Old Photos of Witham

One of the last steam trains on the railway approaching Witham station

Photographer: Braintree and Witham Times, Taken: 31 March 1962 (from Martin Weeks), Source: Braintree and Witham Times, Ref: M369

This image was described in the newspaper as “the last steam train approaching the station”. However, Martin Weeks has written to me that “At the time I believe the train was billed as ‘the last Great Eastern Steam’ but I have to point out that this was not actually the last steam train. Steam continued to come through Witham sporadically throughout 1962, mainly on Saturday holiday trains to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. I certainly saw steam trains much later than the one in picture M369, they were all B1 class engines based at March in Cambridgeshire. There is some debate in railway circles as to when the actual last steam train ran, as when it did, no one recognised that it was the last, there being an assumption it would be steam again the week after! Network Rail state in their description of Liverpool Street station ‘all steam had been replaced by diesel locomotives by the end of 1962’. The link is below.

I hope this information is useful, may I congratulate you on such an informative collection.

Martin Weeks

The history of London Liverpool Street station

Shows part of Moat Farm estate under construction,(probably just Armond Road, the rest still a field)
.
See also M370, probably taken on the same occasion.This image was described as “the last steam train approaching the station”. However, Martin Weeks has written to me that “At the time I believe the train was billed as ‘the last Great Eastern Steam’ but I have to point out that this was not actually the last steam train. Steam continued to come through Witham sporadically throughout 1962, mainly on Saturday holiday trains to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. I certainly saw steam trains much later than the one in picture M369, they were all B1 class engines based at March in Cambridgeshire. There is some debate in railway circles as to when the actual last steam train ran, as when it did, no one recognised that it was the last, there being an assumption it would be steam again the week after! Network Rail state in their description of Liverpool Street station ‘all steam had been replaced by diesel locomotives by the end of 1962’. The link is below.

I hope this information is useful, may I congratulate you on such an informative collection.

Martin Weeks

The history of London Liverpool Street station

Shows part of Moat Farm estate under construction,(probably just Armond Road, the rest still a field)
.
See also M370, probably taken on the same occasion.

RefM369
PhotographerBraintree and Witham Times
Date taken31 March 1962 (from Martin Weeks)
SourceBraintree and Witham Times
Posted on Full size 2132 × 1739

Unless otherwise specified, photos are the copyright of the original photographer.

Every effort has been made to contact the owners of the photos or their relatives, to obtain their permission to use their pictures. But I have not always managed to find them, for which I apologise.

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