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.

My photos from the early to mid-1980's illustrate the rather unsual layout at Spalding also having sidings at the front of the station.  The first of these shows one of the sidings in use. The station can be seen in the distance on the left. Behind the train can be seen the roof of the large goods shed. The modern day comparison (Google Street View) shows the scene much altered. The main A151 runs in front of the station now, and much of the site occupied by the sidings is now part of a supermarket car park. The goods shed is also no more. An early map shows the position of the former sidings. Another early view with a class 08 shunter at the head of an engineering train. During the Annual Tulip Parade, Spalding was visited by many excursion trains. Space being limited, on this occasion, one of the sidings was used to park a class 114 diesel multiple unit. The area was also used as an impromptu Coach Park, hence the unusual sight of a...

Views of Alford Station from the early 1980's. This precedes the industrial development which obscures much of the platform now. By comparison, photos taken on 4th October 2020, 50 years to the day the final trains called there.

During its brief existence, from 1884 the Alford & Sutton Tramway followed the course of what is now the A1111 road. The construction of the Sutton & Willoughby Railway saw the two routes meet close to Sutton-on-Sea, the railway crossing it on Alford Road. At this point a signalbox was constructed and a Crossing Keepers house on the other side of the railway. The opening of the railway on 4th October 1886, resulted in the decline of the tramway which ceased three years later. Nevertheless, the Box would retain the name "Tramway Crossing". It is illustrated below when operational (Photo: LEYTR Collection). The final trains to pass ran on the 3rd October 1970, after which the branch line from Willoughby to Mablethorpe closed. The top section of the Box found further use serving as a shed for several years. My 1980 view sees it moved further up the course of the railway from its original position. The Crossing Keepers house being seen in the distance. A more...

It may not have many trains stopping there now, yet Havenhouse has a claim to fame in making appearances in the third series of the BBC Drama series, Nanny. Filmed in 1982, it was broadcast to the Nation the following year. The opening shots show passengers leaving the station. A steam train can be heard departing - not seen as it was added by the BBC Sound Effects department. The Up Platform shelter can be seen in the background. Note the white markings. The episode was set in November 1940 and the markings would have provided guidance to the locations of doors and exits during wartime blackouts. The actress Wendy Craig played the main character. Here we see her leaving the station. The signs on the wall were props, probably replicas. Wendy is picked up at the station. Through the windscreen we can see the tree lined approach road to Havenhouse. Wendy Craig and other cast members on the "up" platform. ...

In the 1980's and early 90's, Class 20 locomotives were frequent wisitors to Skegness hauling through trains, additionals, and excursions. Always working in pairs, unless things went awry. Such an occasion took place on Saturday 14th July 1984 when, whilst working the 1E02 1041 Skegness to Sheffield, 20140 failed leaving 20227 to work solo, nose end first, as far as Nottingham. It is illustrated below awaiting departure at Boston (Photo: Barry Adams).   Another incident took place on 18th June 1988. 20029 and 20042 worked the 1E79 0718 Derby to Skegness, illustrated below before departure from Derby (Photo: Keith Mantle).  As was the normal practice, once all passengers had alighted at Skegness, the train was reversed into the carriage sidings to enable the locomotives to be uncoupled and run around, then reattached to the far end, thence backed into the station with the locomotives at tbe correct end of the formation. It is illustrated below reversing ...