This book takes an in-depth look at the small independent railway that
was financed and built by the good citizens of Halstead and its
surrounding villages in Essex. The CV&HR came into being in 1860 but
struggled financially for a number of years before being put into
receivership. However, in the late nineteenth century it made steady
progress and reached its financial and traffic peak in the years leading
up to the First World War. Absorbed into the LNER in 1923, and passing
into state ownership in 1948, the line ceased to carry passengers from 1
January 1962 and closed completely in April 1965. Yet a small portion of
the line has since been rebuilt from scratch at Castle Hedingham. The
reader is invited to view the stations and locomotives of this historic
railway, witnessing the line in its prime and in the years since its
closure. Some stations have survived remarkably well, while others have
been totally destroyed. But many artefacts from the old line survive as
part of the Castle Hedingham restoration undertaken by dedicated
enthusiasts. The story of this project and the railway to which it pays
homage is revealed through this varied selection of images and their
authoritative captions.
