Mayflower line

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Mayflower line
Wrabness, Rectory Farm - Greater Anglia 321445.JPG
A Class 321 train passes the River Stour near Wrabness
Overview
Owner Network Rail
Locale Essex
Stations6
Service
Type Heavy rail
Operator(s) Greater Anglia
Rolling stock Class 321, Class 755, Class 720,
History
Opened15 August 1854
Technical
Line length11  miles 16  chains (18.02 km)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification 25 kV AC OHLE
Operating speed60 miles per hour (97 km/h)
Route map
Mayflower line.png
(Click to expand)

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.

Contents

The route is 11 miles 16 chains (18.02 km) in length from where it branches off the main line west of the town of Manningtree to its eastern terminus in Harwich. It is part of Network Rail Strategic Route 7, SRS 07.07, and is classified as a London and South East commuter line. [1] The Engineer's Line Reference for the line is MAH. [2]

As of December 2016 passenger services on the Mayflower line are operated by Greater Anglia, which also manages all of the stations. The typical service frequency is one train per hour in each direction. The timetabled journey time between Manningtree and Harwich Town is 22 minutes.

The Mayflower line takes its name from the Pilgrim ship Mayflower , which is believed to have been built in Harwich in the 16th century. Harwich was also home to the ship's captain and part-owner, Christopher Jones. [3]

History

The Eastern Counties Railway (ECR) had originally proposed plans to extend what is now the Great Eastern Main Line from Colchester to Harwich, although this was a cause for concern to the town of Ipswich, which was a rival port. [4]

In 1846 a railway line from Manningtree to Harwich proposed by the Eastern Union Railway (EUR) was approved by the Railway Commissioners. In 1853 an agreement was reached between the companies, with the ECR taking over the working of the EUR from 1 January 1854. The single-line branch opened on 15 August 1854. [4]

In 1862 the ECR and the EUR merged to form the Great Eastern Railway (GER). [4]

The track was doubled in 1882 by the GER, and the Manningtree North Curve which allows direct running between Ipswich and Harwich was also added at that time.

In addition to the closed station at Bradfield, there was a halt stop called Priory Halt between Wrabness and Bradfield which serviced the adjacent War Department facility; the halt station closed in 1965. [5] There was a relatively extensive system of sidings fed from a spur on the "down" (Harwich-bound) side which was controlled by a signal box which was in use from 1918 until 1966. [6] Use of the halt was confined to Admiralty employees only during various periods.

The War Department also had a munitions dump in Copperas Woods between Wrabness and Parkeston served by a spur which was situated on the north (river) side of the line just west of the point where the original alignment of the track to Dovercourt and Harwich Town had been changed when Parkeston was built. This spur was controlled by a signal box, named Primrose Box, reflecting the profusion of primroses which grew lineside in the area. [5]

In 1948 following nationalisation the line became part of British Railways Eastern Region.

By the late 1970s the costs of running the dated mechanical signalling systems north of Colchester was recognised and in 1978 a scheme for track rationalisation and re-signalling was duly submitted to the Department of Transport. This was followed by a proposal to electrify the Great Eastern Main Line and branch to Harwich in 1980. Electrification work was undertaken in the early – mid 1980s. [7]

In 1982 British Railways sectorised their operations and the branch fell under the London & South East (later renamed Network SouthEast in 1986).

On 14 April 1985 the first electric train consisting of two Class 308 electric multiple units (EMU) worked the line although the previous year another member of the class had been dragged from Ipswich to Parkeston and used for crew training. The following day a Class 86 locomotive visited the branch to test various sidings and crossings on the line. The full electric service was introduced on 12 May 1985 with InterCity Class 86s working the Liverpool Street boat trains and EMUs working local services. [8]

The line was given the marketing name the "Mayflower line" in September 1997, with a ceremony held at Mistley in the presence of local MP Ivan Henderson. [9]

Infrastructure

A Class 321 train leaving the Mayflower line at Manningtree South Junction Manningtree South Junction - Greater Anglia 321445.JPG
A Class 321 train leaving the Mayflower line at Manningtree South Junction

The line diverges from the Great Eastern Main Line at Manningtree and is double-track for passenger services as far as Harwich International, where connecting ferry services are available to Hook of Holland on Stena Line. Until 2014, Esbjerg was connected by DFDS which is now closed. Beyond Harwich International, the original second track remains in place as a through siding, but only the "up" (Manningtree-bound) line was electrified and that section to the eastern terminus Harwich Town is bidirectional. [5]

East of Manningtree there is a triangular junction that enables trains operating to the port to reach the branch from both the north and south. The line is electrified at 25 kV AC using overhead wires and has a loading gauge of W10 (excluding W9);[ clarification needed ] the maximum line speed is 60 mph (97 km/h). [1]

The shortest platform is the "down" (Harwich-bound) platform at Wrabness, which is 90 yards (82 m) in length, meaning most services are limited to four carriages.

Stations

The following table summarises the line's six stations, their distance measured from London Liverpool Street, and estimated number of passenger entries/exits in 2018–19:

StationLocationLocal authorityMileagePatronage
Manningtree Manningtree District of Tendring 59+1⁄21,106,204
Mistley Mistley District of Tendring 61+1⁄475,366
Wrabness Wrabness District of Tendring 6530,348
Harwich International Harwich port and Parkeston District of Tendring 69110,944
Dovercourt Dovercourt District of Tendring 70+1⁄4177,752
Harwich Town Harwich District of Tendring 70+3⁄4151,076

Battery trains

Test Electrostar train converted to run on batteries and overhead wires 379001 at Norwich 8 January 2011.jpg
Test Electrostar train converted to run on batteries and overhead wires

In 2015 a trial of an electric overhead wire/battery train was undertaken on the line. A single Class 379 Electrostar, after installation of electric lithium batteries were installed, began a passenger service. The train could travel up to 60 miles on energy stored in the batteries also recharging the batteries via the overhead-wires when on electrified sections of the line, at stations, and via brake regeneration. [10] Network Rail refer to this prototype model and its possible future descendants as "Independently Powered Electric Multiple Units" (IPEMU). [11]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reedham railway station (Norfolk)</span> Railway station in Norfolk, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norwich railway station</span> Railway station in Norwich, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ipswich railway station</span> Railway station in Suffolk, England

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Union Railway</span> Former English railway company

The Eastern Union Railway (EUR) was an English railway company, at first built from Colchester to Ipswich; it opened in 1846. It was proposed when the earlier Eastern Counties Railway failed to make its promised line from Colchester to Norwich. The businessman John Chevallier Cobbold and the engineer Peter Bruff were prominent in launching the company. The allied but nominally independent Ipswich and Bury Railway built a line onwards to Bury St Edmunds, also opening in 1846, and soon amalgamated with the EUR.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ipswich–Ely line</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wickham Market railway station</span> Railway station in Suffolk, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harwich International railway station</span> Railway station in Essex, England

Harwich International railway station on the Mayflower Line, a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line, 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buckenham railway station</span> Railway station in Norfolk, England

Buckenham railway station is on the Wherry Lines in the east of England, serving the village of Buckenham in Norfolk. It is 7 miles 62 chains (12.5 km) down the line from Norwich on the routes to Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth and is situated between Brundall and Cantley. Its three-letter station code is BUC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colchester railway station</span> Railway station in Essex, England

Colchester railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML) in the East of England, and is the primary station serving the city of Colchester, Essex. Its three-letter station code is COL. It is 51 miles 52 chains (83.1 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and on the GEML is situated between Marks Tey to the west and Manningtree to the east. Colchester is also the location of a major junction where the GEML links to the Sunshine Coast Line, which runs south to Clacton-on-Sea and, via a short branch, to Walton-on-the-Naze; services to and from Colchester Town also join the GEML at the Colchester junction. The junction is grade-separated so trains branching to and from Colchester Town or the Sunshine Coast Line do not cross the main line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manningtree railway station</span> Railway station in Essex, England

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mistley railway station</span> Railway station in Essex, England

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 Railway station in Essex, England

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 Railway station in Essex, England

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harwich Town railway station</span> Railway station in Essex, England

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bentley railway station (Suffolk)</span> Disused railway station in Bentley, Suffolk

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.

The Hadleigh Railway was a 7+1⁄2-mile (12.1 km) long single track branch railway line in Suffolk, England, that connected Hadleigh to the main line railway network at Bentley Junction. It was built by the nominally independent Eastern Union and Hadleigh Junction Railway company and opened in 1847. By the time of opening it had been taken over by the larger Eastern Union Railway.

Colchester engine shed was a motive power depot located in Colchester in the county of Essex in the UK. The original depot dated back to the opening of the Eastern Counties Railway (ECR) in 1843 and a second engine shed was built following the opening of the Eastern Union Railway in 1846. The ECR shed closed and the EUR shed was in use until November 1959 when the line was electrified and Colchester station rebuilt. A smaller two track engine shed was provided south of the station and after closure in the 1990s it was used for the stabling of diesel and electrical multiple units. It is currently known as Colchester Carriage Servicing Depot and units can be washed externally and cleaned internally on site.

Brantham TMD was to be a depot that was planned for Greater Anglia off the Great Eastern Main Line in Brantham. Construction was halted in April 2018 due to council concerns and in July 2019 planning permission was obtained for an alternative location between Dovercourt and Harwich International.

References

  1. 1 2 "Route 7 – Great Eastern" (PDF). Network Rail. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
  2. ↑ "ELR for Mayflower line".
  3. ↑ "Explore Harwich, home of the Mayflower's Captain". Scenic Rail Britain. 24 June 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 "The Mayflower Line History". Archived from the original on 10 October 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2009.
  5. 1 2 3 Body, Geoffrey (1986). PSL Field Guide – Railways of the Eastern Region, vol. 1. Wellingborough: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 81. ISBN   0-85059-712-9.
  6. ↑ Mitchell, Vic (June 2011). Branch Lines to Harwich and Hadleigh. Midhurst: Middleton Press. plan V and plate 32. ISBN   978-1-908174-02-4.
  7. ↑ Cowley, Ian (1987). Anglia East. Newton Abbot,UK: David & Charles. p. 14. ISBN   0-7153-8978-5.
  8. ↑ Cowley, Ian (1987). Anglia East. Newton Abbot,UK: David & Charles. pp. 49, 54, 65. ISBN   0-7153-8978-5.
  9. ↑ Abbott, James, ed. (October 1997). "Mayflower launch". Modern Railways . 54 (589): 621.
  10. ↑ Battery train trial service launched Archived 2015-01-23 at the Wayback Machine - Global Rail News. Retrieved 2015-01-14.
  11. ↑ "Batteries included: Prototype battery-powered train carries passengers for first time" . Retrieved 10 December 2016.
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