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Encyclopedia > Wisbech and March Bramleyline

The Wisbech and March "Bramleyline" is an embryonic heritage railway in Cambridgeshire, England that aims to reinstate services over the disused March to Wisbech line, similar to the Mid-Norfolk Railway at Dereham. A scene on a heritage railway. ... Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs) is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west. ... Location within the British Isles March is a historic market town in the Cambridgeshire fens, on the River Nene. ... OS Grid Reference: TF460098 Lat/Lon: Population: 20,200 (2001 Census) Dwellings: 9,145 (2001 Census) Formal status: Town Administration County: Cambridgeshire Region: East of England Nation: England Post Office and Telephone Post town: Wisbech Postcode: PE13, PE14 Dialling Code: 01945 Wisbech (IPA: ) is a market town and inland port... Class 101 DMU at Dereham. ... Dereham, also known as East Dereham, is a town in Norfolk, England. ...

Contents

History

First opened on 3 May 1847 by the Eastern Counties Railway (March to Wisbech (renamed Wisbech East later on by the G.E.R), and opened on 1st February 1848 by the East Anglian Railway (Wisbech (East) to Watlington Junction), with both companies took over by the G.E.R, the March to Watlington branch was finally closed to passenger traffic on 9 September 1968. There was one single intermediate station at Coldham, which closed on 7 March 1966. The line was 7.8 miles double track from March to Wisbech then 9 1/2 miles single track on to Magdalen Road Junction via Emneth, Smeeth Road, Middle Drove. Magdalen Road closed along with the Wisbech branch in September 9th, 1968. is the 123rd day of the year (124th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1847 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 66th day of the year (67th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ...


However, Magdalen Road (on the King's Lynn to Cambridge main line)was re-opened in 1975 following a local campaign and is now well used by passengers. Wisbech East Station was lost to redevelopment following 1968 closure. The station site is marked by a 2001 housing development. The former G.E.R line from March to Wisbech was singled in 1972, the 'Down' main rails were lifted. But the branch was kept open for freight (Steel coil traffic for Metal Box factory, occasional parcels and coal, and Pet food trains from Nestle Purina) until Summer 2000.


The track now ends at Weasenham Lane crossing following the removal of the rails from the Level Crossing in 2005. Beyond Weasenham Lane, the old East Goods Yard (bought by Nestle Purina in 1995 from Railtrack) was last used in 2000. Three years after the last pet food train from Wisbech, the remaining three sidings were lifted. The whole yard area now forms the factory and carpark extension.


As for the single track, owned by Network Rail, it is still connected to the UK rail network via Whitemoor Junction, March. New signalling was put in place on the junction during late 2007 for the benefit of outward bound engineering trains from the re-opened Whitemoor Yard (once the second biggest freight yard in Europe during World War II, now a stabling point for engineering trains).


Plans to open to line as a passenger service have been discussed for many years. In 1974, "WAMRAC" (the Wisbech And March Railway Action Committee) was formed with the intention of re-instating the Wisbech line for regular passenger trains again. The committee never achieved this goal, although on 1 July 1984, along with RDS (Rail Development Services), the WAMRAC organised the last ever passenger train from Wisbech. This was a special train consisting of a Class 47 loco and ten British Rail Mk2 coaches, which ran from Wisbech to York and Scarborough. is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Two Class 47s, Nos. ... This article is about the defunct entity British Railways, which later traded as British Rail. The History of rail transport in Great Britain is covered in its own article. ... York shown within England Coordinates: , Sovereign state Constituent country Region Yorkshire and the Humber Ceremonial county North Yorkshire Admin HQ York City Centre Founded 71 City Status 71 Government  - Type Unitary Authority, City  - Governing body City of York Council  - Leadership: Leader & Executive  - Executive: Liberal Democrat  - MPs: Hugh Bayley (L) John... This article is on the English seaside resort. ...


Rolling stock

The Bramleyline group who in proposing a Heritage attempt purchased five ex-InterCity Gatwick Express BR Mk2f class 488 coaches, comprising a rake of four first class and one club class vehicles. Numbers 8209 and 8313 were stabled in March railway station sidings. Locomotive haulage was to have been supplied by Class 73 electro-diesels - two locos topping and tailing the five coaches until loops had been installed on the branch. In November 2007 it was announced that these coaches were up for sale. No further details at this time regarding whether or not the sale of the five coaches will go ahead or not. Gatwick Express is the brand name of a National Express Group-operated railway service offering a frequent shuttle service between Victoria station in London and Gatwick Airport in South East England. ... Class 488/3, no. ... March railway station serves the town of March in Cambridgeshire, England. ... Class 73, no. ...


Proposed route

A run-round loop at the proposed March North station (a new temporary station next to Elm Road crossing near Whitemoor Junction and on the Wisbech line); a passing loop through the proposed new Coldham station (on the site of the old down (Wisbech) platform); and a run-round loop between Newbridge Lane and Weasenham Lane crossings are intended. The proposed Wisbech East station will be next to Newbridge Lane crossing, the closest to the original site that the new Wisbech station can possibly be built. Two shuttle bus services are being proposed as well, linking both towns' heritage railway stations with their respective bus stations.


As the still in-situ 'UP' line (from Wisbech) is owned by [[Network Rail]}, even though the last service (a Spillers Pet Food train) was in Summer 2000, the line has now been officially closed to all traffic since mid-2007. The Bramleyline Heritage Railway are in talks with Network Rail about taking over the line on a 99-year lease and then restoring it for tourist trains. The Bramleyline permanent-way team started vegetation clearance work at Coldham in Summer 2006 in order to carry out a thorough track inspection, this is required as the rail infrastructure on the branch was last maintained to a basic freight standard in the 1970s following the loss of the 'Down' track into Wisbech.


Once the lease for the branch has been granted by Network Rail, the Bramleyline will only be then able to carry out full track repair and renewal - replacement of rotted wooden sleepers, etc. One in four, or one in five wooden sleepers along the lenghth of the branch have degraded badly and need replacing. If HM Rail Inspectorate passes the renewal work by the Bramleyline P-way team, only then will passenger trains run again between Wisbech and March.


External links

  • Wisbech & March Bramleyline official website.
  • Official Bramleyline Supporters website.

  Results from FactBites:
 
Wisbech and March Bramleyline - Encyclopedia, History, Geography and Biography (203 words)
First opened on 3rd May 1847, the Bramley Line between Wisbech East and March was closed to passenger traffic on 9th September 1968.
The line was double tracked from March to Wisbech then singled on to Magdalen Junction via Emneth, Smeeth Road, Middle Drove and link at Magdalen Junc to the Cambridge/Kings Lynn main line.
Wisbech and March Bramleyline, External links, Heritage railways in England and Visitor attractions in Cambridgeshire.
Wisbech Did You Mean wisbech? (423 words)
Wisbech (pronounced wiz'-beach) is a town with a population of about 19,000 in the Fenland district of Cambridgeshire.
A Norman castle to fortify Wisbech was built by William I, but the present Wisbech Castle was rebuilt in the mid-17th century and again in 1816 by Joseph Medworth, who also developed the Crescent, familiar as the setting in numerous costume dramas.
At this time Wisbech was on the estuary of the River Ouse, but silting caused the coastline to move north, and the River Nene was diverted to serve the town.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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