Colchester Town railway station

Colchester Town railway station (formerly St Botolph's) is on the Sunshine Coast Line in the East of England, and is the secondary station serving the city of Colchester, Essex. It is 53 miles 76 chains (86.8 km) from London Liverpool Street.[1][2] Its three-letter station code is CET. The city's larger station is called Colchester (also known as Colchester North station to distinguish it) and is on the Great Eastern Main Line but is further away from the city centre.

Colchester Town
National Rail
General information
LocationColchester, City of Colchester
England
Coordinates51°53′11″N 0°54′16″E / 51.8865°N 0.9044°E / 51.8865; 0.9044
Grid referenceTM000248
Managed byGreater Anglia
Platforms1
Other information
Station codeCET
ClassificationDfT category E
History
Original companyTendring Hundred Railway
Pre-groupingGreat Eastern Railway
Post-groupingLondon and North Eastern Railway
Key dates
1 March 1866Opened as St. Botolph's
8 July 1991Renamed Colchester Town
Passengers
2018/19Increase 0.771 million
 Interchange Increase 344
2019/20Decrease 0.736 million
2020/21Decrease 0.178 million
2021/22Increase 0.504 million
2022/23Increase 0.587 million
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

The station was opened in 1866 by the Tendring Hundred Railway, a subsidiary of the Great Eastern Railway, as St. Botolph's, after the nearby priory and church that gave their name to this part of the city. It was renamed Colchester Town in 1991.[3] It is currently operated by Greater Anglia, which also runs all trains serving the station.

As of 2024 there is only one platform. Since a magistrates' court was built the station size has decreased, losing its car park and talks of adding an extra platform have been halted. To the east of the station, Colne Junction is the western extremity of a triangle which gives access towards Colchester station to the west and Hythe station to the east. The curve to the north from Colne Junction to East Gates Junction is sharp, with a continuous check rail which necessitates slow passage.

Services

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The following services typically call at Colchester Town during the off-peak:

Colchester Town is closed on Sundays unless engineering work closes Colchester station, in which case Colchester Town is used as an alternative station.

Operator Route Rolling stock Frequency Notes
Greater Anglia London Liverpool Street - Stratford - Romford - Shenfield - Chelmsford - Witham - Kelvedon - Marks Tey - Colchester - Colchester Town Class 720 1x per hour each direction Monday-Saturday only
Colchester - Colchester Town - Hythe - Wivenhoe - Alresford - Great Bentley - Weeley - Thorpe-le-Soken - Kirby Cross - Frinton-on-Sea - Walton-on-the-Naze 1x per hour each direction Monday-Saturday only
Colchester - Colchester Town 1x per hour each direction Monday-Saturday only

References

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  1. ^ "GE RailRef Line Codes Great Eastern". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  2. ^ Padgett, David (October 2016) [1988]. Brailsford, Martyn (ed.). Railway Track Diagrams 2: Eastern (4th ed.). Frome: Trackmaps. map 6A. ISBN 978-0-9549866-8-1.
  3. ^ Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. pp. 202, 65. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
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Preceding station   National Rail Following station
Colchester   Greater Anglia
Sunshine Coast Line
  Hythe