Fivemile House railway station
Encyclopedia
Five Mile House was a railway station on the Lincolnshire Loop Line
which served the village of Fiskerton
in Lincolnshire
between 1848 and 1964. Situated on the south bank of the River Witham
, passengers on the north bank had to use a ferry to reach it. It closed two years after opening due to low traffic, but reopened fifteen years later. Withdrawal of passenger services took place in 1958, leaving the station open for anglers' excursions until 1964. The Water Rail Way footpath now runs through the site.
near the village of Fiskerton
. It was constructed by Peto
and Betts
civil engineer
ing contractors
who, in November 1846, had agreed to construct the line including stations by 28 February 1848. It took its name from a public house
near the river which served as a barge
inn popular with horse-drawn packets
. Two timber-built staggered platforms were provided either side of a crossing which led to a ferry across the river. Users on the north bank of the river were obliged to cross it using the ferry to reach the station, a journey which deterred many potential customers. Lack of traffic resulted in the station closing in 1850, only to reopen fifteen years later when a farmer was granted siding
facilities. A footbridge replaced the ferry in 1957 when the latter closed.
Goods traffic was never heavy, and the station was mainly used for transporting potatoes, grain, hay and sugar beet. The station buildings were destroyed by fire in 1919 and were replaced by two small buildings; one was used as an office and the other as a waiting room. The July 1927 timetable saw seven up and five down services, and one Sunday service each way; destinations included , , , , and . Regular passenger services were withdrawn on 15 September 1958, but the station remained open until 6 September 1964 for anglers' specials on summer weekends from and to , and . By September 1964, only one train each way called at the station.
Lincolnshire Loop Line
The Lincolnshire Loop Line was a Great Northern Railway built double track railway line that linked Peterborough to Lincoln via Spalding and Boston.-History:...
which served the village of Fiskerton
Fiskerton, Lincolnshire
Fiskerton is a small commuter village within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, located approximately east of the city of Lincoln and on the north side of the River Witham.-History:...
in 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...
between 1848 and 1964. Situated on the south bank 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...
, passengers on the north bank had to use a ferry to reach it. It closed two years after opening due to low traffic, but reopened fifteen years later. Withdrawal of passenger services took place in 1958, leaving the station open for anglers' excursions until 1964. The Water Rail Way footpath now runs through the site.
History
The station was opened on 17 October 1848 on the south bank of the River WithamRiver 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...
near the village of Fiskerton
Fiskerton, Lincolnshire
Fiskerton is a small commuter village within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, located approximately east of the city of Lincoln and on the north side of the River Witham.-History:...
. It was constructed by Peto
Samuel Morton Peto
Sir Samuel Morton Peto, 1st Baronet was an English entrepreneur and civil engineer in the 19th century. A partner in Grissell and Peto, he managed construction firms that built many major buildings and monuments in London...
and Betts
Edward Betts
Edward Ladd Betts was an English civil engineering contractor who was mainly involved in the building of railways.-Early life:...
civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
ing contractors
General contractor
A general contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and communication of information to involved parties throughout the course of a building project.-Description:...
who, in November 1846, had agreed to construct the line including stations by 28 February 1848. It took its name from a public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
near the river which served as a barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
inn popular with horse-drawn packets
Horse-drawn boat
A horse-drawn boat or tow-boat is a historic boat operating on a canal, pulled by a horse walking on a special road along the canal, the towpath.-United Kingdom:...
. Two timber-built staggered platforms were provided either side of a crossing which led to a ferry across the river. Users on the north bank of the river were obliged to cross it using the ferry to reach the station, a journey which deterred many potential customers. Lack of traffic resulted in the station closing in 1850, only to reopen fifteen years later when a farmer was granted siding
Rail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
facilities. A footbridge replaced the ferry in 1957 when the latter closed.
Goods traffic was never heavy, and the station was mainly used for transporting potatoes, grain, hay and sugar beet. The station buildings were destroyed by fire in 1919 and were replaced by two small buildings; one was used as an office and the other as a waiting room. The July 1927 timetable saw seven up and five down services, and one Sunday service each way; destinations included , , , , and . Regular passenger services were withdrawn on 15 September 1958, but the station remained open until 6 September 1964 for anglers' specials on summer weekends from and to , and . By September 1964, only one train each way called at the station.