Newport railway station (Essex)

Newport National Rail
Location
Place Newport
Local authority District of Uttlesford
Grid reference TL522335
Operations
Station code NWE
Managed by Greater Anglia
Owned by Network Rail
Number of platforms 2
DfT category E
Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections
from National Rail Enquiries
Annual rail passenger usage*
2012/13 Decrease 0.208 million
2013/14 Decrease 0.195 million
2014/15 Decrease 0.192 million
2015/16 Decrease 0.180 million
2016/17 Decrease 0.176 million
National Rail – UK railway stations
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Newport from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year.
UK Railways portal

Newport railway station is on the West Anglia Main Line serving the village of Newport in Essex, England. It is 39 miles 72 chains (64.2 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Elsenham and Audley End stations. Its three-letter station code is NWE.

The station and all trains serving it are operated by Greater Anglia. It is sometimes displayed as Newport (Essex) in order to distinguish it from other similarly-named stations.

To the north of the Victorian station is the little-known Audley End Viaduct. At 60 feet (18 m) high at its centre it is the tallest viaduct in Essex.

History

The main station building was built in 1845 with the canopies added in 1884/1885. The station was built following the passing of a bill in Parliament in 1836 for a railway from London to Cambridge on a revised route passing through Newport. The Northern and Eastern Railway Company was incorporated in 1836 to build from London to Cambridge, but by 1843 they had only reached Bishop's Stortford and they were taken over by the Eastern Counties Railway Company. A contemporary newspaper, the Chelmsford Chronicle, recorded the applause and welcome the villagers gave to the first train passing through on 29 July 1845; "The music of the military band mingled at Stansted and Newport with the cheers of the mustered throngs, while the line of flags upon the carriages which danced as they rapidly cut the air, gave to the progress of the train not merely the character of gaiety, but an air of grandeur."[1]

The station design is similar to others on the same line- particularly Great Chesterford and March with only slight variants in construction and detailing. The waiting rooms still retain two distinctive painted Victorian Arts & Crafts cast iron fire surrounds designed by Thomas Jeckyll (1827–1881) and produced by Barnard, Bishop and Barnard in Norwich for the Great Eastern Railway. Thomas Jeckyll was a trained architect and started working at the foundry in 1859 and is best known for his metal work design in particular fireplace and fireplace grates.

In March 1970 the old shed over a siding at Newport station was demolished. The demolition went underway without consultation with the local community. A week later it had completely disappeared.

Siding demolition March 1970

Adoption

In November 2010 the station was "adopted" on behalf of the community by the Newport Business Association (NBA). At the heart of Newport the railway station serves over 200,000 passengers every year. With commuters bound for London and Cambridge and children attending Joyce Frankland Academy it is people’s first sight of Newport - their introduction to the village. The station is 165 years old

In conjunction with National Express East Anglia, Network Rail, British Transport Police and local businesses NBA is renovating the Station, making the gateway into Newport welcoming, attractive and secure for businesses, residents and visitors alike.[2] The station is having the front entrance renovated, bridge refurbished, station buildings repainted and decorated and replanted and landscaped wild flower areas. One in three mouthfuls of the food we eat is dependent on pollination and honey bees are dying out across the world. The overgrown woods and gardens will therefore be planted up with flowers and shrubs that encourage birds, bees and butterflies.

In 2011 2,500 plants were planted, and a further 300 lavender plants and five cherry trees were planted near the station in 2012.[3]

Victorian fire surround

Service

There is an hourly service in each direction between London Liverpool Street and Cambridge,increasing to half-hourly in the weekday peaks.

The booking office is staffed, and waiting rooms on both platforms are open when staff are present. There is also an automatic ticket machine.

References

  1. ↑ The history of Newport, Essex by Bernard Nurse, Joy Pugh and Imogen Mollet, edited by Angela Archer. Published in 1995 by Newport News, ISBN no 0 9514601 1 0.
  2. ↑ Newport Business Association (November 2010). "Newport Station adopted by local Businesses".
  3. ↑ Saffron Walden Reporter (November 2010). "Newport Station adopted by local Businesses".
Preceding station National Rail Following station
Elsenham   Greater Anglia
West Anglia Main Line
   Audley End

Coordinates: 51°58′48″N 0°12′54″E / 51.980°N 0.215°E / 51.980; 0.215

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