The glory days of the old Horncastle branch railway are fondly remembered in a new book by a Lincolnshire-based author.

It is more than 70 years since passenger trains ran between Horncastle and Woodhall Spa, on the line from Boston to Lincoln. And nearly all traces of the railway have disappeared.

But memories of the branch line are sure to be rekindled by ‘The Railway That Horncastle Built’, a publication by former journalist Chris Bates, MBE.

The title of the book stems from the fact, as Chris explains, that the railway was promoted and paid for by local people.

One of the photos in the book, showing Horncastle railway station in the 1950s. (PHOTO BY: William Woodhouse/Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway)

placeholder image — One of the photos in the book, showing Horncastle railway station in the 1950s. (PHOTO BY: William Woodhouse/Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway)

And the book arose from an award-winning exhibition about the line that was organised by the Horncastle History and Heritage Society a few years ago.

At the event, so many people came forward with new stories and information about the old railway that the society felt a book was needed to record everything for the future.

Chris, 77, took on the task, and the result is a 74-page account, richly illustrated with archive colour and black and white photographs, many of which have never been published before.

From the story of a special train that hit the road bridge at Martin to the missing model of Horncastle station and the mystery of the buried train, as well as some terrific memories of the line, it’s all there.

Railway enthusiast Chris Bates, the author of the new book.

Chris said: “I’m delighted to be able to tell the story of the branch and the people who ran it – and also, of course, all the stories we have since discovered.”

A spokesman for the society said “We think Chris’s book is a fascinating read and have really enjoyed helping to put it together.

"We’d also like to offer a big thanks to the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway and the Great Northern Railway Society for their kind help with research and photographs, without which this book would not have been possible.”

The book is being launched at a special event, featuring a talk and slide show, at Horncastle Community Centre this coming Wednesday (January 21) at 7.30 pm when it will be on sale for £10. It will also be available at the Joseph Banks Centre.

A train chugs through Horncastle station in the 1950s. (PHOTO BY: William Woodhouse/Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway)

If you can’t get to either venue, the society will also have the book available online at horncastlehistory.co.uk.

Author Chris was born in 1948 into a railway family in Spalding and began work as a junior reporter for the ‘Lincolnshire Standard’ newspaper at Boston, where one of his assignments was to travel on the last passenger train to Horncastle in September 1964.

He later worked at the BBC for 25 years, as a news producer and press and publicity officer, before moving to the Royal Norwegian Embassy in London. Until retirement, he was a self-employed public relations practitioner.

Chris lives in the East Lindsey village of Horsington, near Woodhall Spa, where he has been chairman of the parish council and has volunteered for the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway since 1961.

Passenger trains ran between Woodhall Junction, pictured, and Horncastle until 1954. (PHOTO BY: William Woodhouse/Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway)

In 2014, he was awarded the MBE for services to the world’s most remote islands, Tristan da Cunha, where he took on the globetrotting, administrative role of the governor’s UK representative for eight years.

The volcanic islands in the South American Ocean are part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.