135-438: The Eastern Union Railway (EUR) was an English railway company, at first built from Colchester to Ipswich ; it opened in 1846. It was proposed when the earlier Eastern Counties Railway failed to make its promised line from Colchester to Norwich . The businessman John Chevallier Cobbold and the engineer Peter Bruff were prominent in launching the company. The allied but nominally independent Ipswich and Bury Railway built
270-538: A brand new stadium at Cuckoo Farm in 2008. On 20 May 2022, it was announced that as part of the Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours , what was then the Borough of Colchester would receive city status . It was slated to receive the status formally by letters patent on 12 September 2022, however following the death of Queen Elizabeth II , the ceremony was postponed. On 29 September 2022, the letters patent
405-613: A Act of Parliament on 22 July 1847, authorising share capital of £200,000. Work started near Manningtree in October 1848. In the meantime the EUR was having difficulty funding its Norwich extension, and it considered using the £200,000 on that line rather than the Harwich branch. John Bagshaw , the MP for Harwich, objected violently, and took out an injunction to stop the EUR using the money for this purpose, but for
540-584: A branch to Hadleigh , and leased a branch to Sudbury . The EUR suffered by being dependent on the ECR for through traffic from Colchester to London, and the ECR used many predatory methods to the disadvantage of the EUR, and the latter became subject to serious financial difficulties. It leased its line to the ECR in 1854, and the ECR thereby increased its dominance in East Anglia. The EUR remained an independent company, but not operating any railway, until 1862 when it and
675-505: A centre of Protestant "heresy" and in consequence at least 19 local people were burned at the stake at the castle, at first in front, later within the walls. They are commemorated on a tablet near the altar of St Peter's Church. (Sources: John Foxe, Book of Martyrs; Mark Byford, The Process of Reformation in a Tudor Town) The town saw the start of the Stour Valley riots of 1642, when the town house of John Lucas, 1st Baron Lucas of Shenfield
810-452: A complex capital structure in the new company had to be formulated. The arrangements were ratified by Act of 9 July 1847, and, after considerable delay, by the railway commissioners in February 1848. The Railway Mania had expired suddenly, and in the slump that followed money was extremely difficult to come by, so that construction to Norwich was slow, not beginning until 1848. The building of
945-589: A connection from all the Norwich trains was available for the Hadleigh branch and connections to Bury St Edmunds were available from all the Colchester services at Haughley Junction although it is not clear whether these were through carriages or passengers had to change. Colchester Colchester ( / ˈ k ɒ l tʃ ɛ s t ər , ˈ k oʊ l -, - tʃ ɪ s t -/ KO(H)L -chest-ər, -chist- )
1080-495: A dry climate compared to the rest of the UK all year round and occasional (relative) extremes of temperatures during the year (occasional high 20 °Cs/low 30 °Cs during the summer) and quite a few nights below freezing during the winter months (daytime high temperatures are seldom below freezing). Any rainfall that does come from Atlantic weather systems is usually light, but a few heavy showers and thunderstorms can take place during
1215-408: A fifth-century wooden hut built on the ruins of a Roman house in present-day Lion Walk. Archaeological excavations have shown that public buildings were abandoned, and is very doubtful whether Colchester survived as a settlement with any urban characteristics after the sixth century. The chronology of its revival is obscure. But the ninth-century Historia Brittonum , attributed to Nennius , mentions
1350-406: A formal opening followed on 7 December 1846, when a special train ran from Shoreditch (ECR station) to Bury. The Board of Trade inspection took place on 15 December 1846 and the line opened for traffic on 24 December. The permanent station at Bury opened in mid-November 1847, after a bridge over the main road had been finished, enabling the short extension. The EUR Ipswich station was a terminus on
1485-411: A green livery and would have been maintained at Ipswich engine shed which at that time also functioned as the works facility for the EUR. The following locomotives were named: In the down (from London) direction there were services from Colchester at 7:30 a.m. (all stations except Ardleigh and Claydon) to Norwich Victoria. The 10:50 a.m. departure to Norwich Victoria called all stations whilst
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#17328441769861620-605: A grey-brown colour). This allowed the population to recover exceptionally rapidly from the effects of the Black Death , particularly by immigration into the town. Rovers Tye Farm, now a pub on Ipswich Road , has been documented as being established by 1353. By the 'New Constitutions' of 1372, a borough council was instituted; the two bailiffs who represented the borough to the king were now expected to consult sixteen ordinary councillors and eight auditors (later called aldermen). Even though Colchester's fortunes were more mixed during
1755-485: A half to complete the journey. Revenue earning goods services commenced on 1 June 1846; on 4 June Major General Pasley visited the line to carry out the Board of Trade inspection; approval was required to start passenger operation. Pasley was satisfied and a ceremonial opening took place on 11 June 1846: a train departed from Ipswich for Colchester, where it picked up a number of notaries, including George Hudson , chairman of
1890-540: A line onwards to Bury St Edmunds , also opening in 1846, and soon amalgamated with the EUR. Norwich was connected to the EUR in 1849 by the EUR building a line on from Haughley (on the former I&BR) to a terminus at Norwich, named Victoria. By this time the Eastern Counties Railway had reached Norwich via Ely by leasing the Norfolk Railway ; the ECR was established at Thorpe station. The EUR also had
2025-510: A maximum height of 74 ft above the River Colne. Designed by Bruff, it cost £21,000 to construct. It was built for double track, although only a single line was laid. In June 1848 the I&;BR were in talks with the EUR and the terms of the lease were rejected at first, but fear of an ECR takeover ensured that a deal was done. On 30 May 1849 a special train was run and after Board of trade approval
2160-584: A nominally independent company, the Ipswich and Bury Railway Company (I&BR). This was incorporated on 21 July 1845 with share capital of £400,000 to build from Ipswich to Bury St Edmunds. The proposed line was 26 miles long, following the Gipping Valley . Once again Thomas Brassey was given the contract for construction; an elaborate ground breaking ceremony took place on 1 August 1845. The EUR Ipswich station
2295-496: A railway, and now made difficulties for the EUR in following the same route. Construction of the line commenced on 1 October 1844 near Bentley; plant and materials had already been landed at Cattawade on the River Stour . The main contractor was Thomas Brassey who sub-let parcels of work to sub-contractors. On 11 December 1844 the board resolved to lay double track; this would incur an additional £50,000 of expenditure, and this
2430-682: A selection of new feature and short films from around the world and centred at the VAF, was held from to 2012 to 2017 (excluding 2016). There are 12 cinema screens spread across the 8 screen Odeon, 3 screen Curzon and 1 screen in the firstsite gallery. Local links with football began with the amateur club Colchester Town , which was formed in 1867 and dissolved in 1937. They were succeeded by professional club Colchester United , who compete in Football League Two (as of season 2023–24) and play home games at Colchester Community Stadium . Founded in 1937,
2565-496: A short spur, by-passed by the Ipswich and Bury Railway main line, so trains to and from Bury St Edmunds reversed from that station to the point of junction (Halifax Junction). It was not until 1860 that the through station (at the present-day location) was provided. Norwich was now the objective sought by many railway interests. At this time the Railway Mania was at its height, and several schemes to reach Norwich were deposited for
2700-557: A social history museum with children's exhibits in the former home of Charles Gray , and the Natural History Museum, located in the former All Saints' Church. The Colchester Archaeological Trust have opened a visitor centre and museum at the former Cavalry Barracks to display finds from the Roman Circus, with replicas and models of the circus, as well as finds from the nearby Roman cemeteries. In 2014 brick and marble columns from
2835-502: A statement concerning the facts for General Charles Pasley of the Railway Inspectorate . He also experienced a catastrophic failure of one of his viaducts built on the new Paris-Le Havre link. . The viaduct was of stone and brick at Barentin near Rouen , and was the longest and highest on the line. It was 108 feet high, and consisted of 27 arches, each 50 feet wide, with a total length of over 1600 feet. A boy hauling ballast for
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#17328441769862970-480: A total of 80 miles. Locke is credited with choosing the location for Crewe and recommending the establishment there of shops required for the building and repairs of carriages and wagons as well as engines. During the construction of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, Stephenson had shown a lack of ability in organising major civil engineering projects. On the other hand, Locke's ability to manage complex projects
3105-530: A year; all three engineers died between 53 and 56 years of age, a circumstance attributed by Rolt to sheer overwork, accomplishing more in their brief lives than many achieve in a full three score and ten. Locke Park in Barnsley was dedicated to his memory by his widow Phoebe in 1862. It features a statue of Locke plus a folly , 'Locke Tower'. Locke's greatest legacy is the modern day West Coast Main Line (WCML), which
3240-455: Is a city in northeastern Essex , England. It is the second-largest settlement in the county, with a population of 130,245 at the 2021 Census . The demonym is Colcestrian . Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum , the first major city in Roman Britain and its first capital. Colchester therefore claims to be Britain's first city. It has been an important military base since
3375-546: Is also located in Colchester. Firstsite is a contemporary art organisation, based in the Visual Arts Facility, which was designed by Rafael Viñoly , and opened in September 2011, at a total cost of approximately £25.5 million, £9 million more than the original estimate. The Minories houses The Minories Galleries, which is managed by Colchester Institute and presents contemporary exhibitions by artists from
3510-528: Is amazingly accurate compared with the estimated costs for the London and Birmingham Railway (Robert Stephenson) and the Great Western Railway (Brunel). Locke also divided the project into a few large sections rather than many small ones. This allowed him to work closely with his contractors to develop the best methods, overcome problems and personally gain practical experience of the building process and of
3645-716: Is late Saxon work. Medieval Colchester's main landmark is Colchester Castle , which is an 11th-century Norman keep, and built on top of the vaults of the old Roman temple . There are notable medieval ruins in Colchester, including the surviving gateway of the Benedictine abbey of St John the Baptist (known locally as "St John's Abbey"), and the ruins of the Augustinian priory of St Botolph (known locally as " St Botolph's Priory "). Many of Colchester's parish churches date from this period. Colchester's medieval town seal incorporated
3780-412: Is pre-Roman, sharing its origin with several other rivers Colne or Clun around Britain, and that Colchester is derived from Colne and Castra . Ekwall went as far as to say "it has often been held that Colchester contains as first element [Latin] colonia ... this derivation is ruled out of court by the fact that Colne is the name of several old villages situated a good many miles from Colchester and on
3915-483: Is reported to have referred to Robert as 'the friend of my youth, the companion of my ripening years, and a competitor in the race of life'. Locke was also on friendly terms with his other engineering rival, Isambard Kingdom Brunel . In 1845, Locke and Stephenson were both called to give evidence before two committees. In April a House of Commons Select Committee was investigating the atmospheric railway system proposed by Brunel. Brunel and Vignoles spoke in support of
4050-560: Is surrounded by Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments that pre-date the town, including a Neolithic henge at Tendring , large Bronze Age barrow cemeteries at Dedham and Langham , and a larger example at Brightlingsea consisting of a cluster of 22 barrows. Colchester is said to be the oldest recorded town in Britain on the grounds that it was mentioned by Pliny the Elder , who died in AD 79, although
4185-569: The 16th Air Assault Brigade . The Army's only military corrective training centre, known colloquially within the forces and locally as " The Glasshouse " after the original military prison in Aldershot , is in Berechurch Hall Road, on the outskirts of Colchester. The centre holds men and women from all three services who are sentenced to serve periods of detention . From 1998 to 2008, the garrison area underwent massive redevelopment. A lot of
Eastern Union Railway - Misplaced Pages Continue
4320-581: The Colchester, Stour Valley, Sudbury and Halstead Railway Act 1846 ( 9 & 10 Vict. c. lxxvi), was passed on 26 June 1846 with share capital authorised at £250,000. In fact the Halstead branch was not built and the powers lapsed; they were revived by a separate company, the Colne Valley and Halstead Railway , which built the line later. The intended triangular junction at Marks Tey was also not built in that form;
4455-568: The Jumbo Water Tower and the Albert Hall . In 1884, the area was struck by the Colchester earthquake , estimated to have been 4.7 on the Richter Scale causing extensive regional damage. The Paxman diesels business has been associated with Colchester since 1865 when James Noah Paxman founded a partnership with the brothers Henry and Charles Davey ('Davey, Paxman, and Davey') and opened
4590-513: The London and Birmingham Railway by using seven tunnels which added both cost and delay. Locke avoided tunnels almost completely on the Grand Junction but exceeded the slope limit for six miles south of Crewe . Proof of Locke's ability to estimate costs accurately is given by the fact that the construction of the Grand Junction line cost £18,846 per mile as against Locke's estimate of £17,000. This
4725-562: The Ministry of Defence land was sold for private housing development and parts of the garrison were moved. Many parts of the garrison now stand empty awaiting the second phase of the development. Since 2006, Colchester has been one of 12 places in the UK where Royal Salutes are fired to mark Royal anniversaries and visits by foreign heads of state. From 2009, these salutes have taken place in Castle Park. BFBS Radio broadcasts from studios on
4860-480: The Penkridge Viaduct Stephenson had obtained a tender of £26,000. After Locke took over, he gave the potential contractor better information and agreed a price of only £6,000. Locke also tried to avoid tunnels because in those days tunnels often took longer and cost more than planned. The Stephensons regarded 1 in 330 as the maximum slope that an engine could manage and Robert Stephenson achieved this on
4995-635: The Roman era , with Colchester Garrison currently housing the 16th Air Assault Brigade . On the River Colne , Colchester is 50 miles (80 kilometres) northeast of London. It is connected to London by the A12 road and the Great Eastern Main Line railway. Colchester is less than 30 miles (50 km) from London Stansted Airport and 20 miles (30 km) from the port of Harwich . Attractions in and around
5130-454: The 10th century, with the modern spelling of Colchester being found in the 15th century. In this way of interpreting the name, the River Colne which runs through the area takes its name from Colonia as well. Cologne (German Köln ) also gained its name from a similar etymology (from its Roman name Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium ). Other etymologists are confident that the Colne's name
5265-575: The 10th instant, at all the Company's Stations. J F Saunders, Secretary, Ipswich, Dec. 5th, 1849. Victoria station was a terminus, and the Eastern Union wished to connect with the network controlled by the Eastern Counties Railway, to enable onward connections. The ECR had its own line from London to Norwich and did not regard the EUR as an ally, but a connecting line about a mile long was made to
5400-406: The 12th century French Arthurian storyteller Chrétien de Troyes ) is most likely a corruption of Camlann , a now unknown location first mentioned in the 10th century Welsh annalistic text Annales Cambriae , identified as the place where Arthur was slain in battle. Soon after the Roman conquest of Britain in AD 43, a Roman legionary fortress was established, the first in Britain. Later, when
5535-420: The 15th century, it was still a more important place by the 16th century than it had been in the 13th. In 1334 it would not have ranked among England's wealthiest fifty towns, to judge from the taxation levied that year. By 1524, however, it ranked twelfth, as measured by its assessment to a lay subsidy. Between 1550 and 1600, a large number of weavers and clothmakers from Flanders emigrated to Colchester and
Eastern Union Railway - Misplaced Pages Continue
5670-425: The 1846 session of Parliament, including projects in which the Eastern Counties Railway had an interest. The Ipswich and Bury Railway promoted a line from a triangular junction north of Stowmarket (at Haughley) to Norwich by way of Diss, and it was this that gained royal assent on 27 July 1846. A branch from Bentley to Hadleigh was also authorised. The I&BR was authorised to take additional capital of £550,000, and
5805-529: The 1850s the EUR became increasingly vulnerable. In November 1850 Cobbold presented a bill to Parliament requesting running powers to London, Lowestoft and Yarmouth all over ECR operated lines. Indeed, it seemed that through working of traffic would cease, although this was averted in March 1851. The EUR finances were in a serious state with considerable debts from building the Norwich extension, and operating costs had climbed to 60%. Cost cutting measures were adopted, but
5940-400: The 1:10 p.m. omitted Ardleigh, Bramford, Claydon, Finningham, Burston and Flordon. The 3:30 p.m. was the last train from Colchester to Norwich and called all stations although Colchester departures at 8:05 p.m. called all stations to Ipswich whilst the following 10:49pm omitted to call at Bentley Junction on its way to Ipswich. This service also carried mail. At Bentley Junction
6075-549: The Act permitted amalgamation with the Eastern Union Railway. Shareholders' meetings of both companies were held on 8 December 1846, and the amalgamation was approved, to take practical effect on 1 January 1847. The combined company would be called the Eastern Union Railway. The authorised capital of the I&BR was £1,266,666 and that of the (old) EUR was £400,000. However most of the I&BR capital had not yet been subscribed, so
6210-669: The Celtic name of the town, Camulodunon appears on coins minted by tribal chieftain Tasciovanus in the period 20–10 BC. Before the Roman conquest of Britain it was already a centre of power for Cunobelin – known to Shakespeare as Cymbeline – king of the Catuvellauni (c. 5 BC – AD 40), who minted coins there. Its Celtic name, Camulodunon, variously represented as CA, CAM, CAMV, CAMVL and CAMVLODVNO on
6345-667: The Colne Valley during the Mesolithic have been discovered, including a tranchet axe from Middlewick. In the 1980s an archaeological inventory showed that over 800 shards of pottery from the Neolithic , Bronze Age and early Iron Age have been found within Colchester, along with many examples of worked flint . This included a pit found at Culver Street containing a ritually placed Neolithic grooved ware pot, as well as find spots containing later Deverel-Rimbury bucket urns . Colchester
6480-724: The Colne. The identification of Colonia with Colchester is doubtful." The popular association of the name with King Coel has no academic merit. The gravel hill upon which Colchester is built was formed in the Middle Pleistocene period, and was shaped into a terrace between the Anglian glaciation and the Ipswichian glaciation by an ancient precursor to the River Colne . From these deposits Palaeolithic flint tools , including at least six Acheulian handaxes , have been found. Further flint tools made by hunter gatherers living in
6615-560: The ECR at Trowse Lower Junction, not far from the ECR Norwich terminus. At a gradient of 1 in 84 it was the steepest on the EUR system. It was used by special trains to Yarmouth races on 9 and 10 September 1851, although regular services did not start until 1 October. This was the last section of railway built by the EUR before takeover by the ECR. The hostility of the ECR was such that EUR locomotives were not permitted to enter ECR track; arriving trains for Thorpe station had to run round clear of
6750-505: The ECR were amalgamated with other networks to form the new Great Eastern Railway . The main line from Colchester to Norwich remains in use today, except that the Victoria station has closed; the route forms the Great Eastern Main Line . The Sudbury branch is also still in use. The first railway scheme for East Anglia was proposed in 1825 when a scheme known as the Norfolk and Suffolk Rail-Road
6885-470: The ECR, and Joseph Locke. On return to Ipswich lavish celebrations took place for all involved in the railway and in the evening a balloon ascent over the town was made by a famous balloonist, Charles Green . The line opened for public passenger service on 15 June 1846 from an end-on junction with the ECR at its Colchester station to a terminus at Ipswich, a distance of 17 miles; there were three intermediate stations, Ardleigh , Manningtree and Bentley . It
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#17328441769867020-422: The EUR line was actually built, interests in Hadleigh saw the possible disadvantage to trade in their town of not being on the railway network: Bentley was seven miles away. The nominally independent Eastern Union and Hadleigh Junction Railway (EU&HJR) was formed with the support of the EUR, and its authorising Act of Parliament was secured on 18 June 1846 to build a branch from Bentley to Hadleigh. The branch
7155-464: The EUR network from 1 January 1854. The arrangement was sanctioned by Act of 7 August 1854. This was a lease and working agreement, and the EUR remained an independent company until the formation of the Great Eastern Railway on 7 August 1862. Nevertheless 1854 marked the end of the EUR as an operating railway. In June 1851 the EUR had 31 locomotives breaking down thus: All locomotives carried
7290-483: The EUR scheme involved a 1,000 yard tunnel under Ipswich reaching Woodbridge via Kesgrave and Martlesham . The I&BR scheme bill was passed on 9 July 1847, authorising share capital of £200,000. In 1853 the East Suffolk Railway started to extend from Halesworth southwards towards Woodbridge and the EUR plans were amended to accommodate through running. The EUR was leased by the ECR on 7 August 1854, so it
7425-413: The Eastern Counties Railway's proposed line. With the impetus of Cobbold's support and Bruff's engineering competence, it was shown to be practicable and affordable to extend to Ipswich. The meeting determined that the scheme was to be supported, and parliamentary authorisation was sought in the 1844 session; the bill received royal assent on 19 July 1844. The authorised capital was £200,000. The project
7560-467: The Ipswich & Bury Railway; by the time this came into legal effect the I&BR and the EUR had amalgamated, so that the (new) EUR was the lessee. The annual rent was £9,500, ratified by act of Parliament of 7 June 1847. The line is notable for the Chappel Viaduct over the Colne Valley at Chappel. Until 1982 it was the longest bridge in East Anglia, with a total of 32 arches of 30 ft span, and
7695-461: The Lake District altogether by going all the way round Morecambe Bay and West Cumberland , claiming: 'This is the only practicable line from Liverpool to Carlisle. The making of a railway across Shap Fell is out of the question.' The directors rejected his route and chose the one proposed by Joseph Locke, one that used steep gradients and passed over Shap Fell. The line was completed by Locke and
7830-463: The Lionheart ), although the wording suggests that it was based on an earlier one. It granted Colchester's burgesses the right to elect bailiffs and a justice . The borough celebrated the 800th anniversary of its charter in 1989. Colchester developed rapidly during the later 14th century as a centre of the woollen cloth industry, and became famous in many parts of Europe for its russets (fabrics of
7965-674: The Luftwaffe. None of these attacks hit their targets, but a raid on 11 August bombed Severalls Hospital , and killed 38 elderly patients. In February 1944 a single raider caused a huge fire in the St Botolph's area which gutted warehouses, shops and part of Paxman's Britannia Works. The total wartime bombing death toll in the borough was 55. The University of Essex was established at Wivenhoe Park in 1961. The £22.7M 8-mile (13-kilometre) A120 Colchester Eastern Bypass opened in June 1982. Colchester and
8100-871: The River Thames , tunnels at Micheldever , and the 12-arch Quay Street viaduct and the 16-arch Cams Hill viaduct, both in Fareham (1848). He was actively involved in planning and building many railways in Europe (assisted by John Milroy ), including the Le Havre , Rouen , Paris rail link, the Barcelona to Mataró line and the Dutch Rhenish Railway. He was present in Paris when the Versailles train crash occurred in 1842, and produced
8235-496: The Roman frontier moved outwards and the twentieth legion had moved to the west (c. AD 49), Camulodunum became a colonia named in a second-century inscription as Colonia Victricensis . This contained a large and elaborate Temple to the Divine Claudius , the largest classical-style temple in Britain, as well as at least seven other Romano-British temples. Colchester is home to two of the five Roman theatres found in Britain;
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#17328441769868370-524: The Roman town was rebuilt after the Boudicca rebellion. In 2004, Colchester Archaeological Trust discovered the remains of a Roman Circus (chariot race track) underneath the Garrison in Colchester, a unique find in Britain. The city reached its peak in the second and third centuries AD. It may have reached a population of 30,000 in that period. In 2014 a hoard of jewellery, known as The Fenwick Hoard, named for
8505-426: The Standard Ironworks. In 1925, Paxman produced its first spring injection oil engine and joined the English Electric Diesel Group in 1966 – later becoming part of the GEC Group. Since the 1930s the Paxman company's main business has been the production of diesel engines . In the early 20th century Colchester lobbied to be the seat for a new Church of England diocese for Essex , to be split off from
8640-481: The base on 107.0FM as part of its UK Bases network. Colchester City Council is the local authority. The Member of Parliament for Colchester is Pam Cox of the Labour Party . The former MP, Liberal Democrat Sir Bob Russell , has held the ceremonial role of High Steward of Colchester since 2015. Colchester houses several museums. The Castle Museum, found within Colchester Castle , features an extensive exhibit on Roman Colchester. Nearby are Hollytrees Museum ,
8775-416: The beginning of their careers, but their friendship had been marred by Locke's falling out with Robert's father. It seems that Robert felt loyalty to his father required that he should take his side. It is significant that after the death of George Stephenson in August 1848, the friendship of the two men was revived. When Robert Stephenson died in October 1859, Joseph Locke was a pallbearer at his funeral. Locke
8910-401: The biblical text Intravit ihc: in quoddam castellum et mulier quedam excepit illum 'Jesus entered a certain castle and a woman there welcomed him' (Luke 10.38). This is a commonplace allegory in which a castle is likened to Mary's womb, and explains the name of Maidenburgh St, neighbouring the castle. In 1189, Colchester was granted its first known royal charter by King Richard I ( Richard
9045-421: The city include St Botolph's Priory , Colchester Zoo , and several art galleries. Colchester Castle was constructed in the eleventh century on earlier Roman foundations; it now contains a museum. The main campus of the University of Essex is located between Colchester and Wivenhoe . Local government is the responsibility of the City of Colchester and Essex County Council . There are several theories about
9180-402: The club entered the Football League in 1950, originally playing home games at their former Layer Road stadium until 2008. The club reached its highest league finish of 10th place in the Championship in 2006-07 , and were one of the few teams to win the Watney Cup , in 1971. Joseph Locke Joseph Locke FRSA (9 August 1805 – 18 September 1860) was an English civil engineer of
9315-429: The coins of Cunobelinus, means 'the fortress of [the war god] Camulos '. During the 30s AD Camulodunon controlled a large swathe of Southern and Eastern Britain, with Cunobelin called " King of the Britons " by Roman writers. Camulodunon is sometimes popularly considered one of many possible sites around Britain for the legendary (perhaps mythical ) Camelot of King Arthur, though the name Camelot (first mentioned by
9450-421: The construction of the Eastern Counties Railway. It appears that there was friction between him and the company's chief engineer, John Braithwaite. Braithwaite had designed the Eastern Counties Railway with magnificent, but very costly, viaducts and earthworks. Braithwaite estimated that £800,000 was needed to extend the line from Colchester to Ipswich. Bruff believed that a cheaper scheme was more practicable. Bruff
9585-469: The construction. The line was opened in stages: from Haughley to Finningham on 7 June 1848; Finningham to Burston on 2 July 1849, and a passenger service throughout to Burston started that day. On 3 November 1849 a special train for the directors reached Norwich, and on 7 November a full ceremonial opening run took place. Goods traffic throughout the line started on 3 December 1849, and full passenger operation followed on 12 December 1849. The Norwich station
9720-405: The contractors themselves. He used the contractors who worked well with him, especially Thomas Brassey , William Buddicom and William Mackenzie , on many other projects. Everyone gained from this cooperative approach whereas Brunel 's more adversarial approach eventually made it hard for him to get anyone to work for him. In 1834 Locke married Phoebe McCreery, with whom he adopted a child. He
9855-592: The day and their gauge was adopted as the standard. Locke served as President of the Institution of Civil Engineers in between December 1857 and December 1859. He also served as Member of Parliament for Honiton in Devon from 1847 until his death. Joseph Locke died on 18 September 1860, apparently from appendicitis, whilst on a shooting holiday. He is buried in London's Kensal Green Cemetery . He outlived his friends/rivals Robert Stephenson and Isambard Brunel by less than
9990-480: The decision by the directors to hold an open trial to find the best locomotive. This was the Rainhill Trials , which were run in October 1829, and were won by " Rocket ". When the line was finally opened in 1830, it was planned for a procession of eight trains to travel from Liverpool to Manchester and back. George Stephenson drove the leading locomotive "Northumbrian" and Joseph Locke drove "Rocket". The day
10125-422: The embankment a firm footing. The River Gipping was also diverted to aid the project. On 26 November 1846 the first test train ran to Bury St Edmunds with stops at most stations on the route. The Bury station had not been completed, so a temporary station on the Ipswich side of an uncompleted road bridge was used. An elaborate celebratory meal was given. Goods operation on the line started on 30 November 1846, and
10260-514: The example at Gosbecks (site of the Iron Age royal farmstead) is the largest in Britain , able to seat 5,000. Camulodunum served as a provincial Roman capital of Britain, but was attacked and destroyed during Boudica 's rebellion in AD 61. Sometime after the destruction, London became the capital of the province of Britannia . Colchester's city walls c. 3,000 yd. long were built c.65–80 A.D. when
10395-544: The existing Diocese of Rochester . The bid was unsuccessful, with county town Chelmsford forming the seat of the new diocese . In the 2nd World War Colchester's main significance lay in its infantry and light-anti-aircraft training units, and in the Paxman factory, which supplied a large proportion of the engines for British submarines and landing craft. Occasionally hit by stray single German aircraft in 1940 and 1941, in 1942 more serious attempts to bomb its industries were made by
10530-557: The hinterland, and it was natural that the EUR wished to connect the docks. A line was completed from Halifax Junction running alongside the River Orwell to Griffin Wharf by mid-1846. In October 1847 the line was extended north alongside the New Cut to serve additional factory premises and wharves. Considerable volumes of imported (coastwise) coal were brought in through this line. Ipswich Wet Dock
10665-408: The impact of these was not significant in scale. In early 1851 the EUR directors discussed leasing their line to the ECR, but that company turned the proposals down. Thomas Brassey joined the EUR board, and he was fundamental in negotiating the takeover of the EUR. In late 1853 negotiations with the ECR were resumed, and agreement was reached on 19 December 1853. The ECR was to take over the working of
10800-609: The junction was only made towards Colchester. Another short line was built by the Colchester, Stour Valley, Sudbury and Halstead Railway: it was from a junction with the Eastern Counties at Colchester to The Hythe , where the Borough of Colchester owned a quay to and from which small sea-going ships used to make their way; this was opened on 31 March 1847. The company had running powers over the ECR between Marks Tey and Colchester. The CSVS&HR arranged to lease its line for 999 years to
10935-516: The junction, and be propelled to that point for an ECR engine to couple and continue the journey. The ECR later leased the EUR, and the City Corporation of Norwich insisted on a clause in the authorising Act of 1854, preventing the ECR from abandoning Victoria station so far as future passenger operation was concerned. The market town of Hadleigh was at one time to be a junction on a Colchester to Bury line, giving access to an Ipswich branch. When
11070-614: The line before a single one had been signed for Stephenson's section. The railway company lost patience with Stephenson, but tried to compromise by making both men joint-engineers. Stephenson's pride would not let him accept this, and so he resigned from the project. By autumn of 1835 Locke had become chief engineer for the whole of the line. This caused a rift between the two men, and strained relations between Locke and Robert Stephenson. Up to this point, Locke had always been under George Stephenson's shadow. From then on, he would be his own man, and stand or fall by his own achievements. The line
11205-477: The line on to Norwich provided a number of technical challenges, in particular another marshy stretch known as Thrandeston Bog, which was eventually overcome by the sinking of weighted faggots. The contractor's engine (probably "Skylark") reached Diss on 19 January 1849, amid considerable rejoicing: it was the first railway locomotive in Norfolk. Samuel Bignold , Mayor of Norwich, gave much practical and financial help to
11340-447: The line to Wivenhoe and opened to passenger services; the route was later extended to Clacton and Walton-on-the-Naze . During most of the EUR's existence, the ECR had adopted a hostile and obstructive strategy, and took advantage of the fact that the EUR was dependent on the ECR for running through to London and Norwich Thorpe. From time to time, through fares were unavailable, connectional arrangements at Colchester were disrupted. In
11475-501: The line up an adjoining hillside early that morning (about 6.00 am) saw one arch (the fifth on the Rouen side) collapse, and the rest followed suit. Fortunately, no one was killed, although several workmen were injured in a mill below the structure. Locke attributed the catastrophic failure to frost action on the new lime cement, and premature off-centre loading of the viaduct with ballast. It was rebuilt at Thomas Brassey 's cost, and survives to
11610-511: The locomotives of the day, even if this meant choosing a circuitous path that added on extra miles to the line of the route. Locke had more confidence in the ability of modern locomotives to climb these gradients. An example of this was the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway , which had to cope with the barrier of the Lake District mountains. In 1839 Stephenson proposed a circuitous route that avoided
11745-565: The matter went to arbitration, and was resolved only by the EUR purchasing and completing the works, at a heavy cost. By May 1845 the earthworks were complete between Ipswich and Ardleigh, and the timber viaducts across the Stour were completed in December, although the embankments each side were not completed until May 1846. The directors were then able to traverse the line by special train on 2 May 1846. It ran from Ipswich to Colchester, taking an hour and
11880-630: The monumental façade of the precinct of the Temple of Claudius were discovered behind the High Street, with plans to make them visible to the public. Opened in 1972, the Mercury Theatre is a repertory theatre. Located nearby is Colchester Arts Centre , a multi-function arts venue located in the former St Mary-at-the-Walls church, and home of the Colchester Beer Festival. The Headgate Theatre
12015-531: The name Camelot of Arthurian legend was probably a reference to Camulodunum , the capital of Britannia in Roman times. The archaeologist Sir Mortimer Wheeler was the first to propose that the lack of early Anglo-Saxon finds in a triangle between London, Colchester and St Albans could indicate a 'sub-Roman triangle' where British rule continued after the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons. Since then excavations have revealed some early Saxon occupation, including
12150-506: The nineteenth century, particularly associated with railway projects. Locke ranked alongside Robert Stephenson and Isambard Kingdom Brunel as one of the major pioneers of railway development. Locke was born in Attercliffe , Sheffield in Yorkshire, moving to nearby Barnsley when he was five. By the age of 17, Joseph had already served an apprenticeship under William Stobart at Pelaw, on
12285-552: The origin of the name Colchester . Some contend that is derived from the Latin words colonia (referring to a type of Roman settlement with rights equivalent to those of Roman citizens, one of which was believed to have been founded in the vicinity of Colchester) and castra , meaning fortifications (referring to the city walls, the oldest in Britain). The earliest forms of the name Colchester are Colenceaster and Colneceastre from
12420-461: The original survey of the line of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway , but this was found to be flawed, and the line was re-surveyed by a talented young engineer, Charles Vignoles . Joseph Locke was asked by the directors to carry out another survey of the proposed tunnel works and produce a report. The report was highly critical of the work already done, which reflected badly on Stephenson. Stephenson
12555-449: The present. Having pioneered many new lines in France, Locke also helped establish the first locomotive works in the country. Distinctive features of Locke's railway works were economy, the use of masonry bridges wherever possible and the absence of tunnels. An illustration of this is that there is no tunnel between Birmingham and Glasgow. Locke and Robert Stephenson had been good friends at
12690-561: The region. The building is owned by the Victor Batte-Lay Foundation. There are several bars with live music. In 2009, an art collective called 'Slack Space' took up some of the closed-down shops in the centre and converted them into art galleries with the hope of promoting art and design. The Colchester School of Art, opened in 1885, is based in the Colchester Institute , near the centre. A film festival, showcasing
12825-491: The shop it was found beneath, was discovered in the town centre. The director of Colchester Archaeological Trust, Philip Crummy, described the hoard as being of "national importance and one of the finest ever uncovered in Britain". There is evidence of hasty re-organisation of Colchester's defences around 268–82 AD, followed later, during the fourth century, by the blocking of the Balkerne Gate. John Morris suggested that
12960-595: The south bank of the Tyne, and under his own father, William. He was an experienced mining engineer, able to survey, sink shafts, to construct railways, tunnels and stationary engines. Joseph's father had been a manager at Wallbottle colliery on Tyneside when George Stephenson was a fireman there. In 1823, when Joseph was 17, Stephenson was involved with planning the Stockton and Darlington Railway . He and his son Robert Stephenson visited William Locke and his son at Barnsley and it
13095-450: The summer. Snow falls on average 13 days a year during winter and early spring. The highest temperature recorded in Colchester was 36.1 °C (97 °F) in August 2003 (during the 2003 European heat wave ), and the lowest was −9.4 °C (15 °F) in December 2010. Colchester has been an important military garrison since the Roman era. The Colchester Garrison is currently home to
13230-601: The surrender document in the Kings Head Inn) and Charles Lucas and George Lisle were executed in the grounds of Colchester Castle . A small obelisk marks the spot where they fell. Daniel Defoe mentions in A tour through England and Wales that the town lost 5259 people to the plague in 1665, "more in proportion than any of its neighbours, or than the city of London" . By the time he wrote this in 1722, however, he estimated its population to be around 40,000 (including "out-villages"). Between 1797 and 1815 Colchester
13365-565: The surrounding area is currently undergoing significant regeneration, including controversial greenfield residential development in Mile End and Braiswick. At the time of the 2011 UK Census , Colchester and its surrounding built up area had a population of 121,859 , marking a considerable rise from the previous census and with considerable development since 2001 and ongoing building plans; it has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. The local football team, Colchester United, moved into
13500-521: The surrounding areas. They were famed for the production of "Bays and Says" cloths which were woven from wool and are normally associated with baize and serge although surviving examples show that they were rather different from their modern equivalents. An area in Colchester town centre is still known as the Dutch Quarter and many buildings there date from the Tudor period. During this period Colchester
13635-587: The system, whilst Locke and Stephenson spoke against it. The latter two were to be proved right in the long run. In August the two gave evidence before the Gauge Commissioners who were trying to arrive at a standard gauge for the whole country. Brunel spoke in favour of the 7 ft gauge he was using on the Great Western Railway . Locke and Stephenson spoke in favour of the 4 ft 8½in gauge that they had used on several lines. The latter two won
13770-404: The three-mile Woodhead Tunnel , and the line opened, after many delays, on 23 December 1845. The building of the line required over a thousand navvies and cost the lives of thirty-two of them, seriously injuring 140 others. The Woodhead Tunnel was such a difficult undertaking that George Stephenson claimed that it could not be done, declaring that he would eat the first locomotive that got through
13905-548: The time being construction work was in abeyance. Work resumed in January 1853, and on 29 July 1854 the first train ran. The Board of Trade inspection was undertaken on 4 August, and the line opened fully on 15 August 1854. By this time the ECR had taken over operation of the EUR, so that the branch was operated by the ECR from the outset. In November 1846 both the EUR and I&BR proposed schemes to link Ipswich with Woodbridge , about 8 miles away. Both schemes were drawn up by Bruff and
14040-576: The town, which it calls Cair Colun , in a list of the thirty most important cities in Britain. Colchester was in the area assigned to the Danelaw in c.880, and remained in Danish hands until 917 when it was besieged and recaptured by the army of Edward the Elder . The tenth-century Saxons called the town Colneceastre , which is directly equivalent to the Cair Colun of 'Nennius'. The tower of Holy Trinity Church
14175-458: The trains that they pulled became heavier. It may therefore be argued that Locke, although his philosophy carried the day, was not entirely correct in his reasoning. Even today, Shap Fell is a severe test of any locomotive. Locke was subsequently appointed to build a railway line from Manchester to Sheffield, replacing Charles Vignoles as chief engineer, after the latter had been beset by misfortunes and financial difficulties. The project included
14310-514: The tunnel, but it was completed in September 1846 and on 19 September 1846 a celebratory dinner was held in the tunnel. A further challenge for construction was in the Stowmarket area, where there was marshy ground; indeed the bog was ascertained to be 80 feet deep. The EUR employed George Stephenson 's method for building across the Chat Moss bog, and a raft of brushwood and faggots was used to give
14445-605: The tunnel. In the north, Locke also designed the Lancaster and Preston Junction Railway ; the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway ; and the Caledonian Railway from Carlisle to Glasgow and Edinburgh . In the south, he worked on the London and Southampton Railway, later called the London and South Western Railway , designing, among other structures, Nine Elms to Waterloo Viaduct , Richmond Railway Bridge (1848, since replaced), and Barnes Railway Bridge (1849), both across
14580-650: The wetter places in Essex. Colchester is generally regarded as having an Oceanic climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfb ) like the rest of the United Kingdom. Its easterly position within the British Isles makes Colchester less prone to Atlantic depressions and weather fronts but more prone to droughts. This is because, like most areas in southeast England, Colchester's weather is influenced more by Continental weather patterns than by Atlantic weather systems. This leads to
14715-431: Was Locke who suggested the correct method for crossing the bog. Whilst the line was being built, the directors were trying to decide whether to use standing engines or locomotives to propel the trains. Robert Stephenson and Joseph Locke were convinced that locomotives were vastly superior, and in March 1829 the two men wrote a report demonstrating the superiority of locomotives when used on a busy railway. The report led to
14850-556: Was a success. Locke's reasoned that by avoiding long routes and tunnelling, the line could be finished more quickly, with less capital costs, and could start earning revenue sooner. This became known as the 'up and over' school of engineering (referred to by Rolt as 'Up and Down,' or Rollercoaster). Locke took a similar approach in planning the Caledonian Railway , from Carlisle to Glasgow . In both railways he introduced gradients of 1 in 75, which severely taxed fully laden locomotives, for even as more powerful locomotives were introduced,
14985-468: Was a terminus, at the corner of Wherstead Road and Croft Road, and was unsuitable for continuing northwards. The new line diverged from the earlier route at Halifax Junction, a little to the south of the station. The planned line was to pass through a tunnel under Stoke Hill. The tunnel was to be 361 yards in length; it was Bruff's first tunnel, and it proved very difficult to build, particularly due to ground water, and at one stage Bruff considered abandoning
15120-564: Was arranged that Joseph would go to work for the Stephensons. The Stephensons established a locomotive works near Forth Street, Newcastle upon Tyne , to manufacture locomotives for the new railway. Joseph Locke, despite his youth, soon established a position of authority. He and Robert Stephenson became close friends, but their friendship was interrupted, in 1824, by Robert leaving to work in Colombia for three years. George Stephenson carried out
15255-518: Was attacked by a large crowd. In 1648, during the Second English Civil War , a Royalist army led by Lord Goring entered the town. A pursuing Parliamentary army led by Thomas Fairfax and Henry Ireton surrounded the town for eleven and a half weeks, a period known as the Siege of Colchester . It started on 13 June. The Royalists surrendered in the late summer (on 27 August Lord Goring signed
15390-457: Was authorised by act of Parliament on 21 July 1845. The Eastern Counties Railway had resumed construction north of Colchester, in an attempt to resurrect their Harwich branch, already rejected by Parliament. It was being laid in defiance of the alignment defined in the ECR Act and had excessive gradients. The EUR petitioned to adopt the works and build the line themselves to their own specification, but
15525-469: Was being promoted by John Wilks . This venture failed to attract much interest and was widely believed to be a swindle. Also in 1825 a scheme was proposed to link the port of Ipswich with market towns in the hinterland; the route was to link Diss and Eye to Ipswich. This scheme too foundered without much further development. The first authorised railway through Ipswich was the Eastern Counties Railway, which obtained its authorising Act on 4 July 1836; it
15660-469: Was constructed by the ECR on this line in 1860, and could be used by steam locomotives. Harwich was an important port for ferries to the Netherlands and North Germany, and in 1836 a line was surveyed from Colchester to Harwich, but the scheme was not pursued. In 1841 the railway speculator John Attwood presented a bill to Parliament in 1844, but his scheme failed. It was the EUR which succeeded in getting
15795-492: Was discharged from the service of the Eastern Counties Railway in 1842, but he maintained contact with John Chevallier Cobbold , a director of that company. Cobbold became the driving force in promoting a new railway to connect Ipswich and Colchester, and at a public meeting in Ipswich on 8 August 1843 Bruff explained his scheme. The line would be called the Eastern Union Railway , and would be much more cheaply built than
15930-488: Was elected to the Royal Society in 1838. A significant difference in philosophy between George Stephenson and Joseph Locke and the surveying methods they employed was more than a mere difference of opinion. Stephenson had started his career at a time when locomotives had little power to overcome excessive gradients. Both George and Robert Stephenson were prepared to go to great lengths to avoid steep gradients that would tax
16065-403: Was for a single line railway, but earthworks for a double line were constructed, anticipating the route becoming a trunk line in due course. Joseph Locke agreed to be the engineer for the works, and Bruff became the resident engineer. The Eastern Counties Railway had already purchased some land for their line, between Colchester and Ardleigh; moreover they had not relinquished their powers to make
16200-406: Was formally opened on 20 August 1847, and goods traffic started the following day; the ordinary public passenger service started on 2 September 1847. Amalgamation with the EUR had been intended throughout, and the act authorising it was passed on 8 June 1847 and formally completed on 20 October of that year. Ipswich had an important dock system; already before the railways it was important in serving
16335-402: Was furious and henceforth relations between the two men were strained, although Locke continued to be employed by Stephenson, probably because the latter recognised his worth. Despite the many criticisms of Stephenson's work, when the bill for the new line was finally passed, in 1826, Stephenson was appointed as engineer and he appointed Joseph Locke as his assistant to work alongside Vignoles, who
16470-474: Was intended that when the rails became worn they could be turned over to use the other surface, but in practice it was found that the chairs into which the rails were keyed caused wear to the bottom surface so that it became uneven. However this was still an improvement on the fish-bellied, wrought-iron rails still being used by Robert Stephenson on the London and Birmingham Railway . Locke was more careful than Stephenson to get value for his employers' money. For
16605-603: Was known as Norwich Victoria from the outset: the Eastern Counties Railway already had a major station, "Thorpe," in Norwich (by leasing the Norfolk Railway). Opening Throughout to Norwich: The Public are respectfully informed that this Line of Railway will be opened throughout to the Victoria Station, Norwich, for the conveyance of passengers, goods, and live stock on Wednesday, the 12th instant. Particulars of Trains, Fares, Rates, &c., may be obtained on and after Monday,
16740-433: Was made public, with Colchester receiving city status dated 5 September 2022 by the late Queen. Colchester officially received city status on 23 November 2022. Colchester was visited by King Charles III on 7 March 2023, in order to congratulate Colchester on receiving city status. Colchester is in one of the driest regions of the United Kingdom with average annual precipitation at 635 mm (25.0 inches), although among
16875-602: Was marred by the death of William Huskisson , the Member of Parliament for Liverpool , who was struck and killed by "Rocket". In 1829 Locke was George Stephenson's assistant, given the job of surveying the route for the Grand Junction Railway . This new railway was to join Newton-le-Willows on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway with Warrington and then on to Birmingham via Crewe , Stafford and Wolverhampton ,
17010-489: Was on the north-east side of the New Cut, and a railway connection to it was created by building eastwards from the area of the I&BR through station. This was completed in 1848, but it needed to cross the public road on the level near Stoke Bridge, and the Corporation of Ipswich objected to the use of steam traction crossing the road there; for many years horses were the only haulage on the dock lines. Ipswich Lower Goods Yard
17145-521: Was one of the most prosperous wool towns in England, and was also famed for its oysters . Flemish refugees in the 1560s brought innovations that revived the local cloth trade, establishing the Dutch Bay Hall for quality control of the textiles for which Colchester became famous. The old Roman wall runs along Northgate Street in the Dutch Quarter. In the reign of "Bloody Mary" (1553–1558) Colchester became
17280-709: Was opened on 4 July 1837. Locke's route avoided as far as possible major civil engineering works. The main one was the Dutton Viaduct which crosses the River Weaver and the Weaver Navigation between the villages of Dutton and Acton Bridge in Cheshire. The viaduct consists of 20 arches with spans of 20 yards. An important feature of the new railway was the use of double-headed (dumb-bell) wrought-iron rail supported on timber sleepers at 2 ft 6 in intervals. It
17415-551: Was received trains started running on 2 July. The Hythe Quay branch of 1 + 3 ⁄ 4 miles opened to goods traffic only on 1 April 1847, using locomotives hired from the EUR. The first train carried coke and malt for Hanbury and Trumans brewery. A small goods station was established at Eastgate and in 1852 at Hythe in addition to the quay facilities. It was not until 1 March 1866 that the Tendring Hundred Railway extended
17550-656: Was the HQ of the Army's Eastern District, had a garrison of up to 6,000, and played a main role in defence against a threatened French or Dutch invasion, At various times it was the base of such celebrated officers as Lord Cornwallis, Generals Sir James Craig and David Baird, and Captain William Napier. It was in a state of alarm during the invasion threat of 1803/4, a period well chronicled by the contemporary local author Jane Taylor. Significant Victorian landmarks include Colchester Town Hall ,
17685-413: Was the first railway to reach Ipswich. From the earliest days, the EUR had intended to extend beyond Ipswich, to Bury and to Norwich. This was opposed by the ECR, which planned to be the sole connection to Norwich when their line from Ely was completed. A number of other competing schemes went to the 1845 session of Parliament, and key among these was the EUR's Bury extension railway. This was promoted as
17820-410: Was the other assistant. However, a clash of personalities between Stephenson and Vignoles led to the latter resigning, leaving Locke as the sole assistant engineer. Locke took over responsibility for the western half of the line. One of the major obstacles to be overcome was Chat Moss , a large bog that had to be crossed. Although, Stephenson usually gets the credit for this feat, it is believed that it
17955-521: Was to be built from London to Yarmouth , a distance of 126 miles. Share capital was £1.2 million. Land acquisition soon proved to be hugely more expensive than had been expected; the first portion of line, from Romford to Mile End , opened on 20 June 1839, but the project ran out of money. It was cut back to open only between London and Colchester, on 29 March 1843; surveying for the onward route as far as Ardleigh , less than 3 miles away, had been completed. Peter Bruff had been working as an engineer on
18090-493: Was under the ECR that the line was opened on 1 June 1859. That day the ECR also took over operations of the East Suffolk Railway. The Colchester, Stour Valley, Sudbury and Halstead Railway was promoted in 1845 with Bruff as engineer. It was to be a 12-mile branch from a triangular junction at Marks Tey , 5 miles south of Colchester, to Sudbury, Suffolk , and from Chappel to Halstead. The authorising act of Parliament,
18225-422: Was well known. The directors of the new railway decided on a compromise whereby Locke was made responsible for the northern half of the line and Stephenson was made responsible for the southern half. However Stephenson's administrative inefficiency soon became apparent, whereas Locke estimated the costs for his section of the line so meticulously and speedily, that he had all of the contracts signed for his section of
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