Type Heavy rail Status Operational Stations 7 | ||
 | ||
Operator(s) Great NorthernAbellio Greater AngliaCrossCountry Rolling stocks British Rail Class 317, British Rail Class 365, British Rail Class 379, British Rail Class 170 Terminis King's Lynn railway station, Cambridge railway station | ||
A few moves at ely railway station fen line 29 12 16
The Fen line is a railway in the United Kingdom that runs between the cities of Cambridge and Ely Cambridgeshire and the town of King's Lynn, Norfolk; the line is so called because it runs through The Fens. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 5 and comprises SRS 05.06 and part of 05.05. It is classified as a secondary line except between Cambridge and Ely which is classified as a London and South East commuter line.
Contents
- A few moves at ely railway station fen line 29 12 16
- Trains at ely fen line 5 08 15
- Great Northern
- Abellio Greater Anglia
- CrossCountry
- Signalling
- Infrastructure
- Passenger volume
- References
Trains at ely fen line 5 08 15
Great Northern
Great Northern operate through services to London King's Cross (via the Cambridge line). These services operate non-stop between London and Cambridge for most of the day, as part of the half-hourly "Cambridge Express" service. One train an hour is extended beyond Cambridge to serve all stations to King's Lynn.
These services usually use Class 365 electric multiple units. Three Class 365 EMUs have received names associated with the line:
Abellio Greater Anglia
Abellio Greater Anglia regularly runs services between Cambridge and Norwich on an hourly basis via the Breckland line, running non-stop between Ely and Cambridge. Class 170 units are typically used for this service.
In addition to this, Abellio Greater Anglia operate a few direct services between London Liverpool Street and King's Lynn or Ely (via the West Anglia Main Line). These services operate only run during the morning and evening peaks, and use Class 317 and Class 379 units.
CrossCountry
The section between Cambridge and Ely is also used non-stop by CrossCountry services to Stansted Airport. (and onward to Birmingham New Street via Peterborough)
Signalling
The line is double tracked except between Littleport and Downham Market and between Watlington and King's Lynn where it is bi-directionally signalled single track. In the Down direction, the entrance to the single line sections is protected additionally by SPAD indicators.
Signal boxes controlling the line are;
The signalling system is Track circuit block with multiple aspect colour light signals- with the exception of:
Infrastructure
Traction current for electric trains is provided by 25 kV AC OHLE controlled by Romford Electrical Control Room. There are Neutral Sections at Shepreth Branch junction, Milton Fen and just north of Littleport bypass. The line has a loading gauge of W8 except for the section connecting the Ipswich–Ely line to the Ely–Peterborough line, which is W10.
Passenger volume
These are the statistics of the numbers of passengers on the line from the year beginning April 2002 to the year beginning April 2013. Comparing each station between the first and last years, King's Lynn has increased by 53%, Watlington by 105%, Downham Market by 85%, Littleport by 138%, Ely by 90%, Waterbeach by 95% and Cambridge by 79%.