DMU Operations: Eastern Region
Audley End - Saffron Walden - Bartlow
These services ran from Audley End, a station on the Liverpool Street - Cambridge route, through Saffron Walden to Bartlow on the Stour Valley Line, a distance of 7¼ miles. Some services ran through to Haverhill.
The WM railbuses took over the services on 7 July 1958. However the increase in summer passengers proved too much for the 56 seat vehicles and they would temporarily revert to steam trains[1].
A video clip showing a railbus ride over the line can be found on YouTube.
The line was closed to passengers on 7 September 1964.
Sample Timetables
7th July to 13th September 1958
Cover only shown
2nd November 1959 to 12th June 1960
4 1/2" x 6"
13th June to 11th September 1960
4 1/2" x 6"
10th September 1962 to 16th June 1963
4 1/2" x 6"
Images
July 1958
Beechy Ride, bridge over the Fulfen Slade near Saffron Walden. First week after the railcar replaced steam in July 1958 on the Audley End - Bartlow branch line. Adrian Smith.
Unknown date
One of the German railbuses ready to depart from Saffron Walden station with an Audley End service circa mid-1960s. The text in the bufferbeam reads "This vehicle must only be towed at dead end of train". Stuart Mackay Collection.
References
- ⋏ p278 September 1958 Railway Observer (Railway Correspondence and Travel Society)