BASILDON STATION Whilst all the initial batch of postwar New Towns were built astride main railway lines, stations were the one thing that it was nobody's definite job to provide. The 1950 'Masterplan' did show station site opposite to the Bus Station, close to the eventual location. By 1955 the ER had drawn up outline plans for a three- track station, with a Down line and Reversing / Up Platform line either side of an island platform, and the Up Main line on the south side without a platform. There was enough width as land had been acquired for quadrupling here. In January 1960, however, it was reported that BR had refused to construct a station. In August 1961, at a meeting with the local authorities, the ER General Manager H.C. Johnson said that Laindon and Pitsea could deal adequately with the traffic. However this was modified shortly afterwards to BR'consider- ing' the provision of a station if the councils contributed to the cost and either Laindon or Pitsea were closed. Thinos did not really begin to move until 1969. In January agree-
66 years later and, well, little has changed. #newtowns
