Wisbech & Upwell tramway - approaching Elm Bridge depot

Image: © Evelyn Simak Taken: 22 Apr 2009

Inglethorpe Hall is obscured from view by the trees seen at right. The tramway used to run right past the bungalows seen on the other side of the A1101 (Outwell Road) which were built in the 1930s. This view was taken in northerly direction, approaching Elm Bridge depot > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1267116 of which nothing remains. After passing Collett's Bridge > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1267047 also known as Emneth Bridge, a request stop on the route from Boyce's Bridge depot to Elm, the tramway passed Inglethorpe Hall request stop > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1267059. A farm shop is now located here. Boyce's Bridge depot > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1266417 was considered the half-way point between Upwell and Wisbech. From here, the route followed Outwell Road in northwesterly direction > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1266447 to the request stop at Shepherd's Cottage and onwards from there to Collett's Bridge and Inglethorpe Hall request stops. Wisbech & Upwell tramway's Upwell depot > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1241222 was 5 miles 72 chains distant from Wisbech. The line had eleven sidings, with two originally allocated for passenger traffic. During the fruit season the sidings could hold more than a hundred vans. The depot had a cattle dock, a depot office, a passenger waiting room, and a coal merchant's office and staithes. There was also an ash pit, and an old GER tender was used for a water tower until 1953 when it was removed. http://www.lner.info/co/GER/wisbech/route.shtml From the Upwell depot, which was the southern terminus of the tramway, the trains headed northwards > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1241251 to the village of Outwell, crossing Small Lode > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1241268 and passing a farm before emerging on Low Side > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1241442 which was the final request stop. A farm driveway now runs where the railway trackbed used to be > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1241431. The line crossed the village street and re-entered Norfolk. It ran alongside the bank of Well Creek before it reached the final section of reserved track at Goodman's Crossing request stop > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1241525. Outwell Village depot was located by the old course of the River Nene and adjoined by St Clement's church on the other side. It originally had four sidings and was equipped with coal chutes to transfer coal to barges for distribution through the Fens. The depot had a small office building built from red brick > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1241479 and an old van body for storage. The brick office still stands, but most of the depot site has since been built over by modern housing > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1241458. The name of the cul-de-sac/access road is called "The Tramway". From the Outwell Village depot, the line ascended a short 1 in 30 stretch before crossing back into Cambridgeshire where it ran 30 chains on reserved track before crossing the main road at the Horn's Corner > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1261375 request stop. From here the line followed the canal to Outwell Basin > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1261392 where it widened in order to enable mooring and turning of barges, and to the location of the first terminus with its depot covering a large area including a loop, a booking office and a waiting room > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1242035. The line then rejoined the canal at the actual Boyce's Bridge > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1261449 and the Dial House Farm > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1261452 request stop.

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