Horncastle Branch
Encyclopedia
The Horncastle Railway was a seven mile long single track branch railway line in Lincolnshire
, England
, that ran from (opened as Kirkstead) on the Lincolnshire Loop Line
to via one intermediate station, .
Authorised in July 1854, the line was the brainchild of three local businessmen who were concerned that the lack of a railway would inhibit the town's development, and who negotiated with the Great Northern Railway
that they would construct the line and the GNR would run it.
Due to poor weather conditions it was not until the spring of 1855 that work started, but aided by the flat terrain, and lack of major engineering work the line was completed in five months, opening on 11 August 1855. As further work was required to bring the line up to the required standard the line did not open to traffic until 17 August, with full services running from 26 September.
The line was profitable up to Grouping in 1923
, when it became part of the London and North Eastern Railway
but suffered after competing bus services took most of its passenger traffic. Despite local opposition the line closed to passengers on 13 September 1954, but remained open for freight until 6 April 1971.
The line from Horncastle
and Woodhall Spa
was bought by Lincolnshire County Council and is now part of the Viking Way
and Spa Trail long distance footpaths.
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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, that ran from (opened as Kirkstead) on the Lincolnshire Loop Line
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:...
to via one intermediate station, .
History
Originally named the Horncastle and Kirkstead Railway, the company was renamed the Horncastle Railway on 10 July 1854.Authorised in July 1854, the line was the brainchild of three local businessmen who were concerned that the lack of a railway would inhibit the town's development, and who negotiated with the Great Northern Railway
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
that they would construct the line and the GNR would run it.
Due to poor weather conditions it was not until the spring of 1855 that work started, but aided by the flat terrain, and lack of major engineering work the line was completed in five months, opening on 11 August 1855. As further work was required to bring the line up to the required standard the line did not open to traffic until 17 August, with full services running from 26 September.
The line was profitable up to Grouping in 1923
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
, when it became part of the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
but suffered after competing bus services took most of its passenger traffic. Despite local opposition the line closed to passengers on 13 September 1954, but remained open for freight until 6 April 1971.
The line from Horncastle
Horncastle
Horncastle is a market town of some 6,090 residents in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, 22 miles east of Lincoln.-Geography:...
and Woodhall Spa
Woodhall Spa
Woodhall Spa is a civil parish and village in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England within a wooded area on the Southern edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, about south-west of Horncastle and about east-south-east of Lincoln...
was bought by Lincolnshire County Council and is now part of the Viking Way
Viking Way
The Viking Way is a long distance footpath in England running between the Humber Bridge in North Lincolnshire and Oakham in Rutland. The Countryside Commission recognised the significance of the Viking Way as a high quality long distance walk linking other major routes in Eastern England, these...
and Spa Trail long distance footpaths.