73-530: The Wisbech and March line is a railway line between March and Wisbech in Cambridgeshire , England . A number of proposals are currently being investigated relating to the possible restoration of passenger services along the route. The passing of the Wisbech, St. Ives and Cambridge Junction Railway Act 1846 ( 9 & 10 Vict. c. ccclvi) authorised the construction of two lines from March railway station :
146-487: A grade-separated flyover that would make trains between the West Midlands and Ipswich or Felixstowe independent of trains between Cambridge and Kings Lynn or Norwich. This it says could achieve 14 tph, with the possibility to increase this to 18 tph. Network Rail's review of responses to its Ely capacity consultation is expected later in 2023. In the meantime Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority have issued
219-577: A 7.8-mile (12.6 km) line to the Market town and Port of Wisbech which was reached by an almost straight north-easterly route across The Fens and a line south to the market town of St Ives . The double-track line to Wisbech was the first to open on 3 May 1847 followed by the St Ives line nine months later. Before the line was completed the Wisbech, March, and St Ives Railway (as the company had renamed itself)
292-410: A commuter route, providing an hourly service to Cambridge, with a maximum suggested journey time of 35 minutes. They compare their case for restoring the service to the completed Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail link . In March 2014 the route was declared by Stephen Hammond , the transport minister, to be a "strategic priority". The project cost was considered to be between £35 and £52 million but
365-599: A connection for freight was made between the two lines, passengers initially had to walk from one station to the other to make a through journey, until the Eastern Counties Railway took over the East Anglian Railway in 1852. Both stations continued to exist until 1863 when the Great Eastern Railway consolidated all passenger services at the through station, with the original terminus station becoming
438-532: A goods station for freight. The through station was renamed Wisbech East after nationalisation of the railways to distinguish it from another Wisbech station which had been opened by the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway on the northern side of the river in 1866, that was given the name Wisbech North (closed to passengers in 1959). Although not recommended for closure in the Beeching Report of 1963,
511-512: A market house was remedied, in a makeshift fashion, by Sir Henry Peyton (who was the Lord of the Manor of Doddington ). His building, however, was only 40 ft long (12 m) by 17 ft broad (5.2 m), and provided only 14 stalls under cover. After the opening of the railway in 1847 another attempt was made to increase the market. In 1851 the market had been said to be "making progress"; and £150
584-518: A new consultation, asking whether a shuttle or light-rail service between Wisbech and March should also be considered, as an alternative or interim measure. Plans to open the line as a passenger service have been discussed for many years. In 1974, "WAMRAC" (the W isbech And M arch R ailway A ction C ommittee) was formed with the intention of reopening the Wisbech line to passenger traffic. The committee never achieved this goal, although on 1 July 1984 and
657-560: A population of Wisbech of 26,500 and a wider station catchment area of 50,000 including villages and towns such as Long Sutton in the area between the Spalding-Peterborough line and the King's Lynn lines. A new station at Wisbech and a possible additional park and ride adjacent to the A47 would be built. The ATOC report was based on a detailed, professional, market study for reinstated railways with
730-504: A quote from British Rail of £1.36 million for the upgrading of the then operational freight line, coupled to an annual £200,000 operating charge, meant that this proposal was dropped. The Wisbech March Railway Group was formed on 22 October 2003 by Wisbech businessman Peter Downs following an initiative he had raised at meetings of the local Chamber of Commerce . In response to a question as to how more visitors could be attracted to The Fens and Wisbech in particular, he suggested reinstating
803-442: A review response in 2022, Network Rail identified a number of areas which it said needed deeper consideration before proposals could be assessed further. In particular it highlighted that any Wisbech–Cambridge service plans would rely on train paths being available through Ely, without the proposals having considered whether this could be achieved. According to Network Rail even if its current proposals to increase capacity through
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#1732890930868876-661: A significantly larger store next to B & M . The town centre has several bars and restaurants. In 2008, the Barracuda Group changed the landmark Ye Olde Griffin Hotel into a "Smith & Jones" branded pub it is now back to being branded as The Ye Olde Griffin Hotel. It is now (2019) part of the Stonegate pubs chain. In March 2011 J D Wetherspoon opened a pub in the former Hippodrome cinema and bingo hall . The town's major employers are Whitemoor Prison , Tesco and Sainsbury's, and
949-444: A silver shilling token of 1811, have been noted. Originally a market appears to have been held near the original town (then village) centre, on land beside The Causeway. A Market Cross (now called The Stone Cross) points towards the existence of an early market and this cross was erected in the early 16th century. This site was near St Wendreda 's Church. In 1669, the town successfully petitioned King Charles II and in 1670 he granted
1022-694: A through-line from March to Watlington without major demolition. At a meeting in July 2020 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority voted to recommend plans for a service of two trains an hour between Wisbech, March, Ely, and Cambridge, and in March 2021 authorised £300,000 to prepare a detailed business case for Network Rail. If successful, it was suggested that works could be undertaken between 2024 and 2027, following works in development to improve capacity around Ely, with services beginning in 2028. A journey from Wisbech to Cambridge would take about 45 minutes. In
1095-754: A time housed the Clock House School and later the Town Surveyor's Office. This office was covered by a turret which housed the Town Clock (purchased by public subscription about 1750) and the Fire Bell. In later refurbishments this clock was re-housed in St Peter's Church Tower. The Town Stocks were also placed in the Market Place and local offenders (and those who refused to go to church) were placed in them. The want of
1168-577: A trading and religious centre. It was also a minor port before becoming, in more recent times, a market town and an administrative and railway centre. March is situated on the banks of the navigable old course of the River Nene , today mainly used by pleasure boats. March was recorded as Merche in the Domesday Book of 1086, perhaps from the Old English mearc meaning 'boundary'. Modern March lies on
1241-475: A water closet (toilet). The market toll-keeper in 1888, though he had no fixed scale of charges and kept no record of receipts, was said to be taking about £50 a year. The success and prosperity of the market fluctuated over the years and an attempt by the Local Board to purchase the market rights to mark Queen Victoria 's Golden Jubilee of 1887 was a failure. However, in 1897, Sir Algernon Peyton agreed to sell
1314-637: A western bypass to take the A141 and some of the traffic away from the town centre. The B1099 and B1101 pass through the town. The town was an important railway centre, with a major junction between the Great Eastern Railway and Great Northern Railway at March railway station . The station is 87 mi (140 km) from London by rail, 32 mi (51 km) north of Cambridge , 16 mi (26 km) north west of Ely and 9 mi (14 km) south of Wisbech . Whitemoor marshalling yards , built in
1387-450: Is 19,669 acres of land and 108 of water; rateable value, £47,414; the area of the ecclesiastical parishes is The population of the civil parish and urban district in 1891 was 6,988; and ecclesiastical parishes viz: HM Prison Whitemoor , opened in 1991, lies slightly to the northwest of the town. Whitemoor is a maximum security prison for nearly 500 men in Category A and B. Until 1974
1460-555: Is mentioned by author Lisa St Aubin de Teran in a memoir as being the station closest to her Norfolk home - she reminisced about conversations with the train guard who was checking tickets, where she requested that the train stop at the station (for many years, most trains only called at the station if a passenger requested it, rather than it being a regular timetabled stop). All services at Watlington are operated by Great Northern using Class 387 EMUs . The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is: Additional services call at
1533-422: Is now Hereward Hall, used by Cambridgeshire County Council. With a long history of trading, in the reign of Elizabeth I , March was a minor port. In 1566 eight boats, capable of carrying one, one and a half, or two cartloads, were used in the coal and grain trades. A certain amount of traffic in coal and other commodities, carried in barges, was observed by Dugdale in 1657. Local tradesmen's tokens of 1669, and
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#17328909308681606-470: Is on the Fen line in the east of England , serving the village of Watlington , Norfolk. It is 90 miles 70 chains (146.2 km) measured from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Downham Market and King's Lynn stations. Its three-letter station code is WTG. The station and all trains calling are operated by Great Northern (with service to and from London King's Cross .) The Bill for
1679-525: Is unique in the local area in focussing on the needs of people with learning difficulties. Roman Catholics are served by weekly masses in the Anglican church in Chatteris , the combined parish of March and Chatteris being dedicated to Our Lady of Good Counsel and St Peter. An "old legend told how the people of March in the 13th century endeavoured to build a church on the site where the present cross stands, but
1752-481: The Lynn and Ely Railway received 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. Watlington station opened with the line and was, as it is now, situated South of Lynn station (now King's Lynn). The station to the south was St Germain's station. The line ran from Ely to Downham, the eventual destination being Ely. Watlington station, from 1847 part of
1825-535: The level crossing in 2005. Beyond this point, the old Wisbech East Goods Yard (acquired by Nestle Purina from Railtrack in 1995) was last used in 2000. Three years after the last pet food train from Wisbech, the remaining three sidings were lifted. Most of the yard area now forms the factory and car park extension. The single track, owned by Network Rail , is still connected to the National Rail network via Whitemoor Junction near March but locked off. New signalling
1898-417: The royal cypher from the brief reign of Edward VIII . In the town centre there are independent shops and retailers such as W. H. Smith , Boyes , Boots , Sainsbury's , Lidl and Superdrug . Out-of-town development has taken place. In 2008, Meadowland retail park opened with an Argos Superstore, Mattressman, Carpetright , Halfords and The Original Factory Shop . Tesco also extended their store to
1971-502: The 1920s and 30s, were once the second largest in Europe, and the largest in Britain. They were gradually phased out during the 1960s and shut down in 1990. HM Prison Whitemoor was built on part of the site. The natural regeneration of the remaining 44 hectares (110 acres) resulted in its classification as a potential country park. In addition, a new housing development was constructed adjacent to
2044-451: The ATOC proposal was also welcomed by Wisbech's Conservative Mayor, and Conservative Cllr Kit Owen, Fenland's portfolio holder for Open for Business. In 2012, Cambridgeshire County Council requested a three-phase study from Atkins into the reopening of the line for public transport. The first part, detailing "potential revenue and patronage that may arise from reintroducing passenger services on
2117-519: The East Anglian Railway, became part of the Great Eastern Railway in 1862, and was renamed Magdalen Road in 1875 (a name which, perhaps, better reflects its lonely rural location in the middle of the flatlands of the East Anglian Fens). From 1848 onwards, Watlington was a junction, as a line once branched off from there to Wisbech . The branch, along with Magdalen Road station, was closed in 1968. Due to local efforts, however, Magdalen Road station
2190-507: The Isle of Ely which was a separate administrative county from 1889 to 1965. The administrative centre of Fenland District Council is located in the town. The town grew by becoming an important railway centre. Like many Fenland towns, March was once an island surrounded by marshes . It occupied the second largest "island" in the Great Level . As the land was drained, the town grew and prospered as
2263-405: The Lord of the Manor of Doddington a Royal Charter with the right to hold a market with two annual fairs, in spite of the opposition of Wisbech Corporation. This market was held on Fridays. The Lord of the Manor of Doddington, who owned a large part of March, gave special permission to the townspeople to sell their goods on some of his land in the town centre. This site, now called the Market Place,
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2336-468: The March Museum. The town also returns councillors to Cambridgeshire County Council . The town is in within the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority . March is in the parliamentary constituency of North East Cambridgeshire . The headquarters of Fenland District Council are at Fenland Hall , County Road, March. The former County Hall of Isle of Ely County Council , also on County Road,
2409-458: The Rail Network for the line to be restored as part of the national rail network as part of plans for 14 extra lines and about 40 new stations. This £12 million proposal would see hourly trains running on the existing single line between Wisbech, March and Peterborough and could be linked with Cross Country's proposed extension of Birmingham – Leicester service to Peterborough. It would serve
2482-519: The Railway Development Society (RDS, which now campaigns as Railfuture ), the WAMRAC organised the last passenger train from Wisbech. This was a special train consisting of a Class 47 loco and ten British Rail Mk2 coaches , which ran from Wisbech to York and Scarborough . Cambridgeshire County Council considered re-opening the line between March and Wisbech to passengers in 1990, however
2555-525: The River Nene provided the basis of the town's trade, but this declined with the coming of the railways in the 19th century. A single arch bridge was built over the River Nene towards the north end of the town in 1850. High Street, which is the chief thoroughfare, is continued over the bridge to Broad Street on the north side of the Nene, and The Causeway is lined with a fine avenue of elm and other trees. A theatre
2628-471: The West Midlands to Cambridge, Stansted, or Norwich; and additional freight services, especially between the West Midlands and Felixstowe. Pro-rail advocacy group Railfuture has questioned whether 11 tph would be sufficient to reliably assure even the limited growth in freight traffic Network Rail says it is trying to achieve, given that a long slow freight train can need two train-path slots. Instead it suggests Network Rail should be more ambitious, arguing for
2701-502: The Wisbech Line. This line has been identified by Campaign for a Better Transport as a priority 1 candidate for reopening. 52°36′47″N 0°09′07″E / 52.613°N 0.152°E / 52.613; 0.152 March, Cambridgeshire March is a Fenland market town and civil parish in the Isle of Ely area of Cambridgeshire , England. It was the county town of
2774-566: The abbesses of Ely and Minster-in-Sheppey respectively, are better known saints. She is also associated with Exning , Suffolk. The saint's relics were enshrined in gold in Ely Cathedral , until in 1016 they were carried off to battle in the hope they would bring victory to Edmund Ironside , the son of King Ethelred. But at the Battle of Ashingdon the army of King Canute captured the relics and he presented them to Canterbury Cathedral . In 1343
2847-469: The aim of improving economic regeneration. The ATOC report has the active support of the Liberal Democrats , Railfuture and is being followed up by the local Conservative council . Having reviewed the ATOC proposals the Wisbech to March Bramley Line published its position statement, with its main points being:- A statement made by Conservative councillor Simon King, Fenland District Council 's then
2920-464: The area was administered by March Urban District Council, based at March Town Hall . Since then it has been administered by Fenland District Council . March also has a town council. There are three wards, East, North and West; each ward returns four town councillors. A town mayor is elected by councillors at the annual meeting in May each year. The council administers allotments, sponsors band concerts and owns
2993-708: The area. In December 2007 Fenland District Council refused the Bramley Line's application for £20,000 funding on the basis that the project had "no business basis" and "no practical outcome". The Council advised the group to prepare another business plan and offered to help it secure alternative funding. The Bramley Line obtained a licence from Network Rail which permits them to clear vegetation but not to undertake track maintenance. The Track Clearance Team commenced at Coldham in July 2006 and continued until November 2014, working back towards Wisbech. The team also replaced and painted fencing at various sites and an isolated siding
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3066-544: The chairman of Overview and Scrutiny Committee, indicated that the Council "are very pleased ATOC has raised the idea of re-opening the line" and stated that, "anything Fenland District Council can do to support it we will do because it is really important for the development of the area". In November 2009 Councillor King declared his interest as a board member of the Bramleyline group in a Fenland District Council meeting. The news of
3139-456: The coaches to March but, following vandalism, it was decided in November 2007 that the coaches should be sold; being purchased by a New Zealand -based railway in May 2008. Bramley Line also acquired the former Smeeth Road signal box, complete with lever frame . Since closure the box had been used as a hairdressers and was complete and in good order. It was removed to a site in Wisbech, where it
3212-461: The course of the Fen Causeway , a Roman road , and there is evidence of Roman settlements in the area. Before the draining of the fens , March was effectively an island in the marshy fens. The town probably owes its origin to the ford on the old course of the River Nene , where the road between Ely and Wisbech , the two chief towns of the Isle of Ely, crossed the river. At one time shipping on
3285-406: The devils were utterly opposed to the proposal. They considered the fenland was especially theirs ... As fast as the people of March dug their foundations and built their church the devils came and pulled the work down... This conflict lasted some years, when the March people, not to be beaten, set up the stone crucifix as an object of terror to the devils. It succeeded in its object. The devils left
3358-498: The inhabitants now lived. Thomas Henry Wyatt was responsible for the design of St John's (consecrated 1872), St Peter's (built 1881) and St Mary's ( Westry , built 1874 ). The four March Anglican churches now share a 'Team Ministry'. Trinity Church is now a joint Methodist and United Reformed Church. It was built as a Methodist church in the late 19th century to replace the small St Paul's Methodist Chapel in Gas Road. Development work
3431-627: The junctions at Ely gain government funding, which could increase the number of through trains from 6.5 to 11 per hour, all of this additional capacity would already be required for other services. Furthermore, according to Network Rail, even were it possible to create further train paths beyond this, the proposed 2 tph Wisbech–Cambridge service would be "in direct competition with other proposals for paths through Ely", suggesting that potential competitors for paths might include additional Cambridge–Norwich services extending new East West Rail services to Cambridge from Oxford; additional passenger services from
3504-545: The line, with an assessment of the operational costs", was published in early 2013. It concluded that a light rail scheme could generate a £15.5m operating surplus between 2014 and 2029. The report considers restoring the line for heavy rail , light rail and heritage railway operation, but notes that "few if any heritage railways in the UK operate a commuter service throughout the year". Campaigning group Railfuture have made an uncosted proposal that that line should be restored as
3577-689: The many food processing factories in the area. March has a Non-League football club, March Town United , who play at the GER Sports Ground on Robingoodfellows Lane. They won the United Counties Division One title in the 1953–54 season and the Eastern Counties League in the 1987-88 season. Norwood Nature Reserve is a 6.5 acres (2.6 ha) site north of the railway station. Watlington railway station Watlington railway station (formerly known as Magdalen Road )
3650-449: The market rights, the Market Place and Market House to March Urban District Council for £800. At that time the market was leased to F. B. Phillips, who agreed to surrender his lease in 1898 subject to receiving the market tolls for one year without charge. The market rights passed to Fenland District Council following the local government reorganisation in 1974. The current (2020) market days are Wednesday and Saturday. The inhabitants of
3723-525: The month of March by students and academics from the University of Cambridge since 1979. The marchers sing the "March March March March". The point of the walk is that it is pointless; it has spawned a shorter version called the May Manea Mania. March Royal Mail sorting office (previously a full post office) dates from 1936. It is unusual in that it is one of a handful of post offices that display
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#17328909308683796-522: The northbound platform was replaced around the same time, though the original platform still survives as part of an extended platform. Before electrification, services were normally operated by InterCity (latterly Network SouthEast) locomotive-hauled trains, normally pulling British Rail Mark 2b coaches (many services featured restaurant cars). The locomotives were usually Class 37 diesel-electrics, sometimes Class 31s or 47s. Off-peak links were often provided by Metro-Cammell diesel multiple units. The station
3869-435: The railway line. Downs began making enquiries within the railway industry as to the future plans for the disused line which had seen its last freight service in 2000. An article was published in the local press to drum up support and a meeting was held which elected Downs as chairman. The railway's name was chosen and formally adopted at the meeting, after the large quantity of Bramley apples that used to be carried by rail from
3942-499: The relics were returned to March, but their final resting place is unknown. The church is known for its magnificent double-hammer beam roof with 120 carved angels; it is regarded as one of the best of its kind. John Betjeman described the church as "worth cycling 40 miles in a head wind to see". The church describes itself as an evangelical church "with an emphasis on biblical teaching". In Victorian times, other Church of England churches were built in March, nearer to where most of
4015-478: The route was still felt to have the potential to be profitable, with up to 78,000 people expected to make the journey from Wisbech to Peterborough. In February 2015 David Cameron stated that he intended to "have a proper look at Wisbech to March line and to see whether this can work. Infrastructure is a big part of our plan for the east of England." In February 2017, it was announced that no-frills trains would be trialled on Britain's railways with proposals including
4088-525: The series of lines around Wisbech were gradually closed from the 1960s onwards. Coldham station was closed in 1966, followed by the station at Wisbech and the line from Wisbech to Watlington in September 1968. The line between March and Wisbech remained open for freight traffic until Summer 2000, carrying steel coil for the Metal Box factory, and occasional parcels, coal and pet food trains from Nestle Purina , but
4161-559: The site. However, in 2002, Network Rail identified a need for a supply depot and redeveloped part of the site. The tracks of the March to Wisbech line remain and currently (2019) a review is taking place to assess reopening the Bramley Line . The line has been identified as a priority for reopening by the Campaign for Better Transport . The "March March march" is a 30 miles (48 km) walk from March to Cambridge, which has been walked in
4234-427: The town are served by eleven churches. St Wendreda , to whom the oldest church in the town is dedicated, is the town's own saint and March is the only known church dedication to her. She was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon who may have been a daughter of King Anna of East Anglia (killed 654) one of the first Christian Kings of the kingdom of East Anglia. Two of her possible sisters, Etheldreda and Sexburgha , who were
4307-483: The town with water, which was brought through mains pipes from Wisbech, 10 miles (16 km) away. March was divided into four ecclesiastical parishes which, with three others, were formed out of the previous parish of Doddington after 1863, under the Doddington Rectory Division Acts of 1847 and 1856 [10 and 11 Vict. c. 3 (1847) and 19 and 20 Vict. c. 1 (1856)]. The area of the entire civil parish
4380-579: The town, and that is how the cross came to occupy its present position, which no doubt would have been the better site for the church." March has its own museum, located on the High Street. It is in the building that was originally the South District Girls School, constructed in the 1850s, it went from school to school, until 1976 when the building was purchased by the Town Council. The Museum
4453-597: Was also an opportunity to socialise, and shows and ginger bread stalls were set up, the large numbers could also attract pickpockets. In 1872, the Board of Health bought a Shand and Mason fire engine that was the town's first steam appliance and was housed in the Market House. In the same year the vestry agreed to erect a urinal at the back of the Buttercross for use by boys attending the Clock House School, but would not erect
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#17328909308684526-517: Was built for Joseph Smedley in 1826. A Local Board of Health was formed in 1851, under Act 14 and 15 Vict. c. 10, but by the provisions of the Local Government Act 1894 the town became governed by an Urban District Council of 12 members. Gas lighting was provided by the March Gas and Coke Co. Limited . The Wisbech Water Works Company , under a provisional order obtained in 1884, supplied
4599-750: Was carried out during the late 1980s to convert St Paul's Methodist Church into Trinity Church by joining St Paul's, the United Reformed Church, and the Primitive Methodist church. Centenary Baptist Church, founded in 1700, is a member of the Baptist Union. Additionally, there is a Grace Baptist church, Providence Baptist, which was rebuilt in 1873. An Elim Pentecostal Church meets in March Community Centre. March Evangelical Fellowship meets on Upwell Road. Fenland Community Church
4672-461: Was installed at the junction during late 2007 for the benefit of outward-bound engineering trains from the re-opened Whitemoor Yard, once the second-biggest freight yard in Europe during World War II and now a stabling point for engineering trains. The railway's infrastructure, including the level crossings, remains largely in place. East of the former Wisbech East station site the trackbed has been built over meaning it would not be possible to reopen
4745-500: Was laid at Waldersea, with a site office being provided to serve as the group's headquarters. The Group were working to raise the money to pay Network Rail's legal fees to obtain a lease on the line for the purposes of restoring it for tourist trains. In February 2005 the Bramley Line Group purchased five Class 488 coaches, comprising a rake of four Standard class and one Club Class vehicles. A public appeal raised £2,500 to move
4818-430: Was not hygienic for goods to be loaded or unloaded in the vicinity of the market and ordered all saw pits, timber and other encroachments around the Market Place to be removed. The market was struggling during this time and an attempt to revive it in 1821 was not very successful. A Buttercross , also known as a market house, was erected in 1831. This building also housed the town fire engine and had an upstairs room that for
4891-478: Was opened in 1977. It is open every Saturday and Wednesday from 10:30 – 15:30 and contains a vast amount of local memorabilia, both from March, and its surrounding villages. Such artefacts include the clock face from the Church of St Mary, Benwick and a large collection of cameras. The town is on either side of the River Nene (Old Course). A narrow boat marina provides berths and boats for hire. The town now has
4964-485: Was reopened in 1975, and in 1989 returned to its original title of Watlington. The signal box at the station, in active use today, still bears a Network SouthEast sign with the Magdalen Road name. The current southbound platform, behind the signal box, dates from the early 1990s; the original station buildings on the southbound side have since been converted into a private residence. The original wooden waiting room on
5037-404: Was singled in March 1972 with the lifting of the down rails. Wisbech was left with no passenger service since 1968, and no railway connection at all since 2000. Wisbech East Station was lost to redevelopment following closure in 1968 and the station site was obliterated by a housing development in 2001. The track now ends at Weasenham Lane crossing following the tarmacing over of the rails from
5110-536: Was stored, but not restored. In November 2014 the project ceased work, and declined an offer of heritage rolling stock, while the future of the route is decided. In May 2016 a working party of volunteers worked on track-laying around the proposed Waldersea station and depot. In June 2009, the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) petitioned in its report Connecting Communities: Expanding Access to
5183-465: Was subscribed to give a treat to the poor at its reopening. The clash with other market days was solved in December 1856 by changing market day from Friday to Wednesday "by private arrangement and without any formalities". The tolls were, however, collected in an arbitrary and haphazard way; they were assessed for poor rate purposes at £10. Statute fairs for the hiring of servants took place each autumn, this
5256-588: Was taken over by the Eastern Counties Railway ; which would itself become part the Great Eastern Railway in 1862. Wisbech was served by a station constructed in the town centre and named "Wisbeach", with Coldham the only other station between Wisbech and March. A second line reached Wisbech in March 1848 with the opening of a single-track 9.5-mile (15.3 km) line constructed by the East Anglian Railway from Watlington Junction . Although
5329-449: Was then known as Bridge Green Common and later named Market Hill. In 1785, the tolls were assessed at £6 per year. Soon after this the market appears to have lapsed, though the fairs continued to prosper. The development of the market was impeded by the lack of a covered hall and because market day in several neighbouring towns fell on the same day (Friday). In 1807, the Vestry decided that it
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