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Written by Brian Carter - 16 Oct 2004
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Location notes
A station situated on the Cambridge - Ely line in Cambridgeshire.
Railway type and traffic
Passenger:
Hourly First Capital Connect King's Lynn - King's Cross service using class 365 EMUs, hourly Central Trains Stansted Airport - Birmingham service using class 170 (and at present a few class 158) DMUs, roughly hourly Greater Anglia Norwich - Cambridge service using class 170 DMUs, peak hours Greater Anglia Liverpool Street - King's Lynn service using class 317 EMUs.
Freight:
Quite limited. Includes Lafarge stone trains from Mountsorrel to Chesterton Junction or Harlow several times each week, and the two daily Wembley - Ely intermodal Enterprise workings.
Environment
An unstaffed station on the south eastern edge of the village. Houses to the west, open fields / fens to the east.
Road directions
From the A10 Cambridge - Ely road, beside the Slap Up pub / restaurant take the Waterbeach turn (eastwards). Follow the road through the village (signed Horningsea) and this leads to the level crossing bisecting the station. Alternatively, from the A14 heading east (only), turn off at the B1047 (signed Fen Ditton and Horningsea) and turn left at the end of the slip road. Follow the road through Horningsea to Waterbeach station.

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Waterbeach map co-ordinates
Parking
The station car park is situated on the east side of the level crossing. It is a pay and display car park, but free on Sundays (and possibly Saturdays). There is some roadside parking a little way from the level crossing, but the road is narrow.
Public transport
All First Capital Connect trains call at Waterbeach. Stagecoach in Cambridge (Cambus) buses serve Waterbeach village.

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Amenities
There is a Tesco supermarket (with petrol) close to the A14 / A10 junction at Milton, a few miles away. The Bridge Hotel at Clayhithe, less than 0.5 miles down the road towards Horningsea (away from Waterbeach) serves food, and there is also a pub serving food in Horningsea, as well as the Slap Up on the A10.
The station has very little shelter from the rain.
Accommodation
The Bridge Hotel at Clayhithe does accommodation. Otherwise, there are plently of Bed and Breakfasts, guest houses and hotels in and around Cambridge.
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.
Waterbeach

Googly map
Streetmap links
Waterbeach general view map
Waterbeach close up map

Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Waterbeach



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Photographic notes
The station has staggered platforms, both after the level crossing in the direction of travel. The line runs almost NE-SW.
The best shot is of southbound trains from the down (northbound) platform. The sun moves round far enough by about 4pm. It is also possible to take going away shots of southbound trains from this platform, but the shot will always be back lit. The shot from this platform of northbound trains is very head on.

From the up (southbound) platform it is possible to shoot northbound trains until around midday, with the sun on the nose only early in the morning. Going away shots of northbound trains are also possible until about 1pm, but shots of southbound trains are very head on.


General views - All photographs © Brian Carter unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking north


Fig 1 - Looking north

From the down (northbound) platform, just before 4pm. The train is a diverted Sunday afternoon Norwich - Liverpool Street 'one' Anglia working.

Fig 2 - Looking south


Fig 2 - Looking south

From the down (northbound) platform, with a southbound train stopped.

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