Place Downham Market Station code DOW Owned by Network Rail Owner Network Rail | Grid reference TF602033 Managed by Great Northern DfT category E Number of platforms 2 | |
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Address Downham Market, United Kingdom Similar Watlington railway station, Littleport railway station, Waterbeach railway station, Ely railway station, King's Lynn railway station | ||
Downham Market railway station serves the town of Downham Market in the English county of Norfolk. The station lies on the Fen Line from Cambridge to King's Lynn, which is electrified at 25 kV AC overhead. The station building (1846), built of carrstone with pale brick dressings, is Grade II listed.
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The station is served by Great Northern as part of their express service from London King's Cross to King's Lynn via Ely.
History
The Lynn & Ely Railway Bill received the Royal Assent on 30 June 1845. Work started on the line in 1846 and the line and its stations were opened on 27 October 1846. Downham Station opened with the line and was situated south of Stow Station and was a temporary end of the line. The line was completed to Ely in 1847. On New Year's Day Downham station ceased to be a temporary terminus when the line was opened through to Denver Road Gate.
The new line connected King's Lynn and its harbour with Ely and trains to London.
The wooden signal box, built for the Great Eastern Railway in 1881, was listed Grade II in 2013.
Services
Outside peak hours the services run non-stop between London and Cambridge as part of the half-hourly "Cambridge Cruiser" service. One train per hour continues beyond Cambridge, stopping at all stations on the Fen Line to King's Lynn. These services currently use Class 365 electric multiple units. The station is also served by the Abellio Greater Anglia service between King's Lynn and London Liverpool Street service using Class 317 electric multiple units as part of its extended peak service timetable.
Footbridge
On 10 August 2009 Network Rail submitted a planning application for a new £1.5 million footbridge, describing the current foot crossing as 'one of the most dangerous in the country'. The plan was supported by then station operator First Capital Connect, with an intended completion date of summer 2011. The initial application was withdrawn following consultation with local councils, English Heritage and the Railway Heritage Trust and a revised plan submitted in December 2009 following changes to improve the appearance of the bridge. However, this proposal was rejected by King's Lynn and West Norfolk Council in April 2010, citing the lack of accessibility for disabled passengers and the effect of the bridge on the Grade II listed station building.
The foot crossing has since been closed and passengers must now use the nearby road level crossing to switch between platforms.