Essendine railway station was a station in Essendine

Essendine

Essendine is a village at the eastern end of the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It lies on the West Glen, close by the earthworks of a small castle.-Geology:...

, Rutland

Rutland

Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....

. It was situated on the East Coast Main Line

East Coast Main Line

The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...

 of the Great Northern Railway

Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)

The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....

.

Overview

The main line and the station opened in 1853. The branch lines to Stamford

Stamford, Lincolnshire

Stamford is a town and civil parish within the South Kesteven district of the county of Lincolnshire, England. It is approximately to the north of London, on the east side of the A1 road to York and Edinburgh and on the River Welland...

 and Bourne

Bourne, Lincolnshire

Bourne is a market town and civil parish on the western edge of the Fens, in the District of South Kesteven in southern Lincolnshire, England.-The town:...

 were opened in 1856 and 1860. Due to its status as a junction, it was served by some express trains as well as by stopping trains. For many years a commuter train left King's Cross at around 5pm and terminated at Essendine, before returning the next morning.
The Bourne branch closed in 1957. The Stamford branch closed in 1959 along with Essendine station itself and the Peterborough

Peterborough

Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...

 to Grantham

Grantham

Grantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...

 local services. Essendine station has been proposed for reopening. Peterborough to Grantham is the longest distance between adjacent stations in England.

Record

The world speed record

Land speed record for railed vehicles

Determination of the fastest rail vehicle in the world varies depending on the definition of "rail".Official absolute world record for conventional train is held by the French TGV...

 for steam locomotive

Steam locomotive

A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...

s at 125.88 mph was achieved on 3 July 1938 by LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard

LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard

Number 4468 Mallard is a London and North Eastern Railway Class A4 4-6-2 Pacific steam locomotive built at Doncaster, England in 1938. While in other respects a relatively typical member of its class, it is historically significant for being the holder of the official world speed record for steam...

. Taking place on the slight downwards grade of Stoke Bank south of Grantham

Grantham

Grantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...

 on the East Coast Main Line

East Coast Main Line

The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...

, the highest speed was recorded at milepost 90¼, between Little Bytham

Little Bytham

Little Bytham is a small village in South Kesteven in south Lincolnshire, situated between Corby Glen and Stamford on the B1176, which is straddled by brick railway viaducts of the East Coast Main Line as the road passes through the village.On the edge of the village to the east is the West Glen...

 and Essendine

Essendine

Essendine is a village at the eastern end of the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It lies on the West Glen, close by the earthworks of a small castle.-Geology:...

. It broke the German (DRG Class 05

DRG Class 05

The Deutsche Reichsbahn's Class 05 was a German class of three express passenger steam locomotives of 4-6-4 wheel arrangement in the Whyte notation, or 2'C2' in the UIC notation used in continental Europe...

) 002's 1936 record of 124 mph (200.4 km/h).

Summary of former services

London services

In 1863 there were 5 services to London with a best time of 2 hours 30 min via the York - London train at 13.30. In April 1910 this had improved to 10 services, although some required a change at Peterborough, and the best time was 1 hour 46 mins via the Nottingham - London express at 08.54. By July 1922, this had reduced to 7 services, with the best time now being 2 hours 10 mins via the Leeds - London express at 10.10.
In 2009, it is possible to travel to London by public transport in under 2 hours. The fastest route is by bus to Stamford and then train to London, changing at Peterborough.

Train timetable for July 1922

The table below shows the train departures from Essendine on weekdays in July 1922.

Departure	Going to	Calling at	Arrival	Operator
06.35	York	Grantham, Newark, Retford, Ranskill, Bawtry, Doncaster, Selby, York. Also through coaches to Leeds and Bradford	09.18	GNR
06.40	Stamford East	Ryhall & Belmesthorpe, Stamford East	06.50	GNR
07.59	Retford	Little Bytham, Corby, Great Ponton, Grantham, Barkston, Hougham, Claypole, Newark, Carlton, Crow Park, Dukeries Junction, Tuxford, Retford	09.45	GNR
08.10	Stamford East	Ryhall & Belmesthorpe, Stamford East	08.20	GNR
08.30	Bourne	Braceborough Spa, Thurlby, Bourne	08.50	GNR
08.54	London Kings Cross	Peterborough North, Yaxley, Holme, Huntingdon, Offord, St Neots, Sandy, Biggleswade, Hitchin, Finsbury Park, London Kings Cross	11.15	GNR
08.56	Stamford East	Ryhall & Belmesthorpe, Stamford East	09.06	GNR
09.52	Grantham	Little Bytham, Corby, Great Ponton, Grantham	10.35	GNR
10.05	Stamford East	Ryhall & Belmesthorpe, Stamford East	10.15	GNR
10.05	Bourne	Braceborough Spa, Thurlby, Bourne	10.25	GNR
10.10	London Kings Cross	Tallington, Peterborough North, Finsbury Park, London Kings Cross	12.20	GNR
11.07	Grantham	Little Bytham, Corby, Great Ponton, Grantham	11.40	GNR
11.27	Peterborough North	Tallington, Peterborough North	11.46	GNR
11.30	Bourne	Braceborough Spa, Thurlby, Bourne	11.45	GNR
11.35	Stamford East	Ryhall & Belmesthorpe, Stamford East	11.45	GNR
13.25	Peterborough North	Peterborough North	13.41	GNR
13.30	Stamford East	Ryhall & Belmesthorpe, Stamford East	13.39	GNR
13.58	York	Grantham, Newark, Retford, Ranskill, Bawtry, Doncaster, Selby, York	16.22	GNR
14.08	Retford	Little Bytham, Corby, Great Ponton, Grantham, Barkston, Hougham, Claypole, Newark, Carlton, Crow Park, Dukeries Junction, Tuxford, Retford	15.48	GNR
14.10	Stamford East	Ryhall & Belmesthorpe, Stamford East	14.20	GNR
14.22	Bourne	Braceborough Spa, Thurlby, Bourne	14.37	GNR
15.50	Grantham	Grantham	16.11	GNR
15.59	London Kings Cross	Peterborough North, Huntingdon, Sandy, Biggleswade, Hitchin, Finsbury Park, London Kings Cross	18.20	GNR
16.05	Stamford East	Ryhall & Belmesthorpe, Stamford East	16.15	GNR
16.05	Bourne	Braceborough Spa, Thurlby, Bourne	16.25	GNR
17.17	Peterborough North	Tallington, Peterborough North	17.36	GNR
17.17	Retford	Little Bytham, Corby, Great Ponton, Grantham, Barkston, Hougham, Claypole, Newark, Carlton, Crow Park, Dukeries Junction, Tuxford, Retford	19.00	GNR
17.25	Stamford East	Ryhall & Belmesthorpe, Stamford East	17.35	GNR
17.25	Bourne	Braceborough Spa, Thurlby, Bourne	17.40	GNR
18.48	Grantham	Little Bytham, Grantham	19.13	GNR
18.58	London Kings Cross	Peterborough North, Huntingdon, Sandy, Biggleswade, Hitchin, Finsbury Park, London Kings Cross	11.46	GNR
19.09	Stamford East	Ryhall & Belmesthorpe, Stamford East	19.19	GNR
19.12	Bourne	Braceborough Spa, Thurlby, Bourne	19.26	GNR
21.05	Peterborough North	Tallington, Peterborough North	21.24	GNR

External Links

• Photo of 'Bourne Bay' at Essendine'
• Bourne & Essendine timetable, 1860