bardney

Bardney is a small Lincolnshire town located in the northern-most part of the Fens half-way between Lincoln and Horncastle on the east bank of the River Witham. The first railway to arrive was the Great Northern's line from Peterborough to Lincoln via Spalding and Boston, which opened on October 17th, 1848. Between Boston and Lincoln the was built along the bank of the River Witham. Interestingly, until the "Towns" route through Grantham opened in 1852, this was the main line between London and the North.

Bardney, one of the intermediate stations, opened on the same date in 1848 and was originally titled "Bardney & Wragby" until it was renamed simply "Bardney" in May 1881. Wragby was actually some five miles north so the former name was a little misleading. The original station incorporated an "Italianate" style house and two platforms. This was later expanded and an additional platform was added. The short platform near the station house was used by Louth trains whilst Boston and Lincoln-bound trains used the island platforms.

A view of the main station building and "Louth Branch" platform

A 1980 view looking down the line towards Boston. Not the

posts on the island platform on the right which once held

a station name sign.

A branch line was opened between Bardney and South Willingham on November 9th, 1874, with intermediate stations at Kingthorpe and Wragby. This was later extended to Donington-on-Bain (opened September 27th, 1875) and from there to Louth on June 28th, 1876 (to goods) and December 1st, 1876 (to passengers). A 48ft turntable was constructed at Bardney to turn the engines working the branch but, in the event, this was largely unnecessary as tank engines were used which could easily operate tender first. A problem acquiring land at Bardney meant the junction with the Louth branch faced the wrong way and trains working through from Louth to Lincoln would thus have to reverse at Bardney. As the Louth branch opened in stages, coincidentally it also closed in stages. All passenger services were withdrawn from November 5th, 1951, goods traffic being retained. The Louth - Donington-on-Bain section closed from December 17th, 1956, followed by the Donington-on-Bain - Wragby section on December 1st , 1958. The final section between Wragby and Bardney closed on February 1st, 1960.

Goods traffic was significant and resulted in Bardney remaining on the rail network until 1981. A particularly important source of freight custom was the nearby British Sugar factory which was opened in 1927. As well as sugar beet itself being conveyed to the factory, coal was also required and this continued up to the closure of the line. There was an extensive network of sidings in the factory complex and BSC had their own locomotives. Originally they used a Hudswell Clark 0-6-0ST locomotive (no. 1604) which was superseded in the late 1970's replaced by an 0-4-0 diesel shunter built by Ruston's of Lincoln. Another important source of freight was Morrell's canning factory, again near the station, which had a siding off the Louth branch.

The substantial brick goods shed at Bardney

The line looking north. Morell's factory is on the right. The

point wherethe Louth branch diverged is approximately where

the tall tree can be seen in the centre distance.

The exyensive sidings at the BSC factory in 1980

The BSC's resident Ruston diesel shunter

The BSC railway crane hard at work

The line from Coningsby Junction to Boston closed on June 17th, 1963, which effectively left Bardney on a long branch from Bellwater Junction (on the East Lincolnshire Line) to Lincoln. The goods yard closed at Bardney on May 3rd, 1965, although the private sidings serving the BSC and Morrell factory continued for some time after. Five years later, on October 5th, 1970, all passenger services were withdrawn.

Freight continued to operate to Horncastle, via Woodhall Junction, until April 5th, 1971, when Bardney became the terminus of the line. The very last passenger train to visit Bardney was in the form of a rail tour on January 21st, 1981, ironically using a class 114 DMU - a type which regularly operated passenger services when the line had a regular passenger service. The branch closed for good the same month.

Bardney is also included on the Virtual Tour of East Lincolnshire Railways on this site.

Thanks to the staff of the British Sugar Factory at the time for allowing access to photograph their own locomotive in 1980.

We are extremely grateful to Alex Hurd for providing the images below taken c.1994 before the building was removed for reconstruction at Railworld although, at the time of writing, no progress has been made on this project.

Bardney station c.1994

Rear view from the car park of the Station Inn

The Goods Shed

Louth branch platform

Turnout which remains at the junction

Old lineman's hut at junction after 40 years