East Anglian Railway Archive
Welcome
Welcome to my gallery of photos of the railway scene in East Anglia. Most were taken in the decade between 1972 and 1982.Thirty years on a lot of these scenes have disappeared for good. Some lines have closed, some have been electrified or the signalling upgraded with the consequent loss of signal boxes, semaphore signals and manual crossing gates. From a photographers point of view the railways are far less interesting today. Some of the shots are good, some are poor, but I hope they are all of some historical value. So please enjoy a trip down memory lane. Alan. Ipswich, Suffolk.
Top Photo

Aldeburgh Station Suffolk. 1st August 1973
(5 hits)
Abandoned Lines and Stations
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    Aldeburgh Station Suffolk. 1st August 1973  Abandoned Lines and Stations  (5)
    Ipswich Bus Depot. 19th March 2010  Odds and Ends  (4)
    40015 approaches Meldreth. 26th April 1981  Cambridge-Royston-Hitchin.  (4)
    Royston Shuttle at Meldreth. C 1981  Cambridge-Royston-Hitchin.  (3)
    March MPD. 23rd September 1979  March to Spalding Line  (3)
    Ashwell and Morden. 18th May 1980  Cambridge-Royston-Hitchin.  (3)
    37090 arrives at March with the 0910 Leeds to Yarmouth. 28th July 1979.  March to Spalding Line  (3)
    March Station. 28th July 1979  March to Spalding Line  (2)
    St Olaves Swing Bridge Signal Box. Norfolk. 7th July 2009. Photo with kind permission of Roger Sutcliffe  Abandoned Lines and Stations  (2)
    10 March East Junction 1st August 1981  March to Spalding Line  (2)
    11 March Station Platform 1 1st August 1981  March to Spalding Line  (2)
    12 Cowbit Signal Box. September 1982  March to Spalding Line  (2)
    13 Lowestoft. May 1975  Ipswich to Lowestoft. East Suffolk Line  (2)
    14 Lowestoft. 30th August 1980  Ipswich to Lowestoft. East Suffolk Line  (2)
    15 March. Spalding platforms. 15th April 2005. Photo with kind permission of Peter Heath  March to Spalding Line  (2)
    16 Marlesford Station Suffolk. 18th June 1975  Abandoned Lines and Stations  (2)
    17 Postland Box. September 1982  March to Spalding Line  (2)
    18 Class 55 at Meldreth. September 1981  Cambridge-Royston-Hitchin.  (2)
    19 31407 at Shepreth with the 0930 Kings Cross to Cambridge. 21st Jaunary 1978  Cambridge-Royston-Hitchin.  (2)
    20 Derby DMU at Meldreth on a Kings Cross to Cambridge train. 28th January 1978  Cambridge-Royston-Hitchin.  (2)
    Most Recent Collections
    28th January 2008Abandoned Lines and Stations
    A miscellaneous selection of photos of disused stations and lines throughout East Anglia. Some of these shots were taken 30 years ago. A lot has changed in that time. Some of the stations no longer exist having disappeared under housing estates and roads. References used, Forgotten Railways ( East Anglia ) R.S. Joby. A Regional History Of the Railways of Great Britain Vol.5 by Don Gordon. Many thanks to the following who have helped with photos or information. Robert Bull, Peter Heath, Steve Parker, Roger Sutcliffe.
    11th July 2008Cambridge to Bishops Stortford
    Scenes along the Cambridge to Liverpool Street main line before electification.
    19th July 2008Cambridge- Ely- Kings Lynn
    The line from Cambridge to Kings Lynn prior to electrification.
    17th October 2008Cambridge-Ipswich
    17th October 2008Cambridge-Royston-Hitchin.
    26th November 2007Cambridge-St Ives-March Branch
    This collection is dedicated to the memory of a railway line which was rarely photographed. The line from St Ives to March closed in 1967 and we no longer saw the many freight trains travelling to or from Whitemoor yard at March or the long coal trains from the Midlands coal field. Little trace of this line now exists. Many thanks to Stewart Ingram for allowing me to use his pictures from the last day of operation. They give an amazing insight into a bygone age. The passenger service from St Ives to Cambridge closed in 1970, but fortunately the line stayed open for freight traffic to Chivers at Histon until 1983 and for sand from Fen Drayton until 1992. This part of the line is currently being totally destroyed to make way for a guided busway which very few people want. Sadly it was a missed opportunity to reinstate the passenger service and to use it for cross country freight to get some of the lorries off the A14. Here are a few photos to show how it used to be before it is lost for ever. Thanks to the following who have helped with photos or information. Peter Heath, D Holden, Stewart Ingram, Charles Ison, Steve Parker, Richard Pike, Steve Wilkinson.
    17th October 2008East Coast Main Line
    15th October 2008Ely-March-Peterborough
    11th September 2008Ely-Norwich
    10th September 2008Ely-Soham-Chippenham Junction
    15th October 2008Ipswich to Felixstowe
    3rd April 2008Ipswich to Lowestoft. East Suffolk Line
    Photos of the East Suffolk line taken between 1975 and 1980 with some contemporary shots for comparison. In 1984 the line became signalled by Radio Electronic Tokenless Block. All signal boxes, apart from Saxmundham which is the control centre for the line, have been demolished, in places the line singled and nearly all crossings open or automatic. These shots show how the line was before the changes took place. For a comprehensive history of this line and some excellent photographs have a look at John Brodribb's book " An illustrated history of The East Suffolk Railway" It's well worth a read.
    28th June 2008Manningtree to Harwich
    Views of the Harwich branch before electrification taken in 1978/1979 with some up to date photos.
    24th April 2008March to Spalding Line
    The March to Spalding line closed on 27th November 1982. It was always an interesting line for the rail enthusiast especially during the Spalding Flower Festival and on Summer Saturdays with hauled trains from the Midlands to Great Yarmouth. Here are a few shots of the line in it's final years. I haven't been in the area for nearly thirty years and my memory is a bit foggy of locations etc. if there are any errors I would welcome any comments.
    20th June 2008Marks Tey to Sudbury
    Here are a few photos of this line which up until 4th March 1967 went through to Cambridge. The line is still open today. The old station at Sudbury has now gone and in its place the Kingfisher leisure Centre. A new station has been built.
    15th October 2008Norwich to Sheringham
    15th October 2008Norwich-Ipswich- Colchester-London Main Line
    The Norwich- London line prior to electrification.
    17th October 2008Norwich-Yarmouth and Lowestoft
    14th April 2009Odds and Ends
    Miscellaneous pictures of other transport related subjects which caught my eye during my travels.
    26th December 2008Other Transport Pictures.
    Pictures of other transport subjects including preserved trains, old aircraft and buses.
    21st June 2009Spalding to Peterborough
    The Weeting Steam Rally. 17th July 2009
    Not exactly running on rails, but I love anything steam powered and decided to go to the Weeting Steam rally near Brandon. Despite the heavy showers and lightning I managed to get these shots of some of the exhibits. Unfortunately being no expert on the subject the descriptions are rather brief or in some cases non existent.
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    37089 passes Littlebury with the 1335 Kings Lynn to Liverpool Street. 11th October 1981
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