Colne Valley and Halstead Railway

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Colne Valley and Halstead Railway
Legend ( Stour Valley Railway ) Haverhill passenger Haverhill CVHR goods Birdbrook Yeldham Sible and Castle Hedingham Halstead Earls Colne White Colne Chappel and Wakes Colne ( Gainsborough Line )

The Colne Valley and Halstead Railway (CVHR) is a closed railway between Haverhill, Suffolk and Chappel and Wakes Colne, Essex, in England.

The railway was an independent line which was authorised on 30 June 1856, and which opened on 16 April 1860 between Chappel (north of Marks Tey) to Halstead, a distance of 6 miles (9.7 km). A 13 miles (21 km) extension was authorised on 13 August 1859, and opened in stages as follows:

• 1 July 1861 Halstead–Castle Hedingham
• 26 May 1862 Castle Hedingham–Yeldham
• 10 May 1863 Yeldham–Haverhill

A mid Victorian era photograph showing a Coln Valley and Halstead Railway 2-2-2WT at Halstead engine shed.

Physical connection with the Great Eastern Railway (GER) at Haverhill on the Stour Valley Railway was provided in 1865. Although close relations were maintained with the GER, the CVHR remained completely independent, until it became part of the London and North Eastern Railway in the 1923 regrouping. The CVHR station, renamed 'Haverhill South', was closed to passengers in 1924 but remained open for goods until 1965.

The line continued to remain open until 30 December 1961, when passenger traffic ended. In 1965 freight traffic ended, and the line was demolished a year later.

A mile of track has been reconstructed as the Colne Valley Railway, including Castle Hedingham station.

[edit] References

• Marks Tey–Bures–Sudbury Rail Line (1849–1990)