The Grantham and Lincoln railway line was a line in Lincolnshire, built by the Great Northern Railway to shorten the distance between the town of Grantham and city of Lincoln. It had already formed a network in Lincolnshire, but the route from London and points south and west of Grantham was very indirect.
The line opened 1867, and was 18 miles in length, from Honington, near Grantham to Pelham Street Junction in Lincoln. Running through rural terrain, it was never heavily developed, and after nationalisation, through traffic was concentrated on a better alternative route via Newark. All local stations except Leadenham closed in 1962, and the line from Honington to Lincoln closed completely in 1965.
In 1848 the Great Northern Railway opened part of its authorised network, from Peterborough to Lincoln via Spalding and Boston in 1848. The GNR called this the Loop Line, or the Lincolnshire Loop. In due course it opened its Towns Line, which eventually became part of the East Coast Main Line. [1]
The Boston, Sleaford and Midland Counties Railway opened a railway line between Grantham and Boston, through Sleaford, providing an east–west line. It opened in two stages, in 1857 and 1859, and was worked by the GNR. [2]
It became evident that the route from the south to Lincoln by way of Boston was rather roundabout, and the GNR gave thought to a shorter route. They were also concerned that the rival Great Eastern Railway sought to penetrate the area of Lincolnshire that the GNR dominated.
Great Northern Railway (Lincoln to Bourn) Act 1864 | |
---|---|
Act of Parliament | |
Citation | 27 & 28 Vict. c. ccxlii |
A bill in the 1864 parliamentary session was for the railway, [note 1] in which the GNR sought powers for a line from a triangular junction at Honington to Lincoln, another from Sleaford to Bourne, and for absorption of the Boston, Sleaford and Midland Counties Railway, and the Bourne and Essendine Railway. The Sleaford—Bourn part of the proposal was rejected, but the remainder of the bill became the Great Northern Railway (Lincoln to Bourn) Act 1864 (27 & 28 Vict. c. ccxlii) on 25 July 1864, with new capital at £310,000 for the GNR. [3] [4]
The line between Honington and Lincoln was opened by the GNR on 15 April 1867. It was 18 miles 2 chains in extent and was constructed by Kirk & Parry for £121,533. There were stations at Caythorpe, Leadenham, Navenby, Harmston and Waddington, and the line joined the Lincolnshire Loop at Pelham Street junction, Lincoln. Board of Trade sanction was given for passenger opening, provided that a 5 mph speed limit was observed over Fulbeck bank where a slip was giving trouble, and on condition that all trains over Pelham Street crossing had a pilotman. Captain Tyler withdrew this condition on 2 August, as a satisfactory signalling and locking system had been installed there. [5] [6] [7] [8]
George Hussey Packe was chairman of the GNR and lived at Caythorpe Hall; he had the right to have any train stopped at Caythorpe. [9] [5] Construction of this branch involved provision of a new station at Honington, built slightly to the west of the old BS&MCR one, and with a refreshment room. [5]
An east-to-north curve at Honington, for direct Sleaford-Lincoln running, was partly constructed. It appears doubtful if it was ever completed or used, and it was removed about 1882. [10] [11]
The passenger train service consisted of five trains each way on weekdays between Grantham and Lincoln and two on Sundays. [5]
The new route cut three quarters of an hour off the journey time between Lincoln and London. By 1887 the train service had increased to nine each way, but only one each way on Sundays. In 1914 there were six weekday trains from Lincoln to Grantham, of which two, the 11.22 am and the 1.50 pm conveyed through carriages to London. From London through carriages ran on the 12.30 and 4.0 pm trains. In 1938 seven trains each way were normally run but only one conveyed through carriages to London. This was the 10.28 am from Lincoln to Grantham, where it was attached to the express from Newcastle due into Kings Cross at 1.15 pm. Return was by the 5.50 pm London to Yorkshire express, reaching Grantham at 7.55 pm. It left Grantham at 8.3 pm, called at Leadenham on request to set down passengers from London only, and was due into Lincoln at 8.37 pm. Not all trains stopped at all stations; usually one or two each way were Lincoln-Grantham direct to connect with main-line services. Most timetables show that if no scheduled stop was made at Leadenham, then some would stop to pick up or set down there if required. [9]
Preparations were made in 1878 for the block system of signalling on the Honington to Lincoln line. Temporary cabins were erected at the stations, later replaced by permanent boxes between 1880 and 1883. As part of the work, ironstone sidings and a signal box were brought into use at Frieston. [12]
In 1897 the line was used for an experiment with an early form of semi-automatic train control invented by Mr Wynford Brierly. A two-lever trip connected to a bell was placed beside the cab footstep on Stirling 2-2-2 no 6 and this contacted a rocker actuated by signal wire near the signals. When at danger the signal rocker engaged the lever on the locomotive, ringing a bell in the cab and displaying a red disc below it. Although the trial proved to be successful the system was never installed on the GNR. [13]
There was a serious accident on the line on 25 January 1963, in which two drivers were killed. It took place at Bracebridge Gas Works, not far south of Lincoln. A steam locomotive carrying out shunting was standing on the down main line to allow an up train to pass. The signalman forgot about the engine and cleared his signals for a down train, which struck the engine at about 40 mph. [14] [13]
In the mid-1950s steam-hauled passenger trains were replaced with diesel multiple units on the line; it was one of the first routes on which this happened. Steam services were restored on some trains for a time in 1963 when Lincoln multiple units were taken temporarily to dieselise the Grantham to Nottingham service. The local goods trains remained steam hauled to the end. [15]
In the 1960s the decline in local traffic could not be ignored, and all the stations on the line except Leadenham were closed to passenger traffic. Some retained their goods facilities for the time being, although Harmston closed completely. Two years later, on 15 June 1964, all stations lost their goods services other than for coal, at the time still an important resource. In 1965 Leadenham yard looked busier than it had done for many years when truckloads of steel were delivered for the construction of electricity pylons in the area.
However complete closure was inevitable, and on 1 November 1965 the line closed completely between Honington and Lincoln, and through trains were diverted via Newark. [8] For a short time afterwards, one mile of track was retained northwards from Honington Junction and used for redundant wagon storage, and until 7 December 1970 the short section from Lincoln to the Gas Works was in use. [15] [8]
The Great Northern Railway (GNR) was a British railway company incorporated in 1846 with the object of building a line from London to York. It quickly saw that seizing control of territory was key to development, and it acquired, or took leases of, many local railways, whether actually built or not. In so doing, it overextended itself financially.
Grantham railway station is on the East Coast Main Line, serving the market town of Grantham, Lincolnshire, England. It is 105 miles 38 chains (169.7 km) down the line from London King's Cross and is situated on the main line between Peterborough to the south and Newark North Gate to the north.
Gainsborough Lea Road is one of two railway stations that serve the town of Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, England, the other being Gainsborough Central, which is located in the town centre. The station is managed by East Midlands Railway and is located 14+1⁄4 miles (23 km) northwest of Lincoln Central on the A156 Lea Road in the south of the town. It opened in 1867 on a single line of the Great Northern Railway, who ran four trains a day from Gainsborough to Lincoln.
The Grantham–Skegness line, promoted originally as the Poacher Line, runs for 55 miles (89 km) between Grantham and Skegness in Lincolnshire, England. Trains on this route generally operate hourly from Nottingham to Skegness via the Nottingham to Grantham Line, with additional slower stopping services at peak times. The line is operated by East Midlands Railway, using Class 170 Turbostar and Class 158 Express Sprinter diesel multiple units.
The Peterborough–Lincoln line is a railway line linking Peterborough and Lincoln Central, via Sleaford and Spalding. Between Lincoln and Spalding, the line follows the route of the former Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Railway.
Sleaford railway station serves the town of Sleaford in Lincolnshire, England. It lies on the Peterborough–Lincoln line. The station is 21 miles (34 km) south of Lincoln Central.
Spalding railway station serves the town of Spalding, Lincolnshire, England. It lies on the Peterborough–Lincoln line.
The Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Railway, colloquially referred to as "the Joint Line" was a railway line connecting Doncaster and Lincoln with March and Huntingdon in the eastern counties of England. It was owned jointly by the Great Northern Railway (GNR) and the Great Eastern Railway (GER). It was formed by transferring certain route sections from the parent companies, and by the construction of a new route between Spalding and Lincoln, and a number of short spurs and connections. It was controlled by a Joint Committee, and the owning companies operated their own trains with their own rolling stock. The Joint Line amounted to nearly 123 miles (198 km) of route.
Caythorpe railway station was a station in Caythorpe, Lincolnshire. Built to serve the nearby village of the same name. It was on the Grantham and Lincoln railway line. The line was built by the Great Northern Railway. The station closed for passengers in 1962, for goods in 1964 and the line closed in 1965 as part of the Beeching rationalisation of the UK railway system. The site now houses a recycling centre for household waste.
The Ambergate, Nottingham and Boston and Eastern Junction Railway was a British railway company, which hoped to connect Lancashire with the port of Boston, in Lincolnshire, England. It was authorised in 1846 but was unable to raise much money. It opened a standard gauge line from a junction near Nottingham to Grantham in 1853. At Nottingham it was to rely on the Midland Railway, but that company was hostile and obstructive.
The East Lincolnshire Railway was a main line railway linking the towns of Boston, Alford, Louth and Grimsby in Lincolnshire, England. It opened in 1848. The ELR Company had leased the line to the Great Northern Railway, and it was the latter which constructed the line and operated it, as its East Lincolnshire Line.
The Kirkstead and Little Steeping Railway, locally known as the New Line, was a railway line in England built to shorten the route between Lincoln and Firsby in Lincolnshire, England.
The Louth to Bardney Line was an English railway line built by the Louth and Lincoln Railway Company, in Lincolnshire, England. It opened in stages between 1874 and 1876, after serious difficulties in raising subscription capital, and following alteration to the planned route. It was hoped to serve large reserves of ironstone along its route, but the deposits were not as large as hoped, and the line was never financially successful.
The Bourne and Sleaford Railway was promoted as a branch of the Great Northern Railway to fend off an expected incursion by the rival Great Eastern Railway. It was authorised by Parliament in 1865, but not opened until 1871 and 1872. Although agricultural traffic provided healthy business, the rural character of the line never produced much passenger trade, and it was closed to passengers in 1930. The line was severed and ceased to be a through line in 1956 and closed completely in 1965.
The Boston, Sleaford and Midland Counties Railway opened a railway line between Grantham and Boston, through Sleaford, England. It opened in two stages, in 1857 and 1859.
The Firsby to Skegness railway line is a branch railway line, in Lincolnshire, England. It was built by an independent company to connect Wainfleet, at first, and then the seaside town of Skegness, with the main line network at Firsby. It opened in 1871 from Firsby to Wainfleet, and 1873 throughout.
The Mablethorpe Loop railway was formed in Lincolnshire, England, by two independent railway companies, which built branches from the East Lincolnshire Line.
The Bourn and Essendine Railway was a seven mile long branch line which connected Bourne in Lincolnshire to the East Coast Main Line in the village of Essendine in Rutland. The line was opened in 1860; it was a single line and served the town of Bourne and the villages of Thurlby, Braceborough and Essendine. Its line ran through the ceremonial counties of Lincolnshire and Rutland in the East Midlands of England.
The Lincolnshire lines of the Great Northern Railway are the railways, past and present, in the English county built or operated by the Great Northern Railway.
Central Lincolnshire is the name given to a region of Lincolnshire in the East Midlands, England. The area covers the districts of North Kesteven and West Lindsey as well as the City of Lincoln. The name is used for the planning and development of a part of Lincolnshire surrounding Lincoln, North Hykeham, Sleaford, Market Rasen, Caistor and Gainsborough as well as other outlying villages and hamlets.