The Fen Line is a railway line in the east of England that links in the south to in the north. The line runs through Cambridgeshire and Norfolk and is so called because it passes through the Fens. It is in length and has eight stations. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 5 and comprises SRS 05.06 and part of 05.05. It is classified as a secondary line except between Cambridge and where it is classified as a London and South Eastcommuter line.
operate through services to London King's Cross. These services operate non-stop between London and Cambridge for most of the day, as part of the half-hourly "Cambridge Express" service. One train an hour is extended beyond Cambridge to serve all stations to King's Lynn, whilst the alternative services run to Ely. These services are mostly operated byClass 387electric multiple units. Before May 2017, Class 365s were the principal units. Three Class 365 EMUs received names associated with the line:
The Fenman – previously a "named train" that used to operate on this line, consisting of locomotive-hauled InterCity trains;
Robert Stripe Passengers' Champion was named on 10 March 2006, after the 21st Anniversary of the Fen Line Users Association;
Nelson's County had a special livery applied to the outside which shows various scenes of West Norfolk however this was removed when Great Northern took over First Capital Connect.
regularly runs services between Cambridge and Norwich on an hourly basis via the Breckland line, running non-stop between Ely and Cambridge. Class 170 units are typically used for this service. In addition to this, Greater Anglia operate a few direct services between London Liverpool Street and King's Lynn or Ely. These services operate only run during the morning and evening peaks, and use Class 317 and Class 379 units.
The section between Cambridge and Ely is also used non-stop by CrossCountry services to Stansted Airport.
Signalling
The line is double tracked except between Littleport and Downham Market and between Watlington and King's Lynn where it is bi-directionally signalled single track. In the Down direction, the entrance to the single line sections is protected additionally by SPAD indicators. Signal boxes controlling the line are;
for electric trains is provided by 25 kV ACOHLE controlled by Romford Electrical Control Room. There are Neutral Sections at Shepreth Branch junction, Milton Fen and just north of Littleport bypass. The line has a loading gauge of W8 except for the section connecting the Ipswich–Ely line to the Ely–Peterborough line, which is W10.
Passenger volume
These are the statistics of the numbers of passengers on the line from the year beginning April 2002 to the year beginning April 2017. Comparing each station between the first and last years, King's Lynn has increased by 68%, Watlington by 133%, Downham Market by 111%, Littleport by 157%, Ely by 113%, Waterbeach by 149% and Cambridge by 109%. Cambridge North did not open at the publication of these previous figures.
