Weelsby Road Halt railway station
Encyclopedia
Weelsby Road Halt was a railway halt on the East Lincolnshire Railway
which served the Weelsby Road
area of eastern Grimsby
in Lincolnshire
between 1905 and 1940. The station was opened as part of a new motor train service between and . It was the site of major works in 1933 when a plate girder bridge
was constructed to replace a level crossing
, enabling road traffic to pass underneath through a subway. The station closed in 1952 following a period of temporary closure during the Second World War. The line through Weelsby remained open for freight until December 1980. The trackbed was later reused by Humberside County Council to construct the A16 Peaks Parkway
which now runs through the site. Building of the road put an end to the aspirations of the Great Northern and East Lincolnshire Railway plc (now the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway
) to reopen the line as a heritage railway
.
service on the East Lincolnshire Railway
by the Great Northern Railway
. It consisted of two low facing halt platforms to the south of a level crossing
over Weelsby Road within the Grimsby
town boundary. A small single-storey timber waiting shelter was provided on the up platform, opposite which was a signal box
to control the crossing. A crossing keeper's cottage, similar in style to others on the line, lay to the north of the crossing.
By 1914, the crossing was causing problems for traffic on Weelsby Road and a proposal was made to replace it with a subway. The First World War put an end to these plans and although the matter was raised again in 1919, it was not until May 1933 that works to construct the subway began under the oversight of the London and North Eastern Railway
. The improvement scheme was completed at a cost of £20,000 (£ as of ), with the works being carried out by Fletcher & Co. of Mansfield
. A 200 tonnes (196.8 LT) plate girder bridge
replaced the level crossing, allowing the traffic to pass under via a subway. The works, which were completed a month ahead of schedule in December 1933, required the demolition of the crossing keeper's cottage. The upgraded crossing was opened by the Mayor of Grimsby in early December 1933, who was driven under the bridge in a double-decker bus
.
The station, at which trains only called upon request, closed as a temporary wartime measure in 1940, with the last train calling on 1 January. Official closure came on 10 March 1952.
. The roadworks, which run directly through the site of Weelsby Road Halt, put an end to hopes by the Great Northern and East Lincolnshire Railway plc, a preservation society now known as the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway
, to reopen the line to Grimsby.
East Lincolnshire Railway
The East Lincolnshire Railway was a main line railway linking the towns of Boston, Louth and Grimsby in Lincolnshire, England. It opened in 1848 and was closed to passengers in 1970.-History:...
which served the Weelsby Road
Weelsby
Weelsby is located in the Weelsby Road area of eastern Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, England. Previously separate from Grimsby, Weelsby Woods and Weelsby Hall lie within the area, as does the Grimsby Tennis Centre, Peaks Lane fire station, Saint Andrews Hospice, Saint Hughs Hospital and the...
area of eastern Grimsby
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
between 1905 and 1940. The station was opened as part of a new motor train service between and . It was the site of major works in 1933 when a plate girder bridge
Plate girder bridge
A plate girder bridge is a bridge supported by two or more plate girders. The plate girders are typically I-beams made up from separate structural steel plates , which are welded or, in older bridges, bolted or riveted together to form the vertical web and horizontal flanges of the beam...
was constructed to replace a level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
, enabling road traffic to pass underneath through a subway. The station closed in 1952 following a period of temporary closure during the Second World War. The line through Weelsby remained open for freight until December 1980. The trackbed was later reused by Humberside County Council to construct the A16 Peaks Parkway
Peaks Parkway
The Peaks Parkway is part of the northern end of the A16 road, in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire. It was conceived in the 1970s and follows part of the trackbed of the former East Lincolnshire Railway between and .-Background:...
which now runs through the site. Building of the road put an end to the aspirations of the Great Northern and East Lincolnshire Railway plc (now the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway
Lincolnshire Wolds Railway
The Lincolnshire Wolds Railway is a heritage railway based at Ludborough station, near Grimsby in Lincolnshire, England and the only standard gauge steam railway in Lincolnshire open to the public. The line is part of the original Great Northern Railway , a rail system that opened in 1848 and once...
) to reopen the line as a heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
.
History
The station was opened on 11 December 1905 to coincide with the introduction of a motor trainRailmotor
Railmotor is a term which was used by several British railway companies for a steam railcar.-Overview:William Bridges Adams started building railmotors as early as 1848, but only in small numbers...
service on the East Lincolnshire Railway
East Lincolnshire Railway
The East Lincolnshire Railway was a main line railway linking the towns of Boston, Louth and Grimsby in Lincolnshire, England. It opened in 1848 and was closed to passengers in 1970.-History:...
by 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....
. It consisted of two low facing halt platforms to the south of a level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
over Weelsby Road within the Grimsby
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
town boundary. A small single-storey timber waiting shelter was provided on the up platform, opposite which was a signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
to control the crossing. A crossing keeper's cottage, similar in style to others on the line, lay to the north of the crossing.
By 1914, the crossing was causing problems for traffic on Weelsby Road and a proposal was made to replace it with a subway. The First World War put an end to these plans and although the matter was raised again in 1919, it was not until May 1933 that works to construct the subway began under the oversight of the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
. The improvement scheme was completed at a cost of £20,000 (£ as of ), with the works being carried out by Fletcher & Co. of Mansfield
Mansfield
Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the main town in the Mansfield local government district. Mansfield is a part of the Mansfield Urban Area....
. A 200 tonnes (196.8 LT) plate girder bridge
Plate girder bridge
A plate girder bridge is a bridge supported by two or more plate girders. The plate girders are typically I-beams made up from separate structural steel plates , which are welded or, in older bridges, bolted or riveted together to form the vertical web and horizontal flanges of the beam...
replaced the level crossing, allowing the traffic to pass under via a subway. The works, which were completed a month ahead of schedule in December 1933, required the demolition of the crossing keeper's cottage. The upgraded crossing was opened by the Mayor of Grimsby in early December 1933, who was driven under the bridge in a double-decker bus
Double-decker bus
A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or 'decks'. Global usage of this type of bus is more common in outer touring than in its intra-urban transportion role. Double-decker buses are also commonly found in certain parts of Europe, Asia, and former British colonies and protectorates...
.
The station, at which trains only called upon request, closed as a temporary wartime measure in 1940, with the last train calling on 1 January. Official closure came on 10 March 1952.
Present day
Tracklifting commenced in early 1981, with the section between Grimsby and - constructed of bullhead rail - being the last to be removed. This section was designated by Humberside County Council for the building of the A16 Peaks ParkwayPeaks Parkway
The Peaks Parkway is part of the northern end of the A16 road, in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire. It was conceived in the 1970s and follows part of the trackbed of the former East Lincolnshire Railway between and .-Background:...
. The roadworks, which run directly through the site of Weelsby Road Halt, put an end to hopes by the Great Northern and East Lincolnshire Railway plc, a preservation society now known as the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway
Lincolnshire Wolds Railway
The Lincolnshire Wolds Railway is a heritage railway based at Ludborough station, near Grimsby in Lincolnshire, England and the only standard gauge steam railway in Lincolnshire open to the public. The line is part of the original Great Northern Railway , a rail system that opened in 1848 and once...
, to reopen the line to Grimsby.