The LNER Encyclopedia

Hello
I wonder if anyone out there can help me? I would like to know what type of trains ran on the branch line between Honnington and Lincoln from the early 1930s to the late 1950s. If anyone out there could give me any information I would be very grateful.
Thanks Stephen

From 1955/6 to closure in ?October 1965 trains were DMUs, normally of the E50xxx/E56xxx variety.

Before then they were three to four oldish corridor coaches. I can't be sure whether Lincoln or Grantham MPD was responsible for motive power, but I have seen photos of Grantham B12s on this service, and also the last D3, 62000.

I forgot about freight trains. There wasn't a great deal of freight activity on this line, but at one point (perhaps during the period you're interested in), there were limestone workings somewhere along the line (Caythorpe I think) and the High Dyke to Frodingham iron ore trains were routed via Lincoln, reversing in the Holmes Yard so they could proceed on the Lincoln to Grimsby line, where they reversed again at Barnetby. However the route had been changed by 1958, which is when I became interested in railways.

There was also some local freight activity as far as the Bracebridge Gas Works and nearby brick factory. Any loco to hand would be used, quite often an O4.

I imagine there might have been extra activity during WWII around Waddington RAF base.

Finally, don't forget that the Grantham to Lincoln line was regularly used at weekends during winter for ECML diversions for trains that would have stopped at Grantham.

I forget the class / classes of locos concerned, although certainly nothing bigger than an ex-GC D9 (maybe even a D6 or D7), GC Atlantic or older GC 4-6-0, but in the notes on locos in the RCTS series of books there is mention of 1923-39 Lincoln locos mainly used on slightly longer workings also having a return trip to Grantham as part of their daily diagram.

A quick check in the books revealed that it was a pre WW2 Lincoln B4 daily loco diagram that included part of the working of the York-Harwich boat train and TWO trips to Grantham.

East Midlands Branch Line Album by Anthony J Lambert has photos of B12 61554 and D10 2656 on services in 1953 and 1947 respectively.

When I was researching Lincoln for a project based in 1952, I found a reference to one of the Lincoln - Grantham (& return) passenger workings being used regularly as a Doncaster Works 'running-in' turn. The loco would run light to Lincoln, work the Grantham service, then return light back to Donny.
It's been over 15 years since I looked this up so if you want more info it'll take me a while to dig through my notes.

Brian

That sounds a very plausible scenario. Just one problem - I never heard it mentioned when I was 'spotting (1958-1965). Until the introduction of mainline diesels there was a regular 'trialler' every Tuesday, which ran a fast fitted freight from Doncaster to March and back via the 'Joint' Line. This could turn up some highly exotic cops, such as Scottish A2s. Diesels took this turn over in 1958/59.

Do you have any more information on the Lincoln-Grantham service as a running-in turn? Obviously it would have been ceased with the introduction of DMUs in 1955/56, so perhaps the Joint Line turn replaced it.

I've trawled through my notes and found:
"Doncaster running-in turn arrives Lincoln approx. 9 am to work 10.35 am to Grantham and 1.37 pm Grantham to Lincoln, returning light to Doncaster."
This was for the 1952 WTT.
However, I haven't written the source of the information. I have a set of Railway Observers for that era so it may be in there.
I also have the WTT for 1951 and the route availability table notes that this line was RA8, but special authority for Pacific engines to work was given for "seasoning engines" and was restricted to occasional use for one round trip and a maximum speed of 50 MPH. It may be that the working was written in the 1952 WTT.

WTTReprinter wrote: ↑Thu Oct 18, 2018 2:36 pm I also have the WTT for 1951 and the route availability table notes that this line was RA8, but special authority for Pacific engines to work was given for "seasoning engines" and was restricted to occasional use for one round trip and a maximum speed of 50 MPH. It may be that the working was written in the 1952 WTT.

That is very interesting. How did they get around that for the ECML diversions?

Thank you so much to all who replied to my question I am so grateful. I intend to build a 00 gauge model railway from Navenby to Leadnham so this information is very much appreciated.
Photoman

Very good friends of ours actually used to live in Leadenham station building. A beautiful building.

Here is an interesting book all about the line and published by Oakwood.

The line curves through Barkston parish on its way to Honington. The Honington to Lincoln line is long gone. I could hear the endless clanking of iron ore trains passing at night & I sometimes watched the full or empty ore tipplers cross the bridge a mile or so from our house. I don't know what route they took on their way from Highdyke to Scunthorpe in the 50s & 60s, but later on I think they may have gone via Sleaford. I suspect the locos were 02s from Grantham shed, but I had little interest in those days. We used to travel from Grantham or Honington stations to Lincoln on DMUs, which were a great novelty for me when they first started in the mid 50s. In the earlier days of the line when iron ore was mined along the Lincoln Edge from Barkston northwards, it was transported by a network of quarry lines to the Lincoln line. Some of the people in Barkston and other villages northward worked in these quarries, as can be seen from occupations mentioned in parish registers.

G'Day Gents

Interesting to note, that Leadenham station, looks exactly like, Edgware and High Barnet station, must have been one of the Great Northern's 'Standard.' stations.

manna