Witham-Maldon branch line
Encyclopedia
The Witham-Maldon branch line is a 5.75 miles (9.3 km) long closed railway line between Witham and Maldon
in Essex
, England
which operated from 1848 until closure in 1966.
and extended the employment of the railway workers to improve his chances.
There were six timber trestle viaducts
on the line; the one near the former Wickham Bishops station (51.775°N 0.6426°E) is the only remaining and is a scheduled monument.
The section of line into the old east station in Maldon has been used as the route for a new road into the Fullbridge area. The section of trackbed linking the two former railway stations in Maldon has been used as the route of the Maldon bypass to the west of the town.
at Witham and opened for freight on 18 April 1848 and for passengers on 2 October 1848.
Following closure, approximately half a mile of the branch from Witham station toward Maldon was used as a siding serving an industrial area for delivery of steel by railway, this section closed in the early 1980s after a rail strike and is now a cycle/walkway.
An original brick built goods shed was demolished in mid 2008 just weeks before being considered for listed status.
The Witham to Braintree section still operates as the Braintree Branch Line
.
Maldon, Essex
Maldon is a town on the Blackwater estuary in Essex, England. It is the seat of the Maldon district and starting point of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation.Maldon is twinned with the Dutch town of Cuijk...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
which operated from 1848 until closure in 1966.
Infrastructure
Most of the railway was built economically using timber instead of bricks, however the station at Maldon was built far grander than necessary as one of the railway's political financiers was seeking local re-election to the Maldon parliamentary constituencyMaldon (UK Parliament constituency)
Maldon is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
and extended the employment of the railway workers to improve his chances.
There were six timber trestle viaducts
Trestle
A trestle is a rigid frame used as a support, especially referring to a bridge composed of a number of short spans supported by such frames. In the context of trestle bridges, each supporting frame is generally referred to as a bent...
on the line; the one near the former Wickham Bishops station (51.775°N 0.6426°E) is the only remaining and is a scheduled monument.
The section of line into the old east station in Maldon has been used as the route for a new road into the Fullbridge area. The section of trackbed linking the two former railway stations in Maldon has been used as the route of the Maldon bypass to the west of the town.
History
The railway was built between and Maldon by the Maldon, Witham & Braintree Railway Company. It joined with the Great Eastern Main LineGreat Eastern Main Line
The Great Eastern Main Line is a 212 Kilometre major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street in the City of London with destinations in east London and the East of England, including Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and several coastal resorts such as...
at Witham and opened for freight on 18 April 1848 and for passengers on 2 October 1848.
Following closure, approximately half a mile of the branch from Witham station toward Maldon was used as a siding serving an industrial area for delivery of steel by railway, this section closed in the early 1980s after a rail strike and is now a cycle/walkway.
An original brick built goods shed was demolished in mid 2008 just weeks before being considered for listed status.
The Witham to Braintree section still operates as the Braintree Branch Line
Braintree Branch Line
The Braintree Branch Line is a branch line from Witham to Braintree in Essex, England.The line diverges from the Great Eastern Main Line at Witham. Passenger services are currently operated by National Express East Anglia...
.