Thousands back campaign to re-open former Louth railway line
Thousands of residents have supported a campaign to re-open a former railway line that ran to and from Louth.
The East Lincolnshire Railway closed to passenger traffic in October 1970. And although the section between Louth and Grimsby was kept open for a further ten years for freight traffic, the line closed completely in December 1980 and was lifted shortly afterwards.
It left Louth as the largest town in Lincolnshire without a railway station.
But now, railway, travel and photography enthusiast Jamie Mascall is leading a pressure group hoping to persuade the powers-that-be to reinstate the southern part between Louth and Firsby.
He has already attracted the signatures of 7,716 supporters for a petition, which can be found online at the Change.org website, while 3,500 people have joined a public group on Facebook.
Jamie has been unavailable for comment on the campaign, but he describes the number of people backing it as “amazing”.
His statement supporting the petition reads: "Eastern Lincolnshire should be reconnected to the mainline at Peterborough to enable a direct service to London, especially for commuters who need the service for work and leisure etc.
"This was a railway that formerly ran from Grimsby via Louth and south to Boston, Spalding and Peterborough.
"As the line travelled south to Boston, it also passed through the communities of Alford and Firsby. Louth is a large town that needs its railway back!
“Firstly, a business study needs to be developed, which would then be followed by a feasibility study.
"We need to find the best route possible to re-open the railway line from Louth to Firsby.
"I urge East Lindsey District Council to protect both the Louth to Firsby and the Firsby to Mablethorpe track beds so that they can be re-used for railway use only.
"Signing and sharing this petition can help to make this re-opening happen, so please do this. It is much appreciated.”
Louth railway station, which was opened in 1847, was also shut down in 1980, although the building, now grade II listed, was saved from demolition and converted into flats. The former goods yard became a mixture of housing, industrial outlets and shops.
The district council has a policy of accepting all petitions that contain at least 50 validated signatures.
It has promised to consider a feasibility study and to discuss the possibility of re-opening the line with Lincolnshire County Council, which is responsible for transport and infrastructure
Cynics suggest the campaign has little chance of succeeding. But it has received official acknowledgement from the Department of Transport and the government’s Minister for Rail, Lord Peter Hendy.
Furthermore, those who have signed the petition believe it would be a huge fillip for the local economy, boosting business opportunities and helping to regenerate the area, as well as improving Louth’s connectivity.
The campaign should not be confused with the award-winning Lincolnshire Wolds Railway (LWR) initiative, which runs heritage steam trains between Ludborough and North Thoresby and has started work to extend its line southwards towards Louth
The restoration of the Grimsby to Louth railway was the long-term objective of the volunteer-run preservation group, which was formed when the line was closed by British Rail in 1980.
Ludborough station became the group’s base and in 2009, a milestone was reached when steam trains started running to North Thoresby.
The plan now is to extend the line in stages, as funds become available. The LWR owns the track bed as far as the industrial estate on the outskirts of Louth – a distance of five miles.