Essex Family History

Maldon To South Woodham Ferrers Branch Line

Once Great Eastern Railways opened the Crouch Valley Line, from Wickford to Southminste, a plan was approved to extend the line which ran from Witham to Maldon as far as Woodham Ferrers to join up with the Crouch Valley Line.

Maldon Railway Station in its prime maldon rail station

The line was rapidly completed and opened in October 1889 just four months after the Crouch Valley Line.

Small stations were completed at Stow Maries , Cold Norton, Barons Lane and Maldon West before the trains reach the massive Maldon Station

Maldon Railway Station - Now used as offices

While Stow Maries and Barons Lane were merely halts for passengers with a platform and a small hut. Barons Lane had quite a large Coal and Goods yard attached.

Cold Norton has a comparatively large railway station similar in style to the railway stations at Southminster and Burnham.

Cold Norton Railway Station taken before it was demolished

After the end of World War 2 the line was in poor condition following heavy use and little or no maintenance and it was decided not to resume passenger traffic as the new bus service was adequate.

In 1953 even goods traffic was stopped on the line. and the track was taken up and most of the buildings demolished.

Sadly today little remains of this branch line although you can follow the route on a footpath made when the track was taken up.

to visit a page on the Crouch Valley Line