Renovated old coal house to showcase the history of light railway in Skegness

The renovation of the Old Coal Office is part of the new station under construction at the line’s South Loop terminus at the Skegness Water Leisure Park.

Built at Skegness station by the Great Northern Railway in the late 1800s or early 1900s, it will become an interpretation centre at the new station.

It will showcase the history of the world’s first heritage railway to be built by enthusiasts and will also tell the story of Ellis Bros (Contractors) Ltd – owners of the Water Leisure Park, Waterford and Greenacres holiday parks in the Skegness area.

For more than 70 years, the company has built much of the modern housing and other amenities in Skegness, Wainfleet and district.

The wooden coal office was moved to Ellis Brothers’ site in Lansdown Road, Skegness, in 1947 by the company’s founders and acted as the company’s offices until last year, when the scheme for the new station at South Loop was developed.

The firm’s founder, the late Mr Fred Ellis, had a keen interest in the history and heritage of Lincolnshire and of Skegness in particular and wanted the building to be conserved and made available for public use – hence it forming the centrepiece of the new station on the

LCLR.

A mysterious feature of the building is its clerestory roof, similar to those found on early railway carriages used by some railway companies (Midland Railway, Great Western Railway, North Eastern Railway) but not the GNR, which operated the line to Skegness until its amalgamation into the London and North Eastern Railway and successors.

Whether this feature was taken from an old carriage and added to the building to give extra light to those working in it, is not known.

A photograph in Skegness Library taken in 1907 shows what is thought to be the coal office.

The building is in remarkably good condition and it’s expected to be moved to South Loop during August, ready for opening to the public in 2025.

The grant has been made jointly by East Lindsey District Council, South Holland District Council and Boston Borough Council, who administer the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural Prosperity Funding in this area on behalf of the UK Government.

The grant of £24,250 to the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway is making possible the new station and the interpretation centre, which will help to boost the economy of Skegness and encourage more people to explore the coast’s heritage.

“Match funding” of the grant by the railway’s hosts and owners of the Skegness Water Leisure Park, Ellis Bros (Contractors) Ltd., of £8,000, will provide £32,250 for the project.

Work on the site has been delayed and interrupted by the prolonged heavy rainfall which Lincolnshire has experienced since the autumn of 2023, affecting the water table and the ability to move equipment and materials to the site. However good progress is now being

made.

Chief Executive Officer for Ellis Bros (Contractors) Ltd. and Company Secretary of the LCJR, John Chappell, said: “We are delighted to be able to conserve for the future this remarkable survival of Skegness’ railway and industrial heritage, thanks to the contribution from the councils.

"As well as enabling us to show the contribution to the economy and infrastructure of Skegness, the new role for the Old Coal Office helps

us ensure the long term future for the railway and to enhance the existing achievements of the volunteers’ work.

“This contribution from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will enable Skegness to escape from the widely held perception that the town is some sort of ‘cultural vacuum’.

"Anything which does that by adding to the appeal of the heritage attractions of the Skegness district will benefit all of the town.

“Skegness, as we know it, was only brought about because of the railways – before they reached the area, Skegness was a fishing hamlet of just six houses.

"Everything we have is down to the railways and the LCLR contributes towards that heritage.”

Chairman of the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway Historic Vehicles Trust, Richard Shepherd, said: “Rebuilding of the Old Coal Office at our new station enables us to create a ‘destination’ at the end of our line and let people learn about its unique history and heritage – at the moment trains terminate beside Skegness Airfield, but passengers cannot disembark. The locomotive uncouples at South Loop from the carriages, runs round them and then re-attaches, to return to Walls Lane station.

“We are extremely grateful to the local authority. to the Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund and especially to Ellis Bros. (Contractors) Ltd for making this possible.

“Some idea of the economic benefits the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway brings to the area can be gauged from the distances people travel from to enjoy the railway and experience our unique collection of historic locomotives, carriages and wagons, many of which date from the First World War battlefields and even earlier.”

For more details, visit www.lclr.co.uk