Ely Station
Having run round its empty box wagons after arrival from Brandon, DC Rail Freight's Brush Class 60 No. 60046 'William Wilberforce' has coupled up to the Northern end of its train at Ely and waits for the road to Ely North Junction on March 8th 2024 with 6Z84, the 17.42 Brandon to Kings Lynn. One of the large fleet of Greater Anglia Class 720 units, No. 720578 stands at Platform 3 after arriving at 18.38 with 1H82, the 17.07 from Liverpool Street and will depart at 19.09 as 5H93, empty stock to Liverpool Street. Photo: Tony Field.
On Monday 14th October 1968, Brush Type 2 No. D5581 arrives at Ely with the 11.40 Kings Lynn to Liverpool Street service. Photo: Michael Smyth.
On 11th September 2021 the line to Peterborough was closed due to engineering work at Whittlesea and trains from Ipswich terminated in the station with some long layovers. 755419 waits to leave Ely with the 16.32 to Ipswich whilst 755402 has just arrived with the 15.20 Norwich to Stanstead Airport and raised its pantograph in readiness to depart to the South. Photo: Alan Jones.
Beautifully restored LNER A3 60103 'Flying Scotsman' takes water in Ely Down Loop on Friday 23rd June 2023 whilst working the Railway Touring Company's 1Z40, 07.50 Kings Cross to Yarmouth. Notice the growth of vegetation on the Up goods line used by container trains to/from Felixstowe. Photo: Michael Smyth.
At the start of the leaf-fall season, 57002 is caught accelerating Northbound out of the Ely Up Goods Loop with a Rail Head Treatment Train on 15th October 2012. Photo: Robert Bartlett.
On 11th August 2021, DB Class 66 No. 66113 runs South through Ely's Platform 1 with empty stone hoppers and into the Down Sidings to run round on 4M86, the 16.00 Ely Papworth Sidings to Peak Forest. Limestone is carried from the Peak District to Ely for use in sugar beet processing at the British Sugar works at Bury St Edmunds, Wissington and Cantley. Photo: Alan Jones.
The plethora of signs at the North end of platforms 2 and 3 at Ely leaves no room for error! Thirty-four year old veteran Class 156 No. 156406 approaches with an East Midlands working to Norwich on 24th February 2022. For many years the only regular passenger working over the Ely avoiding line has been the Sunday departure from Norwich just before 4pm - most likely to meet a legal commitment after the locomotive hauled Birmingham-Norwich trains, which regularly used the avoiding line, were replaced with Sprinters which ran into the station and reversed. Photo: Michael Smyth.
Entering Ely with the second leg of "The Anglian Angel" railtour on September 9th 2023 (1Z21 09.44 Liverpool Street to Ely), Class 66 No. 66767 slows in readiness to cross over into the Potter Group's sidings at Ely North Junction for some exceedingly rare mileage. Photo: Jim Crane.
UK Railtours ran the highly successful "Anglian Angel" railtour on Saturday 9th September 2023. On the last of its four parts, 1Z23 16.42 Middleton Towers to Peterborough via Canonbury, we see a close-up of GB Railfreight Class 66 No. 66774 at Ely station's platform 3 (which was not quite long enough to accommodate twelve 20 metre carriages and 2 class 66s). Photo: Tony Field.
The coffee outlet on Ely station's Platform1 is a welcome sight on a cold, dark February evening! In its attractive grey livery, DC Rail's Class 60 No. 60046 'William Wilberforce' runs round 6Z84, the 17.43 Brandon Down Goods Loop to Kings Lynn empty box wagons. As is common practice at Ely, the train then travelled wrong line to Ely North Junction before heading up to Kings Lynn. Photo: Tony Field.
The coffee outlet on Ely station's Platform1 is a welcome sight on a cold, dark February evening! In its attractive grey livery, DC Rail's Class 60 No. 60046 'William Wilberforce' runs round 6Z84, the 17.43 Brandon Down Goods Loop to Kings Lynn empty box wagons. As is common practice at Ely, the train then travelled wrong line to Ely North Junction before heading up to Kings Lynn. Photo: Tony Field.
A reasonable flow of traffic now runs to/from Brandon on the Ely-Norwich line. On January 26th 2024, DC Rail Freight Class 60 No. 60055 'Thomas Barnardo' has just run round its train of empty box wagons on the Through Siding at Ely and has the road to travel on the Up Line to Ely North Junction with 6Z84, 13.34 Brandon to Kings Lynn. Photo: Tony Field.
On a bright and sunny Friday 26th January 2024, a very smart English Electric Class 37 No. 37901 'Mirrlees Pioneer' (re-engined with a Mirrlees MB275T in 1986) runs through Ely and onto the Down Goods Line to run round Barrier Vehicles 6340 and 6344 on 5M57, the 15.14 Ely Papworth Sidings to Derby Railway Technical Centre. Vehicle 6340, nearest the camera, was formerly Mark 1 Brake Composite Corridor (BCK) No. 21251, built in 1962 at Swindon Works and has an impressive 62 years of service behind it! Photo: Tony Field.
Ely North Junction
On Friday 5th April 2024, 5Z78 empty stock ran from Carnforth to Norwich behind a West Coast Railways Class 47 and ex-LMS Black 5 No. 44871, to form the next day's 1Z79, 06.02 Norwich to Worcester excursion. The ECS reversed at Ely, where the Class 47 ran round to leave 44871 at the rear and thus facing the right direction for the following day. Just after passing Ely North Junction on the Norwich line, 44871 is seen at the rear as 66623 approaches with stone empties from Trowse to Tunstead. Photo: Michael Smyth.
On Friday 5th April 2024, Freightliner Class 66 No. 66623 approaches Ely North Junction with 6Z45, the 13.36 Trowse Redland Siding to Tunstead Quarry stone empties. Almost all the wagons have been hit by the scourge of the modern railway scene - the graffiti 'artist'. Photo: Michael Smyth.
DC Rail is a subsidiary of Cappagh Group which operates a small number of Class 60 locomotives. Having worked its empties into Middleton towers at around 4am, 60046 'William Wilberforce' (who was instrumental in establishing the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833) is seen approaching Ely North Junction with 6M89, 09.01 Middleton Towers to Ravenhead Junction on September 9th 2023. Photo: Michael Smyth.
With the majestic Ely Cathedral in the background, DC Rail Class 60 No. 60046 'William Wilberforce' slows down 6M89, the 09.01 Middleton Towers to Ravenhead Junction, for its run round the Ely Avoiding Line on September 9th 2023. Photo: Michael Smyth.
On Saturday 9th September 2023, UK Railtours ran the 4-leg "Anglian Angel" tour from Peterborough to Liverpool Street, then Liverpool Street to Ely (including Potter Group sidings), then Ely to Middleton Towers and finally Middleton Towers to Peterborough via the North London Line. On the third leg of the tour, 66774 and 66767 top-and-tail 1Z22, the 15.25 Ely to Middleton Towers as it heads away from Ely North Junction towards Littleport. Photo: Michael Smyth.
Seen from the bank of the River Great Ouse with the Kings Lynn Line in the foreground, GB Railfreight Class 66 No. 66710 'Phil Packer BRIT' comes off the Ely Avoiding Line at Ely West Junction with 6E86, the 08.15 Middleton towers to Monk Bretton on August 10th 2023. Photo: Michael Smyth.
GB Railfreight Class 66 No. 66710 'Phil Packer BRIT' (Major Phil Packer was seriously injured during combat operations in Iraq in 2008 and subsequently founded the British Inspiration Trust) applies its brakes to slow 2,000 tonnes of sand in readiness for creeping round the Ely Avoiding Line with 6E86, the 08.15 Middleton Towers to Monk Bretton on August 10th 2023. Photo: Michael Smyth.
The former sugar beet mill at Ely North Junction is now used for limestone distribution and the storage of off-lease rolling stock. In connection with the latter, occasional movements can be seen to and from Derby Research Centre. One such movement, comprising 20901 and 20905 leading two barrier coaches and 37805, accelerates away from the Junction towards March on August 10th 2023. Photo: Michael Smyth.
Former Great Western Railway Class 387 units can now be seen on Great Northern services, as here with 387173 at the rear of 1T06, the 06.42 Kings Cross to Kings Lynn, approaching Ely North Junction on 15th July 2023. Photo: Michael Smyth.
Soon after leaving Ely, LNER A3 60103 'Flying Scotsman' is seen passing the majestic Ely Cathedral as it heads towards North Junction on Friday 23rd June 2023 with 1Z40, the 07.50 Kings Cross to Yarmouth. The white cab roof will be helpful in deflecting heat in the circa 30 degree temperatures at that time. Photo: Michael Smyth.
The origins of Ely Cathedral date back to AD 673 when St Etheldreda built an Abbey Church. The building seen here dates back to 1083 and was granted Cathedral status in 1109. More recently, 60163 'Tornado' accelerates 1Z42, the 08.30 Colchester-York 'Cathedrals Express' towards the three-way Ely North Junction on 10th May 2012. Photo: Michael Smyth.
One of the 3-car versions of the Class 755 Stadler bi-mode units is seen on July 15th 2023 passing Ely Cathedral with 1K59, the 06.27 Norwich to Stansted Airport. The power pack vehicle carries two 645 hp diesel engines - roughly equivalent power to a BRCW Class 27! The power pack will be switched off at Ely station when the unit transfers to 25 kV. Photo: Michael Smyth,