London Liverpool Street to Norwich

The Route of the East Anglian

The Great Eastern Railway grew in a rather piecemeal fashion from a number of smaller companies, and it did not complete its London terminus at London Liverpool Street until 1874. The station underwent a radical rebuilding which was completed in 1992 with a much modernised station which however still retains much of its original character. The station is now surrounded by the Broadgate office development on the former London Broad Street station site. Historically, its routes served East Anglia, the East Coast and London’s north eastern suburbs, and this pattern is maintained today. The station is fronted by the magnificent Great Eastern Hotel, which remains a prestigious hotel retaining its original name and operated by Hyatt Hotels. The Great Eastern Hotel is also home to the famous Aurora Restaurant & Bar. In its heyday London Liverpool Street was the starting point for such famous expresses as the East Anglian, the Norfolkman and the Broadsman. It was also the starting point for famous boat train services such as the Hook Continental, the Day Continental, the Antwerp Continental, the Flushing Continental and the Scandinavian that connected with ferry services to the Continent from Harwich Parkeston Quay. London Liverpool Street is also the starting point for the Stansted Express service to Stansted Airport calling at Tottenham Hale.

London Liverpool Street to Chelmsford:

On departing London Liverpool Street station train take the old Great Eastern main line through Bethnal Green, Bow and Stratford Regional, an elevated route past old terraces, back gardens and factories. West of Stratford the trains of the Docklands Light Railway can be seen running alongside.

Looking northwards to the left of Stratford Regional station is Stratford International station and what also can be seen is the new Stratford City, a magnificent new metropolitan centre for East London, built on the former railway marshalling yards. At its heart is Stratford International station on the Channel Tunnel high speed line served by Eurostar services to the Continent. Also Stratford is close to the Olympic Park where the London 2012 Olympics are to be held. This area is home to the Olympic Village and the Olympic International Zone. For the Olympics in 2012, 25,000 spectators will be moved every hour from St Pancras International to Stratford International by a fleet of new Japanese style bullet trains, the Olympic Javelin. A journey that will take just seven minutes - that's some Olympic record...

After Stratford suburban London spreads eastwards through Maryland, Forest Gate, Manor Park, and Ilford. After departing Ilford station on the left can be seen the Ilford train depot. Then the suburbs continue through Seven Kings, Goodmayes, Chadwell Heath, Romford, Gidea Park and Harold Wood and then ends suddenly as fields take over just west of Brentwood. After Shenfield the line to Southend Victoria branches off to the right, and an open landscape of fields and woods flank the line on its way towards Chelmsford. Ingatestone Hall, a grand 16^th century mansion, can be seen in the woods to the right. Ingatestone station was built in a matching style in 1846. Soon after the line passes close to Margaretting Church with its remarkable timber tower.

Chelmsford is a busy industrial town whose growth was encouraged first by the opening of the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation in 1797, which linked it to the sea, and then by the arrival of the railway in 1843. The 15^th century parish church was given cathedral status in 1914. The world’s first radio factory was set up by Marconi in Chelmsford’s High Street in 1899.

Chelmsford to Colchester:

Leaving Chelmsford the line runs close beside the A12 to Hatfield Peverel, where there is a big depot for London’s milk supplies. At Witham the Braintree branch swings away to the left and then the line runs along the valley of the Blackwater to Kelvedon, which boasts a new station, build in a pleasant traditional style. As the train crosses the River Blackwater, there is a good view north to the left along the valley towards Coggeshall. Marks Tey’s pretty church stands in fields to the left of the line and just beyond is Marks Tey station, where the Sudbury branch meets the main line from the left.

Soon Colchester’s distinctive skyline of towers, spires and a giant water tower comes into view, but Colchester station is a long way from the town centre. More convenient is St Botolphs, on the Walton and Clacton line.

Colchester is England’s oldest recorded town, and it was a regional capital before the Roman invasion. The Romans developed it further, and the street pattern today still follows the pattern laid down in the 2^nd century AD. The town’s continuing importance is reflected by the Norman castle, whose massive keep houses the museum. In the Middle Ages it was a wealthy cloth town and the ruined abbey and priory date from this period. There are plenty of medieval, 15^th and 18^th century buildings still to be seen, as well as a splendid late Victorian Town Hall by Sir John Belcher, whose extravagant 162ft tower can be seen for miles. Colchester is also known for its parks, its oysters and its harbour, still busy despite being tidal and a long way inland from Colne’s estuary.

Colchester to Ipswich:

After leaving Colchester station, the views are limited by cuttings and woods, but the train comes into a more open landscape as it approaches Manningtree. Passing Lawford Hall to the right, whose 18^th century façade conceals a Tudor mansion, and the church with its fine 14^th century chancel, the line reaches the wide expanse of the Stour estuary. Here the line to Harwich swings away to the south to the right off the mainline to Norwich which continues north and crosses the River Stour. The train then continues through open countryside before passing over the A14 main road and then alongside the River Orwell into Ipswich.

Ipswich is the large county town of Suffolk and is located on the River Orwell. Today the town is still a flourishing port.

Ipswich to Norwich:

Shortly after leaving Ipswich station the line to Lowestoft and Felixstowe diverges off to the right the mainline to Norwich then passes under the A14 main road and soon the lakes of the Suffolk Water Park are visible on the left. The village of Great Blakenham is passed to the left with the River Gipping to the right. Soon Needham Lake is seen on the right and the train enters Needham Market station. The next station on the line is the attractive town of Stowmarket. The line crosses under the A14 main road again and continues north and the line to Bury St Edmunds then diverges from the mainline to the left. The village of Bacton is passed on the left. After the village of Gislingham is viewed on the left, to the right can be seen the parkland of Thornham Park. The line then passes through the village of Mellis. Before the town of Diss on the River Waveney is reached, with to the left the Norfolk & Suffolk Broads. Near Diss is the famous Bressingham Steam Museum & Gardens which was founded by Alan Bloom. The Royal Scot steam locomotive and a Norwegian "King Haakon VII" steam locomotive are just some of the famous exhibits that can be seen in the Bressingham collection. The Royal Scot is famous for its North American Tour with the Royal Scot train in 1933. While the King Haakon VII hauled the Norwegian Royal Train in 1940 on which the King Haakon VII of Norway and the Norwegian Royal Family escaped into exile during the Nazi invasion of Norway in 1940. A while after leaving Diss the airfield at Great Moulton can be seen on the left and shortly after the village itself is visible to the right.

Then the railway passes the villages of Lower Tasburgh and Newton Flotman to the right with the grounds of Rainthorpe Hall in between by the River Tas. The River Tas continues to wend its away on the right hand side of the line for some miles before the line passes under the A47 main road. Then the line crosses over the line from Peterborough coming in from the west. The River Yare follows the two railway lines on the right as the Peterborough line joins the mainline from the same side on the outskirts of Norwich. Soon there is a triangle junction to the right where the lines from Sheringham and Great Yarmouth come in and the mainline swings round to the left to enter Norwich Thorpe station.

The historic city of Norwich has many fine buildings including the city’s famous Norwich Cathedral. The 12^th century Castle is now a museum. It also is the gateway for exploring the Norfolk Broads and the North Norfolk coast.