Lowestoft railway station
Encyclopedia
Lowestoft railway station, formerly known as Lowestoft Central railway station, is a staffed railway station serving the town of Lowestoft
in Suffolk
. It is the terminus of the Wherry Line
from Norwich
and the East Suffolk Line
from Ipswich
. It is the easternmost station on the National Rail
network. The station was a finalist in Railtrack
's Station of the Year 1999.
The station is owned by Network Rail
and served by National Express East Anglia. All services are operated by diesel multiple unit
s of Classes 153
, 156
or 170. According to Strategic Rail Authority
usage figures (2003) Lowestoft is, after Ipswich, the most used station in Suffolk, with busy commuter traffic to Norwich and to a lesser extent to Ipswich. Until the late 1960s the station was served more frequently, with regular direct express trains for holiday makers in the summer from London and elsewhere and local services to Great Yarmouth
.
. Much of the original historical structure remains. It retains one of the last original British Rail
enamel signs in situ on its frontage proudly declaring "British Railways - Lowestoft Central". The "Central" was to distinguish the station from Lowestoft North
on the line to Great Yarmouth South Town, which was closed in 1970.
The withdrawal of the Great Yarmouth service and closure of that line saw the removal of the rails into platform 1. That section of the trackbed now forms part of the car park. Platforms 2 and 3 are still in daily use with platform 4 is available but not used for daily services, but the platforms were not renumbered with the removal of platform 1. The station building was later redeveloped in 1992.
There are sidings to the station which are used occasionally, although they no longer cross Station Square into the docks. There used to be substantial goods yard activity here to serve the docks.
On weekdays, the station sees an hourly service to Norwich
, with an extra service in the morning peak. The services tend to be regularly timed, commonly departing at 42 or 50 min past each hour during the day. The final service usually departs at approximately 23:30. Norwich trains usually depart from platform 3. Saturday services follow a similar pattern with a reduced service on Sundays. The journey time averages 40 min.
The service to Ipswich
, via the East Suffolk Line
, runs every 2 h, usually at 58 min past each hour. These trains usually depart from platform 2, nearest the ticket office. Sunday services are again every 2 h but depart at 5 min past each hour from the first train at 08:05 to the last at 20:05. The average journey time to Ipswich is 1 h 30 min.
The following services currently call at Lowestoft:
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. It is the terminus of the Wherry Line
Wherry Lines
The Wherry Lines are railway lines in England, from Norwich to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. These lines pass through The Broads. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 7, SRS 07.11 and is classified as a rural line...
from Norwich
Norwich railway station
Norwich is a railway station serving the city of Norwich in the English county of Norfolk. The station is the northern terminus of the Great Eastern Main Line from London Liverpool Street. It is also the terminus of railway lines from Ely, Sheringham, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.-History:At one...
and the East Suffolk Line
East Suffolk Line
The East Suffolk Line is an un-electrified secondary railway line running between Ipswich and Lowestoft in Suffolk, England. The traffic along the route consists of passenger services operated by National Express East Anglia, while nuclear flask trains for the Sizewell nuclear power stations are...
from Ipswich
Ipswich railway station
Ipswich railway station is a railway station serving the town of Ipswich in Suffolk, England. The station is located on the Great Eastern Main Line 68¾ miles east of London Liverpool Street towards Norwich...
. It is the easternmost station on the National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
network. The station was a finalist in Railtrack
Railtrack
Railtrack was a group of companies that owned the track, signalling, tunnels, bridges, level crossings and all but a handful of the stations of the British railway system from its formation in April 1994 until 2002...
's Station of the Year 1999.
The station is owned by Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
and served by National Express East Anglia. All services are operated by diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s of Classes 153
British Rail Class 153
The British Rail Class 153 Super Sprinter is a single car diesel multiple unit converted from British Rail Class 155s.-Description:These units were originally built as two-car Class 155 units by British Leyland from 1987–88, but were converted by Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock from 1991-92...
, 156
British Rail Class 156
The British Rail Class 156 Super Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train . 114 of these units were built from 1987 to 1989 by Metro-Cammell at its Washwood Heath Works in Birmingham...
or 170. According to Strategic Rail Authority
Strategic Rail Authority
In existence from 2001 to 2006, the Strategic Rail Authority was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom set up under the Transport Act 2000 to provide strategic direction for the railway industry....
usage figures (2003) Lowestoft is, after Ipswich, the most used station in Suffolk, with busy commuter traffic to Norwich and to a lesser extent to Ipswich. Until the late 1960s the station was served more frequently, with regular direct express trains for holiday makers in the summer from London and elsewhere and local services to Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
.
History
The station was built in 1855 by the Lucas Brothers and is a fine example of their work, which also includes buildings such as the Royal Albert HallRoyal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
. Much of the original historical structure remains. It retains one of the last original British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
enamel signs in situ on its frontage proudly declaring "British Railways - Lowestoft Central". The "Central" was to distinguish the station from Lowestoft North
Lowestoft North railway station
Lowestoft North was a railway station in Lowestoft, England. It closed in 1970.The station was located just to the east of the A12 opposite the Denes High School; a site which is now occupied by Beeching Drive....
on the line to Great Yarmouth South Town, which was closed in 1970.
The withdrawal of the Great Yarmouth service and closure of that line saw the removal of the rails into platform 1. That section of the trackbed now forms part of the car park. Platforms 2 and 3 are still in daily use with platform 4 is available but not used for daily services, but the platforms were not renumbered with the removal of platform 1. The station building was later redeveloped in 1992.
There are sidings to the station which are used occasionally, although they no longer cross Station Square into the docks. There used to be substantial goods yard activity here to serve the docks.
Facilities and services
Facilities at the station include and ticket office and machine, shelters, seating in the booking hall and toilets. The ticket office is staffed during daytime operation. A pay and display car park is provided, whilst buses and taxis stop at the station and stands for bicycles are available.On weekdays, the station sees an hourly service to Norwich
Norwich railway station
Norwich is a railway station serving the city of Norwich in the English county of Norfolk. The station is the northern terminus of the Great Eastern Main Line from London Liverpool Street. It is also the terminus of railway lines from Ely, Sheringham, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.-History:At one...
, with an extra service in the morning peak. The services tend to be regularly timed, commonly departing at 42 or 50 min past each hour during the day. The final service usually departs at approximately 23:30. Norwich trains usually depart from platform 3. Saturday services follow a similar pattern with a reduced service on Sundays. The journey time averages 40 min.
The service to Ipswich
Ipswich railway station
Ipswich railway station is a railway station serving the town of Ipswich in Suffolk, England. The station is located on the Great Eastern Main Line 68¾ miles east of London Liverpool Street towards Norwich...
, via the East Suffolk Line
East Suffolk Line
The East Suffolk Line is an un-electrified secondary railway line running between Ipswich and Lowestoft in Suffolk, England. The traffic along the route consists of passenger services operated by National Express East Anglia, while nuclear flask trains for the Sizewell nuclear power stations are...
, runs every 2 h, usually at 58 min past each hour. These trains usually depart from platform 2, nearest the ticket office. Sunday services are again every 2 h but depart at 5 min past each hour from the first train at 08:05 to the last at 20:05. The average journey time to Ipswich is 1 h 30 min.
The following services currently call at Lowestoft:
| Operator | Route | Stations | Trains | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NXEA | Wherry Lines Wherry Lines The Wherry Lines are railway lines in England, from Norwich to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. These lines pass through The Broads. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 7, SRS 07.11 and is classified as a rural line... |
Norwich Norwich railway station Norwich is a railway station serving the city of Norwich in the English county of Norfolk. The station is the northern terminus of the Great Eastern Main Line from London Liverpool Street. It is also the terminus of railway lines from Ely, Sheringham, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.-History:At one... - Brundall Gardens Brundall Gardens railway station Brundall Gardens railway station is a railway station serving the western end of the village of Brundall in the English county of Norfolk. The station is located on the Wherry Lines linking Norwich with Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.... - Brundall Brundall railway station Brundall railway station is a railway station serving the village of Brundall in the English county of Norfolk. The station is located on the Wherry Lines linking Norwich with Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft... - Buckenham Buckenham railway station Buckenham railway station is a railway station in the English county of Norfolk. The station is located on the Norwich-Lowestoft/Great Yarmouth Wherry Line.The station is managed and served by National Express East Anglia.... - Cantley Cantley railway station Cantley railway station is a railway station serving the village of Cantley in the English county of Norfolk. The station is located on the Norwich-Lowestoft Wherry Line.... - Reedham - Haddiscoe Haddiscoe railway station Haddiscoe railway station is a railway station in the English county of Norfolk on the Wherry Lines operated by National Express East Anglia. It is named after the village of Haddiscoe, some 2 miles distant, although the village of St. Olaves on the other side of the River Waveney is rather closer... - Somerleyton Somerleyton railway station Somerleyton railway station is a quiet rural two-platform station serving the village of Somerleyton in Lowestoft, Suffolk, England. It is less than two miles on foot from Somerleyton Hall which is open to the public.... - Oulton Broad North Oulton Broad North railway station Oulton Broad North railway station is one of two railway stations serving Oulton Broad, a suburb of Lowestoft in Suffolk, England. The station is located on the Norwich-Lowestoft Wherry Line. The station building dates from 1847 when the line was opened, but is now unstaffed.The station is served... - Lowestoft |
Class 153 British Rail Class 153 The British Rail Class 153 Super Sprinter is a single car diesel multiple unit converted from British Rail Class 155s.-Description:These units were originally built as two-car Class 155 units by British Leyland from 1987–88, but were converted by Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock from 1991-92... Class 156 British Rail Class 156 The British Rail Class 156 Super Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train . 114 of these units were built from 1987 to 1989 by Metro-Cammell at its Washwood Heath Works in Birmingham... Class 170 |
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| East Suffolk Line East Suffolk Line The East Suffolk Line is an un-electrified secondary railway line running between Ipswich and Lowestoft in Suffolk, England. The traffic along the route consists of passenger services operated by National Express East Anglia, while nuclear flask trains for the Sizewell nuclear power stations are... |
Ipswich Ipswich railway station Ipswich railway station is a railway station serving the town of Ipswich in Suffolk, England. The station is located on the Great Eastern Main Line 68¾ miles east of London Liverpool Street towards Norwich... - Westerfield Westerfield railway station Westerfield is a railway station in Westerfield Suffolk, England. The station is a junction of the Felixstowe Branch Line to Felixstowe, and the East Suffolk Line to Lowestoft 6 km east of Ipswich. Westerfield is a small village north of Ipswich and the station is situated on the south side... - Woodbridge Woodbridge railway station Woodbridge is a railway station serving the town of Woodbridge in Suffolk. The station is located on the East Suffolk Line .-History:... - Melton Melton railway station Melton is a railway station serving the village of Melton in Suffolk, England. The station is located on the Ipswich-Lowestoft East Suffolk Line... - Wickham Market Wickham Market railway station Wickham Market is a railway station located in the village of Campsea Ashe in Suffolk, approximately two miles east of Wickham Market itself. The station is located on the Ipswich-Lowestoft East Suffolk Line.... - Saxmundham Saxmundham railway station Saxmundham is a railway station which serves the town of Saxmundham in Suffolk, England. It is located on the East Suffolk Line and is 36 km east of Ipswich.... - Darsham Darsham railway station Darsham is a railway station which serves the villages of Darsham and Yoxford in Suffolk, lying midway between the two communities, each of which is about one mile from the station. It is located on the East Suffolk Line between Lowestoft and Ipswich... - Halesworth Halesworth railway station Halesworth is a railway station serving the town of Halesworth in Suffolk. The station is located on the Ipswich-Lowestoft East Suffolk Line.It is the nearest station to the town of Southwold, although some passengers from Southwold prefer to use Darsham station.The station is served by National... - Brampton Brampton (Suffolk) railway station Brampton is a railway station serving the villages of Brampton and Redisham in Suffolk, which is approximately 1½ miles away. The station is located on the Ipswich-Lowestoft East Suffolk Line.... - Beccles Beccles railway station Beccles is a railway station on the East Suffolk Line and serves the town of Beccles in Suffolk. There is generally a two hourly service to Lowestoft and Ipswich .-History:... - Oulton Broad South Oulton Broad South railway station Oulton Broad South is one of two railway stations serving Oulton Broad, a suburb of Lowestoft in Suffolk, England.The station is located on the Ipswich-Lowestoft East Suffolk Line... - Lowestoft |
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