Reopened Wisbech linemay still haveaplace for heritage
APOTENTIALreopeningof the mothballedMarchtoWisbech line by NetworkRailwouldnotnecessarily closethedooronaheritagepresence, campaignershave said.
Adraft full business case study, commissioned by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, has reported that restoring a heavy rail link between Wisbech and Cambridge would be practicable and offer value formoney.
Anew station near Wisbech town centre would be the best option for a twice- hourly service toCambridge, it said.
More thanhalf of the estimated £ 200- million cost of reopening line would involve upgrading the 22 level crossings, which in some cases would involve closures and road diversions.
The full business case cost £ 1,445,376 and has taken more than five years to complete. A further £ 987,606 has been approved by the combined authority’s board for a detailed design study and proposed land acquisitions.
Atameeting, the boarddelegated final approval of the draft business case to its transport and infrastructure committee, and gave the green light to continued dialogue with the Department for Transport and other Government departments to explore financing the scheme through the £ 500 million Restoring Your Railway Fund, announced earlier this year.
Coun James Palmer, the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said:“I am absolutely delighted to see this come through. We didn’t have a proper business case to take to the Government before. We do now, and thatmakes a significant difference.
“The reopening of the March to Wisbech transport corridor is critical for supporting future growth in Wisbech. We want to transform Wisbech as a place for great rail connectivity, affordable housing and good employment and education.”
Astep closer
Fenland DistrictCouncil leaderCoun ChrisBodenadded:“This isan exciting moment in the long- runningWisbech Railcampaign. It brings us closer to gettingarestoredrail linktoWisbech thanwehavebeenat anytimein the last 52 years.”
The last passenger to service to Wisbech ranon September 9, 1968, with the final freight train running in 2000. The original Wisbech East station was lost to redevelopment following closure, with its site covered by a 2001 housing development.
The line nowends atWeasenham
Lane crossing following the infilling of the rails from the nearby level crossing in 2005.
The single track, ownedbyNetwork Rail, is still connected to the national network viaWhitemoor Junction, near March, but is locked off.
In 2003, the Bramley Line group was formed to investigate the possibility of reinstating the line fromWisbech with a new temporary station, named ‘ March Elm Road’, and a newWisbech East station.
TheWisbech MarchRailwayGroup was formed on October 22, 2003, by Wisbech businessman Peter Downs with a view to reinstating services on the line, which saw its last freight service three years earlier.
The railway’s name, the Bramley Line, was chosen because of the large quantity of Bramley apples once carried by rail from the area.
As reported inHeritage Railway issue 70, in 2005 the Bramley Line Group bought fiveMk. 2F Class 488 coaches from Porterbrook Leasing, then newly withdrawn fromGatwick Express service, and a public appeal raised £ 2500 to move them to March. However, following vandalism, they were sold toaNew Zealand railway in May 2008.
In December 2007, the district council refused the Bramley Line’s application for £ 20,000 funding on the basis the project had“nobusiness basis” and“nopractical outcome”.
The revivalists obtained a licence from NR permitting them to clear vegetation but not to undertake track maintenance. An isolated siding was laid atWaldersea in Friday Bridge, with a site office being provided to serve as the group’s depot and headquarters.
Opportunity
In2010, theBramley Line Heritage RailwayTrustwas formedat theannual generalmeeting of the revivalists’group to reinstate the line asaheritage railway.
Trust director RichardGilbert said: “Our way forward is somewhat dependent on the proposed commercial reopening of the line. The combined authoritywishes to seek Government funding to achieve this goal.
“While manymay think this ‘ scuppers’our endeavours to restore some of the heritage for the Wisbech area’s wealth of railway history, it may prove to be an opportunity for us, should it progress.”
The group has issued an appeal for a right- hand point to take a second siding atWaldersea, alongside the main running line, and is looking for more 60ft lengths of bull head rail.
➜ Anyonewhocanhelp is askedto contactoffice@ bramleyline. org. uk