Cambridge Old Layout

[TheEdge]

Does anyone know the history behind the layout of Cambridge station (before the construction of platforms 7 & 8). It has always struck me as a very odd layout for a through station and I can't really fathom why it was ever built like that.

I know other stations have similar platforms (Gloucester springs go mind) but I can't think of any other stations where all the through platforms are stacked on one line like Cambridge was

 

[30907]

Does anyone know the history behind the layout of Cambridge station (before the construction of platforms 7 & 8). It has always struck me as a very odd layout for a through station and I can't really fathom why it was ever built like that.

I know other stations have similar platforms (Gloucester springs go mind) but I can't think of any other stations where all the through platforms are stacked on one line like Cambridge was

It was a common practice in the early days of railways - Reading was a famous example, which became an operating nuisance as traffic grew.

Cambridge lasted as long as it did (till electrification IIRC) because the number of through passenger trains was relatively few (essentially 1 per 2h each way) and the majority of services used the bays. Even in the early 80s it was nothing like the busy place it has become (and the city itself was a fairly small market town with a large university!

The practice has come back into vogue at small stations as it makes level access much easier. Penryn was rebuilt that way to allow for a new crossing loop. (Gräfenroda near Erfurt in Germany was the first I came across 20 years ago.)

 

[Dr Hoo]

Does anyone know the history behind the layout of Cambridge station (before the construction of platforms 7 & 8). It has always struck me as a very odd layout for a through station and I can't really fathom why it was ever built like that.

From a passenger perspective (and wider station operation point of view) having all trains accessible on the same level makes a lot of sense. Even more so in the age before self-operated lifts were common. Handy for changing trains and dealing with luggage. Potential staffing economy. No need to duplicate facilities.

It is only with frequent through trains that it becomes a capacity issue.

 

[fenman35]

As originally built there were 2 thru platforms, one in front of the station (between station road and the current booking office) and the other where 1/4 are now. The arches at the front are a clue where the line ran

 

[Bertone]

Not really being familiar with Cambridge layout but having just googled some photos, is the “odd” layout referred to in above posts, the scissors crossing mid way along a platform?
Excuse my ignorance- thanks

 

[30907]

Not really being familiar with Cambridge layout but having just googled some photos, is the “odd” layout referred to in above posts, the scissors crossing mid way along a platform?
Excuse my ignorance- thanks

Yes - with no other through platforms.

 

[TheEdge]

Not really being familiar with Cambridge layout but having just googled some photos, is the “odd” layout referred to in above posts, the scissors crossing mid way along a platform?
Excuse my ignorance- thanks

Before the island that has platforms 7 and 8 was built the only through platforms were on the Down Line, up trains had to cross onto the down to actually stop.

 

[jfollows]

Old and new layouts attached, in case it's helpful

• Old, as in shown in "Eastern and Anglia Regions Track Diagrams" Quail March 1988
• New, as in shown in "Railway Track Diagrams Book 2: Eastern" TRACKmaps 5th. edition 2020

 

[MarkyT]

The practice has come back into vogue at small stations as it makes level access much easier. Penryn was rebuilt that way to allow for a new crossing loop. (Gräfenroda near Erfurt in Germany was the first I came across 20 years ago.)

I recall seeing the arrangement at some smaller junction stations on DB main lines where two conventional long through mainline platforms were accompanied by a third through platform for shorter branch and local services, with a mid-point scissors. It is also very common at large Dutch stations, where to provide significant capacity advantages very long platforms are divided into multiple shorter sections, usable independently by their typically quite short trains. In UK there are also examples at large stations such as Leeds, Birmingham New Street, and Gloucester, some of which are 'partial' examples with a single left or right-hand crossover or turnout like Penryn rather than a scissors. Another recent partial example in the UK is Dovey Junction (Cyffordd Dyfi) on the Cambrian line.

 

[William3000]

It was a common practice in the early days of railways - Reading was a famous example, which became an operating nuisance as traffic grew.

Cambridge lasted as long as it did (till electrification IIRC) because the number of through passenger trains was relatively few (essentially 1 per 2h each way) and the majority of services used the bays. Even in the early 80s it was nothing like the busy place it has become (and the city itself was a fairly small market town with a large university!

The practice has come back into vogue at small stations as it makes level access much easier. Penryn was rebuilt that way to allow for a new crossing loop. (Gräfenroda near Erfurt in Germany was the first I came across 20 years ago.)

I remember a time around 1989/1992 where I don’t think there were any through trains at all as it wasn’t electrified north of Cambridge, which seems bizarre given it’s a through station.

I remember a time around 1989/1992 where I don’t think there were any through trains at all as it wasn’t electrified north of Cambridge, which seems bizarre given it’s a through station.

Now of course the majority of trains are through trains:
Norwich to Stansted Airport
Birmingham New St to Stansted Airport
London Liverpool St to Cambridge North
London King’s Cross to King’s Lynn
London King’s Cross to Ely

I think only the Cambridge to Ipswich, Cambridge to Brighton, and Cambridge to London King’s Cross (slow) terminate here.

 

[ac6000cw]

Also back in the 19th century, the line from Newmarket came in more directly from the east to a junction roughly in the middle of the current long platform 1+4. That problem was fixed in 1896 by the building of the diversion across Coldhams Common to Coldhams Lane Jct (which AFAIK diverges from the original route just west of Cherry Hinton).

 

[Jim the Jim]

From a passenger perspective (and wider station operation point of view) having all trains accessible on the same level makes a lot of sense. Even more so in the age before self-operated lifts were common. Handy for changing trains and dealing with luggage. Potential staffing economy. No need to duplicate facilities.

It is only with frequent through trains that it becomes a capacity issue.

Indeed, from a passenger perspective the new layout was an annoyance in many ways, as the effort needed to get to/from trains increased considerably.

 

[Bertone]

Old and new layouts attached, in case it's helpful

• Old, as in shown in "Eastern and Anglia Regions Track Diagrams" Quail March 1988
• New, as in shown in "Railway Track Diagrams Book 2: Eastern" TRACKmaps 5th. edition 2020

Many thanks, that’s me educated - excellent!

 

[krus_aragon]

Not really being familiar with Cambridge layout but having just googled some photos, is the “odd” layout referred to in above posts, the scissors crossing mid way along a platform?
Excuse my ignorance- thanks

Yes - with no other through platforms.

Chester (General) station had this layout until the island platform (platforms 4-7 today) was built. It kept the full scissor on the main platform (3) until rationalisation in the second half of the 20th century, and still has one point to allow trains to share the platform and pass one another.

 

[Snow1964]

Cambridge station expansion was blocked on multiple occasions by Cambridge University in 19th Century, however one effect was that only one passenger station was built, rather than multiple stations by different railway companies.

There were 4 lines from the south :
London (via Bishops Stortford)
Hitchin (Great Northern)
Sandy (Great Northern)
Sudbury

There were 4 lines from the north :
Ely
St Ives
Newmarket
Mildenhall

There were 4 different companies goods yards / station
Great Eastern (eastern side of station)
Great Northern (west side, south of passenger station)
Midland (west side, north of passenger station)
London and North Western (west of station, access from south)

 

[fenman35]

One of the original lines ran under the arches and through where travel centre is in this photo

File:Cambridge station building.JPG - Wikimedia Commons

commons.wikimedia.org

 

[Spaceflower]

The crossovers (scissors?) are still used regularly though.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Limerick Junction was a very similar layout one big platform split into two in the middle and a bay at each end (although access to the south end bay was via an avoiding line round the back of the station building).

 

[MarkyT]

Limerick Junction was a very similar layout one big platform split into two in the middle and a bay at each end (although access to the south end bay was via an avoiding line round the back of the station building).

I remember it well from visits in the 1990s. Limerick - Rosslare trains did complex moves around the west side of the station to get to the south end bay, with multiple reversals. The whole south end of the long platform and bay have since been removed and replaced by customer car parking.

 

[D6975]

I remember a time around 1989/1992 where I don’t think there were any through trains at all as it wasn’t electrified north of Cambridge, which seems bizarre given it’s a through station.

What about the Liverpool St - Kings Lynn services? These ran, usually with a 47 and Mk2s, right up to electrification.

 

[William3000]

Platforms

What about the Liverpool St - Kings Lynn services? These ran, usually with a 47 and Mk2s, right up to electrification.

thats true but I recall them stopping around 1989, there were replaced with EMUs - I think 317s between London Liverpool Street and Cambridge, and DMUs between Cambridge and King’s Lynn for about 2 or 3 years. I think when electrification was completed the main through services diverted to London King’s Cross with only a couple in the morning and evening peak running through to London Liverpool Street, but there was definitely a period when every train terminated at Cambridge - I would estimate it was 1989-1992 but can’t be 100% certain.

 

[scarf ace]

Old and new layouts attached, in case it's helpful

• Old, as in shown in "Eastern and Anglia Regions Track Diagrams" Quail March 1988
• New, as in shown in "Railway Track Diagrams Book 2: Eastern" TRACKmaps 5th. edition 2020

Thanks for posting the layouts. Interesting to note that it's effectively the same as half of Edinburgh Waverley.

 

[Steve Harris]

Old and new layouts attached, in case it's helpful

• Old, as in shown in "Eastern and Anglia Regions Track Diagrams" Quail March 1988
• New, as in shown in "Railway Track Diagrams Book 2: Eastern" TRACKmaps 5th. edition 2020

Sorry, but that the "old" diagram is actually slightly incorrect.
In the late 70's, early 80's I used to spend every day on or around Cambridge station. There was a through line which started near the shunt spur neck at Hills Road bridge and went around the back of the United Carriers warehouse (the road to the warehouse crossed this line on a level crossing) aandnd preceded to run around the back of the sidings.

At this time Cambridge didn't have a Carriage washer. The above avoiding/through line was done away with when the Cattle Market area was redeveloped by the City Council (Cambridge was awarded city status in 1951 according to wikipedia) in the 80's and the United Carriers warehouse was demolished to make way for the Junction (arts venue) and Industrial estate which is still there today.

The Royal Mail sorting office and the estate of flats/apartments/houses to the west of Rustat Road have all been built on what was once BR land.

Ditto for station car park and new hotel.

In summary, Cambridge sidings (directly opposite the station shrank in size in the 70's, then again in the 80's (along with mechanical signal boxes being abolished). And Cambridge station, along with the Coalfield sidings, being altered in the late 80's due to electrification.

 

[BeijingDave]

I recall seeing the arrangement at some smaller junction stations on DB main lines where two conventional long through mainline platforms were accompanied by a third through platform for shorter branch and local services, with a mid-point scissors. It is also very common at large Dutch stations, where to provide significant capacity advantages very long platforms are divided into multiple shorter sections, usable independently by their typically quite short trains. In UK there are also examples at large stations such as Leeds, Birmingham New Street, and Gloucester, some of which are 'partial' examples with a single left or right-hand crossover or turnout like Penryn rather than a scissors. Another recent partial example in the UK is Dovey Junction (Cyffordd Dyfi) on the Cambrian line.

Chester also has a scissors crossing on its 'main' platform, 3.

 

[Steve Harris]

What about the Liverpool St - Kings Lynn services? These ran, usually with a 47 and Mk2s, right up to electrification.

Apart from they also ran after electrification to, with a loco change at Cambridge from a Class 86 to a Class 47.

In actual fact, just before, and after electrification, there used to be an hourly loco hauled service to London from Cambridge. With the through service from Lynn being two hourly.

If memory serves me right, the end of loco hauled services was in the 90's when through services went over to Class 317's supplemented by the use of Class 101 DMU's filling in on some services between Cambridge and Lynn (if memory serves me correctly, this was because of a lack of 317's, which were being transferred from the Bed-Pan route).

Platforms

thats true but I recall them stopping around 1989, there were replaced with EMUs - I think 317s between London Liverpool Street and Cambridge, and DMUs between Cambridge and King’s Lynn for about 2 or 3 years. I think when electrification was completed the main through services diverted to London King’s Cross with only a couple in the morning and evening peak running through to London Liverpool Street, but there was definitely a period when every train terminated at Cambridge - I would estimate it was 1989-1992 but can’t be 100% certain.

Sorry but that isn't quite correct, as there was still some through services which were loco hauled. They were predominantly the "rush hour" services into and out of Liverpool St from/to Kings Lynn, this was certainly the case up until at least 1991 when I found a new hobby... girls !!

Edit : For clarifaction.. The electification of Cambridge (and relevant services) was done in 3 stages.

1) Bishops Stortford - Cambridge
2) Royston - Cambridge (in actual fact Shepreth Branch Jnc).
3) Cambridge - Kings Lynn

Class 317's operated predominantly between Cambridge and London Kings Cross and only started operating through services to Kings Lynn when Kings Lynn was electrified and services from there predominantly ran into Kings Cross rather than London Liverpool Street as previously.

 

[Magdalia]

There are so many errors here that it is easiest to do them chronologically.

The Cambridge station building dates from the arrival of the railway in 1845. The western facade is a colonnade that was originally a carriage road. It was used for horse drawn carriages and has never had a rail track or a platform.

The single platform layout was common in Victorian times, especially where stations were on the edge of towns. Other examples not mentioned so far are Bristol, Derby and Carlisle.

Not long after the station was new a platform was built on the up side, but it was removed as part of a remodelling in 1863.

The line from Sandy was London and North Western not Great Northern. The London and North Western could reach its goods yard without going onto the Great Eastern, it only needed to go on Great Eastern tracks to reach the passenger station, and usually used south end bay platform 3.

The Great Northern only had running powers from Shepreth and the Midland from Huntingdon. The Midland goods yard was on land now occupied by a builder's merchant with its entrance near to the Devonshire pub, which for most of its life was called the Midland Tavern.

By the end of the 19th century Cambridge is thought to be the only remaining major station in Britain with the single platform layout, though Limerick Junction in Ireland had a layout with many similarities.

The layout was extensively remodelled in the early 1980s when the manual signalling was replaced by the Cambridge Power Box. This included realignment of the south end of platforms 1 and 2, elimination of many switch diamonds at the south end, and moving the carriage sidings and the goods roads.

Liverpool Street-Kings Lynn through services were suspended in May 1990 only resuming in August 1992 when electrification was completed. Between those dates there were no through trains.

 

[Steve Harris]

There are so many errors here that it is easiest to do them chronologically.

The Cambridge station building dates from the arrival of the railway in 1845. The western facade is a colonnade that was originally a carriage road. It was used for horse drawn carriages and has never had a rail track or a platform.

The single platform layout was common in Victorian times, especially where stations were on the edge of towns. Other examples not mentioned so far are Bristol, Derby and Carlisle.

Not long after the station was new a platform was built on the up side, but it was removed as part of a remodelling in 1863.

The line from Sandy was London and North Western not Great Northern. The London and North Western could reach its goods yard without going onto the Great Eastern, it only needed to go on Great Eastern tracks to reach the passenger station, and usually used south end bay platform 3.

The Great Northern only had running powers from Shepreth and the Midland from Huntingdon. The Midland goods yard was on land now occupied by a builder's merchant with its entrance near to the Devonshire pub, which for most of its life was called the Midland Tavern.

By the end of the 19th century Cambridge is thought to be the only remaining major station in Britain with the single platform layout, though Limerick Junction in Ireland had a layout with many similarities.

The layout was extensively remodelled in the early 1980s when the manual signalling was replaced by the Cambridge Power Box. This included realignment of the south end of platforms 1 and 2, elimination of many switch diamonds at the south end, and moving the carriage sidings and the goods roads.

Liverpool Street-Kings Lynn through services were suspended in May 1990 only resuming in August 1992 when electrification was completed. Between those dates there were no through trains.

A nice long list there of facts. However even your post contains a few errors/omissions.

For the record, the "Devenshire pub" is in fact called the Devonshire Arms. (Which was well known locally for trouble, with a black mariah seen outside it on most Saturday nights). And the builders merchant is in fact Travis Perkins.

Also, there originally was an engine shed behind platform 6. However that had gone by the time I was born, so I can't say which company owned it. Hopefully you can enlighten me.

 

[Magdalia]

Also, there originally was an engine shed behind platform 6. However that had gone by the time I was born, so I can't say which company owned it. Hopefully you can enlighten me.

The Great Eastern Railway's locoshed was adjacent to the north end of Cambridge station. A locoshed was first built there in 1847, not long after the railway opened, so the locoshed came before the north end bay platforms. At the buffer stops end platform 6 backed directly onto the eastern perimeter wall of the locoshed. The hotel, cycle park and car park are all on land once occupied by the locoshed. Parts of the building survived until the recent redevelopment of the station piazza.

The London and North Western and the Great Northern had their own locosheds. The former was next to its goods yard, the latter was adjacent to the cattle market. As far as I can tell the Midland did not have its own loco shed.

 

[Steve Harris]

The Great Eastern Railway's locoshed was adjacent to the north end of Cambridge station. A locoshed was first built there in 1847, not long after the railway opened, so the locoshed came before the north end bay platforms. At the buffer stops end platform 6 backed directly onto the eastern perimeter wall of the locoshed. The hotel, cycle park and car park are all on land once occupied by the locoshed. Parts of the building survived until the recent redevelopment of the station piazza.

The London and North Western and the Great Northern had their own locosheds. The former was next to its goods yard, the latter was adjacent to the cattle market. As far as I can tell the Midland did not have its own loco shed.

Thanx for the info, although I did know that "The hotel, cycle park and car park are all on land once occupied by the locoshed" and I had actually already alluded to that fact in post#23 up thread. I certainly know what was on that site after the locoshed was no longer, I just didn't know about when it was a loco shed (as I said previously, parts of it were knocked down around the time I was born).

Some of the (still standing) locoshed buildings were last used by a Bicycle repair /hire (and sales?) business.

There was also 2 station car parks back in the 80's. A season ticket holders car park was adjacent to Station Road (behind the bike sheds and bus stop, all long gone now of course) and the aforementioned (daily) car park on the old GER loco shed site. Both being run by NCP. The GER site car park has been extended on at least 2 occasions due to demand.

There was also a post office loading dock on platorm 6 (near the buffers) with a Post Office personal "crewroom" in the adjacent station building. This loading area was installed with a metal fence around the time that the main entrance had automatic ticket barriers installed.

Of course this area has changed yet again due to the recent redevelopment and building of the hotel on what was the (daily) car park. (Cambridge City Council are certainly trying to discourage car use in the City).

 

[Tio Terry]

There are so many errors here that it is easiest to do them chronologically.

The Cambridge station building dates from the arrival of the railway in 1845. The western facade is a colonnade that was originally a carriage road. It was used for horse drawn carriages and has never had a rail track or a platform.

The single platform layout was common in Victorian times, especially where stations were on the edge of towns. Other examples not mentioned so far are Bristol, Derby and Carlisle.

Not long after the station was new a platform was built on the up side, but it was removed as part of a remodelling in 1863.

The line from Sandy was London and North Western not Great Northern. The London and North Western could reach its goods yard without going onto the Great Eastern, it only needed to go on Great Eastern tracks to reach the passenger station, and usually used south end bay platform 3.

The Great Northern only had running powers from Shepreth and the Midland from Huntingdon. The Midland goods yard was on land now occupied by a builder's merchant with its entrance near to the Devonshire pub, which for most of its life was called the Midland Tavern.

By the end of the 19th century Cambridge is thought to be the only remaining major station in Britain with the single platform layout, though Limerick Junction in Ireland had a layout with many similarities.

The layout was extensively remodelled in the early 1980s when the manual signalling was replaced by the Cambridge Power Box. This included realignment of the south end of platforms 1 and 2, elimination of many switch diamonds at the south end, and moving the carriage sidings and the goods roads.

Liverpool Street-Kings Lynn through services were suspended in May 1990 only resuming in August 1992 when electrification was completed. Between those dates there were no through trains.

It wasn't actually manual signalling that was replaced in the 1980's. Both Cambridge North and South were miniature lever frames and the signalling was electrically operated.

When I first visited Cambridge Station in the mid 1960's I was told that the unusual platform layout was the result of the City Fathers insisting that none of their most valuable University Students should face the danger of needing to cross a railway line - with the attendant danger to their lives - to catch a train. Having just one through platform face for both North and South directions of travel fulfilled those needs. I've no idea if that is actually true but if, as I was told, it was part of the Parliamentary Approval for the construction of the railway then it should be able to confirm or deny it.