Midville Line
Encyclopedia
The Kirkstead and Little Steeping Railway, locally known as the New Line, was a railway line linking the East Lincolnshire Railway
to the Lincoln
to Boston
railway through the Lincolnshire Fens in Lincolnshire
, England
. It opened in 1913 by the Great Northern Railway
(GNR).
The land used for the line was generally flat so there were no engineering difficulties and only three roads required the provision of bridges. Opened as Light Railway
, in the beginning a 25 mph speed restriction was imposed by the Board of Trade
, but this was later increased to 50 mph for most of the route.
Although laid as double track
, one line was lifted in 1916 to provide materials for use in France
. Although the track was lifted it was not used for the War Effort as the vessel carrying it was sunk in the English Channel
. The missing track was restored in 1923.
The line was closed on 5 October 1970, after 57 years of operation.
. Since closure in 1970, the whole route has largely returned to nature and farmland.
East Lincolnshire Railway
The East Lincolnshire Railway was a main line railway linking the towns of Boston, Louth and Grimsby in Lincolnshire, England. It opened in 1848 and was closed to passengers in 1970.-History:...
to the Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
to Boston
Boston, Lincolnshire
Boston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
railway through the Lincolnshire Fens 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...
, 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...
. It opened in 1913 by 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....
(GNR).
The land used for the line was generally flat so there were no engineering difficulties and only three roads required the provision of bridges. Opened as Light Railway
Light railway
Light railway refers to a railway built at lower costs and to lower standards than typical "heavy rail". This usually means the railway uses lighter weight track, and is more steeply graded and tightly curved to avoid civil engineering costs...
, in the beginning a 25 mph speed restriction was imposed by the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
, but this was later increased to 50 mph for most of the route.
Although laid as double track
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
, one line was lifted in 1916 to provide materials for use in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Although the track was lifted it was not used for the War Effort as the vessel carrying it was sunk in the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. The missing track was restored in 1923.
The line was closed on 5 October 1970, after 57 years of operation.
After closure
The line left the Lincoln to Boston line at Woodhall Junction railway stationWoodhall Junction railway station
Woodhall Junction railway station is a former station in Woodhall, Lincolnshire. It served as a junction where several different lines met, none of which are still open....
. Since closure in 1970, the whole route has largely returned to nature and farmland.
- Coningsby stationConingsby railway stationConingsby railway station was a station in Coningsby, Lincolnshire on the line between Lincoln and Firsby.Former Services-References:...
was built on an embankment, but both the station and embankment have been completely removed.
- Tumby Woodside stationTumby Woodside railway stationTumby Woodside railway station was a station on the former Great Northern Railway between Firsby and Lincoln.It served the village of Tumby Woodside in Lincolnshire, England until closure in 1970. The station was immortalised in 1964 in the song "Slow Train" by Flanders and Swann.Former...
still survives in its entirety with both platforms and station buildings still standing and existing but in derelict and dangerous condition. The station was immortalised in 1964 in the song "Slow TrainSlow Train"Slow Train" is a song by the British duo Flanders and Swann, written in 1963.It laments the loss of British stations and railway lines in that era, due to the Beeching cuts, and also the passing of a way of life, with the advent of motorways etc....
" by Flanders and SwannFlanders and SwannThe British duo Flanders and Swann were the actor and singer Michael Flanders and the composer, pianist and linguist Donald Swann , who collaborated in writing and performing comic songs....
.
- New Bolingbroke stationNew Bolingbroke railway stationNew Bolingbroke railway station is a former station in New Bolingbroke, Lincolnshire.Former Services-References:...
's up platform and building still survives, and now hosts an antiques centre and a reclaim yard on the down platform. A modern building has been constructed on the former trackbed, including demoltition of part of the west end of the former down platform.
- Stickney stationStickney railway stationStickney railway station is a former station in the village of Stickney, in the Lincolnshire Fens. It closed in 1970.Former Services-References:...
was in a cutting that has been infilled, burying the original platforms. The site is now in commercial use. The bridge carrying the A16 over the line here has been removed and the road levelled. A small picnic area has been created to the east of the road.
- Midville stationMidville railway stationMidville railway station was a station in Midville, Lincolnshire on the line between Lincoln and Firsby.Former Services-References:...
has lost its timber-built platforms, but the building remains as a private residence.
- The building and track at the former junction station at Little SteepingLittle Steeping railway stationLittle Steeping was a railway station on the East Lincolnshire Railway which served the hamlet of Little Steeping in Lincolnshire between 1848 and 1964. It became a junction station in June 1913 when the Kirkstead and Little Steeping Railway was opened to provide a more direct route to for East...
remains as a private residence, although the signal box and platforms have been removed.
- The route remains in use as an active railway between the former Bellwater Junction and the 1881 direct link to Skegness installed at the former Firsby South Curve a few hundred metres south of the former branch terminus at Firsby stationFirsby railway stationFirsby railway station was a busy station in Firsby, Lincolnshire which closed in 1970 as a result of the Beeching Axe. Firsby served as a main line station and a terminus for two branch lines, one to the seaside resort of Skegness and one to the market town of Spilsby.Firsby station was located in...
. The majority of this station and its platforms have been demolished. Only one small section of the main station building remains and is now a private residence.