1965. Freight traffic ended on 5 December 1966. A few months later the branch was converted to "Pay Train" operation which meant that all fares were collected by the guard so staff were no longer needed at the station other than a signalman. In 1967 a new container terminal opened at Felixstowe docks, after which freight traffic quickly grew. Because the direct line to the pier and docks had been closed in 1898 when the Town station opened, all trains to the docks had to enter the station and reverse there to continue their journey. To eliminate this a new direct line was opened to the docks on 13 May 1970 using the same alignment as from 1877 to 1898. At the same time the station was reduced to just a single platform and the direct line from there towards the docks was closed. This allowed the signal box to be closed, the trains now being controlled by the signalman at until 1999 when this too was closed and control transferred to Colchester. The station buildings were listed Grade II on 23 December 1980. They were converted to shops known as 'Great Eastern Square' and opened as such on 14 March 1985. Accidents On 1 September 1900 there was a collision at the station. An up passenger train (from Felixstowe to Ipswich) left the station despite the signal not being set to permit this move. There was a freight train arriving at the time and the two trains collided at relatively low speed resulting in 12 injuries. The investigation was undertaken by Lt Colonel P G Donop for the Board of Trade. After interviewing all the staff involved (train crew, signalman and station master) concluded that the fault lay with the driver (which he readily admitted) who had passed the signal at danger. The locomotives involved were GER 474 (a GER Class T19) on the goods train and 791 (a GER Class M15) on the passenger train. On 19 July 1933 a signalling error caused a locomotive to run back into a rake of carriages after it had uncoupled from them. 13 people were injured. Description The station building of 1898 was designed by J. Wilson and the GER's architect W.N. Ashbee in the domestic revival style using red brick with stone dressings and a pantile roof. It was described by the local newspaper as having been built "in a