![]() The station building is occupied by a butcher. | |
General information | |
Location | Melton, East Suffolk England |
Coordinates | 52°06′14″N1°20′17″E / 52.104°N 1.338°E Coordinates: 52°06′14″N1°20′17″E / 52.104°N 1.338°E |
Grid reference | TM284503 |
Managed by | Abellio Greater Anglia |
Platforms | 1 |
Other information | |
Station code | MES |
Classification | DfT category F2 |
History | |
Original company | East Suffolk Railway |
Pre-grouping | Great Eastern Railway |
Post-grouping | London and North Eastern Railway |
Key dates | |
1 June 1859 | Opened |
2 May 1955 | Closed to passengers |
1 June 1972 | Closed to freight |
3 September 1984 | Reopened to passengers |
Passengers | |
2017/18 | ![]() |
2018/19 | ![]() |
2019/20 | ![]() |
2020/21 | ![]() |
2021/22 | ![]() |
Notes | |
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road |
Melton railway station is on the East Suffolk Line in the east of England,serving the village of Melton,Suffolk. It is 11 miles 49 chains (18.7 km) down the line from Ipswich and 80 miles 28 chains (129.3 km) measured from London Liverpool Street;it is situated between Woodbridge and Wickham Market. Its three-letter station code is MES.
The station was opened in 1859 but was closed in 1955 and remained so until 1984 when,after a local campaign,it was reopened. Today it is managed by Abellio Greater Anglia,which also operates all trains that call.
It is 1.25 miles from the ancient Anglo-Saxon burial site at Sutton Hoo,run by the National Trust.
The railway line connecting the East Suffolk Railway (ESR) at Halesworth to an extension of the Eastern Counties Railway (ECR) at Woodbridge was built by the ESR. [1] The line opened on 1 June 1859, [1] and Melton station opened with the line. [2] The ESR was absorbed by the ECR on opening day. [1]
On 1 July 1862,the ECR and other small railway companies amalgamated to become the Great Eastern Railway (GER). [3] At the 1923 Grouping,the GER was amalgamated with other companies to form the London and North Eastern Railway; [4] this in turn was a constituent of British Railways at the start of 1948.
At the beginning of World War I,the 9th field company Royal Engineers were sent to Melton to prepare defences at the station and nearby Wilford Bridge (the first crossing point of the River Deben) against possible invasion. [5]
The station is located outside the village centre and was vulnerable to bus competition which started in 1919. [6]
During World War II Melton was the railhead for nearby RAF Bentwaters with a pipeline running from the station yard. This was supplied by tanker wagons kept in the yard. Remains of crashed aircraft from Orfordness and Sutton crash airfield were sent via Melton during 1943. [6]
The station closed to passengers on 2 May 1955; [2] the goods yard closed on 1 June 1972,although private sidings remained open for domestic coal traffic [7] and roadstone between 1972 and 1976. During this time a small Ruston &Hornsby diesel shunter was based at the sidings. [6] All freight traffic ceased in the early 1980s but after local campaigning the station was reopened for passengers on 3 September 1984. [2]
With the privatisation of British Rail,ownership of the line and station passed to Railtrack on 1 April 1994. The franchise to operate the passenger services on this route was won by Anglia Railways in 1997;in 2004 National Express won the franchise and operated services using the branding 'one',which was renamed National Express East Anglia in 2008.
National Express East Anglia was succeeded as the operator of the Greater Anglia franchise in 2012 [8] by Abellio.
As of December 2020 [update] the typical Monday-Sunday off-peak service at Melton is as follows:
Operator | Route | Rolling stock | Typical frequency |
---|---|---|---|
Abellio Greater Anglia | Lowestoft - Oulton Broad South - Beccles - Brampton (on request) - Halesworth - Darsham - Saxmundham - Wickham Market - Melton - Woodbridge - Ipswich | Class 755 | 1x per hour in each direction |
Trains direct to and from London Liverpool Street were withdrawn in 2010.
One weekday early-morning train is extended through to Harwich International and there is a return from there in the evening. [9]
Reedham railway station is on the Wherry Lines in the East of England, serving the village of Reedham, Norfolk. It is 12 miles 13 chains (19.6 km) down the line from Norwich and is situated between Cantley to the west and, to the east, Berney Arms on the Great Yarmouth branch or Haddiscoe on the Lowestoft branch. It is commonly suffixed as Reedham (Norfolk) in order to distinguish it from the station of the same name in south London. Its three-letter station code is REE.
Great Yarmouth railway station is one of two eastern termini of the Wherry Lines in the East of England, serving the seaside town of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. The other terminus at the eastern end of the lines is Lowestoft, and the western terminus to which all trains run is Norwich.
Norwich railway station is the northern terminus of the Great Eastern Main Line in the East of England, serving the city of Norwich, Norfolk. It is 114 miles 77 chains (185.0 km) down the main line from London Liverpool Street, the western terminus.
Cheshunt is a National Rail and London Overground station in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England. On the National Rail network it is on the West Anglia Main Line, 14 miles 1 chain (22.6 km) from London Liverpool Street and situated between Waltham Cross and Broxbourne. On the London Overground network it is one of three northern termini of the Lea Valley lines.
Cantley railway station is on the Wherry Lines in the East of England, serving the village of Cantley, Norfolk. It is 10 miles (16 km) down the line from Norwich on the routes to Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth and is situated between Buckenham and Reedham. Its three-letter station code is CNY.
Woodbridge railway station is on the East Suffolk Line in the east of England, serving the town of Woodbridge, Suffolk. It is 10 miles 19 chains (16.5 km) down the line from Ipswich and 79 miles (127 km) measured from London Liverpool Street; it is situated between Westerfield and Melton. Its three-letter station code is WDB.
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.
The Ipswich–Ely line is a railway line linking East Anglia to the English Midlands via Ely. There is also a branch line to Cambridge. Passenger services are operated by Abellio Greater Anglia. It is a part of Network Rail Strategic Route 5, SRS 05.07, 05.08 and part of SRS 07.03. The line has previously been part of the Great Eastern Main Line.
Wickham Market railway station is on the East Suffolk Line in the east of England, located in Campsea Ashe, Suffolk, approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Wickham Market itself. The station is 15 miles 64 chains (25.4 km) down the line from Ipswich and 84 miles 43 chains (136 km) measured from London Liverpool Street; it is situated between Melton and Saxmundham. Its three-letter station code is WCM.
Brampton railway station is on the East Suffolk Line in the east of England, serving the villages of Brampton, Redisham and surrounding hamlets in Suffolk. It is 35 miles 70 chains (57.7 km) down the line from Ipswich and 104 miles 49 chains (168.4 km) measured from London Liverpool Street; it is situated between Halesworth and Beccles. It is commonly suffixed as Brampton (Suffolk) in order to distinguish it from the station of the same name in Cumbria.
Stowmarket railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML) in the East of England, serving the town of Stowmarket, Suffolk. It is 80 miles 9 chains (128.9 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and 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.
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.
Brundall railway station is on the Wherry Lines in the east of England, serving the village of Brundall, Norfolk. It is 5 miles 60 chains (9.3 km) down the line from Norwich on the route to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. Its three-letter station code is BDA.
Thetford railway station is on the Breckland line in the east of England, serving the town of Thetford, Norfolk. The line runs between Cambridge in the west and Norwich in the east.
Attleborough railway station is on the Breckland line in the east of England, serving the town of Attleborough, Norfolk. The line runs between Cambridge in the west and Norwich in the east. Attleborough is situated between Eccles Road and Spooner Row, 108 miles 19 chains (174.2 km) from London Liverpool Street via Ely.
Spooner Row railway station is on the Breckland line in the East of England, serving the village of Spooner Row, Norfolk. The line runs between Cambridge in the west and Norwich in the east.
Diss railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line in the East of England, serving the town of Diss, Norfolk. It is 94 miles 43 chains (152.1 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Stowmarket to the south and Norwich to the north. It is approximately 20 miles (32 km) south of Norwich. Its three-letter station code is DIS.
Brandon railway station is on the Breckland Line in the East of England, serving the town of Brandon, Suffolk, although the station is actually situated across the county boundary in Norfolk. The line runs between Cambridge in the west and Norwich in the east.
Elmswell serves the village of Elmswell in Suffolk, England. The station, and all trains serving it, are today operated by Greater Anglia.
The East Suffolk line is a railway in East Anglia with a long history.
Preceding station | ![]() | Following station | ||
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Abellio Greater Anglia |