The accident led to a complete review by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch
of all pedestrian level crossings at stations. A previous fatality of the same type had occurred in 1979.
In response to the serious concerns about the safety of the crossing, a bridge was installed at the station in August 2007, and the foot-crossing now has locking gates.
At peak times, the service becomes half-hourly in both directions. This is before 9am and from 5pm to 9pm.
Elsenham
Elsenham is a small village in north west Essex in southern England. Its neighbouring towns include Bishop's Stortford, Saffron Walden, and Stansted Mountfitchet.-History:...
in 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...
, 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...
. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by National Express East Anglia. The ticket office (on the southbound platform) is staffed part-time, there are self service ticket machines on each of the platforms (which are 'staggered', the northbound being north of the level crossing and the southbound being south of the level crossing) and a Permit to Travel machine is also available on the southbound platform. Electronic real-time 'Next Train' indicators are available on both platforms.
The station is 57 kilometres (35.4 mi) north of London Liverpool Street on the West Anglia Main Line
West Anglia Main Line
The West Anglia Main Line is one of the two main lines which run from London Liverpool Street, the other being the Great Eastern Main Line. It runs generally north from London, through the towns of Cheshunt, Broxbourne, Harlow, Bishop's Stortford and Audley End station before reaching Cambridge,...
to . It was opened in 1845 and retains its original layout with staggered platforms on either side of a road level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
. From 1913 to 1952 it was the junction for the Elsenham & Thaxted Light Railway
Elsenham & Thaxted Light Railway
The Elsenham & Thaxted Light Railway was a long light railway in Essex, England. The line was sanctioned in 1906, although did not finally open to traffic until 1 April 1913. It was the last rail line building in Essex until the construction of Stansted Airport railway station.The railway left the...
.
Elsenham accidents
On 3 December 2005, a train struck and killed two teenage girls onthe station pedestrian crossing, next to the manually operated road level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
, between the staggered platforms. Although flashing red lights and a klaxon sound indicated that a train was approaching, it is likely that they thought these applied to the train they wanted to catch to Cambridge
Cambridge railway station
Cambridge railway station is a railway station serving the city of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located at the end of Station Road, off Hills Road, 1 mile south-east of the city centre...
, which was just pulling in to the opposite platform. The curvature of the line gives only 3 seconds visibility of an approaching non-stop train. Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
has responded to requests from the girls' families to erect a footbridge
Footbridge
A footbridge or pedestrian bridge is a bridge designed for pedestrians and in some cases cyclists, animal traffic and horse riders, rather than vehicular traffic. Footbridges complement the landscape and can be used decoratively to visually link two distinct areas or to signal a transaction...
and other safety works. The accident led to a complete review by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch
Rail Accident Investigation Branch
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch is a government agency that became operational on 17 October 2005. Its primary role is the investigation of rail accidents in the United Kingdom and the Channel Tunnel in order to find a cause, not to lay blame. The agency has operational centres in The...
of all pedestrian level crossings at stations. A previous fatality of the same type had occurred in 1979.
In response to the serious concerns about the safety of the crossing, a bridge was installed at the station in August 2007, and the foot-crossing now has locking gates.
Service
There is an hourly service every day in each direction from Elsenham going towards Cambridge, northbound and London Liverpool Street southbound.At peak times, the service becomes half-hourly in both directions. This is before 9am and from 5pm to 9pm.