Over the winter Network Rail has been busily converting the former Chesterton Junction Central Permanent Way Depot site in the north Cambridge suburb of Chesterton into the new Cambridge North passenger station....and freight terminal. The station will serve the huge science and business parks of north Cambridge as well as providing park and ride facilities for the A10/A14 corridors, a hub for an extension of the Northstowe/St Ives corridor busway and the residents of north Cambridge suburbs remote from the existing station.

Train services will no doubt evolve but from day one it is expected current services passing the site will serve the station and some services currently terminating at Cambridge "Central" station will be extended north.

The station is large. A terminal building will be linked to the platforms by a long footbridge. As well as stairs, three lift shafts are needed. There are large cycle parking and car parking areas as well as a bus interchange. The guided bus way has been extended as a bus-only road to the station. A network of cycles-ways is being developed to focus on the station. Included is a new foot/cycle bridge over the nearby River Cam.

The changes and additions to the overhead wires for electric traction are largely complete as is most of the new track work. All three platforms are 12 cars in length and are largely completed. As the photographs show, they are constructed alongside the up and down main lines with down platform being an island. The bay platform will allow for terminating trains from the south. The down main platform is, we understand, bi-directional.

The photo on the left shows the view looking south. Up and down main line platforms on left. Partially completed bay to right. Note that its track is complete. Three lift shafts evident. That on the right is partially complete and indicates the position of the concourse. The linking footbridge will be lengthy.

The photo on the right shows the view looking north. This shot is from what will be the concourse. The three passenger platforms are shown under the overhead wire gantries to the right. In the middle are the freight reception and runround lines.

As well as the new passenger station, a new freight terminal has been provided at the north end of the site - in the far distance top left of the right-hand photo. Through freight reception and run round sidings are provided the whole length of site.

In addition to this station, there are fast developing plans for a Cambridge South station adjacent to the Bio Medical Campus. A little behind are plans for what will be in effect 'Cambridge East' between Cherry Hinton and Fulbourn on the Ipswich line.

Railfuture's Involvement

Railfuture has supported and encouraged this development throughout its gestation and
particularly at the planning application stage when we encouraged a completely user-friendly station.

See Railfuture's 2012 response to Cambridgeshire County Council's consultation in which it specified what is needed for a high-quality station.

Also see the 2015 Railfuture response to planning application.

Railfuture can claim credit for persuading Network Rail to utilise its disused access road to provide a safe segregated pedestian cycling access route to the new station.