Lincolnshire Wolds Railway
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The Lincolnshire Wolds Railway is a heritage railway based at Ludborough station, near Grimsby in Lincolnshire, England.
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[edit] Description
The railway operates on the trackbed of the former East Lincolnshire Railway, which opened from Grimsby to Boston via Louth in 1847. The railway was absorbed by the Great Northern Railway (GNR), which later became part of the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) in 1923. The railway remained open upon nationalisation of British Railways in 1948, the line's passenger services being operated by railmotors. These were later replaced by diesel multiple units. The line was gradually downgraded, with passenger services ending in 1970, whilst freight services ended in 1980.
The Grimsby-Louth Group was set up in 1978 to fight the closure of the line. When the end became inevitable, the group was renamed the Grimsby-Louth Railway Preservation Society, with the aim of preserving the line for continued use. Unfortunately, British Rail removed the track, and demolished all buildings, thus making their task harder. The society rehabilitated Ludborough station in 1984, and started operating trains in 1991. The initial aim of reopening the line from Louth to Grimsby is no longer possible, due to the opening of a bypass on the track formation near Grimsby. However, it is hoped eventually to reconstruct the 10 miles of track between Louth and Waltham.
Ludborough station has been restored to a working museum, complete with an operational signal box. A 900 yard running line operates northwards towards North Thoresby. Trains are operated by both steam and diesel locomotives. Two of the line's diesel locomotives, nos. D3102 and 97650 have strong local connections. The former was the resident shunter at Lincoln Central for many years, whilst the latter was built by Ruston & Hornsby at their Lincoln works.
[edit] Stations
- Ludborough
- North Thoresby (Proposed extension)
[edit] Locomotives[1]
[edit] Operational Steam Locomotives
- Robert Heath 0-4-0ST No 6 built in 1885, rebuilt in 1934. In service and used occasionally on passenger trains, painted in lined black livery, boiler ticket expires in 2009. On loan from the Foxfield Light Railway.
[edit] Steam locomotives under Repair
- Peckett industrial 0-4-0ST no. 1351 'Lion'. Awaiting a retube and general overhaul.
- Peckett industrial 0-4-0ST no. 1749 'Fulstow no. 2'. Awaiting a ten yearly overhaul after its boiler ticket expired in 2007.
- Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns industrial 0-6-0ST no. 7849 'Moorbarrow'. Undergoing restoration., requires a new firebox and a new front tubeplate which has been made. Frames have just arrived back on site.
[edit] Operational Diesel locomotives
[edit] Diesel locomotives under Repair
- BR 0-6-0 Class 97/6 no. 97650 [3]
- Ruston & Hornsby 0-4-0DM 375713, Tioxide no 4 [4]
- Ruston & Hornsby 0-4-0DM 414303, Tioxide no 6 [5]
- Ruston & Hornsby 4wDM 421418, Tioxide no 7 [6]
- Fowler 0-4-0DM 4210131 ex Conoco [7]
- Fowler 0-4-0DM 4210145 ex Conoco No 8 [8]
- Hunslet 4wDM 5308, Colonel B [9]
- Sentinel 0-6-0DH 10166 [10]
[edit] Electric multiple units
- BR Class 421 MBSO no. 62287 (ex-unit 1303)
