Physical connection with the Stour Valley Railway at Haverhill was provided in 1865, and although close relations were maintained with the Great Eastern Railway, the Colne Valley and Halstead Railway remained completely independent until it became part of the London and North Eastern Railway in the 1923 regrouping.
The connection to the Stour Valley Railway at Haverhill was established in 1865, while maintaining close ties with the Great Eastern Railway. The Colne Valley and Halstead Railway remained independent until it became part of the London and North Eastern Railway as a result of a broader reorganization in 1923.