Lincolnshire loop line

Last updated

Lincolnshire loop line
Stixwould-railway-station-by-Alan-Murray-Rust.jpg
Former station at Stixwould. The trackbed here is part of the Water Rail Way.
Overview
Locale Lincolnshire
Dates of operation18481963
Predecessor Great Northern Railway
Successor London and North Eastern Railway
Technical
Track gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Length58 miles (93 km)
Route map

Contents

BSicon WASSERq.svg
BSicon WASSERq.svg
BSicon WASSERq.svg
BSicon exENDEa.svg
Wharf
BSicon dCONTgq.svg
BSicon kABZq2.svg
BSicon xKRZu+k3.svg
BSicon CONTf@Fq.svg
BSicon xkABZg+4.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
Gainsborough Lea Road
BSicon eHST.svg
Lea
BSicon eHST.svg
Stow Park
BSicon exCONTgq.svg
BSicon eABZg+r.svg
BSicon HST.svg
Saxilby
BSicon WASSERq.svg
BSicon WBRUCKE1.svg
BSicon WASSER+r.svg
BSicon eHST.svg
BSicon WASSER.svg
Skellingthorpe
BSicon exCONTgq.svg
BSicon eABZg+r.svg
BSicon WASSER2.svg
BSicon WSTRc3.svg
BSicon STRc2.svg
BSicon ABZ23.svg
BSicon WSTRc1.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
BSicon WASSER2+4.svg
BSicon WSTRc3.svg
Pyewipe Junction
BSicon 3STR+1.svg
BSicon STR+1.svg
BSicon STRc14.svg
BSicon 3STRq-.svg
BSicon STR+4.svg
BSicon 3STR+4.svg
BSicon WSTRc1.svg
BSicon vWASSER+4-.svg
Boultham & West Holmes Jns
BSicon xkABZg3.svg
BSicon exSTRc2.svg
BSicon eABZg3.svg
BSicon dWASSER.svg
BSicon dCONTgq.svg
BSicon xkABZq1.svg
BSicon exKRZo+k4.svg
BSicon exSTR+1.svg
BSicon exSTR+r.svg
BSicon eSTR+c4.svg
BSicon dWASSER.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon exBHF.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon dWASSER.svg
Lincoln St Marks
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon exkSTR2.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
BSicon dWASSER.svg
Lincoln
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon exkSTRc1.svg
BSicon ABZg+l.svg
BSicon exkSTRl+4.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
BSicon dWASSER.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon eABZg2.svg
BSicon exSTRc3.svg
BSicon dWASSER.svg
Sincil Junction
BSicon exCONTgq.svg
BSicon exKRZq2u.svg
BSicon STRc2.svg
BSicon exSTRc3.svg
BSicon exSTRq.svg
BSicon STR3.svg
BSicon exSTRc1.svg
BSicon exSTRr.svg
BSicon exSTR+4.svg
BSicon dWASSER.svg
BSicon exSTRc1.svg
BSicon ABZ+1x4.svg
BSicon STRc4.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon dWASSER.svg
BSicon STRc2.svg
BSicon STR3.svg
BSicon ex3STR2.svg
BSicon ex-3STRq.svg
BSicon ex3ABZg3.svg
BSicon dWASSER.svg
Washingborough Junction
BSicon CONT1.svg
BSicon STRc4.svg
BSicon exSTRc2.svg
BSicon WSTRc2.svg
BSicon exSTR3.svg
BSicon vWASSER3-.svg
BSicon exSTRc2.svg
BSicon WSTRc2.svg
BSicon exHST3+1.svg
BSicon exSTRc4.svg
BSicon WASSER3+1.svg
BSicon WSTRc4.svg
Washingborough
BSicon exHST+1.svg
BSicon exSTRc4.svg
BSicon WASSER+1.svg
BSicon WSTRc4.svg
Five Mile House
BSicon WASSER+l.svg
BSicon exWBRUCKE1.svg
BSicon WASSERr.svg
BSicon WASSER.svg
BSicon exABZg+l.svg
BSicon exCONTfq.svg
BSicon WASSER.svg
BSicon exBHF.svg
Bardney
BSicon WASSER.svg
BSicon exHST.svg
Southrey
BSicon WASSER.svg
BSicon exHST.svg
Stixwould
BSicon WASSER.svg
BSicon exBHF.svg
Woodhall Junction
BSicon WASSER.svg
BSicon exABZg+l.svg
BSicon exCONTfq.svg
BSicon WASSER.svg
BSicon exABZgl.svg
BSicon exCONTfq.svg
BSicon WASSER.svg
BSicon exHST.svg
Tattershall
BSicon WASSER.svg
BSicon exHST.svg
Dogdyke
BSicon WASSER.svg
BSicon exHST.svg
Langrick
BSicon WASSER.svg
BSicon xABZg+l.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
BSicon WASSERl.svg
BSicon WBRUCKE1.svg
BSicon WASSER+r.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
BSicon WASSER.svg
Boston
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon xABZgr.svg
BSicon WASSER.svg
BSicon exABZgl.svg
BSicon exWBRUCKE1q.svg
BSicon exKBSTeq.svg
Docks
BSicon WASSERq.svg
BSicon exWBRUCKE1.svg
BSicon WABZql.svg
BSicon WASSERq.svg
BSicon exHST.svg
Kirton
BSicon exHST.svg
Algarkirk and Sutterton
BSicon exHST.svg
Surfleet
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon xABZg+r.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
Spalding
BSicon ekABZg3.svg
BSicon eABZgl.svg
BSicon eABZg2xu.svg
BSicon exABZq+3.svg
BSicon exCONTfq.svg
BSicon exCONTgq.svg
BSicon exkABZq1.svg
BSicon exkSTRc4.svg
BSicon eKRZr+1u.svg
BSicon exUWu4.svg
BSicon exCONT2+4.svg
BSicon eHST.svg
Littleworth
BSicon eHST.svg
St James Deeping
BSicon eHST.svg
Peakirk
BSicon vCONT2~l.svg
BSicon vSTRc3.svg
BSicon v-STR.svg
BSicon d-CONTgq.svg
BSicon vSTR2+4~l.svg
BSicon vSTR2+r~r.svg
BSicon v-STR.svg
BSicon vSTRc3.svg
BSicon vSTRc1.svg
BSicon v-STR.svg
BSicon vSTR+4.svg
Werrington Junction
BSicon veHST-STR.svg
Walton
BSicon exhSTRc2.svg
BSicon vSTR.svg
BSicon exCONT3.svg
BSicon exhSTRc2.svg
BSicon MSTR3+1.svg
BSicon exhSTR3+1.svg
BSicon vSTR.svg
BSicon exhSTRc4.svg
Rhubarb Bridge
BSicon exdSTR+1.svg
BSicon exhSTRc4.svg
BSicon vSTR.svg
BSicon ev-SHI2g+r.svg
BSicon dSTR.svg
Wisbech Junction
BSicon evUSTl.svg
Westwood Junction
BSicon vexSTR-BHF.svg
Peterborough North
BSicon vexHST-STR.svg
Peterborough Crescent
BSicon evSTRl-STRo.svg
BSicon exCONTfq.svg
BSicon CONTf.svg

The Lincolnshire loop line was a railway built by the Great Northern Railway, that linked Peterborough to Gainsborough via Spalding, Boston and Lincoln. It ran through the counties of Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire (then the Soke of Peterborough, now Cambridgeshire)

History

The Lincolnshire loop line was authorised on 26 June 1846 as part of the Great Northern Railway Act 1846 (9 & 10 Vict. c. lxxi). [1] The Great Northern Railway purchased the Witham Navigation and all navigation rights the same year and began construction of the new line, partly beside the river, in 1847. [2] The line opened in 1848 and was for a short period the main route to the north and Scotland until the line from Peterborough to Retford was opened in August 1852. Closure came in sections: the first was Woodhall Junction to Boston which closed to passengers and goods on 17 June 1963. [3] [ page needed ] Followed by the section from Boston to Spalding and finally from Lincoln to Woodhall Junction as well as to Firsby and Horncastle.

Route

The line from Lincoln to Boston was known as the Witham loop because it followed the course of the River Witham, passing through Washingborough, Five Mile House, Bardney, Southrey, Stixwould, Tattershall, Dogdyke, and Langrick. The line from Boston to Spalding passed through three intermediate stations, Kirton, Algarkirk and Sutterton, and Surfleet; much of this section is now under the A16 road. The final section to Peterborough also had three intermediate stations, Littleworth, St James Deeping, and Peakirk. This section is the only part of the line that remains in operation, although most of the stations have long been closed and disused. [3] [ page needed ]

Six stations, Gainsborough Lea Road, Saxilby, Lincoln, Boston, Spalding and Peterborough North remain open, and are still part of the national network. [3] [ page needed ]

List of railway stations

The stations between Lincoln (inclusive) and Peterborough mostly opened on 17 October 1848, and those between Gainsborough (inclusive) and Lincoln mostly opened on 9 April 1849, except where otherwise shown. [12] [13] Boston was opened before the other stations, since it was already in use as the southern terminus of the East Lincolnshire Railway, opened in stages between 1 March and 2 October 1848. [14] At Peterborough, the GNR initially used the Eastern Counties Railway's station, latterly known as Peterborough East, which was reached via a connection near Walton to the Midland Railway, whose line between Stamford and Peterborough was opened on 2 October 1846. [15] [16] The GNR's own Peterborough station opened with the main line between Werrington Junction and London in August 1850. [17]

Present day

There is a variety of art along the cycle route. Much is whimsical sculpture, but this mosaic commemorates a Bronze Age Craft site archaeologists discovered on the South Delph Mosaic on the Water Rail Way.jpg
There is a variety of art along the cycle route. Much is whimsical sculpture, but this mosaic commemorates a Bronze Age Craft site archaeologists discovered on the South Delph

The line from Lincoln to Woodhall Junction now forms part of National Cycle Route 1, and is known as Water Rail Way. From Woodhall Junction to Boston, the entire line is private and has no permissive paths or access. From Boston to Spalding, the line is occupied by the A16. At Spalding, the line is still open to Peterborough.

References

  1. "Great Northern Railway Company: Records". The National Archives.
  2. "Disused Stations". Subterranea Britannica.
  3. 1 2 3 Ludlam, A. J. (July 1995). Lincolnshire Loop Line (GNR) and the River Witham. Locomotion Papers. The Oakwood Press. ISBN   978-0853614647.
  4. Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 140. ISBN   1-85260-508-1. R508.
  5. Butt 1995, p. 213.
  6. Butt 1995, p. 80.
  7. Butt 1995, p. 40.
  8. Butt 1995, p. 136.
  9. Butt 1995, p. 224.
  10. Butt 1995, p. 203.
  11. Butt 1995, p. 184.
  12. Butt 1995, pp. 27, 97, 100, 136, 138, 143, 144, 156, 182, 206, 216, 217, 220, 224, 227, 241.
  13. James, Leslie (November 1983). A Chronology of the Construction of Britain's Railways 1778-1855. Shepperton: Ian Allan. p. 52. ISBN   0-7110-1277-6. BE/1183.
  14. James 1983, p. 51.
  15. James 1983, p. 44.
  16. Ludlam 1995, p. 27.
  17. James 1983, p. 62.

53°08′33″N0°14′31″W / 53.1424°N 0.2419°W / 53.1424; -0.2419