Cambridge-St Ives-March.

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, Stephen Harper Scott, Steve Wilkinson.

Girton Road crossing looking towards Histon Station. 2/3/2008 2007-11-26 10:05:00	Railway Development Society special approaches Girton Road gates. 31st March 1979 2007-11-26 10:06:00	Railway Development Society special at Girton Road gates. 31st March 1979 2007-11-26 10:07:00	37026 approaching Girton Road Crossing. 24th April 1978 2007-11-26 10:08:00
37026 approaching Girton Road Crossing. 24th April 1978 2007-11-26 10:09:00	Girton Road/ Park Lane Crossing looking West. 24th December 2008. photo with kind permission of Peter Heath 2007-11-26 10:10:00	Girton Road/ Park lane crossing looking East. 24th December 2008. Photo with kind permission of Peter Heath 2007-11-26 10:11:00	Girton Road/ Park Lane Crossing. Removing the track, 21st November 2006. Photo with kind permission of Peter Heath 2007-11-26 10:12:00
The last days of Girton Road Crossing. 23rd November 2006. photo with kind permission of Peter Heath. 2007-11-26 10:13:00	37097 approaches Girton Road gates with a special, Swavesey to Liverpool Street. 12th April 1980 2007-11-26 10:14:00	The line looking South East from Oakington Gates. 14th March 1974 2007-11-26 11:00:00	Oakington viewed from brakevan of sand train. 24th June 1975 2007-11-26 11:01:00
Oakington looking towards Longstanton. July 1973 2007-11-26 11:01:00	Oakington. 18th January 1976 2007-11-26 11:02:00	37085 crossing Oakington level crossing. 26th July 1976 2007-11-26 11:03:00	Site of Oakington level crossing Gates. 2nd March 2008 2007-11-26 11:04:00
37097 stands over Oakington Crossing with a special to London. 12th April 1980 2007-11-26 11:05:00	Oakington looking South East. 31/3/1979 2007-11-26 11:06:00	Railway Development Society special arriving at Oakington. 31st March 1979 2007-11-26 11:07:00	RDS Special at Oakington. 31st March 1979 2007-11-26 11:08:00
RCTS Special at Oakington. 7th May 1979 2007-11-26 11:09:00	Oakington Station. crossing keepers hut. 10th September 1979 2007-11-26 11:10:00	Oakington viewed from steps of signal box. April 1973 2007-11-26 11:10:00	Decorative spandrel on down platform shelter at Oakington. 10th September 1979 2007-11-26 11:11:00
Oakington shelter on down platform. 10th September 1979 2007-11-26 11:12:00	Oakington down platform detail. 10th September 1979 2007-11-26 11:13:00	Oakington. Passegers waiting for special to London. 12th April 1980 2007-11-26 11:14:00	37097 arrives at Oakington with a Railway Development Society special to London. 12th April 1980 2007-11-26 11:15:00
Four car Cravens Unit stands at Oakington. 11th April 1981 2007-11-26 11:17:00	Four Car DMU approaches Oakington Gates with a special. Swavesey to London. 11th April 1981. 2007-11-26 11:17:00	Four Car DMU at Oakington on a special to London. 11th April 1981. 2007-11-26 11:17:00	Oakington. station lamp. 2007-11-26 11:18:00
Original totem from Oakington. Photo with kind permission of Charles Ison. 2007-11-26 11:18:00	Oakington showing Station House and buildings on Up Platform. 31st March 1979 2007-11-26 11:19:00	31240 approaches Oakington Crossing Gates from the Histon direction with an engineers train. 2nd December 1980 2007-11-26 11:20:00	Oakington. 21st March 2007. Photo with kind permission of Peter Heath 2007-11-26 11:21:00