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Along Closed Lines (Part Two)

Louth - Burgh - Firsby - Spilsby - Tattershall

South of Louth Station a bridge carried the ELML over Ramsgate Road and another over the River Lud. It is the latter which is the subject of this photograph, the bridge over Ramsgate Road having been removed long before.

Taken from the bridge in the previous photograph, we look north along the trackbed towards Louth Station which can be seen just to the left of centre. Further away, the trackbed to Grimsby has been breached with the construction of a factory. The station site is currently surrounded by new housing.

This time looking in the opposite direction. Beyond the bridge illustrated previously, a short stretch of embankment survived. This view looks south and reveals how much of the trackbed has been destroyed over the twenty years since closure. In the foreground is Eastgate, the bridge over which had long since been removed as had that over Monks Dyke Road a little further on.

Now on the outskirts of Louth, is the former crossing at Stewton Lane, the former crossing keepers house now making a picturesque rural cottage.

The trackbed looking south from Stewton Lane. In the distance was the location of Mablethorpe Junction signalbox where the loop to Mablethorpe diverged. This view aptly demonstrates the fate of much rural trackbed in the area, but the line of poles give a clear indication of the former course of the railway.

The first station on the ELML south of Louth was Legbourne Road which became the first of the three intermediate stations to Alford to close on December 7th, 1953. In more recent times it served as a railway museum but this has, sadly, since closed. The Legbourne Station Museum is featured in this site. This view shows the station and former level crossing as viewed from a double-decker bus !

Fortunately, all three of the station houses have survived as private residences at Legbourne, Authorpe and Aby, the latter being the subject of this photograph. Such a tranquil scene makes it hard to imagine a B1 at the head of a fish train from Grimsby to London hurtling through on its way south. This station and Authorpe both closed to passengers on September 11th, 1961.

Just south of Aby station the ELML crossed the minor Aby to Claythorpe road by a bridge which still stood when the picture was taken in 1993.

The Alford station building has survived following closure in 1970. It is currently in use by an industrial concern. There is more than a touch of irony in the town calling the road in front of the station "Beeching's Way" !

A view of Alford from the railway side, the building still retaining its canopy. Unfortunately a modern factory building now adjoins this side of the station.

Further south was Burgh-le-Marsh station. After many years of neglect, this was refurbished (including the signal box) into tea rooms and and antique shop whilst the goods shed, just visible in the distance, was used as a Railway Museum. This view, taken after a snow flurry, shows the station looking south.

As previously mentioned, the goods shed at Burgh-le-Marsh served as a Railway Museum and outside there was a miniature railway, Gunby Road station being illustrated here with the main Burgh-le-Marsh station visible in the left distance. Sadly all this was sold at auction following the closure of the museum several years ago as were the many exhibits, many of which being of local interest. Fortunately the large Firsby station sign was puchased by the Museum of Lincolnshire Life.

A section of the trackbed between Bratoft and Burgh-le-Marsh is owned by the National Trust and is open as a public footpath.

A view looking north towards Burgh-le-Marsh from Bratoft crossing which, as illustrated in the previous view, is a public footpath.

A view looking in the opposite direction to the previous photograph. The crossing house at Bratoft can be seen in the distance.

A small section of the station house is all that remains of the impressive junction station at Firsby. For those of us who remember the station when open, this is a truly depressing image and sums up the sad legacy left by Beeching. It still retains a tenuous link with the past in that its occupants' father was a member of station staff prior to its closure in 1970.

Another view of Firsby Station taken from the site of the level crossing and looking north. The goods shed can be seen in the distance and is still in use by a vegetable merchant.

The crossing house at Firsby still remains although there is little other reminder of the impressive system of gates which used to be here.

We leave the ELML briefly for a look down the Spilsby branch. This had closed to passengers as early as September 10th, 1939 and to goods on December 1st, 1958. At Halton Holegate the line (and now the trackbed) is crossed by a bridge which carries the minor road to Halton Fenside. The former station is just visible through the arch.

The view from the bridge shown on the previous photograph which shows the Station House at Halton Holegate in a good state of preservation and now in use as a private residence. In the distance, the former goods shed can be seen.

The station buildings at Spilsby were demolished in 1965 and this view shows the location some fifteen years later.

The goods shed at Spilsby does survive although has been much altered in appearance and is used by a local firm.

Even after over 25 years of closure, the station building at Midville survived and even had remains of railway posteres on its interior walls !

As the "New Line" crosses very fertile and valuable arable land, there is little surprise that very little of the trackbed is visible. This view is a good example and looks west from Midville where only part of the brickwork supporting the bridge over Hobhole Drain gives any indication as to the railways existence.

Diverting off the "New Line" and onto the former GNR "loop" brom Boston to Lincoln, is Tattershall. A rather fine station and like several on this stretch of line included a rather fine tower. The station last saw passengers on June 17th, 1963. Fortunately it has undergone a superb restoration, as illustrated by this photograph, and now serves as an art gallery.

To continue the tour, please click here, or to return to the Contents page please use the link below.