Northern and Eastern Railway
Encyclopedia
The Northern & Eastern Railway (N&ER) operated one of the two main lines which eventually became the Great Eastern Railway
: the other being the Eastern Counties Railway
.
The N&ER was part of an 1833 scheme for a railway in Great Britain
from Islington
to York
via Cambridge
, Peterborough
and Lincoln
. The original "Grand Norther Railway" project, proposed by Nicholas Cundy, floundered until being adopted by the Lincolnshire landowner Henry Handley. Handley formed the Northern and Eastern railway company and, in 1835, had the route re-surveyed by engineer James walker
. In 1836 parliament considered various proposals for new railways and approved the Northern and Eastern line, but only as far as Cambridge.
An Act of 1839/40 abandoned the section north of Bishop's Stortford
and introduced a deviation from Tottenham
to Stratford
. Service began on the 15 September 1840 between Stratford & Broxbourne
. Extensions were opened to Harlow (9 August 1841), Spellbrook (22 November 1841) and Bishops Stortford (16 May 1842) with a branch line to Hertford
via Ware opening on 31 October 1843. The Railway was leased to the Eastern Counties Railway
and that railway began operating services on 1 January 1844. The Eastern Counties railway was merged into the Great Eastern Railway
(GER) on 1 July 1862 but the Northern & Eastern Railway survived as a private company until being merged into the GER in 1902.
Like its partner, the N&ER was originally built to five-foot gauge; both lines were converted to standard gauge during September and October 1844.
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...
: the other being 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...
.
The N&ER was part of an 1833 scheme for a railway in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
from Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
to York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
via Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
and Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
. The original "Grand Norther Railway" project, proposed by Nicholas Cundy, floundered until being adopted by the Lincolnshire landowner Henry Handley. Handley formed the Northern and Eastern railway company and, in 1835, had the route re-surveyed by engineer James walker
James Walker (engineer)
James Walker, FRS, was an influential Scottish civil engineer of the first half of the 19th century.Walker was born in Falkirk and was apprenticed to his uncle Ralph Walker in approximately 1800, with whom he gained experience working on the design and construction of the West India and East India...
. In 1836 parliament considered various proposals for new railways and approved the Northern and Eastern line, but only as far as Cambridge.
An Act of 1839/40 abandoned the section north of Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire in the county of Hertfordshire in England. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, on the county boundary with Essex and is the closest large town to London Stansted Airport and part of the...
and introduced a deviation from Tottenham
Tottenham
Tottenham is an area of the London Borough of Haringey, England, situated north north east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:Tottenham is believed to have been named after Tota, a farmer, whose hamlet was mentioned in the Domesday Book; hence Tota's hamlet became Tottenham...
to Stratford
Stratford station
Stratford station is a large multilevel railway station in Stratford, east London. The station is served by the National Rail services National Express East Anglia, London Overground and c2c, by London Underground's Central and Jubilee lines, and by the Docklands Light Railway . Stratford is in...
. Service began on the 15 September 1840 between Stratford & Broxbourne
Broxbourne
Broxbourne is a commuter town in the Broxbourne borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England with a population of 13,298 in 2001.It is located 17.1 miles north north-east of Charing Cross in London and about a mile north of Wormley and south of Hoddesdon...
. Extensions were opened to Harlow (9 August 1841), Spellbrook (22 November 1841) and Bishops Stortford (16 May 1842) with a branch line to Hertford
Hertford
Hertford is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, the 2001 census put the population of Hertford at about 24,180. Recent estimates are that it is now around 28,000...
via Ware opening on 31 October 1843. The Railway was leased to 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...
and that railway began operating services on 1 January 1844. The Eastern Counties railway was merged into 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) on 1 July 1862 but the Northern & Eastern Railway survived as a private company until being merged into the GER in 1902.
Like its partner, the N&ER was originally built to five-foot gauge; both lines were converted to standard gauge during September and October 1844.