Bishop's Stortford–Braintree branch line
It was promoted independently by the Bishop’s Stortford, Dunmow and Braintree Railway (BSD&BR) company, but the directors failed to generate subscriptions, or to manage the construction properly.
Goods traffic developed healthily in the agricultural district served, but intermediate passenger business was slow.
The ECR obtained authority to extend to Cambridge and Brandon, in order to meet the Norfolk Railway there and form a through route to Norwich.
Further east the Eastern Counties Railway had opened a line from its London terminal to Colchester, on 7 March 1843, running through Chelmsford and Witham.
In fact the BW&MR directors sold the unbuilt line to the Eastern Counties Railway a few months after getting Parliamentary authority.
[7] Subscriptions for shares in the line were very slow to come, but the GER had already determined that its interests lay in keeping interlopers out of the district, so it was ready to pay for the construction.
In particular, at Bishops Stortford no arrangements had been made by the GER to accommodate the trains from the Braintree line, and the station was considered too small to handle the extra traffic.
At the same time the GER solicitor reminded the Board that the BSD&BR company had no ordinary shareholders, and had already exceeded its permitted debenture borrowings.
[note 1][10] It had long been plain that the BSD&BR company was incapable of bringing the construction to a conclusion, and all its financial outgoings were being made by the Great Eastern Railway.
[12] The firm of Valentine and Wilson had been commissioned by the GER as valuers to examine the state of the railway as constructed, prior to the agreement leading to the 1868 Act.
[12] Still the GER delayed opening the line, which had been substantially completed for 2+1⁄2 years; Brassey's account was unpaid, and at this late stage Col Yolland of the Board of Trade had to insist on turntables being provided at Bishops Stortford and Braintree, as well as some signal interlocking alterations.
Now at last the GER was hastening the opening of the line and Col Yolland made an inspection for the Board of Trade on 28 January 1869.
[16] Bus competition was being felt in reducing passenger business on the line, and in reaction the GER opened two new halts, at Stane Street and Bannister Green on 18 December 1922.
However British Railways operated an enhanced service of seven passenger trains each way Monday to Friday, six on Saturdays, nearly all running through to Witham.
The goods yard at Takeley was adapted with the necessary changeover equipment to enable the Road-Railer to transfer from road to rail haulage travelling mode, and vice versa.
[13] From that date the branch was divided into two sections, Bishop's Stortford to Dunmow, and Braintree to Felsted for sugar beet traffic only.
The forwarding of sugar beet from Hertford line stations to Felsted factory suddenly became very lengthy and roundabout, and the business quickly transferred to road, leaving only outgoing pulp traffic to be transported by rail.
[25] A corresponding decline took place on the western section of the line, and from 1 April 1969 only a private siding used for Geest Industries banana traffic was in use, the rest of the route having been closed.
[25][13] The Flitch Way is a 15 mile (km) long-distance walking route that follows the track-bed of the former Bishop’s Stortford to Braintree branch railway.
[28] The Flitch Way adjoins four named paths:[28] Andy T Wallis, Bishop's Stortford, Braintree, Witham & Maldon Railways Through Time, Amberley Publishing, Stroud, 2013, ISBN 978-1445608563
