Made weak by time and fate, the rails
here sink ever deeper into the grass, ever more enmeshed by undergrowth, ever
more blasted by unforgiving fenland winds. Yet this is a railway not
in decay, but in limbo... ...a line identified as a
priority for reopening... ...matched with considerable
local and political support... ...whose economic benefits
have been costed and approved. So what is the delay? Why has this track bed not yet seen trains return? Much is to be rediscovered of
this railway from bridges... ...to buildings... ...to signal boxes... ... and beyond. So let us find out what it takes to
reopen a railway and in so doing, explore the lost branch lines Wisbech. Located in the northeast of Cambridgeshire
the fenland market town of Wisbech prospered as an inland port, but flourished
by the coming of the railways. Famous for its fields of fruit, it
was the railways that ensured this produce could be delivered as
fresh as possible nationwide. Now cut off from the rail network, it was once
the case that the Great Eastern Railway operated trains from March to the south, through
to Watlington in the east via Wisbech. The Watlington branch closed in 1968
and was ripped up shortly thereafter, however, whilst it closed to
passengers in the same year, the line from March to Wisbech
remained open to goods traffic with the last of such services traversing
its rails at the start of the 21st century. With so much of the line's
infrastructure still intact and with the social and economic benefits
of a rail connection being well known, a campaign to reopen the March to
Wisbech line continues to be mounted. And it is against this backdrop that we explore
what remains of the railway, beginning in March. March is a fine railway station and
from its footbridge we face east and the rare site of a traditional,
operational signal box as a service bound for Liverpool Lime Street
makes its way to the platform. Platforms one and two continue to see traffic... ...but sadly the five other platforms which
serve this station are now out of use... ...including the filled-in bay platform
here to the left of the picture, which served Wisbech bound services. Having departed, trains would
take a sharp curve north... ...which is exactly what this
rail tour along the branch did. The railway would then skirt the
vast Whitemoor Marshalling Yards, once the largest of its kind in Europe. Reopened in recent years (albeit on
a smaller scale) it is now Network Rail's 'Rail Recycling Centre', where materials from the industry are reconditioned
and used once more across the country. What a boon to have this on the doorstep
of a railway in want of reopening. Thus the route to Wisbech, now locked
off from the rest of the network, sneaks away through the bracken. Emerging under half a mile later, where it traverses the closed and
silenced level crossing on Elm Road. North of the crossing, the track
and signage appear in good order... ...though as we continue, the undergrowth
has established a firm foothold. A quarter of a mile later, we reach Chain
Bridge, which straddles Twenty Foot River. Here, on the 21st of November 1998, the
Pathfinder Tours 'Crompton Pedigree' railtour forges north as we take in the same view today. Hereabouts, the time-worn paraphernalia
of another redundant level crossing. And so out into the countryside. It is hard to imagine that trains like this
mighty Class 47 once traversed these rails... ...but should such trains suddenly return, the signs here remain to remind
you of your crossing etiquette. From above, road and rail run parallel
with the condition of the line laid bare. I hope you're enjoying this film so far. Please like, subscribe, share and comment: do you think the line to Wisbech should
have closed? Will it ever reopen? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Thus, a little under three and a
half miles since departing March, we reach the only intermediate
station here at Coldham. This photograph from the 1950s shows the two road
goods depot and signal box, with an overhanging section to enable the signalman a clear view
of the lines through this village station... ...and from the same position
today. The station closed in 1966 and only the stop sign here hints
at the railways whereabouts. Another picture here profiles the station. Notice the innocuous monolithic
structure to the extreme left... ...this was the gentleman's toilet block... ...today it is the station's sole survivor. Coldham's two platforms were staggered
north and south of the level crossing the gates of which are still in place. Today, their duty seems to be
holding back rampant undergrowth. Before arrival at Wisbech we must traverse
the wide, flat, open fenland landscape. Here we find the remains of a brick fireplace,
once attached to a long gone permanent way hut. On cold bleak fenland days one can imagine the platelayers beating retreat
to this welcoming shelter. And hereabouts the features
of a railway in stasis. So we continue. After half a mile, this bridge comes into view... ...and if we stand on it, the surprising sight of rolling stock
is to be seen in the middle distance. For this is Waldersea Depot, which
once served local agriculture in the area with their daily fruit and flower
exports mostly to London and the south. Today it belongs to the Bramley
Line Heritage Railway Trust, a group dedicated to reopening the line between
Wisbech and March, but whose initial aim is to restore the section of line between here and
Coldham to the south as a heritage railway. Sited here was once a 20 lever frame signal box... ...gone by the time this
next picture was taken when the Brown Cow railtour passed in January 1995. Once again, the sight of mighty gates
can be found guarding the crossing. As we continue north, the route
is enmeshed by undergrowth... ...and whilst one and a half miles later the
bracken has been cleared, so too has the track. We see Wisbech getting ever nearer and
beneath us Redmoor Lane level crossing, whose alarms are silent and
whose lights have long gone out. And as if reaffirmation of the overgrown trackbed
were needed, we find ample evidence below. We will have to settle for screenshots of
where the railway once crossed the A47. Even this explorer of lost railways was
unwilling to risk life and limb on this busy, fast stretch of road, a road which
is one of the substantial obstacles a reopened line to Wisbech would have to overcome. Into the town itself and we find this
railway culvert on Newbridge Lane... ...and this notice about the only clue
that a railway ever crossed at this point. The crossing on Weasenham Lane is
still to be found and is the last substantial reminder of the
railway to and from March. And we see the Crompton Pedigree
railtour again, idling here back in 1998. North of the crossing are the rails that
once led to Wisbech East and the former goods yard have largely been removed, though
hidden beneath the verdant buddleia growth, some track can still be found. Until the year 2000, goods trains continued
to visit to the pet food factory sited here. Departing Wisbech early on most
weekday mornings so as to avoid holding up traffic on the ungated A47 bypass. The factory itself sits on the site of the former
goods yard located at the centre of this picture. The line from March enters from the south. To the north we see the pink line
representing the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway which also served the town. But we also see the line from March turning east, leading us appropriately enough to Wisbech East
station, marking the halfway point of our journey. A station opened here in 1848 and over the years was redeveloped acquiring
the Wisbech East name 100 years later in 1948. Whilst the station permitted trains to travel
onwards towards Watlington (a route we will explore shortly) this was also the northern
terminus of the famous Wisbech and Upwell tramway, a line which served the extensive fruit
growing trade for which the area was famous. It seems hard to believe that
now, with no trains at all, this station once saw six services a day
on weekdays to London Liverpool Street with seven trains on a Wednesday and
Saturday and three on a Sunday. Today there is nothing. Closed in 1968, the station site
has been utterly redeveloped and aside from a street name, no trace of the
railway nor its infrastructure is to be found. But these fine post-closure photos
remind us of what once was... The presence of the onward
railway east towards Watlington is initially not quite as obvious as
the line from March to Wisbech. And unlike the latter, there is no realistic
proposal nor prospect of this reopening. Here the railway forged east.
The green space between the roads marks the route the Wisbech
and Upwell tramway took south. Trains would emerge here on Meadowgate Lane where
once Walsoken railway station was open between 1848 and 1851. Here stands the crossing
keeper's house now in private ownership... ...and another such example on Broad
End Road as our railway takes us out deeper into the fen country... A good mile out of the village from which it
takes its name, is Emneth railway station. Even remote stations such as this
seem to have been kept in fine order. Today we are fortunate that the main station
building survives as a private residence, with some appropriate recent additions in
the form of this mark 1 railway carriage... ...and the survival of railway
buildings such as this. We move further into Norfolk now where soon
enough we reach Smeeth Road railway station. Serving the village of Marshland St.
James, the station opened in 1848. Hereabouts was a signal box, goods shed
and goods siding as seen in this detailed, evocative photograph whereby we
face east towards Watlington... ...and here the view west's back towards Wisbech. The goods shed has been converted in
the years since closure the signal box survived until 2005 when it was dismantled, but as we see, the unusual looking station
building endures as a private residence. At the time of filming, the
building was in a poor condition but on the inside we see the colours of the
Great Eastern Railway faded and flaking. From time worn interiors
to windswept exteriors now, and a mile hence we look back towards Smeeth
Road from the top of this railway bridge... ...which we see here in profile. And after half a mile we reach the next station. Middle Drove can surely lay claim to
being the most remote station on the line. Not appearing to serve any village in particular,
only a scattering of houses in the vicinity, it is a miracle the station survived
all the way up to closure in 1968. Like Smeeth Road and Emneth before it, the
station building lives on as a private dwelling and like those properties, there are several clear
reminders that a railway once passed through here. Adjacent the station was once
a signal box and goods shed, both long gone, but seen here in better days. Here, a mile hence is as close as we
can get to Middle Level Drain bridge... ...whereas one and a half miles later no trace of Magdalen Gate railway station
can be found here on Fen Road. Like Walsoken, station it was
an early closure on the line serving the village of Wiggenhall
St Mary Magdalen for only 18 years. Here we see one of two sequential river crossings. This is the bridge that carried the
railway over the River Great Ouse... ...of which only the abutments
survive on each side of the bank. But coming into view, its companion crossing
the River Great Ouse relief channel. Built to replace an existing bridge (and
done so only a few years before closure) it is a fine grand relic on our easterly journey and the last substantial structure
before we rejoin operational rails. And so it is after a mile,
the line would turn north and join the Fen Line to King's Lynn
here at Watlington railway station. Opened as Watlington in 1846,
renamed Magdalen Road in 1875, closed in 1968, reopened in 1975 and renamed
Watlington once more in 1989, this fine station some 90 miles from London Liverpool
Street has much to offer the enthusiast... ...not least of all the extant station buildings. And of course the signal box,
which continues to be manned and still bears the station's former
name in Network Southeast branding. Whilst there is no prospect of the line
between Watlington and Wisbech reopening, the same cannot be said of the
line between Wisbech and March. As alluded to, reopening the branch line
to Wisbech benefits from significant local, political and economic support - so
what's the delay? why has little happened? Whilst vegetation has occupied parts of the
line, the trackbed remains remarkably clear. It is likely the line would need to be
relayed after so many years of disuse, but since it sits on the doorstep of Network
Rail's Whitemoor Rail Recycling Centre, this should not be too problematic. Some challenges remain such as where the line crosses the A47 and the appropriate
siting of a new station at Wisbech. Again, challenging but not insurmountable. It should come as no surprise then that
the achingly slow pace of railway reopening occurs because of a drawn
out bureaucratic process. At a local level studies and reports have to
be commissioned, funded, produced, agreed, published, presented and ultimately accepted - a process which can take at least
a couple of years to complete. Add to this the fact that different agencies
and different stakeholders want different reports with different demands and different
specifications that, unsurprisingly, seldom align. More time. More money. Combine this with shifting political
sounds (in the case of the Wisbech branch, the previously discounted idea about transforming
the line into a very light rail system was put back on the table by the new mayor of the
combined local authority) and it is easy to see how the process of reopening
railways is fraught to say the least. Network rail's eight-stage 'GRIP' process
by which major railway projects have hitherto been governed is also cited
as a reason for interminable delay. Their own website states that it
is inflexible and that the rigid stages set out by GRIP can often lead to
time-consuming and unnecessary delays. The process has been replaced by their PACE
program which aims to reframe the approach to railway construction and ultimately make
the process efficient and deliverable. It was this process that governed the recent
reopening of the railway to Okehampton. But the reopening of railways can
still be measured in many years. Whether PACE will benefit the reopening of
the Wisbech line is, at this time, uncertain. What is certain is that it is often the drive
and willpower of small local groups, whose relentless determination to navigate the giddying
political, economic and bureaucratic pitfalls of this dispiriting process that are at the heart of
successful projects to bring back lost railways. And whilst the rails of the line
to Wisbech continue to rust, we can only wish such groups the best of luck. I hope you enjoyed this film.
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Rediscovering Lost Railways.
