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Cambridge line

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The Cambridge line[1][2] runs from Cambridge junction[2] north of Hitchin on the East Coast Main Line to Shepreth Branch Junction[2] south of Cambridge on the West Anglia Main Line and forms part of the route between London King's Cross and East Anglia. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 5, SRS 05.05 and is classified as a London and South East Commuter line.[3]

Cambridge line
A Thameslink Class 700 at Meldreth in 2018
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerNetwork Rail
LocaleEast of England
Termini
Stations7
Service
TypeHeavy rail
SystemNational Rail
Operator(s)Great Northern
Rolling stock
Class 387 "Electrostar"
Class 700 "Desiro City"
History
Opened1851
Technical
Number of tracksDouble track throughout
Track gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Loading gaugeW8
Route availabilityRA 7-9
Electrification25 kV AC OHLE
Operating speed90 mph (140 km/h) maximum
Route map

(Click to expand)

History

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Plans for a line between Hitchin and Royston were placed before Parliament in 1846 by the Royston and Hitchin Railway.[4] The line was initially planned to be a single track spur from Hitchin, but during debate in the Lords it was recommended that the line be two track in the view of its possible later use as part of a route from Cambridge to Bedford although this was later superseded by the Varsity line via Sandy.[5] The line was opened in 1851 then extended to Cambridge by the Eastern Counties Railway although this was resisted by the company already operating a service from Liverpool Street via the West Anglia Main Line.[5] The line was then leased by the Great Northern Railway[6] in 1850 and subsequently purchased in 1898[7] and through services run from London King's Cross to Cambridge. In 2002, a train travelling from King's Cross to King's Lynn, via Cambridge, crashed at Potter's Bar, shortly before set to join the Cambridge line, killing seven.

As part of the Great Northern Route electrification by British Rail in the mid 1970s, the through service was severed by the need to change from the electrified service at Royston to a diesel train stopping at all stations to Cambridge. The extension of electrification through to Cambridge was completed in 1988[8] under Network SouthEast and the track improved to increase speed. Occasional services are run by 12-car trains [9] allowing them to stop only at Royston & Letchworth Garden City where the platform is long enough to accommodate them. The platform extension at Letchworth Garden City was completed in December 2011. The Down platforms at Shepreth and Foxton were extended in 2017 to allow 8-car trains to stop without blocking the level crossings.[10]

The flat junction at Hitchin has always been an issue with conflicting train movements, but the Hitchin flyover to the north of the existing junction was opened in 2013 to carry north-bound services over the East Coast Main Line.[11]

Future

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The East West Rail main line is proposed to join the northern section of the line, via a flying junction at Harston or Hauxton.[12]

Services

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Services on the line are run by both Thameslink and Great Northern as part of their Great Northern Route.[9] A mix of Express, Fast and Stopping services are provided on the line including services through Central London to and from Brighton.

An alternative route via the West Anglia Main Line links Liverpool Street to Cambridge now provides mainly stopping services though some peak hour trains stop only at Tottenham Hale and Audley End.

Infrastructure

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The line is double track throughout. Traction current is supplied at 25 kV AC using overhead line equipment overseen by York Electrical Control Room,[2] with Neutral Sections at Cambridge junction,[2] Litlington[2] and Shepreth Branch Junction.[2] It has a loading gauge of W8[3] and a maximum line speed of 90 mph.[3]

Route boundary and signalling

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Just under a mile to the east of Royston station lies the boundary between the Network Rail London North Eastern Route[2] and Anglia Route.[2] All signals between King's Cross and this point are controlled by Kings Cross Power Signal Box,[2] whilst those from here to Cambridge are controlled by Cambridge Signal Box.[2] The signalling system for the whole Cambridge line is Track Circuit block,[2] with all main signals being multiple-aspect colour light signals.

Stations

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In order from southwest to north.[13]

Passenger volume

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These are the passenger usage statistics on the National Rail network from the year beginning April 2002 to the year beginning April 2022. Comparing 2002 and 2010, Cambridge increased by nearly 51%, Foxton by 57%, Shepreth by 99%, Meldreth by 41% although it had declined in recent years until this point, Royston increased by 28%, Ashwell and Morden by 30%, Baldock by 50%, Letchworth Garden City by 33% and Hitchin by 44%.[14]

Station usage
Station name 2002–03 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23
Cambridge 5,478,112 6,060,475 6,137,423 6,522,309 6,997,887 7,571,838 7,661,146 8,245,416 8,823,236 9,168,938 9,824,859 10,420,178 10,954,212 11,424,902 11,530,158 11,983,320 11,599,814 2,300,528 6,952,780 9,341,600
Foxton 48,874 53,538 54,088 64,685 63,418 76,898 72,072 76,860 83,364 87,974 87,164 94,080 88,236 92,908 102,170 101,990 105,404 30,564 75,252 87,794
Shepreth 41,996 48,622 56,747 76,382 75,052 75,704 79,104 83,524 82,422 86,304 92,146 105,802 105,852 110,756 114,294 115,600 117,102 23,676 68,718 91,082
Meldreth 140,494 157,409 167,751 195,567 213,562 216,990 205,836 198,626 204,582 221,774 243,646 267,218 278,044 269,934 307,868 295,470 305,888 82,016 181,362 217,158
Royston 935,438 1,026,983 1,060,800 1,079,220 1,147,905 1,155,024 1,112,974 1,193,950 1,217,514 1,229,092 1,300,508 1,394,104 1,434,684 1,483,338 1,477,616 1,467,154 1,435,616 289,662 835,428 1,081,014
Ashwell and Morden 89,061 98,481 96,452 108,013 104,417 116,908 112,350 115,720 130,196 119,042 131,148 138,638 144,158 150,384 152,372 156,490 159,254 34,748 104,212 140,696
Baldock 331,732 377,278 386,350 427,635 419,784 473,396 455,724 496,896 517,036 535,106 568,182 623,898 658,208 648,738 653,280 637,664 654,320 154,004 387,170 502,586
Letchworth Garden City 1,091,229 1,144,661 1,186,565 1,309,067 1,364,936 1,445,886 1,366,714 1,447,418 1,513,292 1,569,410 1,652,253 1,751,820 1,861,902 1,890,116 1,900,970 1,856,558 1,834,720 457,590 1,189,236 1,471,004
Hitchin 1,806,889 1,948,003 2,049,217 2,368,121 2,543,526 2,569,494 2,478,832 2,863,012 2,641,482 2,764,232 2,902,568 3,035,692 3,199,352 3,213,416 3,237,936 3,265,142 3,233,772 750,478 1,981,466 2,512,254
The annual passenger usage is based on sales of tickets in stated financial years from Office of Rail and Road estimates of station usage. The statistics are for passengers arriving and departing from each station and cover twelve-month periods that start in April. Methodology may vary year on year. Usage from the periods 2019-20 and especially 2020-21 onwards have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic

References

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  1. ^ Quail Maps. Map#2 - England: East. Vol. [page 24] Feb 1998 (Retrieved 2014-04-12).
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "London North Eastern Route Sectional Appendix; LOR LN125 Seq 001 to 005" (PDF). Network Rail. Archived from the original (pdf) on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  3. ^ a b c "Route 5 – West Anglia" (PDF). Network Rail. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  4. ^ "Projected Railways". The Times. No. 19414. London. 8 December 1846. col A, p. 7.
  5. ^ a b "Cambridgeshire Railways". Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  6. ^ "Money-Market And City Intelligence". The Times. No. 20577. London. 26 August 1850. col A, p. 3.
  7. ^ "Railway And Other Companies". The Times. No. 35438. London. 12 February 1898. col C, p. 5.
  8. ^ "NSE Chronology January 1988 to December 1988". Network SouthEast Railway Society. Archived from the original on 10 October 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  9. ^ a b First Capital Connect. "From 13 Dec: Great Northern All routes ALL DAYS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 February 2010. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
  10. ^ "Platform extensions in South Cambridgeshire". Thameslink Programme. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  11. ^ "Hitchin flyover". Network Rail. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  12. ^ "East West Rail Route Update Report" (PDF). East West Rail. May 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  13. ^ Network Rail (December 2006). London North Eastern Route Sectional Appendix. Vol. Module LN2. p. 50 LOR LN125 Seq004. NR30018/02.
  14. ^ "Station Usage". Rail Statistics. Office of Rail Regulation. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
 
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