# Harwich International railway station

Harwich International railway station is a railway station on the Mayflower Line, a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line, the station serves Harwich International Port in Essex, England. It is 68 miles 72 chains (110.88 km) from London Liverpool Street, between Wrabness to the west and Dovercourt to the east. Its three-letter station code, HPQ, derives from its original name, Harwich Parkeston Quay.
The station is operated by Greater Anglia, which also runs all trains serving the station. It is the eastern terminus in England of the Dutchflyer service between London and Amsterdam.

## Description

The station has two entrances. One is located on the ground floor of the passenger terminal building which houses a ticket machine, and provides step free direct access to Platform 1 and indirect access to platforms 2 and 3 via a footbridge. The second entrance is from a car-park via the footbridge, with step free access being provided by a lift which is in service until the evening ferry sailing to Hook of Holland has departed. The platforms can also be accessed via a level crossing at the eastern end of the platforms.
Generally Platform 1 is used as the terminus of Dutchflyer trains towards London. Platform 2 is bi-directional and is served by local Mayflower Line services between Manningtree and Harwich Town, while Platform 3 is used by services for Lowestoft, Norwich and Cambridge. The platforms have an operational length for thirteen-coach trains.

## History

The Manningtree to Harwich branch was opened as a single track line on 15 August 1854 and the original route passed south of the Parkeston Quay site. During the 1860s and 1870s passenger and goods traffic grew at Harwich but so did complaints about noise, smell and cattle lairages in the centre of town. Additionally ship passengers faced a long walk between Harwich station and the ships.
The port and station at Parkeston owe their origins to the Great Eastern Railway (GER) which opened them on a new track alignment built over reclaimed land in September 1882 and named them after its chairman, Charles Henry Parkes. The single-track branch was doubled at the same time and diverted to the north of its original alignment which can still be followed on Ordnance Survey maps of the area.
The original combined station building and hotel is still in existence although the hotel is now converted for office use and is part of the port terminal.
When opened the station consisted of two through-platforms serving the then double-track line to Harwich Town. This was supplemented by a bay platform at the eastern end of the main platform (the present-day Platform 1) which handled Harwich to Parkeston local services, which in the days of steam generally consisted of a J15 and later N2 or N7 tank engines and up to four carriages. This service was timed to suit shift times both on the quay and in adjoining offices, the majority of workers being railway employees. The bay also had a loop allowing the running round of the locomotive. The main platform was and still is of sufficient length to accommodate a boat train of 10 or 11 coaches. The "up" (westbound) through-platform was shorter but this did not prevent it being used by the North Country boat train in the morning, which consisted of 11 or 12 carriages and would overhang the end of the platform considerably at the eastern end of the station.
The Manningtree to Harwich local service used the last one-third of the main platform using a third central access line, which joined the platform at that point allowing a ticket barrier to be used for that part of the platform exclusively. This arrangement allowed a five- or six-coach train to sit at the western end of that platform without the need for any shunting, whereas a full boat train would have to shunt temporarily towards the west to allow the local train access.

### London & North Eastern Railway (1923-1947)

Following an extension of the maritime quay westward,Parkeston Quay West was opened in 1932 and was constructed on a wooden pier. The land in between the pier and the then riverbank was later reclaimed.
During the early years foot passengers had got off at Parkeston Quay station and had walked through to the quay. The construction of Parkeston Quay West enabled trains to deliver the passengers to the quayside removing passengers from the actual quayside and offering an improved interchange. The station consisted of a single platform and was capable of handling a 10- or 11-coach boat train. It serviced the day service to the Hoek van Holland Haven (Hook of Holland Harbour).
This also saw an extension to the yard and the signalling was upgraded in this area during 1931/32.
In 1934 the name Harwich was added to the main station name making it Harwich Parkeston Quay.
Harwich and Parkeston was a base for Royal Navy destroyers and other craft during World War 2. Military personnel and munitions were handled by the railway facilities during this time.

### British Railways (1948-1994)

In 1948 following nationalisation the line became part of British Railways Eastern Region.
After World War 2 Harwich became a major route for troops to Europe during the Cold War and Parkeston Quay was the base port for three troop ships serving the British Army of the Rhine operation in Germany via the Hook of Holland. The vessels initially employed were the Vienna, Empire Parkeston and Empire Wansbeck. In the 1960s Ro-Ro ferries started operating and the three ships were retired.
The Thompson B1 class 4-6-0 class worked many of the other longer distance trains and at the time.
On the evening of 31 January 1953, the North Sea flood of 1953 affected the area with 200 yards of main line embankment washed away. Damage to the decking of the quays was also recorded. The line towards Manningtree was reopened on 5 February, and to Harwich, where there had been further damage, on 23 February.
From 21 May 1968 the two lines between Harwich Parkeston Quay and Harwich Town were operated as two single lines - the former up line was for passenger services and the formers down line for freight.
By the late 1970s the costs of running the dated mechanical signalling systems north of Colchester was recognised and in 1978 a scheme for track rationalisation and re-signalling was duly submitted to the Department of Transport. This was followed by a proposal to electrify the Great Eastern Main Line north of Colchester and branch to Harwich in 1980. Electrification work was undertaken in the early – mid 1980s.
Parkeston Quay West closed in 1972 with all traffic using the main station. A new two storey passenger terminal was built next to the station building. The 1970s also saw platform realignment and new canopies installed.
Harwich Parkeston Quay continued to have locomotive-hauled InterCity services running to both London and the north via Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Ely and Peterborough (mostly to Manchester and Glasgow Central).
In 1982 British Railways sectorised their operations and the branch fell under the London & South East (later renamed Network SouthEast in 1986).
On 14 April 1985 the first electric train consisting of two Class 308 electric multiple units (EMU) worked the line although the previous year another member of the class had been dragged from Ipswich to Parkeston and used for crew training. The following day a Class 86 locomotive visited the branch to test various sidings and crossings on the line. The full electric service was introduced on 12 May 1985 with InterCity Class 86s working the Liverpool Street boat trains and EMUs working local services.

### The privatisation era (1994-present day)

In April 1994, Railtrack became responsible for the maintenance of the infrastructure; it was succeeded by Network Rail in 2002.
Passenger services have been operated by the following franchises:
* April 1994 to December 1996 - Operated as a non-privatised business unit under the InterCity brand name
* January 1997 to March 2004 - Anglia Railways (owned by GB Railways, but was bought out by FirstGroup in 2003)
* April 2004 to February 2012 - National Express East Anglia
* March 2013 to present - Abellio Greater Anglia
On 27 May 1995 the station name was changed to Harwich International Port although the port was dropped shortly thereafter.
The line was given the marketing name the "Mayflower line" in September 1997, with a ceremony held at Mistley in the presence of local MP Ivan Henderson.

## Boat Train Operation

Boat trains commenced running to Harwich Parkeston Quay in 1882 and were timed 1 hour 45 minutes from London Liverpool Street. By 1895 this was down to 1 hour 30 minutes. In 1897 the 8:30 pm train was run as two separate trains - 8:30 pm for the Hook of Holland Harbour and 8:35 pm for Antwerp. With the introduction of corridor restaurant cars in 1904, the time was eased to 1 hour 27 minutes, but the introduction of the large Great Eastern 1500 class 4-6-0 engines in 1912 saw a running time of 1 hour 22 minutes.
In the early days there were boat trains to Liverpool Street but in 1885 the first train operated via Ipswich to Doncaster which paved the way for over a century of trains linking Parkeston Quay to the Midlands and north.
The North Country Continental operated between Harwich and Manchester Piccadilly usually being routed via March and the GNGEJR route.
This train included the first restaurant car on the Great Eastern (in 1891) and this was also the first service in the UK to allow third-class passengers to dine. A new train set was built for this service in 1906 and generally operated in the following formation:
ENGINE+THIRD CLASS BRAKE+CORRIDOR THIRD+OPEN THIRD+KITCHEN AND OPEN FIRST+SEMI-OPEN FIRST+SIX WHEEL BRAKE (this constituted the York portion). Then followed various corridor composite brakes followed each detached from the rear of the northbound train en route. These were for LIVERPOOL (detached Doncaster on the outward journey)+ LIVERPOOL + MANCHESTER(detached at Lincoln and routed via the Great Central routes) + BIRMINGHAM (via Midland Railway routes) + BIRMINGHAM (via London and North Western routes)(both of which were detached at March).
Other named boat trains included The Scandinavian which connected to the Esjberg ferry, the Antwerp Continental , the night hook and the Flushing Continental.
Larger GER steam locomotives such as the Claud Hamilton 4-4-0s and GER Class S69 4-6-0s which remained the staple locomotive employed on boat train services throughout LNER days.
The LNER introduced the LNER Class B17 4-6-0 locomotives to the GER and these saw work on the boat trains as did the Thompson designed LNER Class B1 4-6-0s.
During World War II boat train services were suspended.
In the 1950s Britannia Class locomotives allocated to Stratford engine shed worked the Liverpool boat trains although these were usually worked by Parkeston crews. Steam power disappeared from East Anglia in 1962 and boat train working was taken over by Class 31, Class 37 and later Class 47 locomotives.
In 1986 the North Country Continental was renamed The European and was diverted via the North London Line and WCML while the train on the traditional route was now known as the Rheinlander. With the introduction of Sprinter DMus this as changed to 'The Lorelei' from Parkeston to Liverpool Lime Street with a unit for Birmingham New Street detaching at Peterbrough. The return working from Liverpool was named the Vincent Van Gough.
Electrification of the Harwich Branch in 1985 saw Liverpool Street trains worked by Class 86 and later Class 90s. The Manchester service remained in the hands of the Class 47s until the end of locomotive hauled trains (in May 1988) and the cutting back of services to Peterborough (in May 1994).
The Liverpool Street boat trains also declined as passenger trends changed and today (2024) there are no dedicated boat trains except for specials servicing cruise vessels.

### Other railway facilities
#### Parkeston (village)

The village of Parkeston, Essex was created in the 1880s for railway and quay staff.

#### Parkeston Yard

The extensive marshalling yard to the west of the main station provided stabling for the carriage sets which were used on the boat trains and local services, the large numbers of lorries used for servicing Parkeston Quay, and the huge throughput of export and import wagons which were shipped va the train ferry service from Harwich Town. Cargoes were assembled at Parkeston and brought to Harwich for a specific sailing, as there was no long-term storage capacity at the ferry terminal. Import wagons were subject to customs clearance at Parkeston and delays could at times be considerable on individual wagons, cargoes having arrived from various European origins.
The type of wagon passing through the marshalling yard changed towards the end of the century as container or freightliner flats and car flats replaced ferry wagons.
There is little regular freight at this site in 2024 and passenger stock stables overnight having arrived off Liverpool Street services. These generally form early morning and peak hour services to London Liverpool Street.

#### Parkeston Engine Shed

In the 1870s the building of Parkeston Quay had started and land to the east of that site was allocated for the new engine shed which opened in March 1883. The shed was a four-road brick-built straight-shed with an outdoor turntable located between the shed and running lines. Access to the shed was from the Harwich direction and the shed was provided with coaling and watering facilities. In the 1890s the shed was equipped to deal with some repairs although these were generally undertaken at Ipswich engine shed further down-line.
A new, larger turntable was provided on the site in 1912 and this was installed in time for the delivery of the 1500 class 4-6-0 locomotives, the first of which was allocated to Parkeston. It is probably about this time that access to the shed was improved with a link from the east end of Parkeston Quay station supplementing the existing access.
The shed was part of the Ipswich district (referred to as the Eastern district after 1915).
At the end of the Great Eastern Railway the following locomotives were allocated to Parkeston:
| Class (LNER classification) | Wheel arrangement | Number allocated |
| B12 | 4-6-0 | 22 |
| D13 | 4-4-0 | 5 |
| D14 | 4-4-0 | 3 |
| D15 | 4-4-0 | 16 |
| E4 | 2-4-0 | 14 |
| F3 | 2-4-2T | 9 |
| F4 | 2-4-2T | 1 |
| F5 | 2-4-2T | 2 |
| J14 | 0-6-0 | 1 |
| J15 | 0-6-0 | 32 |
| J65 | 0-6-0T | 5 |
| J66 | 0-6-0T | 7 |
| J67 | 0-6-0T | 4 |
| J69 | 0-6-0T | 3 |
| J70 | 0-6-0T Tram | 7 |
In 1930 improved coal facilities were introduced along with a water softening plant in 1935.
The shed was re-roofed in 1950.
By the mid- to late-1950s the number of steam locomotives had declined. Ian Allan's Locoshed Book listed just 24 on 11 May 1957, (nine B1s, nine J39s, three J15s, one J68 and two N7s). The numbers of shunting and tank engines had been reduced by the arrival of diesel powered units and diesel multiple units had begun to work local services. There were still 33 units allocated overall to the shed in 1959 but by 1967 the facility had been closed and demolished.

#### Parkeston Freightliner Terminal

The demolition of the locomotive shed allowed the construction of the new Freightliner terminal on the site, which opened on 21 May 1968. The Seafreightliner service operated two sailings per day to Zeebrugge and one sailing per day to Rotterdam, the latter in a joint service with its Dutch counterparts.
The freightliner terminal was closed on 29 April 1994.
The terminal is out of use in 2024 although it is hoped that traffic may return in the future. Rail capacity to Felixstowe on the other side of the estuary is limited by sections of single line which is currently (2025) at capacity. This may see freightliner traffic return to Parkeston one day.

#### Signalling

The area was controlled by three signal boxes using semaphore signalling. From west to east these were:
* Parkeston Goods Junction - this controlled access to the yards and from 1932 to Parkeston West station. The first box opened in 1882 and closed in 1934 when a larger box was provided. This box closed on 1 December 1985.
* Parkeston West - this controlled the west end of Parkeston Quay station and the east end of Parkeston Yard. Dates were similar to Parkeston Goods Junction above.
* Parkeston East - this controlled access to the east off the station and the engine shed. Opened in 1882 it was closed in November 1973.
In 1985 signalling was replaced by more modern automatic signals and controlled from an NX Panel located in Parkeston SB, Located on the site of Parkeston west SB.

## Current services

As of December 2019 the typical daily service on the line is one train per hour in each direction, although some additional services run at weekday peak times. The branch trains operate between Harwich Town and Manningtree calling at all stations, although some are extended to or from Colchester and/or London Liverpool Street. There are two trains per day which run direct to Ipswich, which utilise the curve avoiding the station at Manningtree. These are operated by bi-mode multiple units and are the 0750 Harwich International to Cambridge and 2147 to Lowestoft as well as two inward workings from Cambridge and Lowestoft. The lines to Cambridge via Bury St Edmunds and Lowestoft are not electrified hence the bi-mode operation.