Essex Express

[Clive Mortimore]

Great Eastern, Witham, late 70s early 80s, before the advent of the Mk2Ds.

 

Hourly Norwich trains silver roofed class 47 with Mk2a and Mk1 catering cars, Harwich and East Suffolk line trains class 47 or 37 with Mk1 and a few Mk2 mixed in, Class 309s 10 or 8 car units (both up and down trains at half past the hour at Witham station), Class 312 8 or 4 car units on Colchester stopper, Class 305 on the Braintree, and double headed 37s on freightliners.

 

Other trains were Class 305 (or 302 or 308) 4 or 8 car on Colchester services mainly in the peak hours, 31 on the "Chocolate" to Rowntrees at Chelmsford, double headed 31s on the sand train from Marks Tey, 47s on the Rom River steel train to Witham, 37s on the Carless tank train to Harwich and Monday mornings 37s on the UKLF fertilizer train to Braintree. There was an odd working of a Cravens unit from Witham to Colchester at about 7.30am, I use to see it arriving and be shunted into the sidings that use to be under Collingwood Road Bridge off the Braintree platform, just before catching my train to work.

 

Other units in the area at the time included 3 car BRCW (ex NER 4 car units with TS removed)  and Gloucester 2 car.

 

 

While on about Witham, in the gents loos on the London Platform, was written

                                         Jesus Saves

                                                  Not on my money he wouldn't

Edited November 12, 2014 by Clive Mortimore

[BigBountyHunter]

Great Eastern, Witham, late 70s early 80s, before the advent of the Mk2Ds.

 

Hourly Norwich trains silver roofed class 47 with Mk2a and Mk1 catering cars, Harwich and East Suffolk line trains class 47 or 37 with Mk1 and a few Mk2 mixed in, Class 309s 10 or 8 car units (both up and down trains at half past the hour at Witham station), Class 312 8 or 4 car units on Colchester stopper, Class 305 on the Braintree, and double headed 37s on freightliners.

 

Other trains were Class 305 (or 302 or 308) 4 or 8 car on Colchester services mainly in the peak hours, 31 on the "Chocolate" to Rowntrees at Chelmsford, double headed 31s on the sand train from Marks Tey, 47s on the Rom River steel train to Witham, 37s on the Carless tank train to Harwich and Monday mornings 37s on the UKLF fertilizer train to Braintree. There was an odd working of a Cravens unit from Witham to Colchester at about 7.30am, I use to see it arriving and be shunted into the sidings that use to be under Collingwood Road Bridge off the Braintree platform, just before catching my train to work.

 

Other units in the area at the time included 3 car BRCW (ex NER 4 car units with TS removed)  and Gloucester 2 car.

 

 

While on about Witham, in the gents loos on the London Platform, was written

                                         Jesus Saves

                                                  Not on my money he wouldn't

fond fond memories of the decapitated maldon branch which bacame a siding for rom metals, oh for a time machine just to soak that in again!!,  what was the cravens unit shunted into the siding under the bridge for? that one passed me by

[Clive Mortimore]

fond fond memories of the decapitated maldon branch which bacame a siding for rom metals, oh for a time machine just to soak that in again!!,  what was the cravens unit shunted into the siding under the bridge for? that one passed me by

For a Witham to Colchester service. It left about 7.30am. It use to arrive about 7.00 and be shunted into the sidings (there were three up until 1980ish) and wait until nearly the departure time and trundle along the Braintree platform to collect its passengers.

 

The move from the up line to the down line then Braintree line was never the same two days running. Sometimes it would take the crossover on the London side of the station, and simply reverse into the Braintree platform. Or it would use the crossover the Colchester side, (this was removed about 1980ish) on to the down line. Shuffle back into the Colchester platform. From here it would either continue down the down line wrong direction, until it cleared the points leading to the Braintree platform, reverse over these when they changed to the Braintree platform. Or it would travel in the Colchester direction and cross over into the down loop. From here it backed into the Braintree platform. These moves were going on a train that came in from Braintree to London, and Colchester/Clacton to London trains (not all stopping) every few minutes.

 

The Braintree to London train was funny. Back then the stations on the Braintree branch could only hold four coaches, this was an eight coach train. When it arrived at Witham, most of the passengers would jump out the rear half and rush to get a seat in the front four coaches. People like me who were travelling only as far as Chelmsford would stand out the way until they had zoomed past and get in the rear four cars. Great on a cold morning, not only was the train warm but so were the seats.

[BigBountyHunter]

For a Witham to Colchester service. It left about 7.30am. It use to arrive about 7.00 and be shunted into the sidings (there were three up until 1980ish) and wait until nearly the departure time and trundle along the Braintree platform to collect its passengers.

 

The move from the up line to the down line then Braintree line was never the same two days running. Sometimes it would take the crossover on the London side of the station, and simply reverse into the Braintree platform. Or it would use the crossover the Colchester side, (this was removed about 1980ish) on to the down line. Shuffle back into the Colchester platform. From here it would either continue down the down line wrong direction, until it cleared the points leading to the Braintree platform, reverse over these when they changed to the Braintree platform. Or it would travel in the Colchester direction and cross over into the down loop. From here it backed into the Braintree platform. These moves were going on a train that came in from Braintree to London, and Colchester/Clacton to London trains (not all stopping) every few minutes.

 

The Braintree to London train was funny. Back then the stations on the Braintree branch could only hold four coaches, this was an eight coach train. When it arrived at Witham, most of the passengers would jump out the rear half and rush to get a seat in the front four coaches. People like me who were travelling only as far as Chelmsford would stand out the way until they had zoomed past and get in the rear four cars. Great on a cold morning, not only was the train warm but so were the seats.

Ahhhhhh i see thankyou, i think i just about remember the sidings. I certainly remember the days of the first four carriages on the braintree train as i used to go see my auntie on that one, remember it before it was electrified too quiet a sluggish journey as i recall!

[locoholic]

Found these negs in a box next to the Christmas decorations...

 

 

Clacton unit 602 leading an up train at Ingatestone on 31st Jan 1981. Have they now built a new up platform where the loop to the right of the train is on this photo?

 

 

47583 County of Hertfordshire on a down train on the same day.

[trisonic]

Has anyone got photos of Shenfield when the coal yard was still active? Or later but when the signal box was still at the end of platforms 2&3?

 

Says he trying to recall which way around the platforms were numbered (I haven’t been there for twenty years..)

 

Best, Pete.

[locoholic]

Here are two photos of Shenfield. Sorry they're so dark - the scanner doesn't seem to like slides unless they're taken on a bright, sunny day.

 

 

You can just about see the platform numbering: Looks like Platform 5 was on the north side where the stoppers terminated.

 

 

And you can just about see the signal box behind all the other platform furniture on this one.

 

Any tips to make a Plustek scanner do slides taken on dull days would be appreciated.

[eastwestdivide]

 

Any tips to make a Plustek scanner do slides taken on dull days would be appreciated.

 

 

Tickle them in Photoshop?

What sort of scanner? is it one intended for slides? If not, you might have difficulties.

 

Here's the first of those, with shadow detail boosted to insane levels:

 

Edit, and the second:

Edited December 21, 2014 by eastwestdivide

[PhilJ W]

I thought that all platforms on through stations were numbered from left to right when facing the 'up' direction. No doubt someone is going to prove me wrong.

[Baby Deltic]

Colchester was right to left. 

[47137]

I thought that all platforms on through stations were numbered from left to right when facing the 'up' direction. No doubt someone is going to prove me wrong.

 

 

Colchester was right to left. 

 

Nowadays, Colchester is numbered left to right. But Shrewsbury is still right to left, and indeed its 1 and 2 lost their track years ago so the numbering runs from 3 to 7. Wolverhampton was right to left too (with 1c being the bay facing Shrewsbury) but I am sure it has been renumbered. I cannot find a convention, except that for Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton at least, the numbering began on the side of the station where the main entrance was. Somewhat out of area I realise.

 

- Richard.

Edited December 22, 2014 by 47137

[Broken biro]

Hi there. Does anyone have any photos of the cherry tree crossing? I now live in the cherry tree crossing keepers house, but am having no joy with any photos or history of the crossing! Can anyone help me please?

[Baby Deltic]

If you're facing London (up at Colchester) platform one is on your far right and platform six is far left adjacent to platform three. Likewise five is left of, and adjacent to four. One and two form the island platform for down Norwich and Clacton branch trains.

Edited April 13, 2015 by Baby Deltic

[47164]

Great pictures and memories, does anyone have photos of the maldon branch ? I will show my age ... Maybe when I was 4 or 5 I recall watching a class 15 shunting wagons across the causeway main road from market hill to hey bridge.

[EddieB]

To those who have been following the saga of the "Shenfield Shark" on this thread (and the "Ghosts in the Machine" thread):

 

The Epping & Ongar Railway will be running demonstration goods trains over their coming "gala" weekend (Friday 24th - Sunday 26th April) behind the visiting Y7 class 0-4-0T.  For the first time they are also offering brake van rides in their newly restored Shark* - bung the guard an extra fiver for the privilege.

 

*It isn't the same one that was at Shenfield for so many years - which may still be there!

 

(Edited).

Edited April 24, 2015 by EddieB

[sb67]

EddieB - The shark was still at Shenfield  about a month ago when I went through there!

[trisonic]

I stopped using Shenfield in 1989 - it had been there for a good time then.......

 

Best, Pete.

Edited April 30, 2015 by trisonic

[Satan's Goldfish]

I'm sure somebody's missed the marketing oppotunity of creating simple plain t-shirts with 'I shot the Shenfield Shark' written on, aimed towards anyone that's ever taken a photo of it.

[trisonic]

I thought it was a drug induced hallucination.

 

Best, Pete.

Edited May 3, 2015 by trisonic

[Southwich]

A photo of 66727 at Shenfield on engineer's duties:

 

66727 at Shenfield on engineers duty by Southwich Railway, on Flickr

 

A pair of 321s at Witham:

 

Witham Station reference photos for Motts Lane layout by Southwich Railway, on Flickr

 

Thanks,

 

Will

[trisonic]

Will,

 

Thanx for photos. Was the “Shark” still parked at Shenfield? We need to know if it’s real.....

 

Best, Pete.

[Southwich]

Will,

 

Thanx for photos. Was the “Shark” still parked at Shenfield? We need to know if it’s real.....

 

Best, Pete.

Of course it still is! No chance of them bothering to move it...

 

Will try and photograph it the next time I'm up there.

 

Thanks,

 

Will

[47137]

It was still there yesterday! Unfortunately we were sitting near the back of the train coming home (a 360 Desiro). I tried the shot with my phone as we pulled away but we were going too fast by the time we went passed it.

 

- Richard.

[BrushVeteran]

Here are a couple of images I took of it in 2012, it was still there last year.

[trisonic]

Paint has, impossibly, weathered even more than I last saw it....

Best, Pete