The LNER Encyclopedia

As some of you may know I am in the process of writing a book on the High Dyke Branch in Lincolnshire. Sar far I have received quite a lot of help from this forum and it is most apppreciated.
One thing that springs to mind which I have not yet sourced is a gradient profile for the whole branch from High Dyke and that from Skillington Road Junction to Stainby and Sproxton. I'm sure one must have existed in printed format rifght up until the closure of the line in 1976, such was the severity of some of the gradients. There were references to these in sections of the BR Rulebook but I would very much like to be able to produce an actual profile. Did BR keep such information in a certain manual anywhere? Any information on this would be welcome as would a complete signalling diagram for the whole branch. If any of you can put me in touch with the likely source of such artefacts then I'm sure I can make this proposed book a very interesting read. Thanks in advance.

See R.pikes posts and website links are on here

Sorry but i need the same info. I've been hoping to find some pictures of the signalbox internals along the line. One thing to look for would be a gradient profile. They would usually be fairly visible and most probably unreadable but this would at least confirm their existence.

If only we could grab the circuit phone and call someone to ask..

Brush53Falcon wrote:As some of you may know I am in the process of writing a book on the High Dyke Branch in Lincolnshire. Sar far I have received quite a lot of help from this forum and it is most apppreciated.
One thing that springs to mind which I have not yet sourced is a gradient profile for the whole branch from High Dyke and that from Skillington Road Junction to Stainby and Sproxton. I'm sure one must have existed in printed format rifght up until the closure of the line in 1976, such was the severity of some of the gradients. There were references to these in sections of the BR Rulebook but I would very much like to be able to produce an actual profile. Did BR keep such information in a certain manual anywhere? Any information on this would be welcome as would a complete signalling diagram for the whole branch. If any of you can put me in touch with the likely source of such artefacts then I'm sure I can make this proposed book a very interesting read. Thanks in advance.

I can't suggest how you might now seek the gradient information, but in case of slight assistance, just to say that in my own 'HQ'-ish offices (not any involved with the lines in question), quite old gradient profiles drawing sheets were retained through late BR times and into at least Railtrack days, though those for closed lines might not be kept (unless there was residual trackbed/structure ownership, or their custodian was appreciative of rail history/historical record/use value).
It was also normal for gradient profile information for all lines in a signal box's area to be available to the signalman, in the form of the lines to at least the next 'box in all directions, usually much further in the case of the main line. This was often in the form of these diagrams, dating back to the 1950s (and so often showing lost-closed features, like signal boxes), displayed in the box as stiff lacquered boards, partly for potential quick reference in emergency. Such items might come up for sale etc., as signal box memorabilia, though I can't say if this does happen much as I have never sought such iitems.

Many thanks for you replies Richard and Stevie. I will keep plodding away and of course let you know if I find anything that can be of future assistance to yourselves. At least this way we can all hopefully mutually benefit from snippets of information.

Trying to place the line in question.
Looking at my copy of British Railways pregrouping and looking at the map would it be the line that terminates at Denton Siding from Sedgebrook?
To the West of Grantham and about level with or just above Great Ponton.
As I am trying to compare the rail only map to a current road map of the area and that is the only one that appears to fit the bill.

No The High Dyke branch starts just north of Stoke tunnel and crosses the A1 at Colsterworth. Google Earth shows it up well..

The branch runs alongside the B6403..

[i]On 31st Oct., [/i]Brush53Falcon wrote:Many thanks for you replies Richard and Stevie. I will keep plodding away and of course let you know if I find anything that can be of future assistance to yourselves. At least this way we can all hopefully mutually benefit from snippets of information.

'Falcon',
By chance, just found, on eBay (auction date 14th Nov.), these :
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... SS:GB:1123 , just by way of illustrating the type of gradient boards I was used to seeing in signal boxes, which I had previously referred to.

Thanks StevieG
At least I now know what to look out for. I'm sure they must have been kept elsewhere other than in the signal box. I wonder if the NRM has them in a file somewhere or maybe the local records office. I might try Grantham and see what I can find.