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General information | |||||
Location | Harwich, Tendring England | ||||
Coordinates | 51°56′38″N1°17′13″E / 51.944°N 1.287°E | ||||
Grid reference | TM259324 | ||||
Managed by | Greater Anglia | ||||
Platforms | 1 | ||||
Other information | |||||
Station code | HWC | ||||
Classification | DfT category F1 | ||||
Key dates | |||||
15 August 1854 | Opened | ||||
1865–66 | Rebuilt | ||||
Passengers | |||||
2019/20 | ![]() | ||||
2020/21 | ![]() | ||||
2021/22 | ![]() | ||||
2022/23 | ![]() | ||||
2023/24 | ![]() | ||||
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Harwich Town railway station is the eastern terminus of the Mayflower Line,a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line,in the East of England,serving the port town of Harwich,Essex. It is 70 miles 61 chains (113.88 km) from London Liverpool Street;the preceding station on the line is Dovercourt. Its three-letter station code is HWC.
The station is currently operated by Greater Anglia,which also runs all trains serving the station.
The line to Harwich was originally opened in 1854 but the present station was built on a revised alignment by the Great Eastern Railway (GER) in 1865–66,the original station in George Street,just a short distance to the north,having burned down. [1] The suffix "Town" was added to the station's name in 1883. [2]
The original station had three platforms and included lines which ran directly onto the two piers from which the GER ferry services operated. The current unnumbered platform has an operational length for eight-coach trains. [3] There was also a GER-owned hotel called The Great Eastern on the quay between the two piers. [2] These piers became redundant when the GER opened Harwich Parkeston Quay station up-river from Harwich Town and in 1923 the new operator London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) closed the hotel. [4]
There were also sidings and a 42 ft (12.8 m) turntable to the south-east of the rebuilt station. [2]
The arrival/sailing of a train ferry every six hours (day and night) with each vessel bringing and sailing with 36 continental wagons which were handled over sidings on the north-west side of the station created a high level of activity,and in later years car trains were regular users of the outer platforms delivering/collecting cars for MAT Transport and delivering cars,mainly for BMC,for eventual shipment from Navyard Wharf.[ citation needed ]
The station,goods yard,and movements to and from the train ferry terminal were controlled from a signal box positioned at the southern end of the station which was in use from 1882 until December 1985 and had 50 levers. [5]
On 15 April 2019 the station buildings opened as "The Harwich Town railway and maritime" museum. [6]
As of December 2015 [update] the typical weekday off-peak service is one train per hour to Manningtree,although there some additional services at peak times. Trains generally call at all stations along the Mayflower Line;some are extended to or from Colchester and/or London Liverpool Street. [7]
Harwich is a town in Essex,England,and one of the Haven ports on the North Sea coast. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the north-east,Ipswich to the north-west,Colchester to the south-west and Clacton-on-Sea to the south. It is the northernmost coastal town in Essex.
The Great Eastern Main Line is a 114.5-mile (184.3 km) major railway line on the British railway system which connects Liverpool Street station in central London with destinations in east London and the East of England,including Shenfield,Chelmsford,Colchester,Ipswich and Norwich. Its numerous branches also connect the main line to Southminster,Braintree,Sudbury,Harwich and a number of coastal towns including Southend-on-Sea,Clacton-on-Sea,Walton-on-the-Naze and Lowestoft.
The Great Eastern Railway (GER) 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 company was grouped into the London and North Eastern Railway in 1923.
Seven Kings railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line,serving the district of Seven Kings in the London Borough of Redbridge,east London. It is 8 miles 46 chains (13.8 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Ilford and Goodmayes. Its three-letter station code is SVK and it is in Travelcard Zone 4. The station was opened on 1 March 1899 by the Great Eastern Railway. It is currently managed by the Elizabeth line,which operates services between Shenfield and Heathrow Terminal 5.
Lowestoft railway station serves the town of Lowestoft,Suffolk. It is the eastern terminus of the East Suffolk Line from Ipswich and is one of two eastern termini of the Wherry Lines from Norwich. Lowestoft is 23 miles 41 chains (37.8 km) down the line from Norwich and 48 miles 75 chains (78.8 km) measured from Ipswich;it is the easternmost station on the National Rail network in the United Kingdom.
The Felixstowe branch line is a railway branch line in Suffolk,England,that connects the Great Eastern Main Line to Felixstowe and its port.
Felixstowe railway station is the eastern passenger terminus of the Felixstowe Branch Line,in the east of England and is the only surviving station serving the coastal town of Felixstowe,Suffolk. It is 15 miles 51 chains (25.2 km) down the line from Ipswich and 84 miles 30 chains (135.8 km) measured from London Liverpool Street;the preceding station on the line is Trimley. Its three-letter station code is FLX.
Ipswich railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line in the East of England,serving the town of Ipswich,Suffolk. It is 68 miles 59 chains (110.6 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and,on the main line,it is situated between Manningtree to the south and Needham Market to the north.
Stowmarket railway station is a stop on the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML) in the East of England,serving the market town of Stowmarket,Suffolk. The station is 80 miles 9 chains (128.9 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street;it is situated between Needham Market to the south and Diss to the north. It is also the junction where the Ipswich to Ely Line joins the GEML. Its three-letter station code is SMK. The station is operated by Greater Anglia,which also runs all trains that serve the station.
The Mayflower line is a railway branch line in the east of England that links Manningtree,on the Great Eastern Main Line,to Harwich Town. During peak times,many services connect to or from the main line and its London terminus at Liverpool Street. The Mayflower line has six stations,including the two termini,and is situated within the county of Essex.
Harwich International railway station is a railway station on the Mayflower Line,a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line,the station serves Harwich International Port in Essex,England. It is 68 miles 72 chains (110.88 km) from London Liverpool Street,between Wrabness to the west and Dovercourt to the east. Its three-letter station code,HPQ,derives from its original name,Harwich Parkeston Quay.
Manningtree railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML) in the East of England,serving the town of Manningtree,Essex. It is 59 miles 35 chains (95.66 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Colchester to the west and Ipswich to the east. The three-letter station code is MNG. It is also the western terminus of the Mayflower Line,a branch line to Harwich Town. The following station on the branch is Mistley.
Hythe railway station in Essex is on the Sunshine Coast Line,a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line in the East of England,serving Hythe and other eastern areas of Colchester. It is 53 miles 49 chains (86.3 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street. Its three-letter station code is HYH.
Walton-on-the-Naze railway station is one of the two eastern termini of the Sunshine Coast Line,a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line,in the East of England. It serves the seaside town of Walton-on-the-Naze,Essex. It is 70 miles 15 chains (113.0 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street. Its three-letter station code is WON. The preceding station on the line is Frinton-on-Sea.
Mistley railway station is on the Mayflower Line,a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line in the East of England,serving the village of Mistley,Essex. It is 61 miles 14 chains (98.45 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Manningtree to the west and Wrabness to the east. Its three-letter station code is MIS.
Wrabness railway station is on the Mayflower Line,a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line in the East of England,serving the village of Wrabness,Essex. It is 65 miles 6 chains (104.73 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Mistley to the west and Harwich International station to the east. Its three-letter station code is WRB.
Dovercourt railway station is on the Mayflower Line,a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line,in the East of England,serving the seaside town of Dovercourt,Essex. It is 70 miles 19 chains (113.04 km) from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Harwich International to the west and Harwich Town to the east. Its three-letter station code is DVC.
Harwich International Port is a North Sea seaport in Essex,England,and one of the Haven ports. It lies on the south bank of the River Stour one mile upstream from the town of Harwich,opposite the Port of Felixstowe. The port was formerly known as Parkeston Quay.
The Hook Continental was a passenger train running between London's Liverpool Street Station and Harwich Parkeston Quay where it connected with the night ferry sailing to the Hook of Holland in the Netherlands. It was introduced as a named express by the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) in 1927,and was part of the marketing strategy pushing the concept of almost seamless travel from London overnight to numerous European destinations utilising the company's own ships and the rail connections from the Hook of Holland.
Bentley railway station,also known as Bentley Junction between 1849 and 1878,was located in Bentley,Suffolk on the Great Eastern Main Line. It opened in 1846 and became a junction in 1847 when the Hadleigh Railway opened. The station was closed in 1966.
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Greater Anglia | Terminus |