2. RAILWAYS
  3. WISBECH & UPWELL TRAMWAY

WISBECH & UPWELL TRAMWAY

The Wisbech and Upwell Tramway was a rural standard gauge tramway in East Anglia. It was built by the Great Eastern Railway between Wisbech, Cambridgeshire and Upwell, Norfolk to carry agricultural produce. Six trams a day in each direction provided passenger services, with the full one way journey taking one hour. By October 1884 traffic had grown to 3000 passengers per week, with peaks of 2000 in a day for fetes and other special events. Its success was one of the reasons for the Light Railways Act 1896. Competition from motorised buses ended passenger services in 1927, but freight carried on until 1966 when it was cut as part of the Beeching Axe. Originally the line used GER Class G15/LNER Class Y6 0-4-0T tram engines, which in accordance with Board of Trade regulations had sideplates and cowcatchers. These were replaced by more powerful 0-6-0T GER Class C53/LNER Class J70 and later by Drewry 0-6-0DM (Class 04) shunters. For a short time in 1930-1931 two LNER Class Y10 Sentinel geared steam locomotives were used. The route carried it close to farms and villages, allowing goods to be shipped into Wisbech where they could be transferred onto the main line and carried to destinations further afield. Its Upwell depot was 5 miles 72 chains distant from Wisbech East Station. During the fruit season the sidings could hold more than a hundred vans. The depot at Upwell had a cattle dock, a depot office, a passenger waiting room, and a coal merchant's office and staithes. From the Upwell depot, which was the southern terminus of the tramway, the trains headed northwards to the village of Outwell and then picked up the main road to Wisbech, which it ran alongside, unfenced, and crossed several times. Stops were frequent and the stations really little more than glorified bus shelters. If you know what to look for, there are even now signs of where the tramway passed. The Rev. W. Awdry, one time vicar of Emneth, drew much inspiration from the tramway which passed his house for the stories in his 'Thomas the Tank Engine' books. Toby and his coach Henrietta were based on stock used on the tramway. In the 1970's, the house I lived in was only about 50 yards from the trackbed and I have always had interest in the Tramway. These pictures are published for pleasure/information/research purposes only and are not for sale or copy under any circumstances. Information in captions has been researched as thoroughly as possible but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
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Class 04 - 11103 - Drewry 0-6-0 DM Shunter - built 1952 by Drewry & Co. - 1957 to D2203 - withdrawn 12/67 - preserved - seen here 'suited and booted' at Outwell Sidings on the Wisbech & Upwell Tramway, 1952.
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Class 04 - 11103 - Drewry 0-6-0 DM Shunter - built 1952 by Drewry & Co. - 1957 to D2203 - withdrawn 12/67 - preserved - seen here 'suited and booted' at Outwell Sidings on the Wisbech & Upwell Tramway, 1952.

  • 0125 - Worsdell GER Class Y6 0-4-0T - built 12/1891 by Stratford Works - 1921 to Duplicate List as No.0125 - 1923 to LNER No.7125 - 02/40 withdrawn from 31C Kings Lynn - seen here at Upwell Depot with a well loaded train.
  • 127 - Worsdell GER Class Y6 -4-0T - built 01/1892 by Stratford Works - 1913 withdrawn - seen here at Upwell Depot in about 1910.
  • 131 - Worsdell GER Class Y6 -4-0T - built 1883 by Stratford Works - 1907 withdrawn - seen here at Emneth passing the Reverend Awdry's house - posted July 15th, 1907.
  • 131 - Worsdell GER Class Y6 -4-0T - built 1883 by Stratford Works - 1907 withdrawn - seen here at Emneth passing the Reverend Awdry's house - this is a hand-coloured version of the other card.
  • 7133 - Worsdell GER Class Y6 0-4-0T - built 12/1891 by Stratford Works as GER No.133 - 1921 to Duplicate List as No.0133 - 1923 to LNER No.7133, 1948 to BR No.68082 - 05/51 withdrawn from 31C Kings Lynn - seen here at Boyce's Bridge, 12/27.
  • 7133 - Worsdell GER Class Y6 0-4-0T - built 12/1891 by Stratford Works as GER No.133 - 1921 to Duplicate List as No.0133 - 1923 to LNER No.7133, 1948 to BR No.68082 - 05/51 withdrawn from 31C Kings Lynn - seen here at Wisbech - note lowered platform face.
  • 8217 - Holden GER Class C53 LNER Class J70 0-6-0T - built 11/03 by Stratford Works as GER No.136 - 1924 to LNER No.7136, 05/46 to LNER No.8217, 09/49 to BR No.68217 - 03/53 withdrawn from 31B March - seen in the yard at Wisbech East Station, 05/49.
  • 68083 - Worsdell GER Class G15 LNER Class Y6 0-4-0T - built 08/1897 by Stratford Works as GER No.134 - 1924 to LNER No.7134, 1946 to LNER No.9093, 1948 to BR No.68083 - 11/52 withdrawn from 31B March - seen here at Wisbech in 1950.
  • 68217 - Holden GER Class C53 LNER Class J70 0-6-0T - built 11/03 by Stratford Works as GER No.136 - 1924 to LNER No.7136, 05/46 to LNER No.8217, 09/49 to BR No.68217 - 03/53 withdrawn from 31B March - I'm not sure exactly where this is but I think it may be the junction of Elm High Road with the B1101 by the Blacksmith's Arms - seen here in the early 1950's I'd guess.
  • 68217 - Holden GER Class C53 LNER Class J70 0-6-0T - built 11/03 by Stratford Works as GER No.136 - 1924 to LNER No.7136, 05/46 to LNER No.8217, 09/49 to BR No.68217 - 03/53 withdrawn from 31B March - seen here at Wisbech East with a train for the Tramway, 08/50.
  • 68223 - Holden GER Class C53 LNER Class J70 0-6-0T - built 06/14 by Stratford Works as GER No.131 - 1924 to LNER No.7131, 09/46 to LNER No.8223, 08/49 to BR No.68223 - 07/55 withdrawn from 32D Yarmouth South Town - seen here at March MPD when in use on the Tramway, 05/53.
  • 68225 - Holden GER Class C53 LNER Class J70 0-6-0T - built 03/21 by Stratford Works as GER No.126 - 1924 to LNER No.7126, 05/46 to LNER No.8225, 05/50 to BR No.68225 - 03/55 withdrawn from 31B March - seen here Elm High Road, near the Blacksmith's Arms, bound for Wisbech.
  • A train on Elm Road, Wisbech - I think this on what's called the Elm Low Road today showing where the tram has crossed the road after leaving the GER tracks, marked by the level crossing gate posts in the far left. We are looking into town. I think the loco is a J70.
  • Class 04 - 11101 - Drewry 0-6-0DM Shunter - built 1952 by Drewry Car Co. - 1957 to D2201 - withdrawn 04/68 from Crewe Works - seen here at March MPD 'booted and suited' for operations on the Wisbech & Upwell Tramway.
  • Class 04 - 11101 - Drewry 0-6-0DM Shunter - built 1952 by Drewry Car Co. - 1957 to D2201 - withdrawn 04/68 from Crewe Works - seen here at Wisbech East in full skirts on July 9th, 1955, on a brakevan rail tour of the tramway from the Railway Club.
  • Class 04 - 11102 - Drewry 0-6-0 DM Shunter - built 06/52 by Drewry & Co. - 01/58 to D2202 - withdrawn 02/68 withdrawn from Crewe Works - this was a 31B loco from new to September 1966 - seen here 'suited and booted' at Upwell Depot on the Tramway leg of the 'Fensman No.2' Rail Tour on September 9th, 1956.
  • Class 04 - 11103 - Drewry 0-6-0 DM Shunter - built 1952 by Drewry & Co. - 1957 to D2203 - withdrawn 12/67 - preserved - seen here 'suited and booted' at Outwell Sidings on the Wisbech & Upwell Tramway, 1952.
  • Class 04 - D2201 - Drewry 0-6-0 DM Shunter - built 1952 by Drewry Engineering - withdrawn 04/68 - sold to Barnsley & District Coking Co. - withdrawn 07/78 - seen here on the Wisbech & Upwell Tramway shunting at Elm Bridge in 1964.
  • The Great Eastern had coaching stock specially built for the Tramway, low slung and with ground level steps due to lack of platforms. The two bogie coaches were built in 1884, No.8, a Third Open (nearest the camera), No.7, a Composite (in the middle) and the Guard's Van was No.16. When passenger services were withdrawn in 1927, the coaches went to Kelvedon & Tollesbury Light Railway where they survived into BR ownership. Seen here at Upwell in about 1910.
  • WISBECH EAST STATION - One of two stations in Wisbech, East Station was opened by the GER in 1848 as Wisbeach, renamed Wisbech in 1877 and Wisbech East in 1948 by British Railways. The station closed in September 1968 although the freight services to March, operated from a separate goods station, continued until 2001. Here we see a Wisbech & Upwell Tramway passenger train at the platform. These services ceased to operate in 1927 - note that the platform edge has been lowered to accommodate the Tramway vehicles.
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