Greater Anglia Trains at Witham on December 10th 2025

3rd visit to Witham Station on the Great Eastern Main Line and also the Junction for the Single Branch Line to Braintree

Witham was first opened by the original Eastern Counties Railway in March 1843 when the Great Eastern Main Line was extended from Brentwood up to Colchester.

The station became a busy junction over 5 years later in October 1848 when the former Maldon, Witham & Braintree Railway opened a connecting branch line to Maldon then later extending to Woodham Ferrers.

Passenger Services to Woodham Ferrers would decline after World War II and was closed from Maldon to Woodham Ferrers in 1953 although the whole line closing to passengers in 1964 before closing to goods trains 3 years only due to the controversial Beeching Axe.

The Braintree Branch Line was opened from Bishops Stortford by the Great Eastern Railway in 1869 however it lost it's passenger services in 1952 which at the same time passenger services were cut back to Braintree although freight did continue on until 1971 when freight services were withdrawn completely.

Braintree services run Monday - Saturdays through to and from London Liverpool Street however on Sundays all services instead are cut back to Witham.

The stations 4 platform layout with Platform 4 mainly used by services to and from Braintree whilst Platform 1 is used by stopping services allowing intercity services to overtake which also both can be used for Freight services as well.

At peak time Monday - Friday services from London Liverpool Street can terminate here via Platform 1.

All Greater Anglia services except for Norwich services call here however some Norwich trains do call at Witham however only 2 trains a day with one in the morning and one in the evening.

The Class 720s first entered service in January 2021 nowadays is the main fleet having replaced the older Class 317s, 321s and 322s with the latter former 321 Renatus sets being withdrawn in May 2023.

The Intercity Services are nowadays operated by Class 745s built by Stadler in Bossang, Switzerland which gradually replaced the loco set hauled Class 90s between September 2019 and March 2020 although some of the former 90s have now moved to Freightliner replacing the life expired Class 86s which had dated back to 1965.

Greater Anglia was nationalised in October 2025 although in the long term is due to be rebranded under GBR (Great British Railways) although at the time of film the bill of Railway Reforms as well as the setting up of GBR was still ongoing.

Music used:
JJD - Adventure
Music provided by NCS

Video link:
NoCopyrightSounds
   • JJD - Adventure | Glitch Hop | NCS - Copyr...  

Filmed on IPhone 17 Pro on Wednesday December 10th 2025 and edited on iMovie

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