Throughout September Visit Essex have been celebrating Essex railways for the 200th anniversary of the railway.
Although we cannot claim 200 years of railway in Tiptree, we can celebrate 121 years of the opening of the ‘Crab & Winkle’ Rail line on 23rd May 1904. A regular passenger service started on 1st October, leaving the London to East Anglia route at Kelvedon, and going past the Jam Factory at Tiptree, past Tolleshunt D’Arcy and terminating at Tollesbury. The idea was to encourage maritime visitors and seaside tourists (hence its nickname). For a while there was even a wooden jetty going out into the sea at Tollesbury, where boats could moor up. The train carried not only passengers, but also our Jams and Marmalades.
Arthur Wilkin, who founded Wilkin and Sons Ltd, was one of the landowners who pressed the Great Eastern Railway for the new line, donating land to expedite the new line. Arthur realised the benefit the train could bring to his factory, saving carrying all the jars up to Kelvedon station by horse and cart.
Unfortunately, road transport and the road network were also improving, and the Crab & Winkle closed to the public on 5 May 1951. The line continued to haul freight for a further ten years, eventually closing on 16 September 1962. Today there is virtually nothing left of the railway, although alongside the factory, there is still Station Road.
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