- Crouch Valley Line
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Crouch Valley Line 
South Woodham Ferrers stationOverview Type Heavy rail System National Rail Status Operational Locale Essex
East of EnglandTermini Southminster
WickfordStations 7 Operation Opened 1889 Owner Network Rail Operator(s) National Express East Anglia Character Rural Rolling stock British Rail Class 315
British Rail Class 321
British Rail Class 360 occasionallyTechnical Line length ~24 mi (39 km) No. of tracks One-Two Track gauge Standard gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) Electrification 25 kV 50hz AC OHLE Operating speed 75 mph maximum Route map Legend
miles/chains from London (Liverpool Street) 
Shenfield-Southend Victoria line 
29m 02ch Wickford 
29m 13ch Wickford Jn 
31m 40ch Battlesbridge 34m 00ch South Woodham Ferrers 
Former line to Maldon West 
Hogwell Sidings 37m 25ch North Fambridge 40m 29ch Althorne Creeksea Sidings 43m 24ch Burnham-on-Crouch 
45m 42ch Southminster The Crouch Valley Line is a branch line from Wickford to Southminster in Essex. It is usually called the Southminster Branch [1] by users of the line, although that is no longer its official name. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 7, SRS 07.05 and is classified as a London and South East commuter line.[2]
Contents
History
The 16.5 miles (26.6 km) route was first opened to goods traffic on 1 June 1889, and to passengers on 1 July 1889 by the Great Eastern Railway[3]. The line was electrified at 25 kV AC overhead in 1986.
Passenger services are currently operated by National Express East Anglia. They replaced the previous operator, First Great Eastern, on 1 April 2004, when all the operators in East Anglia were merged into one new franchise.
The number of trains on the Crouch Valley Line is normally restricted to two trains per hour (one train in each direction), with additional trains during the rush-hour. This is due to the limited capacity available after the line was reduced to single track in the 1960s as part of the Beeching Axe railway closures. The line was also used to take waste and fuel rods from Bradwell's decommissioned nuclear power station to another part of the country,[vague] but this service has now ceased.[citation needed]
Infrastructure
The line diverges from the Shenfield-Southend Victoria line at Wickford. It is single track throughout, with a passing loop at North Fambridge station (the mid-point of the line) to allow trains travelling in opposite directions to pass. The line is electrified at 25 kV AC, has a loading gauge of W6, and a line speed of 40–75 mph.[2]
All services are scheduled for operation by Class 321, Class 315 or occasionally Class 360 electrical multiple units.
References
- ^ Southminster Branch Line
- ^ a b "Route 7 - Great Eastern". Network Rail. http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/StrategicBusinessPlan/RoutePlans/2009/Route%207%20-%20Great%20Eastern.pdf. Retrieved 2009-05-22.
- ^ Denis L. Swindale (1989-06-29). "Southminster Survivor Celebrates 100". Maldon and Burnham Standard.
External links
Railway lines in the East of England Primary 
Secondary Local Abbey Line · Birmingham to Peterborough Line · Bittern Line · Braintree Branch Line · Breckland Line · Crouch Valley Line · East Suffolk Line · Ely to Peterborough Line · Felixstowe Branch Line · Fen Line · Gainsborough Line · Hertford East Branch Line · Hitchin–Cambridge Line · Ipswich to Ely Line · Marston Vale Line · Mayflower Line · Peterborough to Lincoln Line · Shenfield to Southend Line · Sunshine Coast Line · Wherry LinesCategories:- Rail transport in Essex
- Railway lines in the East of England
- Network Rail routes
- Railway lines opened in 1889
- Standard gauge railways in England
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