The Eastern Counties Railway (ECR) was an English railway company which began operating on 20 June 1839. It ran a train service from a temporary terminus at Mile End to Romford. This is now part of the Great Eastern Main Line. The line was extended the following year to a new London terminus at Shoreditch (later renamed Bishopsgate) and the line was subsequently extended to cover the 51 miles between London and Colchester. 