![]() Station Name: ACROW HALT
![]() Photo from National Railway Museum and SPPL ![]() ![]() ![]() An enlargement of the above map shows the platform shelter and the ramp down from the factory.
![]() Acrow Halt looking north-west c early 1960s. Note the two nameboards, each featuring the Acro logo.
Copyright photo from Tony Harden collection ![]() Diesel railbus E79960 bound for Haverhill speeds through Acrow Halt in April 1963. With the passage of time, some confusion has arisen concerning Audley End - Haverhill services. None called at Acrow Halt; however they called at Ashdon on weekdays, but not on Sunday. Contrary to some reports, all called at Bartlow. By the time of the above photograph, Acrow Halt had been propelled into the modern age by the installation of electric lighting. The arrangement, which can be seen above, was quite crude. One lamp was fixed to each of the running-in boards with power supplied via an overhead cable. This cable was presumably connected to a supply at the factory. Lighting was probably switched on only when services were due to call, and then only during the shorter daylight hours of the winter months. The lighting, and indeed the provision of the halt in the first place, suggests that Messrs Acrow were keen to promote use of the railway. Quite how much use was made of the halt by Acrow staff is not clear; one down Audley End - Saffron Walden service, the 8.11am SX was booked to work forward to Acrow Halt 'if required' and this clause suggests that usage was not especially heavy. Perhaps, however, the previous service to call at Acrow was more convenient for the workers, this being the 7.0am Audley End - Bartlow which called at Acrow 7.7am. The walkway behind the railings leads to the inclined
ramp up to the factory. Copyright photo from Tony Harden collection ![]() Acrow Halt looking north-east from the Ashdon Road underbridge in September 1969; one year after the track was lifted. The junction with the siding is out of view round the bend.
Photo by Nick Catford ![]() Acro Halt looking south-west towards Saffron Walden in September 1969.
Photo by Nick Catford ![]() Acrow Halt looking south-west in July 1975; nature is gradually taking over the trackbed and encroaching onto the platform.
Photo by Nick Catford ![]() Photo by John Wells ![]() Despite difficulty accessing the platform fly tippers have managed to find a route there to dump their rubbish as seen in this view from August 2005.
Photo by Nick Catford ![]() In April 2013 it was a pleasant surprise to find the rubbish had been removed but the graffiti artists had discovered the site. Perhaps they should have been invited to decorate the rather bland waiting shelter when the half first opened!
Photo by John Wells ![]() Photo by John Wells ![]() Photo by John Wells
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
![]()
|