Kelvedon and Tollesbury Light Railway
Encyclopedia
The Kelvedon and Tollesbury Light Railway, authorised under the Light Railways Act 1896
operated between the two villages of Kelvedon
and Tollesbury
to the south of Colchester
in Essex
, England
. The line, which was part of the Great Eastern Railway
(GER), was authorised on 29 January 1901, although its opening was delayed until 1 October 1904.
The area served by the railway lay between the GER main line and the coast, mostly agricultural land, with fruit being a main crop. At Tiptree
the jam-making firm Wilkin & Sons
, founded in 1885, provided a large amount of the freight traffic; it had also been hoped that a tourist trade would ensue from the yachts moored near Tollesbury
. The line became known locally as The Crab and Winkle Line, although the original railway to bear that name was the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway
, which used a play on the initial letters of the line.
Of the intermediate stations, only Tiptree, Tollesbury and Tolleshunt D'Arcy had substantial buildings; the others merely had an old passenger coach for accommodation. All the platforms were at a low level; there was no signalling, since only one locomotive worked the line; and only local tickets were issued on the trains, there being no through booking to mainline stations.
The 1.75 miles (2.8 km) extension to Tollesbury Pier never brought the expected traffic. During World War I
it was used for troop training on the river and was subsequently closed to passengers in 1921.The government took it over during World War II
and erected defences along it.
The whole line closed for passenger traffic on 5 May 1951. Freight traffic continued between Tollesbury Pier and Tiptree until 29 October 1951. The section between Tiptree and Kelvedon continued in use for freight traffic until 28 September 1962.
Light Railways Act 1896
The Light Railways Act 1896 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Before the Act each new railway line built in the country required a specific Act of Parliament to be obtained by the company that wished to construct it, which greatly added to the cost...
operated between the two villages of Kelvedon
Kelvedon
Kelvedon is a village and civil parish in the Braintree District of Essex in England, near to the town of Witham. It has a population of 3,485.-Origins:...
and Tollesbury
Tollesbury
Tollesbury is a village in England, located on the Essex coast at the mouth of the River Blackwater. It is situated nine miles east of the historic port of Maldon and twelve miles south of Colchester....
to the south of 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...
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 line, which was part of the Great Eastern Railway
Great Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
(GER), was authorised on 29 January 1901, although its opening was delayed until 1 October 1904.
The area served by the railway lay between the GER main line and the coast, mostly agricultural land, with fruit being a main crop. At Tiptree
Tiptree
Tiptree is a village in the English county of Essex, situated south-east of Colchester and around north-east of London. Surrounding villages include Messing, Tolleshunt Knights, Layer Marney, Inworth, Birch, Great Braxted, Great Totham and Little Totham....
the jam-making firm Wilkin & Sons
Wilkin & Sons
Wilkin & Sons Limited was established in Tiptree, Essex, England in 1885 and makes preserves, marmalades and associated products.The present chairman of the business, Peter Wilkin, is the great-grandson of the founder. Through a Trust, employees own a significant proportion of the business...
, founded in 1885, provided a large amount of the freight traffic; it had also been hoped that a tourist trade would ensue from the yachts moored near Tollesbury
Tollesbury
Tollesbury is a village in England, located on the Essex coast at the mouth of the River Blackwater. It is situated nine miles east of the historic port of Maldon and twelve miles south of Colchester....
. The line became known locally as The Crab and Winkle Line, although the original railway to bear that name was the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway
Canterbury and Whitstable Railway
The Canterbury and Whitstable Railway, sometimes referred to colloquially as the Crab and Winkle Line, was an early British railway that opened in 1830 between Canterbury and Whitstable in the county of Kent, England.- Early history :...
, which used a play on the initial letters of the line.
Of the intermediate stations, only Tiptree, Tollesbury and Tolleshunt D'Arcy had substantial buildings; the others merely had an old passenger coach for accommodation. All the platforms were at a low level; there was no signalling, since only one locomotive worked the line; and only local tickets were issued on the trains, there being no through booking to mainline stations.
The 1.75 miles (2.8 km) extension to Tollesbury Pier never brought the expected traffic. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
it was used for troop training on the river and was subsequently closed to passengers in 1921.The government took it over during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and erected defences along it.
The whole line closed for passenger traffic on 5 May 1951. Freight traffic continued between Tollesbury Pier and Tiptree until 29 October 1951. The section between Tiptree and Kelvedon continued in use for freight traffic until 28 September 1962.