Place Colchester Station code CET DfT category E Number of platforms 1 Original company Sunshine Coast Line | Grid reference TM000248 Managed by Abellio Greater Anglia 2011/12 0.464 million | |
 | ||
Address Colchester CO2 7EA, United Kingdom Similar Hythe (Essex) railway st, Colchester railway station, Witham railway station, Chelmsford railway station, Ipswich railway station | ||
Colchester Town railway station is on the Sunshine Coast Line in the East of England, and is the secondary station serving the town of Colchester, Essex. It is 53 miles 76 chains (86.8 km) down-line from London Liverpool Street. Its three-letter station code is CET. The town's larger station is called Colchester (also known as Colchester North to distinguish it) and is on the Great Eastern Main Line but is further away from the town centre.
The station was opened in 1866 by the Tendring Hundred Railway, a subsidiary of the Great Eastern Railway, with the name St. Botolph's. It was renamed Colchester Town in 1991. It is currently operated by Abellio Greater Anglia, which also runs all trains serving the station.
As of 2013 there is only one platform, but there is space for a second which would make possible a more intensive service on the Sunshine Coast Line. To the east of the station, Colne Junction is the western extremity of a triangle which gives access towards Colchester station to the west and Hythe station to the east. The curve to the north from Colne Junction to East Gates Junction is sharp, with a continuous check rail which necessitates slow passage.
Services
The following services typically call at Colchester Town during the off-peak:
Colchester Town is closed on Sundays, except during December when an hourly service operates to Walton-on-the-Naze. If engineering work on a Sunday closes Colchester station, Colchester Town is opened as an alternative.