Spa Trail Stories

Butter Market

On the 11th August 1855 Horncastle celebrated the opening of its new railway. The buildings were decked in flags and triumphal arches covered in flowers crossed the main streets. The Horncastle and Spilsby bands played and a procession set off to greet the first train.

An incredible 3,000 lb of beef was distributed free to the poor from the Butter Market (now Costa Coffee), and after the parade each child was given a bun so everyone young and old, rich or poor had a reason to celebrate.

Site of Horncastle Station

The station stood where Bush Tyres is today. It once had a booking hall, waiting rooms, station masters house, goods shed and office, lavatories and an overall roof covering the main platform. There was even a small branch of W. H. Smith in a wooden cabin outside.

The station stood where Bush Tyres is today. It once had a booking hall, waiting rooms, station masters house, goods shed and office, lavatories and an overall roof covering the main platform. There was even a small branch of W. H. Smith in a wooden cabin outside.

The station closed to passengers in 1954, after which it was used to store agricultural machinery that was still brought in by rail.

In 1971 when the line finally closed to freight the station buildings lingered on for a time until 1985 when they were demolished by Bush Tyres, who replaced it with more modern building better suited to their needs.

Great Northern Hotel

One of the finest surviving pieces of railway heritage in Horncastle is the former railway hotel. It was built by the Great Northern Railway who ran the trains and staffed the Horncastle branch line.

The hotel had a full compliment of staff and would have been the hostelry favoured by business travellers.

Cattle Dock Platform

One of the few surviving parts of the station left is a section of the cattle dock platform behind the offices of Bush Tyres. From here cattle would be loaded into wagons, as would horses arriving for Horncastle's famous Great August Horse Fair.

Granary Warehouse

This photo shows the hive of industry around the station as viewed from the top of Langton Hill. Today only the three storey granary warehouse (on left in photo) survives. It is currently awaiting conversion to flats.

There were also huge malt houses (on right in photo) that prepared Lincolnshire barley for brewing.

Both had their own private sidings in addition to the extensive freight sidings, coal yard and cattle dock.

Train About to Depart

Trains leaving Horncastle towards Woodhall Spa, Kirkstead and Boston would have crossed the modern road around here.

The passenger station building and platform seen in the photo would have been roughly where Curtis Close is today.

Sidings

Around this spot were the station's sidings. It was also where petrol was unloaded in tankers as tractors, lorries, buses and cars became more popular.

It was also used extensively to unload fuel for the local forces during the Second World War.

Agricultural fuel oil was the last thing to be delivered to Horncastle by rail. British Railways kept the branch line open because it was obliged to fulfil the contract until 5th April 1971. When the contract ended and was not renewed they closed the line for good. There was no fanfare, and unlike the end of passenger services in the 1950s no complaints or petition.

By 1971 railways seemed like something from a bygone age. The car was king.

Spa Trail

The Spa Trail reuses much of the old trackbed from here to Sandy Lane on the edge of Woodhall Spa. It was opened between 2009 and 2010 as a surfaced multi user path, suitable for walkers, cyclists, horse riders, prams and wheelchairs. 

The trail includes interesting information boards that tell the story of the line using old photo and illustrations. Along the way you can also spot sculptures created by local artists and inspired by the area's nature and history.

The route also offers excellent views of surrounding woods and fields and goes under the line’s only bridge, at Martin

Horncastle Canal

Before the railway was built the Horncastle Canal in 1802 had a monopoly on carrying goods into and out of the town. This meant coal could cost much more in Horncastle than other towns, which was felt most by the poor.

The Canal Company bitterly objected to the railway and did everything they could to stop it getting the Act of Parliament needed to build the line. But MPs and Lords saw through the self interest and the Act was passed in 1854.

When the railway opened the canal had to cut its prices to compete. The cost of coal dropped overnight from 17/6d (87p) to 13/6d (67p) per ton.

The canal soon fell into decline and was closed in 1889.

Thornton Lodge Level Crossing

The former crossing keeper's cottage still stands at Thornton Lodge. It was the first level crossing outside of Horncastle, and there were six others on the short branch line and one of its most significant costs as each one had to be staffed to manually open and close the gates.

Once the line closed to passengers in 1954 the cross keepers were let go and the guard on the freight trains, as shown in this photo from 1959 had to stop and open each gate then close it behind them. This made the journey a very leisurely one!

Martin Bridge

This was the only bridge on the branch line and still stands today carrying the main Woodhall Spa to Horncastle road over the former line.

This road over Roughton Moor was once known as 'Summer Lane' as it was impassable in winter. It meant bringing goods by road the from the Great Northern's station at Kirkstead was very difficult. It was another reasons why the promoters of the railway decided their own line was the only way to keep Horncastle competitive.

If you look closely at the bridge it is still possible to see how bricks were dislodged by the biggest locomotive ever to use the line, and the last passenger train in September 1964 – the “Notts & Lincs Railtour” - which was hauled by a ‘Black 5’ 4-6-0, no. 44918.

It scraped soot off the underside of the bridge and damaged exterior brickwork which was subsequently repaired to allow safe passage for the goods trains.

Martin Cutting

The only major earthmoving needed to build the line was this cutting at Martin. The winter of 1854-1855 was bitterly cold meaning work could not start until March 1855. This delay meant the team of 450 navvies had to work every hour (even Sundays!) to get the line open in time for the Great August Horse Fair.

The cutting was underway by May and the spectacle of the hundreds of men digging the chasm drew sightseers from Horncastle and further afield. With people walking or riding out from the town to wonder at it on their Sunday afternoon outings.

Sandy Lane Level Crossing

This point marks the formal end of the Spa Trail. Walkers can continue across the golf course following the Viking Way to reach Woodhall Spa. Cyclists MUST turn left and then right to reach Horncastle Road and follow it into the village centre.

This photo shows the guard of a freight train in the 1960s after passenger services had been withdrawn in the process of closing the level crossing gates as the train made its way slowly from Horncastle towards Woodhall Spa and Woodhall Junction.

Iddesleigh Road, Woodhall Spa

This evocative photograph taken by the late William (Bill) Woolhouse in the late 1940s or early 1950s shows a train leaving Woodhall Spa bound for Horncastle as it crossed Iddesleigh Road. It has recently been rediscovered along with a series of other wonderful photographs of the Horncastle line following Bill's death. The collection was donated to the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway, who have granted the Society permission to reproduce it.

Just out of shot to the left of the photo would be a tin house, which is now the Woodhall Spa Cottage Museum. This small volunteer run museum tells the story of the popular resort and includes information about the railway as well as tourist info.

Railway Poster Art

The Great Northern Railway and its successor the LNER heavily promoted the healthy pursuits of Woodhall Spa, attracting visitors from across the country. Much of what the Victorians and Edwardians came to see is still to be found in Woodhall Spa today, with excellent golf, riding, tennis, swimming and walking. Sadly the spa baths are derelict but plans are in place to make it possible to once again 'take the waters'.

Woodhall Spa Station

The original station built by the Horncastle Railway at Woodhall opened with the line in 1855. It was a small and simple affair with a single platform. But as the resort grew it became too small to handle the number of visitors and lacked the facilities that were expected by its well to do clientele.

The station had to be rebuilt and it is in this form that we see the station in this photo also taken by Bill Woolhouse shortly before passenger services were withdrawn in 1954.

Sadly the station, footbridge (from which the photo was taken) and signal box have all since been demolished.

A line of shops shaped to fit the angle between the main road and the railway survive as an attraction in their own right.

The site of the station is now a shoppers car park, although two short sections of rail can be found in a public garden near the road in reference to the site's former history.

Woodhall Spa Coal Yard

Woodhall Spa's coal yard was locate where Sainsbury's stands today. It was also a later addition to the line added to cater for demand as the resort expanded from a village to a small town.

Kirkstead Station

Kirkstead marked the end end of the Horncastle branch line. Here it met the main 'Lincolnshire Loop Line' that had opened in 1848 on what was the briefly the main route from London to York and Scotland before what is now the East Coast Main Line opened north of Peterborough 1852.

When it opened there was also a ferry across the River Witham here, but this was replaced by a swing bridge in 1889.

The current fixed concrete bridge was built in 1968. It is said that it had to built at this height at the request of British Railways to allow for future electrification. But the station was closed in 1970 as part of the Beeching cuts.

However, unlike the stations on the branch line, Kirkstead Station still stands today. It has been converted into a private house, but preserving much of its former glory.

We hope you have enjoyed this interactive story map. Dont forget you can explore the Horncastle branch line on foot or by bike by following the Spa Trail.

You can also connect at Kirskstead with the Water Rail Way which follows the old Loop Line between Boston and Lincoln.

You can find out much more about the history of the Horncastle Railway in our free virtual exhibition.