THE Lincolnshire Wolds Railway (LWR) has begun work on its five-mile southern extension, which will ultimately see steam return to the outskirts of Louth.
The Ludborough-based railway owns the trackbed as far as the industrial estate at Louth, where it will ultimately terminate.
The first phase in reaching this goal is a three-quarter-mile extension to the Pear Tree Lane road crossing, midway between Ludborough and Utterby.
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To clear the way from the southern end of Ludborough yard a new siding has been constructed to accommodate rolling stock, leaving the main line clear so ground works can get underway in preparation for track laying.
“Building the new line will be very expensive. We now need to start purchasing materials such as ballast, rails and sleepers, which will cost nearly £200,000 for this section alone,” said LWR spokesman Phil Eldridge.
“So far, nearly £21,000 has been donated thanks to the generosity of the public, but we still have a long way to go.”
In the meantime the LWR has started looking well ahead to October 5, 2020 – the 50th anniversary of the cessation of passenger services on the main line from Grimsby to Boston, via Louth.
The anniversary is still another three years away, but the railway is starting to plan how to mark the event. It would like to hear from RM readers who would be willing to share their memories of the line, so they can be recorded for posterity.
Please contact Phil Eldridge on 01507 473209 or email [email protected]
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