Bygone Railways of East Lincolnshire

A very early morning at Boston on 25th October 1980. 43086 is at the head of a Merrymaker Excursion to Edinburgh, the very first HST from Boston. For those of us from Skegness, it required a special bus connection which allowed me just sufficient time to set up the tripod and camera for a few pictures. The second photo looks towards West Street, where the lit up signal box can be seen.  From memory the train also picked up at Sleaford, Lincoln Central, and Gainsborough Lea Road. Passengers could alight at Edinburgh, or stay on board for a trip over the Forth Bridge to Inverkeithing and back.   Not bad for an Adult First Class Return fare of £15 :)

Summer 1982, a Class 114 diesel multiple unit with E56003 leading, is seen at the sidings near Boston station with the Tower of St Botolph's church dominating the background. This will have waited for the 2D10 0740 to Doncaster to depart and clear the platform  before forming the 2D63 0810 service to Grantham. The Yellow Line beneath the roof shows that First Class accommodation was still available even on local services although would be withdrawn by May the following year and  accommodation downgraded for use by Second Class ticket holders.  Passengers from Skegness, myself included, had travelled by a connecting bus service (ex 0625) as this was an era when the line between Boston and Skegness had no early morning/late evening trains as an ecomomy measure introduced on 3rd October 1977; a situation that would continue until the introduction of the 15th May 1989 timetable. 56013 was new in December 1956 (as 54013), and was withdrawn in March 1989, and scrapp...

Times taken from the L&NER Working Timetable 7th October 1946 to 4th May 1947 0000 MS 2045 Grimsby - New England 0127 MS 2010 Wath - New England (Min) 0150 MS 2205 Mansfield CS - New England (Min) 0223 SO 2130 Doncaster Decoy - New England  0427 MX  0115 Colwick - Immingham (Min) 0438 MX  0033 Doncaster Mineral - New England 0510 MX  0040 King's Cross - Grimsby Goods (Exp) 0515 MS  0515 Boston Goods - Firsby 0545 MS  0545 Boston Goods - Grimsby Goods (Min) 0545 MS  0200 Mansfield CS - New England (Min) 0605 MS  0605 Boston Goods - Skegness 0643 MO  0335 Colwick - Immingham (Min) 0715 MS  0715 Boston Goods - Firsby (LE) 0730 MS  0550 Whitemoor - New Clee (Exp) 0800 MS  0800 Boston Goods - Grimsby West Marsh 0835 MS  0700 Whitemoor - Grimsby West Marsh 0930 MS  0445 Grimsby - Whitemoor (Min) 0930 MS 0930 Boston Goods - Honington 1000 MS  1530 Frodingham - Whitemoor (Min) 1226 MS  1021 Whitemoor - Frodingha...

The very tall signalbox at Sleaford Junction towered above the properties on King Street. It controlled the locomotive and goods yard and the junction where the line from Sleaford joined the East Lincolnshire Main Line. Opened by the Great Northern Railway in 1875, it was lengthened in 1897. With the reduction of sidings in the goods yard, the 40 levers were reduced to 30 in 1972. Eventually the Box was closed completely on 19th May 1974, being replaced by a ground frame as the number of siding had been reduced yet again as the amount of goods traffic had diminished. The structure remained in place until its demolition in 1980. My photo shows it a few months before it was denolished and minus its name board (wonder if that still exists in somebody's collection?). A contrasting modern day Google Street View image is shown beneath, the location of the Box being at the end of King Street. A map of the area. Note the footbridge close by which once gave access to...

A view of Boston Station on 14th August 1954. Boston was then on the Main Line beween Grimsby and Peterborough, and with direct routes to Sleaford and Lincoln. There were two daily through trains to and from King's Cross. Looking north, the canopies over the platforms were removed six years later. Both the "middle roads" were in place for freight trains (Photo: D. Thompson). A 1968 view from the footbridge looking North. On the left is a King's Cross to Cleethorpes train, on the right Class 114 diesel unit on a Grimsby Town to Peterborough North sevice towing a van full of parcels (Photo: Mowat Collection). My exterior shot of the station in the late 1970's. No mistaking the location in this 1975 photo. A 1975 view of the station from the North end. There were 3 platforms, number 3 being a north facing bay on the right of the first photo. They were often used for stabling the 03 shunters as seen in the second photo. ...

My monochrome photograph shows the fully operational Great Northern level crossing box at Broadfield Lane in Boston around 1980. This was taken out of use and removed c.1985, about the same time as Grand Sluice Signalbox and crossing were also replaced by Barriers controlled from West Street. The contrasting modern day scene (Google Street View) is far less pleasing to the eyes.

Following closure of the East Lincolnshire Line, Mablethorpe branch, and the New Line, Skegness effectively found itself at the end the line with services to from Grantham. The through holiday trains had ceased by then and there was no winter Sunday service from Skegness. Regarding the latter, passengers would have to use the Lincolnshire Road Car bus service 57 and walk from Boston Market Place to the Railway Station. Note that there were several services operating between Boston and Lincoln, a legacy from when the direct Loop Line was parially closed in 1963. Also of interest is the high level of service once enjoyed by Havenhouse and Thorpe Culvert.

The easy answer to what remains of this section is "very little", as the majority of the trackbed now lies under the main A16 road. However, odd bits and reminders to it are still to be found today (Images: Google Street View). The Railway public house located on London Road in Boston once stood close to the level crossing. Now the A16 which can be seen on the left. The site of Kirton Station. The remains of the station were completely obliterated when the road was constructed, the only reminder to it ever being there is the sign for Station Road, which leads off to the right. One remarkable survivor is Algakirk & Sutterton Station complete with Goods Shed. Surfleet was less fortunate and, like Kirton, completely gone except for the entrance to the Goods Yard. Looking toward the location of the station, the A16 on the right runs along the former railway line. The Ri...