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Road directions
From the A142 from Newmarket
Heading towards Ely you bypass Soham and reach Stuntney, the level crossing will soon be clear to see, being extremely careful with the height of your vehicle as the underpass is very low and has been hit countless times in the past. Anything higher than a car and you should really use the level crossing on the right. Take the next left turning immediately after the bridge into the station car park. Park your car and pay at the booking office (Free parking at Weekends).
From the A14
At Cambridge head onto the A10 northbound to Ely, after passing by Waterbeach business park and past Stretham you will eventually reach Ely roundabout. Take the third exit - right - which takes you down Angel Drove to the Tesco roundabout. See below
From the A1 Peterborough Either follow the instructions from the A14 or join the A141 at Huntingdon heading towards March. Follow road signs to Chatteris and take the A142 to Sutton and then onto Ely. After passing by Sutton and Whitchford you will pass Duffields of East Anglia’s Volvo Truck and Bus depot on the right after going over the roundabout. At the next roundabout take the third exit (right) and the over the next roundabout to Angel Drove to the Tesco roundabout
From the Tesco roundabout straight over and you reach the next mini roundabout, take a right hand turning and you will see the level crossing and road bridge. Take the next right turning into the station, park your car and pay at the booking office (Free parking at Weekends).
Parking
Parking costs (2014) £5.30 per day or £4.50 for Off Peak leisure travellers, but the car park is usually full with commuters. On Saturdays and Sundays Parking is Free. The adjacent Tesco store has a three-hour limit and they will fine/clamp anyone who overstays more than once, they do keep records.
Public transport
Local services from Stagecoach operate from outside the station car park to the city centre and from outside Tesco to Cambridge, and March via the City Centre.
Amenities
There is a buffet on platforms 2 and 3, Ely Station News on platform 1 sells snacks and drinks. There’s the LA Bean outlet on platform 1, which sells good coffee. Toilets are located on Platform 1 and between 2 and 3. If these toilets are closed due to vandalism then try Tesco which are better. Phone boxes are located on Platform 1 and between 2 and3. Cash points are located at Tesco outside the entrance. Tesco also have a restaurant where you can get sorted with a full English for starting a day’s worth of spotting!
Accommodation
Local accommodation is mainly in the city centre with many B&B’s and a Hotel. The author recommends the Lamb Inn in the city centre. They have a nice restaurant and views of the Cathedral being a stone throw away. About 10 minutes walk from the station to the city centre.
BC - The Cutter Inn on the waterfront at Ely marina offers accommodation, tel: +44 (0) 1353 662713 Ely Online contains further info on accommodation and facilities in the city.
Mark John’s notes
Photo’s are best taken from platform 2 and 3 as freight can be seen closer without obstacles running through the up goods line. For the down goods line head down to the bottom of platform 2 for a better angle.
Photo’s can also be taken from the north end of platform 1 on the small 'spotters platform' - which is where the author normally hangs out. But do not use the slope for photo’s as it is trespassing.
Although you often find passengers using it as a path as well!
For on track plant, photo’s can be taken from platform 1 and through the fence to the compound, but do not enter the compound as this is trespassing, and the security guard is always there keeping an eye on the gates from the bottom of the compound.
The only obstacles around the station are the Overhead line masts on the platform 3 side looking towards the up goods line.
Ben Cannell’s notes
The light is generally good throughout the day at Ely, only the low winter sun will cause a problems for photos of trains approaching from the south. Speeds of the trains are low, there’s a 20mph restriction for locos, 35mph for units over the river bridges immediately north of the station and all passenger trains call at Ely station.
There is little in the way of photographic obstructions on the station itself, just the usual lamp posts and OLE. You will have problems if trying to photograph or film trains using a zoom lens on the southern approaches due to the gentle curvature of the line and the mass of OLE masts. Similarly you will have trouble standing at the northern extremity of platform 1 for the same reason, but if sticking towards the middle to southern end of the platforms you can find a few viewpoints, pointing your lens along the tracks.
Most freights pass through non stop, using platform 1 for northbound and platform 2 for southbound; however they may be looped. The loop to the east of platform 3 is mainly used by southbound trains or those coming off the Bury St Edmunds/Ipswich branch; the loop south of platform 1 for trains coming up from Cambridge. The Redlands train to Norwich runs round at Ely and can use either loop.
At night, the station lamps won’t distort the colours as they appear to be a mixture of high pressure sodium lamps and fluorescent tubes.
