In the last few years of its operational life up to closure in summer 2000, the only freight trains using the line were incoming trains to Wisbech Goods Yard delivering tin-coil products to the local tin-can processing factory, and also out-going petfood trains from spillers pet food factory adjacent to the by-now run down goods yard.
In about 1995, Spillers petfood factory bought the old goods yard off Railtrack (formerly British Rail) and thus reduced their out-going rail traffic from previously a daily freight to just once a week. By this time also, Metal Box Factory ceased their out-going steel 'tin can products' trains and in-coming steel-coil traffic.
After final closure by Network Rail of the branch in 2003, Spillers Pet Food Factory ripped out the goods yard sidings and built an extension to their factory car park over the three acre site. To this date, the only remaining visible evidence now of the former yard are just two old British Rail yard lamps.
Wisbech East Station itself was demolished in 1969 just eight months after passenger closure of the entire rail line had taken place in September 1968. No trace of the station site remains as it is now a modern housing estate built a few years ago.
* Built in 1847 by the Great Eastern Railway the 7.8 mile branch line was double track from March to Wisbech and then 9 miles of single track from Wisbech to the junction of the Ely to King's Lynn main line at Watlington Junction, near Downham Market, Norfolk. There was only one small station on the line to Wisbech from March. Coldham village station (midway between March and Wisbech) closed in 1966 along with its small two road goods yard. Travelling East from Wisbech were three small stations on the single track branch that only served small villages - Emneth, Smeeth Road, and Middle Drove. Only Emneth and Middle Drove (two platforms each) had a passing loop.
The reason the entire route closed was passenger numbers were not enough to save the entire route. Hardly anybody used the four village stations and by 1966 Wisbech Station became un-manned and tickets to travel the branch after this could only be obtained by the train conductor/guard.
In 1972, the March to Wisbech section saw the up-rails to Wisbech from March lifted and the down-rails became bi-directional to allow the daily freight to and from Wisbech Goods Yard to continue. If freight had also ceased in 1968, the March to Wisbech section would have been lifted at the same time as when the track east from Wisbech WAS lifted in 1969/1970. Coldham station no longer exists, only the Gentlemen's small toilet block remains to this day, the old yard at Coldham was built over with houses in the 1980s. Travelling east from Wisbech; Emneth, Smeeth Road and Middle Drove stations still exist but now as private houses. All the signal boxes at these stations were also demolished in 1969.
Wisbech East Signal box levers and point rodding were removed in 1969 by the volunteers of the-then fledgling North-Norfolk Railway (at Sheringham), the only remains today of the 7.8 mile section is a single rusting track under dense vegetation and a couple of surviving plate-layers huts.
If my home town ever sees passenger trains again, the entire section would need bringing up to modern standards and be completely re-laid with concrete track (most of the existing track's wooden sleepers are rotting away under the vegetation), a new station near as to Wisbech as possible would have to be built along with a car park and all the 8 level crossings refurbished with new modern AHB barriers and lights, to replace the old AHB barriers on four of the level crossings. Two crossings still have the old double-gates in situ.
** Wisbech East Station in 1948. No trace of the station remains since 1968 passenger closure. A modern housing estate now covers the entire site..
** Taken a few years ago, this photo shows years of neglect following final closure and withdrawal from the operational network in 2003 by Network Rail..
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** photo taken in 2011: Metal thieves at that time, until stopped by British Transport Police, were stealing parts from the disused Wisbech railway...
