Lincolnshire Wolds Railway facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lincolnshire Wolds Railway |
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Fulstow no. 2 at Ludborough
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| Locale | Lincolnshire, England |
| Terminus | Ludborough railway station |
| Commercial operations | |
| Name | London and North Eastern Railway |
| Built by | East Lincolnshire Railway |
| Original gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Preserved operations | |
| Operated by | Lincolnshire Wolds Railway |
| Stations | 5 (2 reopened so far) |
| Length | 1.5 miles (2.4 km) |
| Preserved gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Commercial history | |
| Opened | 1848 |
| Closed | 1961 passengers, 1965 goods, line closed and abandoned 1980 |
| Preservation history | |
| 1984 | Society moves into derelict station at Ludborough |
| 1998 | line reopened |
| 2008 | line relaid to North Thoresby |
| 26 August 2009 | North Thoresby reopened |
| Headquarters | Ludborough |
The Lincolnshire Wolds Railway (LWR) is a special heritage railway. It is located at Ludborough station, near Louth, Lincolnshire, England. This is the only steam railway in Lincolnshire that is open to the public. It uses a standard track width, which is common for most railways.
This railway line was once part of the original Great Northern Railway (GNR). The GNR system first opened in 1848. It connected towns like Grimsby, Louth, and other parts of East Lincolnshire with London. The Lincolnshire Wolds Railway has won national awards for its efforts. It received top honors from the Heritage Railway Association in 2002, 2009, and 2013.
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History of the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway
Building this railway line started in 1846 and finished in 1848. The line originally ran from Louth to New Holland. It officially opened on March 28, 1848. This was the first part of the Great Northern Railway (GNR) to open.
The East Lincolnshire Railway Co (ELR) built the line. They later leased it to the GNR because they couldn't afford to run it themselves. The GNR used some of its famous C12 locomotives on local trains. From 1912 to 1913, a special train called Stirling single no.1 was kept at the Louth train shed. This train is now preserved at the National Railway Museum in York.
In 1923, the GNR and the East Lincolnshire Railway became part of the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER). The LNER made some improvements to the line. They replaced old signals with newer, more common types. They also changed the signs at signal boxes to have white backgrounds with black letters.
In 1948, all of Great Britain's railway assets were taken over by the government. They were given to British Railways to keep the railway system running. At that time, passenger trains on this line were steam railcars. Later, these were replaced by modern diesel multiple units.
British Railways (BR) operated the line from 1948 until it closed. BR announced in 1965 that the line would close. This was part of a big plan to cut railway lines across the country. The first attempt to close the line failed because many local people were against it. However, in 1969, BR got permission to close the line. The passenger service ended on October 5, 1970. The tracks from Firsby Junction to Louth were quickly removed.
A section of the line from Louth to Grimsby stayed open for another 10 years. It was used three times a week for grain trains. In 1978, BR said these grain trains would stop, and the line would be removed. A group called the Grimsby-Louth Group formed to try and save the line.
When it became clear the line would close, the group changed its name. It became the Grimsby-Louth Railway Preservation Society. Their goal was to save the line for future use. Despite their efforts, British Rail closed the line completely on December 20, 1980. The railway group ran some special "Santa" trains before the final closure. After the line closed, BR quickly removed the tracks and other parts. This made it much harder for people to restore the line later.
Bringing the Railway Back to Life
In 1984, people started working to bring Ludborough Station back to life. British Rail had almost completely destroyed the site. All the buildings were gone, and the tracks and platforms were removed. Even the drains were blocked, causing floods when it rained.
On September 28, 1991, the preservation group received a special permission called a Light Railway Order. This allowed them to rebuild the railway between Waltham and Louth. On August 30, 2003, a steam locomotive named NER 0-4-0T LNER Class Y7 No. 68088 ran on the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway.
The section of track towards North Thoresby railway station was reopened in 2009. On August 26, 2009, the first train ran between North Thoresby and Ludborough in 47 years!
Work is now happening to lay new tracks south of Ludborough station, towards Utterby. This work includes a new entrance to the engine shed. This new track will be controlled by a special lever system. The Lincolnshire Wolds Railway asked for donations in 2012 to buy more tracks and materials to extend the line further.
How the Railway Operates Today
Ludborough station has been carefully restored to look like it did originally. It is now a working station museum. It even has a working signal box, which controls the train movements. A 1.75-mile (2.8 km) long track runs north from Ludborough to North Thoresby.
Trains on the line are pulled by both steam and diesel locomotives. One of the diesel locomotives, D3167 (also known as 08102), has a special connection to the area. This train worked for many years at Lincoln Central station.
Railway Signals at the LWR
The signalling system at the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway is simple but very important. It helps keep trains safe and organized. There are two signal boxes in use:
- Ludborough: This signal box was built on the old foundations of the original box. It looks very much like the one that used to be there. It started working in 2004 and officially opened in 2005. Inside, it has an 18-lever McKenzie and Holland lever frame. This frame came from Hainton Street in Grimsby. Currently, four of its levers are working, and more will be added soon. Visitors can sometimes go inside the box if the signalman gives permission.
- North Thoresby: This signal box is located at the end of the platform. It has a seven-lever ground frame, and all its levers are in use. Its main job is to control the side tracks and the main line at the platform.
North Thoresby uses common Upper quadrant signals. However, Ludborough uses the older, more famous GNR somersault signals. These signals look like they "somersault" when they change position.
Future Plans for the LWR
The original dream of reopening the entire line from Louth to Grimsby is no longer possible. This is because a new road, the A16 Peaks Parkway, was built on part of the old railway line near Grimsby. This road was finished in 1998.
However, the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway still hopes to rebuild the remaining 9 miles (14 km) of track. This would connect a new station at Louth to Holton-le-Clay.
Stations of the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway
- Holton Le Clay – This will be the northern end of the line in the future.
- North Thoresby – This station reopened in 2009.
- Ludborough – This station reopened in 1998.
- Fotherby – This station is not yet reopened.
- Louth North – This will be the southern end of the line in the future.
Locomotives at the LWR
The railway has several locomotives (train engines). Here are some of them:
Steam Locomotives Ready to Go
| Number & Name | Builder/Type | Wheel Arrangement | Year Built | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 'Spitfire' | Andrew Barclay | 0-4-0ST | 1929 | Running |
This locomotive returned to service in 2015 after being repaired.
Steam Locomotives Being Repaired
- Peckett industrial 0-4-0ST works number 1351 'Lion'. Built in 1914. It is currently in the shed being repaired.
- Peckett 0-4-0ST works number 1749 'Fulstow no. 2'. Built in 1928. Its boiler certificate expired in 2020, so it needs work.
- RSH 0-6-0T works number 7597 'Zebedee'. Built in 1949. It is currently being repaired.
- Statens Järnvägar B Class 4-6-0 No.1313. Built in 1918. This is a big repair project that will take many years.
Diesel Locomotives Ready to Go
Diesel Locomotives Being Repaired
