The Wisbech to Upwell Tramway served passengers from 1883 to 1966 (Image: CambridgeshireLive) Breaking updates from Cambridgeshire's roads, rails and airports More Newsletters Subscribe Please enter a valid email Something went wrong, please try again later. More Newsletters We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you.
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More info × Group 28 Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show Me No thanks, close See our Privacy Notice With a nickname like 'capital of the Fens', Wisbech definitely stands out compared to other towns in Cambridgeshire . However, the unusual style of tramway that operated in the 19th and 20th centuries adds to its unique story. The service operated between the town and Norfolk for more than 80 years, from August 1883 to May 1966.
It was built by the Great Eastern Railway to carry agricultural produce between the two areas. Roadside steam tramways like this one were rare in Britain but were seen more frequently in Ireland and Europe. This service, in particular, has a fascinating story and even inspired a Thomas the Tank Engine character.
Read more: Two Cambridge buildings named some of the most impressive in the country Read more: The abandoned Cold-War era nuclear bunker on Cambridgeshire border destroyed by vandals The Tramway road sign, indicating the former service that used to pass through (Image: CambridgeshireLive) The tramway opened as an experiment in 1883 and initially travelled from Wisbech to Outwell in Norfolk. This was extended to Upwell the following year. At its peak, there were six trams a day in each direction that provided passenger and freight services for local produce to Wisbech and then via the main railway link to larger towns and cities.
The kinds of goods coming in and out also set this tramway apart from the rest. It has been suggested that it was the only British railway at the time to run a "coal in, potatoes out" system. Coal was transported to Wisbech, while vegetables, fruit and flowers travelled in the other direction.
The old Goods Office on Isle Road, Outwell (Image: CambridgeshireLive) The Wisbech to Upwell Tramway even has a link to Thomas the Tank Engine, thanks to the character Toby the Tram. Toby is based on the J70 tram engine that ran on the line and appears in the books by Reverend Wilbert Awdry, who was also the one time vicar of the nearby village Emneth. Passenger services for the tramway eventually ended in 1927.
Freight traffic continued until 1966, when it eventually closed as a result of the infamous Beeching cuts that took place during that decade. Nowadays, mementos of the tramway live on throughout the villages and areas it served. In Outwell alone, the street name 'The Tramway' serves as a reminder of the route, while the former office of the village depot is still standing and notice boards can be found as well.
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