Bygone Railways of East Lincolnshire

My photo was taken in autumn 1981 from the former level crossing where the Horncastle branch cossed Station Road at Woodhall Spa.The site of the level crossing and Woodhall Spa Station being behind me, the photograph looks in the direction of Woodhall Junction. I had just walked the trackbed from the latter, now impossible as it has since been breached by redevelopment, illustrated aptly in the modern day Google Street View comparison.

Woodhall Spa was the only intermediate station on the branch line between Kirkstead (Woodhall Junction) and Horncastle. It was opened to passengers on 11th August 1855, and to goods on 4th April 1887. It closed to passengers along with Horncastle on 13th September 1954, and to goods on 27th April 1964. Goods trains continued to pass through to reach Horncastle until 5th April 1971, when the line was closed completely. The passenger timetable for the line from Bradshaw's Guide (3rd May - 13th June 1954) is shown below. My visit today enabled a look at what remains. The most obvious clue being one of the street names. Sadly, the station itself has long since been demolished, as illustrated in a local newspaper. Two early postcards show the station when open. The site is now occupied by a car park although the shops on the right remain. These, and the postcards, look in the direction of Horncastle. ...