Lincolnshire loop line

The Lincolnshire loop line was a railway built by the Great Northern Railway, that linked Peterborough to Gainsborough via Spalding, Boston and Lincoln. It ran through the counties of Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire (then the Soke of Peterborough, now Cambridgeshire)

Lincolnshire loop line

Former station at Stixwould. The trackbed here is part of the Water Rail Way.
Overview
Locale	Lincolnshire
Dates of operation	1848–1963
Predecessor	Great Northern Railway
Successor	London and North Eastern Railway
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Length	58 miles (93 km)
Route map River Trent Wharf Sheffield–Lincoln line Gainsborough Lea Road Lea Stow Park Brigg Branch to Retford Saxilby Foss Dyke Skellingthorpe Chesterfield to Lincoln Line Pyewipe Junction Boultham & West Holmes Jns Nottingham–Lincoln line Lincoln St Marks Lincoln Sheffield & Lincs Jcn Rly Sincil Junction Lincoln–Grantham line Washingborough Junction Peterborough–Lincoln line Washingborough Five Mile House River Witham Louth to Bardney Line Bardney Southrey Stixwould Woodhall Junction Horncastle Branch Kirkstead and Little Steeping Railway Tattershall Dogdyke Langrick East Lincolnshire Railway Boston Nottingham–Skegness line Docks The Haven Kirton Algarkirk and Sutterton Surfleet GN and GE Joint Rly Spalding Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway GN and GE Joint Rly Littleworth St James Deeping Peakirk East Coast Main Line Midland Railway Werrington Junction Walton Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Rhubarb Bridge Wisbech Junction Westwood Junction Peterborough North Peterborough Crescent Midland Railway East Coast Main Line

History

The Lincolnshire loop line was authorised on 26 June 1846 as part of the London and York Railway bill. The then renamed Great Northern Railway purchased the Witham Navigation and all navigation rights the same year and began construction of the new line, partly beside the river, in 1847. The line opened in 1848 and was for a short period the main route to the north and Scotland until the line from Peterborough to Retford was opened in August 1852. Closure came in sections: the first was Woodhall Junction to Boston which closed to passengers and goods on 17 June 1963. Followed by the section from Boston to Spalding and finally from Lincoln to Woodhall Junction as well as to Firsby and Horncastle.

Route

The line from Lincoln to Boston was known as the Witham loop because it followed the course of the River Witham, passing through Washingborough, Five Mile House, Bardney, Southrey, Stixwould, Tattershall, Dogdyke, and Langrick. The line from Boston to Spalding passed through three intermediate stations, Kirton, Algarkirk and Sutterton, and Surfleet; much of this section is now under the A16 road. The final section to Peterborough also had three intermediate stations, Littleworth, St James Deeping, and Peakirk. This section is the only part of the line that remains in operation, although most of the stations have long been closed and disused.

Six stations, Gainsborough Lea Road, Saxilby, Lincoln, Boston, Spalding and Peterborough North remain open, and are still part of the national network.

List of railway stations

• Gainsborough – line and station open.
  • Lea – line open; station closed.
  • Stow Park – line open; station closed.
• Saxilby – line and station open.
  • Skellingthorpe - line open; station closed.
• Lincoln Central – line and station open.
  • Washingborough – closed and disused.
  • Five Mile House – closed and disused.
  • Bardney – closed and disused.
  • Southrey – closed and disused.
  • Stixwould – closed and disused.
  • Woodhall Junction – closed and disused.
  • Tattershall – closed and disused.
  • Dogdyke – closed and disused.
  • Langrick – closed and disused.
• Boston – line and station open.
  • Kirton – line and station site lost under bypass.
  • Algarkirk and Sutterton – line lost under bypass, former station building still stands near A16/A17 Sutterton roundabout.
  • Surfleet – line and station site lost under bypass.
• Spalding – line and station open.
  • Littleworth – line open; station site closed.
  • St. James Deeping – line open; station site closed.
  • Peakirk – line open; station site closed.
• Peterborough – line and station open.

Present day

There is a variety of art along the cycle route. Much is whimsical sculpture, but this mosaic commemorates a Bronze Age Craft site archaeologists discovered on the South Delph

The line from Lincoln to Woodhall Junction now forms part of National Cycle Route 1, and is known as Water Rail Way. From Woodhall Junction to Boston, the entire line is private and has no permissive paths or access. From Boston to Spalding, the line is occupied by the A16. At Spalding, the line is still open to Peterborough.