Woodhall Spa railway station
Encyclopedia
Woodhall Spa railway station was a station in Woodhall Spa
, Lincolnshire
on a small branch line running north from Woodhall Junction
to Horncastle. Both the station and the line are now closed.
In 1846 the Great Northern rail company purchased the land to build a 58 miles (93.3 km) rail link from Peterborough
to Lincoln
via Spalding
and Boston
with the Boston to Lincoln section being built along the banks of the River Witham
. Works commenced in 1847 and the line opened on 17th October 1848. The Kirkstead Station, later to be renamed the Woodhall Junction
, was one of seven between Lincoln and Boston. To the north were Stixwould
, Southrey
and Bardney
and to the south were Tattershall
, Dogdyke
and Langrick
.
, from the Woodhall Junction to Horncastle. They formed the Horncastle and Kirkstead Junction Railway Company, and the line was opened on 11 August 1855 and transported the gentry into the heart of Woodhall where they could easily get to the hotels and public attractions. The line also provided a better means of transport for goods being transported to and from Horncastle than the River Bain
.
After the track was removed the land was sold off to various land owners, mostly local farmers, but some has been used to recently create a paved walk and cycle path, called The Water Rail Way, from Kirkstead
to Lincoln. As of summer 2009 the path is complete and open for public use.
The course of the Horncastle Branch to Horncastle has also been turned into a bridleway, The Spa Trail , allowing for a safe journey to Horncastle that is used by 15,000 people a year.
Former Services
Woodhall Spa
Woodhall Spa is a civil parish and village in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England within a wooded area on the Southern edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, about south-west of Horncastle and about east-south-east of Lincoln...
, 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...
on a small branch line running north from Woodhall Junction
Woodhall Junction railway station
Woodhall Junction railway station is a former station in Woodhall, Lincolnshire. It served as a junction where several different lines met, none of which are still open....
to Horncastle. Both the station and the line are now closed.
In 1846 the Great Northern rail company purchased the land to build a 58 miles (93.3 km) rail link from Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
to 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....
via Spalding
Spalding, Lincolnshire
Spalding is a market town with a population of 30,000 on the River Welland in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. Little London is a hamlet directly south of Spalding on the B1172 road....
and Boston
Boston, Lincolnshire
Boston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
with the Boston to Lincoln section being built along the banks of the River Witham
River Witham
The River Witham is a river, almost entirely in the county of Lincolnshire, in the east of England. It rises south of Grantham close to South Witham, at SK8818, passes Lincoln at SK9771 and at Boston, TF3244, flows into The Haven, a tidal arm of The Wash, near RSPB Frampton Marsh...
. Works commenced in 1847 and the line opened on 17th October 1848. The Kirkstead Station, later to be renamed the Woodhall Junction
Woodhall Junction railway station
Woodhall Junction railway station is a former station in Woodhall, Lincolnshire. It served as a junction where several different lines met, none of which are still open....
, was one of seven between Lincoln and Boston. To the north were Stixwould
Stixwould
Stixwould is a small village in the civil parish of Stixwould and Woodhall in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, near the large village of Woodhall Spa....
, Southrey
Southrey
Southrey is a village in the civil parish of Bardney in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, about south east of Bardney.In the 1086 Domesday Book Southrey was listed as "Sutrei" and consisted of eleven households....
and Bardney
Bardney
Bardney is a village and Civil Parish east of Lincoln, sitting on the north side of the River Witham in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England.-The village:...
and to the south were Tattershall
Tattershall
Tattershall is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, located on the A153 Horncastle to Sleaford road, east of the point where that road crosses the River Witham. At its eastern end, Tattershall adjoins the village of Coningsby, to the north of the village...
, Dogdyke
Dogdyke
Dogdyke is a hamlet near Tattershall, Lincolnshire, England. It is at the confluence of the Rivers Bain and Witham, and close to where the River Slea joins the Witham.Nearby settlements are the hamlets of Chapel Hill, Tattershall Bridge and Hawthorn Hill....
and Langrick
Langrick
-External links:*...
.
Horncastle branch
In 1853 three local businessmen negotiated with the G.N.R. with a view to open a branch of the line, the Horncastle BranchHorncastle Branch
The Horncastle Railway was a seven mile long single track branch railway line in Lincolnshire, England, that ran from on the Lincolnshire Loop Line to via one intermediate station, .-History:...
, from the Woodhall Junction to Horncastle. They formed the Horncastle and Kirkstead Junction Railway Company, and the line was opened on 11 August 1855 and transported the gentry into the heart of Woodhall where they could easily get to the hotels and public attractions. The line also provided a better means of transport for goods being transported to and from Horncastle than the River Bain
Horncastle Canal
The Horncastle Canal was a broad canal which ran 11 miles from the River Witham to Horncastle in Lincolnshire, England, through twelve locks largely following the course of River Bain...
.
Closure
The line closed along with the rest of the Boston to Lincoln line on 6th April 1971 and demolition came soon after.After the track was removed the land was sold off to various land owners, mostly local farmers, but some has been used to recently create a paved walk and cycle path, called The Water Rail Way, from Kirkstead
Kirkstead
Kirkstead is an ancient village and former parish on the River Witham in Lincolnshire, England. It was amalgamated with the civil parish of Woodhall Spa in 1987.-History:...
to Lincoln. As of summer 2009 the path is complete and open for public use.
The course of the Horncastle Branch to Horncastle has also been turned into a bridleway, The Spa Trail , allowing for a safe journey to Horncastle that is used by 15,000 people a year.