Editing Great Eastern Main Line (section)

{{Short description|Principal railway route in eastern England}}
{{redirect|GEML|the airport with this ICAO code|Melilla Airport}}
{{Multiple issues|{{More citations needed|date=April 2017}}
{{Update|date=November 2022}}}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2017}}
{{Infobox rail line
| name                            = Great Eastern Main Line
| color                           = 
| logo                            = 
| logo_width                      = 
| image                           = Greater Anglia 745010 Colchester.jpg
| image_width                     = 300px
| caption                         = [[British Rail Class 745|Class 745]] at [[Colchester railway station|Colchester]] in 2020
| type                            = [[Inter-city rail|Inter-city]], [[commuter rail]], [[regional rail]]
| system                          = [[National Rail]]
| status                          = Operational
| locale                          = [[Greater London]]<br />[[East of England]]
| start                           = [[Liverpool Street station|London Liverpool Street]]<br />{{coord|51.5188|-0.0815|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline|name=Great Eastern Main Line, London terminus}}
| end                             = {{rws|Norwich}}<br />{{coord|52.6267|1.3067|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline|name=Great Eastern Main Line, Norwich terminus}}
| stations                        = 27
| routes                          = 
| daily_ridership                 = 
| open                            = 1862
| close                           = 
| owner                           = [[Network Rail]]
| operator                        = [[Greater Anglia (train operating company)|Greater Anglia]]<br />[[Elizabeth line]]<br />[[East Midlands Railway]]<br />[[c2c]] (limited services)
| character                       = 
| depot                           = Norwich Crown Point<br />Clacton-on-Sea<br />Ilford<br />Colchester
| stock                           = {{ubl|[[British Rail Class 345|Class 345 ''Aventra'']]|[[British Rail Class 357|Class 357 ''Electrostar'']]|[[British Rail Class 720|Class 720 ''Aventra'']]|[[British Rail Class 745|Class 745 ''FLIRT'']]|[[British Rail Class 150|Class 150 ]]|[[British Rail Class 170|Class 170]]|[[British Rail Class 755|Class 755]]|[[British Rail Class 90|Class 90 (Freightliner)]]|[[British Rail Class 66|Class 66]]}}
| linelength                      = {{convert|114|mi|40|chain|km}}
| tracklength                     = 
| tracks                          = 1–6
| gauge                           = {{Track gauge|sg|allk=on}}
| old_gauge                       = {{Track gauge|5ft|lk=on}} until 1844
| electrification                 = Mk1 and GEFF [[25 kV AC railway electrification|25&nbsp;kV 50&nbsp;Hz AC]] [[Overhead line|OHLE]]
| speed                           = {{convert|100|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}
| elevation                       = 
| map                             = [[File:Great Eastern Main Line.png|300px]]
| map_state                       = uncollapsed
}}
{{Great Eastern Main Line RDT}}

The '''Great Eastern Main Line''' ('''GEML''', sometimes referred to as the '''East Anglia Main Line''') is a {{convert|114.5|mi|adj=on}} major railway line on the [[Rail transport in Great Britain|British railway system]] which connects [[Liverpool Street station]] in [[central London]] with destinations in east London and the [[East of England]], including {{rws|Shenfield}}, {{rws|Chelmsford}}, {{rws|Colchester}}, {{rws|Ipswich}} and {{rws|Norwich}}. Its numerous branches also connect the main line to {{rws|Southminster}}, {{rws|Braintree|England}}, {{rws|Sudbury}}, [[Harwich Town railway station|Harwich]] and a number of coastal towns including [[Southend Victoria railway station|Southend-on-Sea]], {{rws|Clacton-on-Sea}}, {{rws|Walton-on-the-Naze}} and {{rws|Lowestoft}}.<ref name=national>National Rail, ''Rail Services Around London & the South East'', (2006)</ref>

Its main users are commuters travelling to and from London, particularly the [[City of London]], which is served by Liverpool Street, and areas in east London, including the [[London Docklands|Docklands]] financial district via the [[London Underground]] and [[Docklands Light Railway]] connections at [[Stratford station|Stratford]]. The line is also heavily used by leisure travellers, as it and its branches serve a number of seaside resorts, shopping areas and countryside destinations. The route also provides the main artery for substantial freight traffic to and from {{rws|Felixstowe}} and [[Harwich International railway station|Harwich]], via their respective branch lines. Trains from {{rws|Southend Airport}} also run into London via the GEML.<ref name=network_rail>[http://www.networkrail.co.uk/documents/3106_Route%207%20Great%20Eastern.pdf Network Rail] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061215162726/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/documents/3106_Route%207%20Great%20Eastern.pdf |date=15 December 2006 }} - Route 7 - Great Eastern (PDF)</ref>

The Elizabeth line, which fully opened in November 2022, operates services from [[Shenfield railway station|Shenfield]] to [[London Paddington station|London Paddington]] via [[Liverpool Street station|Liverpool Street]], connecting Essex with [[Central London]] and [[West London]]. Additionally, it provides a direct rail link between the GEML and the [[Great Western Main Line]].