The Anonymous Widower

The Changing Face Of Cambridge

I took these pictures, as my train to Cambridge North station, made a stop at Cambridge station.

There’s certainly been a lot of new building.

Over the years, I’ve seen Cambridge station change from a simple station, where staff had to work hard to juggle terminating and through trains to maintain a decent service into a major rail interchange with the following platforms.

• Two very long through platforms; 1 and 7, capable of taking the longest trains on the UK rail network.
• Platform 1 is actually bi-directional and can be used as two shorter platforms; 1 and 4.
• Two London-facing bay platforms; 2 and 3 capable of taking eight-car trains.
• Two North-facing bay platforms; 5 and 6, capable of taking six-car trains from Ipswich, Norwich, Peterborough and the North.
• A twelve-car platform; 8, that can be used as either a through or a bay platform.

Is there another regional station in the UK with such a comprehensive layout?

Cambridge station and its new sibling a few miles to the North are certainly ready for all the rail developments planned to happen in the next few years.

• Thameslink arrives in 2018
• Greater Anglia’s new trains arrive in 2019.
• The East-West Rail Link could arrive in the mid-2020s.

I would not be surprised if Cambridge created the Trinity by starting the proposed new Cambridge South station at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in the next couple of years.

After all, a third station, will give Cambridge one more station than Oxford.

May 21, 2017 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Cambridge, Cambridge Station, Development, East-West Rail, Thameslink