| Spalding - a
Retrospect (Part One) Station, Sidings & Signalboxes |
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| Two maps which illustrate how Spalding was
once the hub of five lines and was even on the route of the Harwich Boat Train. Sadly, it has been reduced over the years to little more than a branch line halt. Hopefully, the following photographs will help preserve its former glory. |
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| The front of Spalding station as it is now.
All the sidings have been swept away and a new (and very busy) road constructed. |
| A nice view looking at the area north of the
stations and the busy sidings. Directly underneath the photographer in this late 1970's view was the East Lincolnshire main line to Boston. Note the semaphores and "box type" vans on the right. |
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| Despite evisdence of much tracklifting, the
layer of snow does illustrate very effectively the extent of sidings at Spalding. The above looks towards the south as a Peterborough bound Metro Cammel class 101 dmu approaches the station, whilst the lowver view looks north. The lines immediately below which in the distance turn towards the left are the GN & GE Jt to Sleaford whilst on the right were those of the former East Lincolnshire line to Boston. |
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| A view taken from the trackbed. Platform 6 is
on the right. It was used as the point for M & GN trains from both east and west which terminated at Spalding. On the far right was no. 7 platform which was utilised by westbound M & GN trains. On the left was no 5 platform and, on the extreme left (no political reference intended !) was the bay platform, filled in and converted to a garden. Despite the lack of track, the white edges on platforms 5 & 6 gleam as if they had only recently been painted. |
| A view showing platform seven, with no track
and crumbling edges. This was used by westbound M & GN trains to Bourne, Saxby and Nottingham. Indeed, from this very platform on February 28th, 1959, 4MT 43060 hauled the very last "Up Leicester" with the poignant "That's Yer Lot" board on front. Were I to take a present day picture from the same location I would have be stood in someone's home or garden ! |
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| At one time the station footbridge also gave
access to platforms 6 and 7, but this section has been out of use for many years. The section beyond the tower (giving access to No.3 platform) continues in use today but the fenced off archway has been bricked up and, in any case, all decking has been removed, so these views are now unrepeatable ! |
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A view in the opposite direction. |
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A view looking north from the disused section of the footbridge. The bay platform no.4 can be seen on the right having been filled in and turned into a rather attractive garden by the station staff. |
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A view looking south from the disused part of the footbridge. Note the two posts to the right of platform 6 which once held a large station name sign. |
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| The wooden planks and steps removed, the
footbridge remains in skeletal form. |
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| The reason for my not including many present
day views is evident from this photograph as the entire station area has been desecrated in the name of progress. Platform five lies fenced off and crumbling whilst six and seven have been eradicated completely and some rather ugly box-like housing now occupies the site. Curiously the ironwork of the footbridge has been left in place but, without steps, serves no purpose ! |
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| An evocative view of the station as the late
afternoon sun lights up the "up" platform no.2 with original GNR bench seats. |
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| The no.1 box just south of Spalding station which remains in use today |
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| Five views of the Spalding no.2 box located
to the north of the station. The last view illustrates its fate ! |
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