Witham–Maldon branch line
The Witham to Maldon branch line is a closed railway line between Witham and Maldon in Essex, England. The line was 5.75 miles (9.25 km) long and operated from 1848 until final closure in 1966, though passenger services had ceased two years earlier.
Most of the railway was built economically using timber instead of bricks, however the station at Maldon was built far grander than necessary as one of the railway's political financiers, David Waddington, was seeking local re-election to the Maldon parliamentary constituency and extended the employment of the railway workers to improve his chances.
There were six timber trestle viaducts on the line; the one near the former Wickham Bishops station (51°46′30″N 0°38′33″E / 51.775°N 0.6426°E) is the only remaining and is a scheduled monument.
The railway was built between Braintree and Maldon by the Maldon, Witham & Braintree Railway Company. It joined with the Great Eastern Main Line at Witham where a triangular junction allowed access to the branch from either direction of the main line. However, the 1897 survey shows that the north-eastern or country end of the triangle had already been disconnected by that time. The line having opened for freight on 18 April 1848 and for passengers on 2 October 1848. From 1958 the branch was operated by a railbus.
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