Bishop's Stortford-Braintree Branch Line
Encyclopedia
The Bishop's Stortford-Braintree Branch Line was a 18 miles (29 km) long line connecting the towns of Bishop's Stortford
, Dunmow
and Braintree
.
in 1859, the line from Bishop's Stortford
, Dunmow
and Braintree
was eventually built by Great Eastern Railway
who had since absorbed ECR. Construction started in 1864 and the route opened on the 22nd February 1869. The line initially served Takeley
, Felstead & Rayne
with Easton Lodge
being added in 1894, Hockerill in 1910, and finally Stane Street
and Bannister Green
in 1922.
The line was almost entirely single track apart from at Bishop's Stortford
, Dunmow
and Braintree
where there were passing loops. Passenger numbers were at decent levels when the line first opened, but increasing competition from bus and road transport meant trains were running almost empty near the end of its serving life; it closed to passengers on 3 March 1952. The line remained open for freight until the end of 1971 before closing completely in 1972. Most of the line formation remains as the Flitch Way country park though the tracks have been taken up. It has become a favourite route for joggers and cyclists.
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire in the county of Hertfordshire in England. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, on the county boundary with Essex and is the closest large town to London Stansted Airport and part of the...
, Dunmow
Dunmow
Dunmow may refer to:*Great Dunmow, a town in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England*Little Dunmow, a village located about 3 miles outside the town of Great Dunmow...
and Braintree
Braintree, Essex
Braintree is a town of about 42,000 people and the principal settlement of the Braintree district of Essex in the East of England. It is northeast of Chelmsford and west of Colchester on the River Blackwater, A120 road and a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line.Braintree has grown contiguous...
.
History
Originally proposed to Eastern Counties RailwayEastern Counties Railway
The Eastern Counties Railway was an early English railway company incorporated in 1836. It was intended to link London with Ipswich via Colchester, and then on to Norwich and Yarmouth. Construction began in late March 1837 on the first nine miles, at the London end of the line.Construction was...
in 1859, the line from Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire in the county of Hertfordshire in England. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, on the county boundary with Essex and is the closest large town to London Stansted Airport and part of the...
, Dunmow
Dunmow
Dunmow may refer to:*Great Dunmow, a town in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England*Little Dunmow, a village located about 3 miles outside the town of Great Dunmow...
and Braintree
Braintree, Essex
Braintree is a town of about 42,000 people and the principal settlement of the Braintree district of Essex in the East of England. It is northeast of Chelmsford and west of Colchester on the River Blackwater, A120 road and a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line.Braintree has grown contiguous...
was eventually built by Great Eastern Railway
Great Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
who had since absorbed ECR. Construction started in 1864 and the route opened on the 22nd February 1869. The line initially served Takeley
Takeley
Takeley is a small village in Essex near Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England.When Takeley was first registered by the Normans in 1086-87 its boundaries were approximately 8 miles in length, with a total area of 3,000 acres . However, since the development of Stansted Airport, it has lost...
, Felstead & Rayne
Rayne
-Place names:United States*Rayne, Louisiana**Rayne High School*Rayne Township, Indiana County, PennsylvaniaUnited Kingdom*Rayne, Essex, England*Rayne, Aberdeenshire, Scotland-People:*Dana Rayne, singer*Max Rayne, Baron Rayne, British philanthropist...
with Easton Lodge
Easton Lodge
Easton Lodge was a Victorian Gothic style stately home to the west of Great Dunmow, Essex in England. Once famous for its weekend society gatherings frequented by the Prince of Wales , it was one of many country houses destroyed during the 20th century...
being added in 1894, Hockerill in 1910, and finally Stane Street
Stane Street railway station
Stane Street Halt railway station was a station serving the community of Takeley Street to the west of the village of Takeley near Bishop's Stortford, England....
and Bannister Green
Bannister Green
Bannister Green is a village near Felsted, in the Uttlesford district, in the county of Essex, England. It used to have a railway station but it closed down....
in 1922.
The line was almost entirely single track apart from at Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford railway station
Bishop's Stortford railway station serves the town of Bishop's Stortford in Hertfordshire, England. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by National Express East Anglia; this includes the 2 or 3tph Stansted Express service.-History:...
, Dunmow
Dunmow
Dunmow may refer to:*Great Dunmow, a town in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England*Little Dunmow, a village located about 3 miles outside the town of Great Dunmow...
and Braintree
Braintree railway station
Braintree railway station is owned by Network Rail and managed by train operating company National Express East Anglia. Most trains run direct to London Liverpool Street, joining the Great Eastern Main Line at Witham...
where there were passing loops. Passenger numbers were at decent levels when the line first opened, but increasing competition from bus and road transport meant trains were running almost empty near the end of its serving life; it closed to passengers on 3 March 1952. The line remained open for freight until the end of 1971 before closing completely in 1972. Most of the line formation remains as the Flitch Way country park though the tracks have been taken up. It has become a favourite route for joggers and cyclists.