King's Lynn: 30 years since electrification of rail line

There was talk of closing the struggling King's Lynn to Cambridge line in the mid-1980s.

Sections had been reduced to single track, while with no overhead power, stations north of Cambridge could not be served by the latest electric commuter trains.

One of the first electric trains to arrive in Downham Market, after the line was electrified in 1992 (Image: Mike Beckett/Amberley)Among those backing the campaign to modernise the line was West Norfolk council, where Mike Beckett worked as a strategic planner, drawing up the case for electrification with council colleagues, which the politicians used to lobby government.

"By the early 80s, the decline north of Ely was apparent," said Mr Beckett.

"The singling of major parts of the line had led to a feeling that it was on the way out."

Electrification work in progress near Hilgay (Image: Mike Beckett/Amberley)Yet Mr Beckett and his colleagues could also see signs of a boom ahead for the area if they could improve transport links.

"There had been surveys showing the upswing of population that was coming at the time and we found the majority were coming from the south east," he said.

"What was driving it was house prices, which were a jolly sight cheaper here."

Electrification work begins at King's Lynn station in August, 1989 (Image: Mike Beckett/Amberley)

While people were moving to the area to improve their lifestyles, they needed to be able to get to their jobs in Cambridge or even London.

"Driving down the journey times became a key driver in the improvement of the local economy," said Mr Beckett.

Mike Beckett, who has written a book on the electrification of the line to King's Lynn (Image: Mike Beckett)Now Mr Beckett has written The Cambridge to King's Lynn Line - 30 Years of Electrification.

The government gave the go-ahead for the £40m upgrade in 1989 and the first electric trains were running by 1992.

The newly-electrified line at King's Lynn, in 1992 (Image: Mike Beckett/Amberley)Since then, the line's popularity has boomed, needing bigger and more frequent trains to cope with an influx of passengers in recent years.

But there are fears future improvements have been shunted into a siding because of rising costs.

The cover of Mike Beckett's new book on the electrification of the King's Lynn to Cambridge line (Image: Amberley)The Cambridge to King's Lynn Line - 30 Years of Electrification, by Mike Beckett, is published by Amberley (£15.99).