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Location notes
Deep in the Fens, between Peterborough and Cambridge, March station is situated on the busy connecting line between Ely and Peterborough.
Railway type and traffic
All regular passenger trains are DMUs, local services between Peterborough and Ipswich are run by Anglia Railways using Class 150 and 153 units. Longer distance services are operated by Central Trains using 156, 158 and 170 DMU classes, running services between Birmingham and Stansted, and Norwich and Liverpool.
March sees a considerable amount of freight traffic. A high proportion of these are DB Schenker aggregate trains. Stone from La Farge at Mountsorrel is transported to Norwich Trowse, Kennett, Barham, Broxbourne and Chesterton Junction. Limestone trains run to Bury St Edmunds and Brandon for use by the local sugar factories. Bulk sand trains run from Middleton Towers (Kings Lynn), and from Bardon Concrete at Croft (Leicester) to Bishops Stortford. DB Schenker also have two trains running in and out of Felixstowe, intermodal traffic to Wakefield and Cargowaggons to Healey Mills.
The Freightliner traffic is mainly intermodal trains from Wilton and Leeds to Felixstowe, although Heavy Haul now run services to Chesterton Jnc near Cambridge.
GBRf have two daily intermodal trains to Felixstowe from Hams Hall and Selby, as well as handling a good number of engineering and construction trains connected with the rebuilding of Whitemoor Yard.
March sees a considerable amount of freight traffic. A high proportion of these are DB Schenker aggregate trains. Stone from La Farge at Mountsorrel is transported to Norwich Trowse, Kennett, Barham, Broxbourne and Chesterton Junction. Limestone trains run to Bury St Edmunds and Brandon for use by the local sugar factories. Bulk sand trains run from Middleton Towers (Kings Lynn), and from Bardon Concrete at Croft (Leicester) to Bishops Stortford. DB Schenker also have two trains running in and out of Felixstowe, intermodal traffic to Wakefield and Cargowaggons to Healey Mills.
The Freightliner traffic is mainly intermodal trains from Wilton and Leeds to Felixstowe, although Heavy Haul now run services to Chesterton Jnc near Cambridge.
GBRf have two daily intermodal trains to Felixstowe from Hams Hall and Selby, as well as handling a good number of engineering and construction trains connected with the rebuilding of Whitemoor Yard.
Link to Real Time Trains
RTT Link March Station
This link should be close to the location, but may not be the actual location so please check the page. This link will take you to what is happening 'around now'. Dates and times can be changed at the top of the page.
This link should be close to the location, but may not be the actual location so please check the page. This link will take you to what is happening 'around now'. Dates and times can be changed at the top of the page.
Environment
March station is situated just outside the centre of the busy town. One half of the station is derelict and dates from a time when the railway was much busier, the half which is used is kept in good order with hanging baskets during summer months. The station attracts a good number of passengers so it will often be busy.
Road directions
From Ely:
take the A142 to Chatteris, and follow the A141 (signposted March) until reaching the southern end of the town. The B1101 will take you into the town centre. Follow the road over the river to where the lanes divide on approach to the traffic light controlled junction with the B1099, with the town bandstand as the centrepiece. Turn right at this junction and follow the road round to the station, approximately half a mile away.
From the A47 Guyhirn roundabout:
Take the A141 (signposted March) for about 5 miles before the road crosses over the March – Peterborough line on a concrete bridge. Take the B1099 off the roundabout immediately over the bridge, follow this to the town centre and junction with the B1101 at a traffic light controlled junction with the town bandstand as the centrepiece. Go straight at this junction and follow the road round to the station about half a mile away.
The station is signposted once in the town centre.
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March Station map co-ordinates
take the A142 to Chatteris, and follow the A141 (signposted March) until reaching the southern end of the town. The B1101 will take you into the town centre. Follow the road over the river to where the lanes divide on approach to the traffic light controlled junction with the B1099, with the town bandstand as the centrepiece. Turn right at this junction and follow the road round to the station, approximately half a mile away.
From the A47 Guyhirn roundabout:
Take the A141 (signposted March) for about 5 miles before the road crosses over the March – Peterborough line on a concrete bridge. Take the B1099 off the roundabout immediately over the bridge, follow this to the town centre and junction with the B1101 at a traffic light controlled junction with the town bandstand as the centrepiece. Go straight at this junction and follow the road round to the station about half a mile away.
The station is signposted once in the town centre.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
March Station map co-ordinates
Parking
There is parking available at March station, for the flat rate fee of £1.50 per day. There is a bicycle parking area on platform 1 with railings to chain them to.
Public transport
Bus timetables to the centre of March - Click the letter M for March. There is a bus stop on County Road, about 300 yards south and another stop a few yards to the north.
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Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Amenities
There are free toilets on the station, situated within the main building. A telephone box is situated outside on the forecourt.
Food & Drink
‘The Little Frair’ chip shop about 300 yards away on County Road; turn right out of the station exit down Station Road, the second right turning is County Road.
There’s a Sainsburys supermarket with telephones and cash point in the Mill View estate, again turn right from the station to the bottom of Station Road, the supermarket is about half a mile down this road.
Food & Drink
‘The Little Frair’ chip shop about 300 yards away on County Road; turn right out of the station exit down Station Road, the second right turning is County Road.
There’s a Sainsburys supermarket with telephones and cash point in the Mill View estate, again turn right from the station to the bottom of Station Road, the supermarket is about half a mile down this road.
Accommodation
‘The Station Hotel’ immediately outside the station. +44 (0) 1354 653259
Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin:
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
March Station
Streetmap links
March Station general view map
March Station close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
March Station
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
March Station
Googly map
March Station general view map
March Station close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
March Station
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Railway Gen Group
Photographic notes
Some clear images are obtainable from the station itself, whether from the platforms or the footbridge over the tracks. Unfortunately the semaphore signals in the station area have been replaced with new colour lights. Its possible to get good views of trains running in both directions, and from the footbridge you can see clearly into the South yard (beyond the East Junction signal box to the south of the station). At the Peterborough end of the station, the east curve into Whitemoor Yard is visible, branching off from the platform end.
Speeds of non-stop trains through the station are limited by the 40mph speed restriction through the yard.
There is also a very good shot of westbound trains from the road by the level crossing, which does include some semaphore signals. It is also just possible to photograph eastbound trains if you stand on a set of steps set up beside the level crossing barriers, although beware of shadows from the buildings by the station.
The shot of westbound trains is alright all day until early evening (when the sun moves too far round), with the sun on the nose from just after lunchtime (the line runs west north west - east south east). Standing on a set of steps helps to see over some close bushes especially when using a shorter lens), and there are several possibilities for lens length and exact angle of the shot. Park in the wide space beside the road junction next to the level crossing (it is free); you can sit in the car until the barriers are lowered.
Speeds of non-stop trains through the station are limited by the 40mph speed restriction through the yard.
There is also a very good shot of westbound trains from the road by the level crossing, which does include some semaphore signals. It is also just possible to photograph eastbound trains if you stand on a set of steps set up beside the level crossing barriers, although beware of shadows from the buildings by the station.
The shot of westbound trains is alright all day until early evening (when the sun moves too far round), with the sun on the nose from just after lunchtime (the line runs west north west - east south east). Standing on a set of steps helps to see over some close bushes especially when using a shorter lens), and there are several possibilities for lens length and exact angle of the shot. Park in the wide space beside the road junction next to the level crossing (it is free); you can sit in the car until the barriers are lowered.
General views - All photographs © Ben Cannell unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking east
The view from the footbridge, showing the East Junction signal box and the South Yard beyond.
Fig 2 - Looking west
From platform level, showing the two platforms currently in use. The line to Peterborough curves gently to the left after leaving the station, the eastern curve into Whitemoor yard curves sharply to the right.
Fig 3 - Looking west
The view toward Peterborough from platform 2; the line curves gently off to the left. The east curve into Whitemoor Yard curves sharply off to the right.
Fig 4 - Looking west
The view of a southbound train from the northbound platform, showing the clear three-quarter view available.
Fig 5 - Looking east
Fairly clear shot of northbound trains from the flat wheelchair access route to platform 2, found by the bottom of the footbridge.
Fig 6 - Looking north
The East Junction signal box, taken from the station approach. With a wide angle lens, you may be able to get some roadside shots including this signal box.
Fig 7 - Looking east - Photo by Brian Carter
This photo of the Serco Railtest class 101 DMU was taken in the late 1990s, but the view has not changed (The semaphores are visible in fig 1) - and none of these semaphores have been replaced (as at June 2004). The train is on the main running line, coming towards the camera (heading west).
Disclaimer
All information contained within this is site is © Trainspots. The images used on this site remain the property of the original photographer, as credited at the top of the page, and are used with their kind permission.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
