Lincolnshire Wolds Railway
Encyclopedia
The Lincolnshire Wolds Railway is a heritage railway
based at Ludborough
station, near Grimsby
in 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 and 2009 the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway received a top national award from the Heritage Railway Association
for its heritage railway efforts.
In 1923 the GNR was absorbed by the London and North Eastern Railway
(LNER) and with it the East Lincolnshire Railway. The LNER carried out a variety of improvements on the line. Namely the replacement of the GNR Somersult signals with the more common upper quadrant at some locations on the line. Box name boards were also changed from the black background with white lettering to the usual (and later BR specifactions) White background with black lettering. Although Louth South obtained an enamel sign which remained on the box until its closure 0n October 5, 1970.
In 1948, three years after the end of World War II
, Great Britain
took the railway assets into public ownership through nationalisation under the Transport Act 1947
and gave the assets to British Railways so that the railway would remain open. At that time, the line's passenger services were operated by steam railcar
, but these later were replaced by diesel multiple unit
s.
BR ran the line from 1948 until the lines eventual closure. BR had announced as early as 1965 that the line would be closing under the Beeching plan. However the first attempt failed after major local opposition and the minister of transport's refusal to close a major route. BR was successful in 1969 to obtain permission to close the line from the transport minister despite again a massive local opposition. The line from Firsby JN to Grimsby was closed after the last passenger train departed on October 5, 1970. The line from Firsby JN to Louth was quickly lifted and the infrastructure left to suffer the hands of time. The section from Louth to Grimsby was signled out (the down line lifted) and was retained for a further 10 years for grain traffic three times a week to the ABM building at Louth. In 1978 BR announced that grain traffic would cease and that the line would then be removed and abandoned. In 1978, a group known as the Grimsby-Louth Group was set up to fight the closure of the line. When the end became inevitable, the group was renamed the Grimsby-Louth Railway Preservation Society, with the aim of preserving the line for continued use. Despite their efforts, British Rail announced that the line would completely close on December 20, 1980. The Grimsby-Louth rail group did however manage to run several santa specials over the line. The last one ran on December 20, 1980. BR then closed the line and quickly removed the rails, sleepers and Ballast and thus making it harder for the preservationists to restore the line.
On 28 September 1991, a Light Railway Order was obtained which authorises the reinstatement of the East Lincolnshire Railway between Waltham and the former Keddington Road level crossing near Louth
.
On August 30, 2003, NER
0-4-0T LNER Class Y7 No. 68088 steamed on the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway. The section towards North Thoresby railway station was reopened in 2009, and on 26 August 2009, the first train between and ran for the first time in 47 years.
Work has now begun on track re-laying at the south end of Ludborough towards Utterby. Included in this work will be a new entrance to the engine shed coming in from the louth direction. The new point work will be controlled by a 4 lever ground frame which is released by Ludborough box and features in the new signalling system. This will be complete as and when money permits.
. A 1 1/2 mile running line operates northwards to North Thoresby. Trains are operated by both steam
and diesel locomotive
s. Two of the line's diesel locomotives, nos. D3167 and 97650 have strong local connections. The former was the resident shunter at Lincoln
Central for many years, whilst the latter was built by Ruston & Hornsby at their Lincoln works.
Ludborough Box was built on the foundations of the original box and is a close replica of what once stood there. Commissioned in 2004 by HMRI the box was official opened in 2005. It currently has 4 working levers and will hopefully in the near furture have a few more working levers. Please note:- Visitors are allowed in the box provided the signalman has given permission to do so.
North Thoresby box is lonely outpost situated off the end of the platform. It has a 7 Lever eastern region ground frame in it and all the levers are in use. It's primary function is to control the siding and the main line in the platform. During our gala the signalman doesn't get much time to put his feet up. Unfortunately it is not possible to allow public access to this box.
If you wish to volunteer as a signalman or help out in the S&T Department then please do not hesitate to contact the LWR and ask for Jim Tyers, Ian Short or Garth Lewin.
For further information on the S&T department click here Lincolnshire Wolds Railway S&T department
Road, which was completed in 1998. These roadworks made any future extension to impossible without major financial investment.
However, it is hoped eventually to reconstruct the entire sole-survivng 8 miles of track bed between a new site at Louth and Holton-le-clay.
(reopened in 2009)
(reopened in 1998)
- Future Southern Terminus of the Line.
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 works number 1964 'Spitfire'
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
based at Ludborough
Ludborough
Ludborough is a village in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies at the end of the A18 road. Ludborough has a population of 760 people. The Prime Meridian passes to the east of the village....
station, near Grimsby
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and the only standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
steam railway in Lincolnshire open to the public. The line is part of the original Great Northern Railway
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
(GNR), a rail system that opened in 1848 and once linked Grimsby, Louth and East Lincolnshire with London. In early 2002 and 2009 the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway received a top national award from the Heritage Railway Association
Heritage Railway Association
The Heritage Railways Association is an umbrella organisation representing the majority of the heritage and tourist railways, railway museums, steam centres and railway preservation groups in the UK and Ireland....
for its heritage railway efforts.
History
The railway began being built in 1846 and was completed in 1848. The line ran from Louth to New Holland and was officially opened on March 28, 1848 and was the first section of the GNR. The line was constructed by the East Lincolnshire Railway co (ELR) who then leased it to the GNR when they couldn't raise enough money to operate it. The GNR had obtained running rights over the MS&L from Grimsby to New Holland Pier and in return allowed the MS&L running rights to Louth. The line south of Louth was extended as far as Boston in October 1848. The GNR ran the line with some of its famous C12 loco's on the local services. For short period of time Stirling single no.1 (preserved at the NRM York) was based a Louth shed (40c) from 1912-1913.In 1923 the GNR was absorbed by the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
(LNER) and with it the East Lincolnshire Railway. The LNER carried out a variety of improvements on the line. Namely the replacement of the GNR Somersult signals with the more common upper quadrant at some locations on the line. Box name boards were also changed from the black background with white lettering to the usual (and later BR specifactions) White background with black lettering. Although Louth South obtained an enamel sign which remained on the box until its closure 0n October 5, 1970.
In 1948, three years after the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Great Britain
Rail transport in Great Britain
The railway system in Great Britain is the oldest in the world, with the world's first locomotive-hauled public railway opening in 1825. As of 2010, it consists of of standard gauge lines , of which are electrified. These lines range from single to double, triple, quadruple track and up to twelve...
took the railway assets into public ownership through nationalisation under the Transport Act 1947
Transport Act 1947
The Transport Act 1947 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Under it the railways, long-distance road haulage and various other types of transport were acquired by the state and handed over to a new British Transport Commission for operation...
and gave the assets to British Railways so that the railway would remain open. At that time, the line's passenger services were operated by steam railcar
Railmotor
Railmotor is a term which was used by several British railway companies for a steam railcar.-Overview:William Bridges Adams started building railmotors as early as 1848, but only in small numbers...
, but these later were replaced by diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s.
BR ran the line from 1948 until the lines eventual closure. BR had announced as early as 1965 that the line would be closing under the Beeching plan. However the first attempt failed after major local opposition and the minister of transport's refusal to close a major route. BR was successful in 1969 to obtain permission to close the line from the transport minister despite again a massive local opposition. The line from Firsby JN to Grimsby was closed after the last passenger train departed on October 5, 1970. The line from Firsby JN to Louth was quickly lifted and the infrastructure left to suffer the hands of time. The section from Louth to Grimsby was signled out (the down line lifted) and was retained for a further 10 years for grain traffic three times a week to the ABM building at Louth. In 1978 BR announced that grain traffic would cease and that the line would then be removed and abandoned. In 1978, a group known as the Grimsby-Louth Group was set up to fight the closure of the line. When the end became inevitable, the group was renamed the Grimsby-Louth Railway Preservation Society, with the aim of preserving the line for continued use. Despite their efforts, British Rail announced that the line would completely close on December 20, 1980. The Grimsby-Louth rail group did however manage to run several santa specials over the line. The last one ran on December 20, 1980. BR then closed the line and quickly removed the rails, sleepers and Ballast and thus making it harder for the preservationists to restore the line.
Preservation
In 1984 preservation efforts started rebuilding Ludborough Station to its former glory. The site had been virtually flattend by British Rail. All the buildings had been demolished, the railings and platform edges had been removed as well as the track. When the track had been removed, the Ballast had also been removed and therefore blocking the drains and making the site in to a swimming pool.On 28 September 1991, a Light Railway Order was obtained which authorises the reinstatement of the East Lincolnshire Railway between Waltham and the former Keddington Road level crossing near Louth
Louth, Lincolnshire
Louth is a market town and civil parish within the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England.-Geography:Known as the "capital of the Lincolnshire Wolds", it is situated where the ancient trackway Barton Street crosses the River Lud, and has a total resident population of 15,930.The Greenwich...
.
On August 30, 2003, NER
North Eastern Railway (UK)
The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923...
0-4-0T LNER Class Y7 No. 68088 steamed on the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway. The section towards North Thoresby railway station was reopened in 2009, and on 26 August 2009, the first train between and ran for the first time in 47 years.
Work has now begun on track re-laying at the south end of Ludborough towards Utterby. Included in this work will be a new entrance to the engine shed coming in from the louth direction. The new point work will be controlled by a 4 lever ground frame which is released by Ludborough box and features in the new signalling system. This will be complete as and when money permits.
Operations
Ludborough station has been restored to its original condition and is a working station museum, complete with an operational signal boxSignal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
. A 1 1/2 mile running line operates northwards to North Thoresby. Trains are operated by both steam
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
and diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s. Two of the line's diesel locomotives, nos. D3167 and 97650 have strong local connections. The former was the resident shunter at Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
Central for many years, whilst the latter was built by Ruston & Hornsby at their Lincoln works.
Signalling on the LWR
The signalling used on the LWR is very basic but still forms a vital part of the operations. There are two signal boxes in use. One at Ludborough which contains an 18 lever Mackensie and Holland lever frame which came from Hainton street Grimsby, and a 7 lever ground frame in the box at North Thoresby. Whilst North Thoresby has the conventional upper quadrant signals, Ludborough has the more famous GNR somersault signals.Ludborough Box was built on the foundations of the original box and is a close replica of what once stood there. Commissioned in 2004 by HMRI the box was official opened in 2005. It currently has 4 working levers and will hopefully in the near furture have a few more working levers. Please note:- Visitors are allowed in the box provided the signalman has given permission to do so.
North Thoresby box is lonely outpost situated off the end of the platform. It has a 7 Lever eastern region ground frame in it and all the levers are in use. It's primary function is to control the siding and the main line in the platform. During our gala the signalman doesn't get much time to put his feet up. Unfortunately it is not possible to allow public access to this box.
If you wish to volunteer as a signalman or help out in the S&T Department then please do not hesitate to contact the LWR and ask for Jim Tyers, Ian Short or Garth Lewin.
For further information on the S&T department click here Lincolnshire Wolds Railway S&T department
Lincolnshire Wolds Railway S&T department
-Brief outline of the department:The department is one of the many that make up the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway. It installs, maintains and repairs all the signalling and telecommunications on the LWR...
Future
The initial aim of reopening the line from Louth to Grimsby is no longer feasible in the short to medium term, as part of the section between Grimsby and New Waltham was designated by Humberside County Council for the building/construction of the A16 Peaks ParkwayPeaks Parkway
The Peaks Parkway is part of the northern end of the A16 road, in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire. It was conceived in the 1970s and follows part of the trackbed of the former East Lincolnshire Railway between and .-Background:...
Road, which was completed in 1998. These roadworks made any future extension to impossible without major financial investment.
However, it is hoped eventually to reconstruct the entire sole-survivng 8 miles of track bed between a new site at Louth and Holton-le-clay.
Stations of the LWR
Future Northern Terminus of the Line.(reopened in 2009)
(reopened in 1998)
- Future Southern Terminus of the Line.
Operational Steam Locomotives
Peckett industrial 0-4-0ST works number 1749 'Fulstow no. 2'Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 works number 1964 'Spitfire'
Steam locomotives under Repair
- PeckettPeckett and SonsPeckett and Sons was a locomotive manufacturer at the Atlas Works in St. George, Bristol, England.-Fox, Walker and Company:The company began trading in 1864 at the Atlas Engine Works, St. George, Bristol, as Fox, Walker and Company, building four and six-coupled saddle tank engines for industrial use...
industrial 0-4-0ST works number 1351 'Lion'. Awaiting a retube and general overhaul.
Operational Diesel locomotives
- BRBritish RailBritish Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
0-6-0 Class 08British Rail Class 08The British Rail Class 08 is a class of diesel-electric shunting locomotive. From 1953 to 1962, 996 locomotives were produced, making it the most numerous of all British locomotive classes....
no. D3167 (also 08102)
Diesel locomotives under Repair
- BR 0-6-0 Class 97/6British Rail Class 97/6The British Rail Class 97/6 0-6-0 diesel shunting locomotives were purpose-built for departmental duties by Ruston & Hornsby at Lincoln in 1953 or 1959...
no. 97650 - Ruston & Hornsby 0-4-0DM 375713, Tioxide no 4
- Ruston & Hornsby 0-4-0DM 414303, Tioxide no 6
- Ruston & Hornsby 4wDM 421418, Tioxide no 7
- Fowler 0-4-0DM 4210131 ex Conoco
- Fowler 0-4-0DM 4210145 ex Conoco No 8
- Hunslet 4wDM 5308, Colonel B
- Sentinel 0-6-0DH 10166