Coastal attraction and Japan's only heritage railway celebrate friendship

Volunteers from the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway (LCLR) have joined an international group of his Linesiding Club members on a tour of Japan railways

The LCLR’s first line at Humberston, south of Cleethorpes, was real public transport taking holidaymakers to beaches and a holiday camp, using rolling stock from the redundant “potato railway” across Nocton Fen, some of which, together with the rails, had seen service in the battlefields of World War One, as part of the War Department Light Railways.

The site closed n 1985 but reopened in 2009 in the Skegness Water Leisure Park in Walls Lane, ingoldmells, Skegness, after years of rebuilding by a handful of dedicated enthusiasts.

Its achievements have resulted in awards, grants from the National Heritage Lottery Fund, the Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, East Lindsey District Council and even a visit from HRH The Princess Royal – enabling the line to operate a Royal train.

Such was the success of the venture that in 1963, the world’s second line to be built by enthusiasts opened in Dunedin, on New Zealand’s South Island and then in 1973, inspired by the success of British heritage railways, the Rass Chijin Railway Society was formed to create what it called “the ultimate railway scene” and build its own narrow gauge railway at Narita Yume Bokujo, in a long established farm park popular with the public.

Not only has the Rass Chijin Railway Society acquired and restored historic locomotives from Japan and Taiwan – but it actually builds new steam locomotives. It is home to eight steam locomotives, six diesel locomotives, a wooden carriage from 1913, a snow plough and a foot-pedalled cycle trolley.

The ceremony took place when LCLR volunteer John Raby, from Sutton-on-Sea, led an international group of his Linesiding Club members, including another long serving LCLR volunteer Chris Bates, from Horsington near Woodhall Spa, on a tour of Japan’s railways, which culminated in a visit to the line.

A specially prepared greeting in Japanese and English was presented to the Japanese society, together with enamel badges of the LCLR’s steam locomotive Jurassic, key rings, leaflets and gifts from other members of the party.

The ceremony has been featured on the Japanese society’s website http://rass-ril.org and the LCLR’s Facebook pages and will form a special report in the main Japanese railway modelling magazine, RM Models. The Japanese society members say they now want to

visit Skegness to see the line which was in many ways their inspiration, as well as other British heritage lines.

John Chappell, the LCLR’s spokesman said: “Our railway is visited by people from many parts of the world and this ceremony of friendship in Japan shows that what our pioneers have achieved, has inspired others across the world to build their own lines and introduce people to the fascinating world of railway heritage.

"We look forward to welcoming our Japanese friends to Skegness”.