Ludborough railway station

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Ludborough
Station on heritage railway
Ludborough railway station in 2018.jpg
Ludborough station site in 2018
Location Ludborough, East Lindsey
England
Coordinates 53°26′41″N0°01′52″W / 53.4447°N 0.0311°W / 53.4447; -0.0311 Coordinates: 53°26′41″N0°01′52″W / 53.4447°N 0.0311°W / 53.4447; -0.0311
Grid reference TF308960
Operated byGreat Northern & East Lincolnshire Railway plc
Lincolnshire Wolds Railway
Platforms3
History
Original company East Lincolnshire Railway
Pre-grouping Great Northern Railway
Post-grouping London and North Eastern Railway
Eastern Region of British Railways
Key dates
1 March 1848Opened
11 September 1961Closed to passengers
25 May 1964 [1] Goods facilities withdrawn
December 1980Closure of line
1984Preservation society take over site
1998First trains run
26 August 2009Opening to North Thoresby

Ludborough is a heritage railway station in Ludborough, Lincolnshire, England, which is the base of the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway. The station, which was previously part of the East Lincolnshire Railway, [2] closed in 1961 to passengers and 1964 to freight, but was taken over by the preservation society in 1984. The first trains from the station to North Thoresby, to the north, ran in August 2009, the first for 47 years. There are proposals to extend the line further in both directions towards Holton-le-Clay and Louth.

Contents

History

The station was opened on 28 March 1848 and was originally named Ludborough for Fulstow although the for Fulstow was later dropped. [3] Although its name is taken from the Lincolnshire village of Ludborough, the station is in fact situated halfway between that village and Fulstow. [4] It was constructed by contractor John Waring and Sons of Rotherham who, in December 1846, had agreed to construct the line between Grimsby Town and Louth for the sum of £46,102 (equivalent to £4,500,000in 2019 [5] ). [6] The architects of the station buildings were John Grey Weightman and Matthew Ellison Hadfield of Sheffield. [7]

Ludborough, some 5 miles (8 km) from Louth, was provided with staggered platforms either side of a level crossing; the up platform to the south of the crossing and the up to the north. [8] A third lower platform was later added in connection with the rail motor service introduced from 1905. [9] Situated opposite the up platform, the rail motor platform is adjacent to a brick stationmaster's house which also comprised the booking office and passenger waiting room. The architectural style of the house and the station layout is similar to the stations at North Thoresby, Holton-le-Clay and Waltham. [10]

A signal box on the up platform which contained a 20 lever frame controlled the crossing gates [9] as well as access to the small goods yard with two sidings on the opposite side. [8] Ludborough had the most comprehensive goods facilities on the line between Louth and Grimsby, having cattle pens and a large brick goods shed; one siding ran into a loading dock behind the down platform. [8] [11] The design of the shed is based on the warehouse built by the Louth Navigation at Austen Fen. [8] The station closed to passengers on 11 September 1961, [12] the same day as Fotherby Halt [13] and Utterby Halt [14] to the south and Holton-le-Clay and Waltham to the north. This made North Thoresby the only intermediate station open between Louth and Grimsby . It closed completely on 25 May 1964 when goods facilities were withdrawn. [12] After the closure of the line to passengers in 1970, the down line was removed between Louth and Hainton Street leaving only the up line through Ludborough to remain open until December 1980. [15]

Preceding station HR icon.svg   Heritage railways Following station
North Thoresby   Lincolnshire Wolds Railway   Fotherby Halt
  Historical railways  
North Thoresby
Line and station open		  Great Northern Railway
East Lincolnshire Line 		  Utterby Halt
Line and station closed

Preservation and reopening

In 1978, the Grimsby-Louth Rail Group was formed with the aim of reintroducing a service between Grimsby and Louth. They were unsuccessful in saving the line intact. After BR ripped up the track and destroyed all the buildings the group decided to rename themselves the Grimsby-Louth Railway preservation society. The society focussed their efforts into restoring the two sole remaining signalboxes on the line: Hainton street in Grimsby and Louth North. Both these boxes were left behind by BR as they had gate wheels in them which made it easier to operate the crossing gates for the last few years. Both the boxes suffered severe vandalism. In 1984, the Society took a lease from British Rail of Ludborough station site which became its base. [16] A new company was formed with the intention of buying the remains of the track bed as BR would not sell to a society at that time. The new company was called the Great Northern and East Lincolnshire railway company plc. On 28 September 1991, the company Great Northern and East Lincolnshire Railway co plc obtained a Light Railway Order authorising the reinstatement of the East Lincolnshire Railway between Waltham and the former Keddington Road level crossing near Louth, which would include the line through Ludborough. [17] The signal box at Hainton street was destroyed by fire in the early 1990s. The frame and the gate wheel were removed and placed into storage at Ludborough ready for re-use. The frame is now in use as Ludborough's frame. The wheel is also in Ludborough box but will never be used in this location. Louth North was restored by the society but suffered continual vandalism. The box is a grade II listed structure and has been converted into a house but still retains its signal box look.

With the order in place, this allowed the company to acquire track, locos and rolling stock with the society supporting the company as much as it can. The company (now trading as the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway) have had to rebuild all of the station's facilities, including a replica Great Northern signal box in its original position, a two-road locomotive shed and a passenger waiting room which houses a museum and shop. [18] [11] In 1997 the level crossing was relaid and allowed access over the road for the railway to bring rolling stock that had been stored on the north side of the crossing. Between 2001 and 2004, the north (down) platform was developed with a toilet block, garden and running in board. [16] By this point, the track extended north for a distance of ¾ of a mile. [16] A major step for the LWR came in 2004 when HMRI approved the signalling for use. This then enabled the railway to run trains in the dark for the first time at Hallow'een. Tracklaying reached North Thoresby in 2008 and the first train for 47 years between the two stations ran on 26 August 2009. [19] [20]

The Lincolnshire Wolds Railway plans to extend the line in both directions to Louth via Utterby and Fotherby and via Grainsby to the former Holton-le-Clay station, recreating 8 miles between Holton Le Clay and Louth. The trackbed through to Waltham has been built over at Waltham and Holton Village halt and thus making it impossible to rebuild the railway to Waltham. The stationmaster's house has survived and is available as a holiday let. [21] The goods shed also remains, but is in private ownership. [11]

Related Research Articles

Lincolnshire Wolds Railway

The Lincolnshire Wolds Railway (LWR) is a heritage railway based at Ludborough station, near Louth, Lincolnshire, England and the only standard gauge steam railway in Lincolnshire open to the public. The line is part of the original Great Northern Railway (GNR), a rail system that opened in 1848 and once linked Grimsby, Louth and East Lincolnshire with London. In early 2002, 2009 and 2013 the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway received a top national award from the Heritage Railway Association for its heritage railway efforts.

Aby for Claythorpe railway station Former railway station in Lincolnshire, England

Aby for Claythorpe was a railway station on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the hamlets of Aby and Claythorpe in Lincolnshire between 1848 and 1961. It originally opened as Claythorpe, but was renamed in 1885. Withdrawal of goods facilities took place in 1961, on the same day that the station was closed to passengers. The line through the station is closed.

Little Steeping railway station Former railway station in Lincolnshire, England

Little Steeping was a railway station on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the hamlet of Little Steeping in Lincolnshire between 1848 and 1964. It became a junction station in June 1913 when the Kirkstead and Little Steeping Railway was opened to provide a more direct route to Skegness for East Midlands holidaymakers. Withdrawal of passenger services took place in 1961, followed by goods facilities in 1964. The line through the station remains in use as the Poacher Line, although the Kirkstead and Little Steeping Railway closed throughout on 5 October 1970.

Willoughby railway station Former railway station in Lincolnshire, England

Willoughby was a railway station on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the village of Willoughby in Lincolnshire between 1848 and 1970. In 1886, a second larger station replaced the first following the opening of a junction with the Mablethorpe Loop Line to Sutton-on-Sea and later Mablethorpe. The withdrawal of goods facilities at Willoughby took place in 1966, followed by passenger services in 1970. All lines through the station are now closed.

Authorpe railway station Former railway station in Lincolnshire, England

Authorpe was a railway station on the East Lincolnshire Railway, which served the village of Authorpe in Lincolnshire between 1848 and 1964. The station was closed to passengers in 1961, and withdrawal of goods facilities took place in 1964. The line through the station is closed.

Legbourne Road railway station Former railway station in Lincolnshire, England

Legbourne Road was a railway station on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the village of Legbourne in Lincolnshire between 1848 and 1964. The station was closed to passengers in 1953, and withdrawal of goods facilities took place in 1964. The line through the station closed in 1970. The station once housed a museum containing railway memorabilia; this closed in 1998 and the building is once again a private residence.

Waltham was a railway station on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the villages of New Waltham and Humberston in Lincolnshire between 1848 and 1964. It was originally named Waltham and Humberstone, but Humberstone was dropped soon after opening. The line through Waltham remained open for freight until December 1980.

Holton Village Halt railway station Former railway station in Lincolnshire, England

Holton Village Halt was a railway halt on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the village of Holton-le-Clay in Lincolnshire between 1905 and 1961. The station, which opened as part of a new motor train service between Grimsby and Louth, was the second station to serve the village after Holton-le-Clay and Tetney situated further to the south. The line through Holton-le-Clay remained open for freight until December 1980.

Holton-le-Clay railway station Former railway station in Lincolnshire, England

Holton-le-Clay was a railway station on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the English villages of Holton-le-Clay and Tetney in Lincolnshire between 1848 and 1964. It was originally named Holton-le-Clay and Tetney, but Tetney was dropped soon after opening, even though the station was more conveniently sited for that village. The line through Holton-le-Clay remained open for freight until December 1980, but could be reopened by the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway as its northern terminus.

North Thoresby railway station Heritage station in Lincolnshire, England

North Thoresby is a heritage railway station in North Thoresby, Lincolnshire. The station, which was previously part of the East Lincolnshire Railway, closed in 1970, but has since been reopened by the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway. The first services to the station from Ludborough, to the south, ran in August 2009, the first in 47 years. The LWR aims to extend the line further in both directions, northwards as far as Holton-Le-Clay and southwards to Louth.

Utterby Halt railway station Former railway station in Lincolnshire, England

Utterby Halt was a railway halt on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the village of Utterby in Lincolnshire between 1905 and 1961. The station, which opened as part of a new motor train service between Grimsby Town and Louth, is reputed to be haunted by the ghost of a ganger killed on the level crossing in 1953. The line through Utterby remained open for freight until December 1980.

Fotherby Halt railway station Former railway station in Lincolnshire, England

Fotherby Halt was a railway halt on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the village of Fotherby in Lincolnshire between 1905 and 1961. The station was opened on the site of a previous station named Fotherby Gate House which had closed in 1872. The second station closed in 1961, but the line through it remained open for freight until December 1980. The line through the station could be reopened by the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway as part of its extension south from Ludborough to Louth.

East Lincolnshire Railway

The East Lincolnshire Railway was a main line railway linking the towns of Boston, 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.

Grainsby Halt railway station Former railway station in Lincolnshire, England

Grainsby Halt was a railway halt on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the hamlet of Grainsby in Lincolnshire between 1905 and 1952. The station, which opened as part of a new motor train service between Grimsby and Louth, was opened to serve a Victorian hall situated 2 miles (3.2 km) to the west. The station, one of the smallest to be taken over by British Railways on nationalisation in 1947, never really justified its existence and closed in 1952 following a period of temporary closure during the Second World War. The line through Grainsby remained open for freight until December 1980.

Weelsby Road Halt was a railway halt on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the Weelsby Road area of eastern Grimsby in Lincolnshire between 1905 and 1940. The station was opened as part of a new motor train service between Grimsby and Louth. It was the site of major works in 1933 when a plate girder bridge was constructed to replace a level crossing, enabling road traffic to pass underneath through a subway. The station closed in 1952 following a period of temporary closure during the Second World War. The line through Weelsby remained open for freight until December 1980. The trackbed was later reused by Humberside County Council to construct the A16 Peaks Parkway which now runs through the site. Building of the road put an end to the aspirations of the Great Northern and East Lincolnshire Railway plc to reopen the line as a heritage railway.

Hainton Street Halt was a railway halt on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the Welholme Road area of Grimsby in Lincolnshire between 1905 and 1961. The station was opened as part of a new motor train service between Grimsby and Louth. The station briefly closed in 1939 as a Second World War economy measure, but reopened in 1940. The line through Hainton Street remained open for freight until December 1980. The trackbed was later reused by Humberside County Council to construct the A16 Peaks Parkway which now runs through the site. Building of the road put an end to the aspirations of the Great Northern and East Lincolnshire Railway plc to reopen the line as a heritage railway.

The Lincolnshire Wolds Railway Signals and Telecommunications Department is a railway department on the preserved heritage railway in Lincolnshire, England. It installs, maintains and repairs all the signalling and telecommunications on the LWR. Based primarily at Ludborough, the department looks after the railways two functioning signal boxes at Ludborough and North Thoresby.

Killingholme Admiralty Platform railway station

Killingholme Admiralty Platform railway station, known locally as Admiralty Platform, was near North Killingholme Haven, Lincolnshire, England.

Immingham Western Jetty railway station was a temporary structure which served the dock in Immingham, Lincolnshire, England.

Louth North railway station is the future southern terminus of the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway where it will occupy a new site on the Fairfield industrial site.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/l/ludborough
  2. ↑ Conolly 2004, p. 22, section G2.
  3. ↑ Butt 1995, p. 150.
  4. ↑ King & Hewins 1998, fig. 177.
  5. ↑ UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  6. ↑ Ludlam 1991, p. 14.
  7. ↑ "General Remarks" . Hull Packet. England. 3 March 1848. Retrieved 3 March 2017– via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Ludlam 1991, p. 93.
  9. 1 2 Ludlam 1991, p. 86.
  10. ↑ King & Hewins 1998, fig. 13.
  11. 1 2 3 "Disused Stations". Subterranea Britannica.
  12. 1 2 Clinker 1978, p. 90.
  13. ↑ Butt 1995, p. 99.
  14. ↑ Butt 1995, p. 238.
  15. ↑ Ludlam 1991, p. 150.
  16. 1 2 3 "History of the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway". Lincolnshire Wolds Railway. 21 September 2010. Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  17. ↑ "The Grimsby and Louth Light Railway Order 1991 (S.I. 1991 No. 2210)". Office of Public Sector Information. 28 September 1991. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  18. ↑ Stennett 2007, p. 40.
  19. ↑ "All Aboard the Steam Train". BBC News . 3 September 2009. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  20. ↑ "Lincolnshire Wolds Railway". Ludborough Parish Council. 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  21. ↑ Stennett 2007, p. 39.

Sources

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