Marks Tey railway station

Marks Tey railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML) in the East of England, serving the village of Marks Tey, Essex. It is 46 miles 49 chains (75.02 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and on the GEML is situated between Kelvedon to the west and Colchester and to the east. Marks Tey is also the southern terminus of the Gainsborough Line to Sudbury. Its three-letter station code is MKT. The "up" (London-bound) platform 1 has an operational length for nine-coach trains, the "down" (Colchester-bound) platform 2 can accommodate 11-coach trains and platform 3 (for the Sudbury branch) has an operational length for two-coach trains.[1]

Marks Tey
Marks Tey railway station in 2017, looking south towards London
LocationMarks Tey, Borough of Colchester
England
Grid referenceTL916239
Managed byGreater Anglia
Platforms3
Other information
Station codeMKT
ClassificationDfT category D
Passengers
2015/16 0.523 million
 Interchange  0.363 million
2016/17 0.557 million
 Interchange  0.358 million
2017/18 0.578 million
 Interchange  0.358 million
2018/19 0.605 million
 Interchange  0.368 million
2019/20 0.607 million
 Interchange  0.374 million
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road
Cambridge train departing Marks Tey in 1951

The station was opened in 1843 by the Eastern Counties Railway. It is currently operated by Greater Anglia, who also operate all trains serving it, as part of the East Anglia franchise.

History

The station opened in 1843 for services on the Great Eastern Main Line, and the Sudbury branch line followed in 1849. From that date until 1889 the station was known as Marks Tey Junction. The branch line is only accessible to trains travelling from Colchester "up" towards London.[2]

The opening of the Colne Valley and Halstead Railway off the Sudbury branch in 1860 and the extension of the branch beyond Sudbury via the Stour Valley Railway in 1865 to Cambridge added importance to Marks Tey as a junction, allowing through-trains from Colchester.

These passenger services were gradually cut back and the closure of the Sudbury to Cambridge link in March 1967 saw the end of through running.

An 1897 survey shows sidings on the "up" side at the Colchester end of the main line platform but the main concentration of sidings including a goods shed and a turntable are on the "down" side at the Colchester end primarily servicing the branch line.[2]

Accidents and incidents
  • On 29 December 1906, 34 people sustained minor injuries in a collision between two portions of a split passenger train at Marks Tey. As the main portion of the 5:30 pm service from London Liverpool Street to Ipswich came to an unscheduled stop at the station, the rear portion had been erroneously detached from the front section and crashed into the rear of it at low speed.[3]
  • On 12 June 2008, a freight train was partially derailed at Marks Tey due to a track defect, causing minor injury to its two crew members. As it passed through the station at 2:05 pm two wheelsets on one of the wagons were derailed, also causing damage to the rolling stock and to infrastructure.[4]

Services

The typical off-peak service along the Great Eastern Main Line is two trains per hour to London Liverpool Street, one to Ipswich and one to Colchester Town. There is an hourly service along the branch line to Sudbury.[5]

During peak times service frequencies may be increased and calling patterns varied. All services are operated by Greater Anglia.

References
  1. Brailsford, Martyn (2016). Railway Track Diagrams Volume 2 Eastern. Frome: Trackmaps. p. 5. ISBN 978-0-9549866-8-1.
  2. Mitchell, Victor E. (April 2011). Eastern Main Lines - Shenfield to Ipswich. Midhurst: Middleton Press. Plan VIII. ISBN 978 1 906008 96 3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  3. http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/BoT_MarksTey1906.pdf
  4. http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/RAIB_MarksTey2008.pdf
  5. Table 10 & 11 National Rail timetable, May 2016
Preceding station National Rail Following station
Greater Anglia
TerminusGreater Anglia

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