History of the avoiding Harwich International line

[Gathursty]

It is clear to see from Google Satellite view that the Harwich Town branch line deviates from a now disused alignment to serve Harwich International.

What is the chronology of this change of routing?
When was the last passenger service to use the direct route to Harwich Town?
Was it the Port/Ferry/Train operator who wanted/paid for the diversion?

 

[eastdyke]

It is clear to see from Google Satellite view that the Harwich Town branch line deviates from a now disused alignment to serve Harwich International.

What is the chronology of this change of routing?
When was the last passenger service to use the direct route to Harwich Town?
Was it the Port/Ferry/Train operator who wanted/paid for the diversion?

Harwich International and associated quay was built and operated by the Great Eastern Railway and opened in 1883. This was to satisfy the inreasing demands for trade and travel between UK and the Continent (!)
It was built on land reclaimed from the River Stour Estuary and originally known as Harwich, Stour Quay. Very quickly it was renamed Harwich, Parkeston Quay (the name by which I have always known it). The development included streets of houses for railway employees.
I have always wondered when the original direct route to Harwich was removed and I can find no information or maps that show it! I think it highly likely that it was removed either in 1883 or shortly after.
During the peak of rail services there was a further station, Parkeston Quay, West, quite close to the actual quayside and used for some of the principal boat trains. Not sure when it was taken out of use but it was still used by the Day Continental (only) in summer 1955 for through ticketholders to/from the continent.

Some more local history from the Harwich and Dovercourt, a time gone by, website here:
http://www.harwichanddovercourt.co.uk/parkeston-life/

 

[eastdyke]

I have found this map on the Francis Frith website:
https://www.francisfrith.com/parkeston-quay/parkeston-1881-1902_hosm56204

It is annotated 'Parkeston, 1881 - 1902, published by the Ordnance Survey in 1881'.
The direct route is already shown as 'Disused Railway'. The rows of railway houses can be seen.
Possible explanations include:
that the map is a combination of sheets, not all of which date from 1881 (which I favour)
or
that the new railway was installed before opening of the quay facility in 1883, and so enabling earlier closure of the direct route
or
something completely different!

 

[Cowley]

I have found this map on the Francis Frith website:
https://www.francisfrith.com/parkeston-quay/parkeston-1881-1902_hosm56204

It is annotated 'Parkeston, 1881 - 1902, published by the Ordnance Survey in 1881'.
The direct route is already shown as 'Disused Railway'. The rows of railway houses can be seen.
Possible explanations include:
that the map is a combination of sheets, not all of which date from 1881 (which I favour)
or
that the new railway was installed before opening of the quay facility in 1883, and so enabling earlier closure of the direct route
or
something completely different!

That’s really interesting, thanks for posting this.

 

[Gathursty]

Excellent detailed responses!

 

[eastdyke]

After visiting the National Library of Scotland (NLS) website I now believe that the map pictured in my first post was taken from the OS six-inch second edition revised in 1896 from the original 1875 survey. It was published in 1898.
On the same website, I have at last found a map showing track along the original route. This is again the OS six-inch, the first edition survey of 1875, first published 1881.
This links to the NLS page and is zoomable:
https://maps.nls.uk/view/102341855

None of this helps with the date that the direct route was taken out of use (no doubt the track and other materials would have been promptly re-used) and until someone comes up with a definitive answer I will have to say circa 1883!

 

[etr221]

The Eastern Counties volume of the Regional History, by D I Gordon, gives 6 Sept 1882 for 'completion' of the diversion, and doubling of the Harwich Branch (had been single beyond Mistley), and 15 March 1883 for closure of the original line with, subsequent lifting (without saying how long this took).

 

[eastwestdivide]

The big Cobb atlas also shows a closure date of 1883 for that stretch, agreeing with etr221's post above.