| Utterby Halt | |
|---|---|
| Station site in 2007. | |
| Location | |
| Place | Utterby |
| Area | East Lindsey |
| Operations | |
| Original company | Great Northern Railway |
| Post-grouping | London and North Eastern Railway Eastern Region of British Railways |
| Platforms | 2 |
| History | |
| 11 December 1905 | Opened |
| 11 September 1961 | Closed |
| December 1980 | Closure of line |
| Disused railway stations in the United Kingdom | |
| Closed railway stations in Britain A B C D–F G H–J K–L M–O P–R S T–V W–Z |
|
Utterby Halt was a railway halt on the East Lincolnshire Railway[1] which served the village of Utterby in Lincolnshire between 1905 and 1961. The station, which opened as part of a new motor train service between Grimsby and Louth, is reputed to be haunted by the ghost of a ganger killed on the level crossing in 1953. The line through Utterby remained open for freight until December 1980.
Contents |
The station was opened on 11 December 1905[2] to coincide with the introduction of a motor train service by the Great Northern Railway.[3] It consisted of two low parallel halt platforms to the south of the level crossing over Pear Tree Lane; lamps were provided on both platforms, but only the down platform had a waiting shelter for passengers: a small wooden hut equipped with a heating stove.[4][5] A crossing keeper's cottage lay to the north of the crossing on the up side[6] which was of standard East Lincolnshire Railway design similar to that seen at Fotherby Halt, Grainsby Halt, Holton Village Halt and Weelsby Road Halt, all of which pre-dated the opening of the respective halts.[7] Passenger services called at the station upon request only.[8] The station closed on 11 September 1961,[9] the same day as Fotherby Halt to the south which had also opened on the same day as part of the rail motor service.[10]
The station is reputed to be haunted by the ghost of John Edward Lancaster, a length ganger, who was hit on the level crossing in dense fog by a Grimsby-Louth freight working in January 1953.[11][12]
| Preceding station | Heritage railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ludborough | Lincolnshire Wolds Railway (Future Extension) |
Fotherby Halt | ||
| Historical railways | ||||
| Ludborough Line and station open |
Great Northern Railway East Lincolnshire Line |
Fotherby Halt Line and station closed |
||
The halt was demolished by British Rail long before final closure of the line in December 1980 and little remains of it today.[13][14] The crossing keeper's cottage survives in good condition as a private residence.[6] Ludborough's old down distant signal post stands over the trackbed to the south towards Louth.[6]
On 28 September 1991, the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway obtained a Light Railway Order authorising the reinstatement of the East Lincolnshire Railway between Waltham and the former Keddington Road level crossing near Louth, which would include the line through Utterby.[15]
The Lincolnshire Wolds railway is currently extendeing towards Utterby Halt. The extension will be opened as soon as time and money permit. A run round loop operated by a two lever ground frame will eventually be installed here and will form the southern end of the railway for some time. Until work could be granted for further extensions towards Louth.
However it will be some time before the level crossing will be re-instated. It is also very unlikely that a Halt will be built here as in BR days it never justified its own existence. The crossing again like Grainsby halt will probably end up being automatically worked. The old signal post will eventually be removed and restored for future use elsewhere on the railway.