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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.
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
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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.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
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.
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
Streetmap links
Waterbeach general view map
Waterbeach close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Waterbeach
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Waterbeach
Googly map
Waterbeach general view map
Waterbeach close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Waterbeach
Who likes this location on facebook
Railway Gen Group
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.
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
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
From the down (northbound) platform, with a southbound train stopped.
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.
