Railways in Ely
Encyclopedia
The Railways in Ely
are an important interchange point between several routes in England
. There are junctions
north and south of the town where rail routes from Suffolk
and Norfolk
connect with routes to London
, the Midlands
, the north of England
, and Scotland
. Several rail freight operating companies use these routes and four passenger train operating companies (TOCs)
provide services through Ely.
52.39116°N 0.26659°W is on the southeast edge of the city beside the River Great Ouse
. The station is approx 70 miles (113 km) from London on the ex-GER (Great Eastern Railway
) line from London to Kings Lynn
. Ely station has three platforms
, all signalled
for bi-directional running. Platform 1 is on the west of the station and is a facing platform backed by the main buildings. Platforms 2 and 3 are the two faces of an island platform. Generally speaking, London-Kings Lynn services use platform 1 (down) and platform 2 (up) while east-to-west services use platform 3; however, the track layout and signalling allow any route to use any platform in either direction.
The original station was opened in 1845 but the Italianate
main building has been much altered over the years. Most recently, the station was substantially upgraded in the early 1990s to coincide with overhead 25KV AC electrification of the London to Kings Lynn route
. Until 1923 Ely station was owned and operated by the GER; from 1923 to 1948 by the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER)
; and from 1948 until privatisation
in the 1990s by the Eastern Region
of British Rail
ways. The current (2010) station operator is National Express East Anglia.
52.40420°N 0.29054°W approximately one-and-a-half miles (2 km) north of Ely station. From Ely North Junction the electrified ex-GER London-Kings Lynn double-track mainline (marketed as the Fen Line
) runs north to Littleport
, Downham Market
and Kings Lynn. Two non-electrified double-track
lines branch at North Junction: the line to Norwich
(marketed as the Breckland Line
) diverges to the northeast; the Ely to Peterborough line
to March
and Peterborough
diverges to the northeast. At Peterborough there is direct connection to the East Coast Mainline (ECML)
from London to Scotland and the Peterborough to Birmingham route
.
Immediately east of Ely North Junction is Potter Distribution Depot which has substantial railfreight facilities. Cemex
operates an asphalt and building materials depot at the site.
loop which branches in the up direction from Ely North Junction. The loop turns through 180 degrees to re-join the Ely to Peterborough line
in the down (northbound) direction. Ely West Curve was laid in on 1 October 1890, to allow freight trains from the Midlands and north to run directly onto the Kings Lynn and Norwich lines in the down (northbound) direction without reversal thus avoiding Ely station. Later, it was used by an increasing number of passenger trains, particularly holiday expresses to the Norfolk coast. In 1966 passenger traffic over the curve ceased.
line diverges to the southeast. The line serves Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds
and Ipswich
where it connects with the ex-GER main line
from London Liverpool Street station
to Norwich.
Hawk Bridge is half-a-mile east of Ely Dock Junction 52.37993°N 0.26492°W and carries the Newmarket line over the River Great Ouse. The original bridge was severely damaged by a freight train derailment which occurred on 22 June 2007. A replacement was erected, and opened on 20 December 2007. The new bridge carries a single line (as did the old) but has been built wide enough to allow the line to be doubled at a later date. The speed restriction has also been raised from 20 mile per hour.
Ely, Cambridgeshire
Ely is a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England, 14 miles north-northeast of Cambridge and about by road from London. It is built on a Lower Greensand island, which at a maximum elevation of is the highest land in the Fens...
are an important interchange point between several routes 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...
. There are junctions
Junction (rail)
A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge.This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes , 'points' and signalling.one or two tracks each meet at a junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to...
north and south of the town where rail routes from 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 Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
connect with routes to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
, the north of 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...
, and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Several rail freight operating companies use these routes and four passenger train operating companies (TOCs)
Train operating company
The term train operating company is used in the United Kingdom to describe the various businesses operating passenger trains on the railway system of Great Britain under the collective National Rail brand...
provide services through Ely.
Ely station
Ely railway stationEly railway station
Ely railway station serves the city of Ely in Cambridgeshire, England. The station lies on the Fen Line from Cambridge to King's Lynn, which is electrified at 25 kV AC overhead...
52.39116°N 0.26659°W is on the southeast edge of the city beside the River Great Ouse
River Great Ouse
The Great Ouse is a river in the east of England. At long, it is the fourth-longest river in the United Kingdom. The river has been important for navigation, and for draining the low-lying region through which it flows. Its course has been modified several times, with the first recorded being in...
. The station is approx 70 miles (113 km) from London on the ex-GER (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...
) line from London to Kings Lynn
King's Lynn railway station
King's Lynn railway station serves the town of King's Lynn in Norfolk. The station is the terminus of the Fen Line from Cambridge, which is electrified at 25 kV AC overhead...
. Ely station has three platforms
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
, all signalled
Railway signalling
Railway signalling is a system used to control railway traffic safely, essentially to prevent trains from colliding. Being guided by fixed rails, trains are uniquely susceptible to collision; furthermore, trains cannot stop quickly, and frequently operate at speeds that do not enable them to stop...
for bi-directional running. Platform 1 is on the west of the station and is a facing platform backed by the main buildings. Platforms 2 and 3 are the two faces of an island platform. Generally speaking, London-Kings Lynn services use platform 1 (down) and platform 2 (up) while east-to-west services use platform 3; however, the track layout and signalling allow any route to use any platform in either direction.
The original station was opened in 1845 but the Italianate
Italianate architecture
The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
main building has been much altered over the years. Most recently, the station was substantially upgraded in the early 1990s to coincide with overhead 25KV AC electrification of the London to Kings Lynn route
Fen Line
The Fen Line is a railway in the United Kingdom that runs between the cities of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire and King's Lynn, Norfolk; the line is so called because it runs through The Fens. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 5 and comprises SRS 05.06 and part of 05.05...
. Until 1923 Ely station was owned and operated by the GER; from 1923 to 1948 by the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER)
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...
; and from 1948 until privatisation
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
in the 1990s by the Eastern Region
Eastern Region of British Railways
The Eastern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
of British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ways. The current (2010) station operator is National Express East Anglia.
Ely North Junction
Ely North Junction is located at Queen AdelaideQueen Adelaide, Cambridgeshire
Queen Adelaide, Cambridgeshire, England, is a hamlet in the Fens about northeast of Ely. The River Great Ouse passes through it.Close to the village is the junction of the Fen, Breckland and Ely to Peterborough railway lines...
52.40420°N 0.29054°W approximately one-and-a-half miles (2 km) north of Ely station. From Ely North Junction the electrified ex-GER London-Kings Lynn double-track mainline (marketed as the Fen Line
Fen Line
The Fen Line is a railway in the United Kingdom that runs between the cities of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire and King's Lynn, Norfolk; the line is so called because it runs through The Fens. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 5 and comprises SRS 05.06 and part of 05.05...
) runs north to Littleport
Littleport railway station
Littleport railway station is a railway station serving the village of Littleport in Cambridgeshire. The station lies on Fen Line from Cambridge to King's Lynn, which is electrified at 25 kV AC overhead....
, Downham Market
Downham Market railway station
Downham Market railway station serves the town of Downham Market in the English county of Norfolk. The station lies on Fen Line from Cambridge to King's Lynn, which is electrified at 25 kV AC overhead...
and Kings Lynn. Two non-electrified double-track
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
lines branch at North Junction: the line to Norwich
Norwich railway station
Norwich is a railway station serving the city of Norwich in the English county of Norfolk. The station is the northern terminus of the Great Eastern Main Line from London Liverpool Street. It is also the terminus of railway lines from Ely, Sheringham, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.-History:At one...
(marketed as the Breckland Line
Breckland Line
The Breckland Line runs from Cambridge in Cambridgeshire to Norwich in Norfolk, in East Anglia, England. It is so called because it runs through the Breckland region of Norfolk. The line also passes through Thetford Forest. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 5, SRS 05.09 and part...
) diverges to the northeast; the Ely to Peterborough line
Ely to Peterborough Line
The Ely to Peterborough Line is a railway line in England, linking East Anglia to the Midlands. It is a part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 5, SRS 05.07 and is classified as a secondary line.-Service:...
to March
March railway station
March railway station serves the town of March in Cambridgeshire, England. The station is east of Peterborough on the Ely to Peterborough Line....
and Peterborough
Peterborough railway station
Peterborough railway station serves the city of Peterborough, England. It is located approximately north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line...
diverges to the northeast. At Peterborough there is direct connection to the East Coast Mainline (ECML)
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
from London to Scotland and the Peterborough to Birmingham route
Birmingham to Peterborough Line
The Birmingham to Peterborough Line is a cross-country railway line in the United Kingdom, linking Birmingham to Peterborough, via Nuneaton and Leicester....
.
Immediately east of Ely North Junction is Potter Distribution Depot which has substantial railfreight facilities. Cemex
Cemex
CEMEX is the world's largest building materials supplier and third largest cement producer. Founded in Mexico in 1906, the company is based in Monterrey, Mexico...
operates an asphalt and building materials depot at the site.
Ely West Curve
Ely West Curve (also known as the 'Adelaide loop' and as the 'Ely avoiding line') is a single-trackSingle track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
loop which branches in the up direction from Ely North Junction. The loop turns through 180 degrees to re-join the Ely to Peterborough line
Ely to Peterborough Line
The Ely to Peterborough Line is a railway line in England, linking East Anglia to the Midlands. It is a part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 5, SRS 05.07 and is classified as a secondary line.-Service:...
in the down (northbound) direction. Ely West Curve was laid in on 1 October 1890, to allow freight trains from the Midlands and north to run directly onto the Kings Lynn and Norwich lines in the down (northbound) direction without reversal thus avoiding Ely station. Later, it was used by an increasing number of passenger trains, particularly holiday expresses to the Norfolk coast. In 1966 passenger traffic over the curve ceased.
Ely Dock Junction
Ely Dock Junction is just under a mile south of Ely station 52.38458°N 0.26101°W on the London-Kings Lynn main line. From the junction, the non-electrified single-track Ely to IpswichIpswich to Ely Line
The Ipswich to Ely Line is a railway line linking East Anglia to the English Midlands via Ely. There is also a branch line to . Passenger services are operated by National Express East Anglia...
line diverges to the southeast. The line serves Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds railway station
Bury St Edmunds railway station serves the town of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, England. The station, and all trains calling there, are operated by National Express East Anglia.-Historical Services:...
and Ipswich
Ipswich railway station
Ipswich railway station is a railway station serving the town of Ipswich in Suffolk, England. The station is located on the Great Eastern Main Line 68¾ miles east of London Liverpool Street towards Norwich...
where it connects with the ex-GER main line
Great Eastern Main Line
The Great Eastern Main Line is a 212 Kilometre major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street in the City of London with destinations in east London and the East of England, including Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and several coastal resorts such as...
from London Liverpool Street station
Liverpool Street station
Liverpool Street railway station, also known as London Liverpool Street or simply Liverpool Street, is both a central London railway terminus and a connected London Underground station in the north-eastern corner of the City of London, England...
to Norwich.
Hawk Bridge is half-a-mile east of Ely Dock Junction 52.37993°N 0.26492°W and carries the Newmarket line over the River Great Ouse. The original bridge was severely damaged by a freight train derailment which occurred on 22 June 2007. A replacement was erected, and opened on 20 December 2007. The new bridge carries a single line (as did the old) but has been built wide enough to allow the line to be doubled at a later date. The speed restriction has also been raised from 20 mile per hour.