Place Waterbeach Managed by Great Northern DfT category F2 Number of platforms 2 | Grid reference TL500650 Owned by Network Rail 2011/12 0.312 million Owner Network Rail Station code WBC | |
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Address Waterbeach, Cambridge CB25 9HS, United Kingdom Post-grouping London and North Eastern Railway Similar Meldreth railway station, Shepreth railway station, Shelford railway station, Littleport railway station, Cambridge railway station | ||
Waterbeach is a railway station serving the large village of Waterbeach in Cambridgeshire, England. The station lies on the Fen Line from Cambridge to King's Lynn, electrified at 25 kV AC overhead. The station is 61.01 mi (98.19 km) from London Liverpool Street via the West Anglia Main Line and 63.29 mi (101.86 km) from London King's Cross via the East Coast Main Line.
Contents
Waterbeach station is unstaffed, and has only basic waiting shelters on each of the two platforms. All station buildings have been demolished. The platforms are staggered on each side of a half barrier level crossing. Until electrification and the automation of the crossing, the platforms were located opposite each other.
History
Before electrification, British Rail services often did not stop at Waterbeach, or if they did stops would be unofficial. However, since electrification virtually all King's Lynn/Ely - Cambridge/London services have stopped there (the present timetable shows only three Monday - Friday in both directions not stopping there) passenger numbers surged, with people all across the area north of Cambridge in South Cambridgeshire using it as their primary station. As a result, passenger numbers are nearly as high as Downham Market, and the station sees a lot of parking problems .
Future Plans
Plans to develop a New Town of 8,000 to 9,000 homes on the former Waterbeach Barracks site have been outlined by South Cambridgeshire District Council. As part of the proposal, there are plans to relocate the station to a new site and extend the platforms to accommodate 12 car trains
Services
Waterbeach is served by two train operating companies, Great Northern and Greater Anglia, and therefore has service to different London terminals.
Great Northern
Great Northern serves Waterbeach on its "Cambridge Cruiser" services inbound to London King's Cross and outbound to King's Lynn. Services are usually operated by Class 365 or, on occasion, Class 317 electric multiple units. These are to be replaced by Class 387s from May 2017.
Inbound trains call at Cambridge and then run non-stop to King's Cross. During off-peak hours there is service every hour with supplementary trains every 30 minutes during peak hours, taking 58 minutes to arrive at King's Cross at an average of 65.4 mph (105.3 km/h).
Outbound trains to King's Lynn operate every hour during off-peak times with trains every 30 minutes during peak hours. Trains call at all stations and take 42 minutes to arrive at King's Lynn, operating at an average of 51.3 mph (82.6 km/h).
Greater Anglia
Greater Anglia also provides peak services with trains running to Liverpool Street station in London and north to Ely and King's Lynn. These are operated by Class 379s.