Stamford & Essendine Railway

Currently working on this interesting railway, paid for and run by the Marquess of Exeter (William Cecil 1825-1895) in order to appease townsfolk that he wasn't going to, like his father (Brownlow Cecil 1795-1867), seek objections to any railways.  Hence it is sometimes referred to as 'The Marquis of Exeter's Railway', or at least that's what DL Franks tells us.

The line was split into two sections.  In fact, they built one short line of 5 or so miles then realised their error that it pointed the wrong way, so built another one to compensate and realised that it too, pointed the wrong way.  Both joined one railway to another, the former from the Midland to the Great Northern and the latter joined the Midland to the London North Western.  But, it's more complicated than that.  

Originally there was no connection to the Midland who had a nasty habit, historically, of not only objecting to plans but turning up and beating up engineers legally measuring the land and smashing up their equipment (The battle of Saxby).  George Hudson was a nasty piece of work behind all his success and foresight. So they rejected to the plans and not wanting any further incursions from them, the Marquis and his board created a new station at Stamford, named Stamford (on Water Street, it still stands as a private house which is named 'station house').  So two stations with the same name was confusing, but passengers seem to have got the idea which had the better connections (the Midland). 

The problem was the first branch went to Essendine for the Great Northern, who only provided a bay road, so double tracking wasn't going to work (plus the Board of Trade rejected several attempts to start running because their signalling system was inadequate and thus they ran a single line as they couldn't decide how to operate it). The GNR wouldn't allow them to cross their tracks, even though the GNR agreed to operate it on the S&E's behalf, albeit at 50% of profit. The GNR seemed to be the better line on a Gentleman's rate, the Midland were bullies and stand-offish. The GNR were business men and agreed to many situations, working out the cost to them rather than outright rejection. It was also well known that the GNR operated on behalf of the Midland in many locations where the Midland had the operating rights, but didn't have the rolling stock.

Peterborough was to the south. Passengers from Stamford wanted to travel to Peterborough and vice versa. In order to do so, they could use the Midland from Peterborough to Stamford.  For people wishing to travel north to Grantham, it was easier to travel south to Peterborough and catch a varied number of trains to Grantham, very few of which called at Essendine.

The southern section, the Sibson branch, went from Stamford along the side of the Midland, climbed over it at Uffington and headed south to Wansford which now serves as the HQ of the Nene Valley Railway. I've spotted a few places where I can vlog from along that route and will add them to the video. Sadly, photographs of the stations and of the line seem to be difficult to come by from enthusiasts, of whose permission I normally seek (and credit, of course!), unless I'm willing to part with a £50 charge per photograph.  Some people only see history as a monetary value and unable to share in the places where it should be seen by those who seek them. Further investigations reveal that the remains of Ryhall & Belmesthorpe (Belmisthorpe on station signs) is being converted into a new dwelling utilising the old platform and reinstating the rails, embracing the history.  Previous designs have been rejected in order to preserve the railway history, albeit very small.

The trains ran into Wansford from Sibson in a westerly direction. They would need to turn in order to get to Peterborough and the LNWR, like the GNR only supplied them with a bay road with the inability to join the other's tracks.  Again, the GNR operated this line but due to the Marquess and his bard deciding to go it alone and subsequently retracting this expensive option, the GNR demanded 70% of the profit.  Given that both lines ran at a disastrous loss seemed worrying but upon further inspection the GNR knew exactly what was going on and upon closure of the first section (the second built, the Sibson branch),  the line was operating at a loss of almost what the GNR were charging. The closure of this branch came with the grouping act of 1922, implemented 1 Jan 1923.  Within six years, upon a review of losses, it, with a number of other lines across the London and North Eastern Railway, were closed.  A cost cutting exercise just like Beeching, identifying the limbs of the railway operating for no apparent reason and 44 years before the Beeching Axe.

The Midland, despite rejecting the S&E's application to join their line at Stamford, gained running powers to King's Lynn via Spalding and the S&E railway, either crossing the track at Essendine to the Bourne & Essendine railway or continuing north to the Poacher line. Either route ran through Ryhall & Belmesthorpe but circumnavigated the other Stamford which eventually changed its name to Stamford East in 1950.  it closed in 1957.  The branch was still useful though and continued for a few more years despite Stamford East, Ryhall & Belmesthorpe and Essendine all closing but freight continued on the line until 1963, just before the Axe, though probably as a precursor or part of the 1955 Modernisation plan.

Wansford survives.  The Nassington Ironstone Quarry, the largest privately owned quarry at the time of closure in 1971 still used the track to Peterborough, though anything westward was closed and track removed.  This turned out to be a very handy thing so when the quarry finally closed and an enthusiasts railway trip to the quarry was arranged, Peterborough council purchased the remaining section for the intention to run a heritage line and support tourism to their city. City status was obtained in 1541 despite being declared a 'new town' in 1967. This section of line became the Nene Valley Railway with a spur onto the mainline at Fletton. Wansford station never moved and became their HQ. The railway has extended to the next station at Yarwell junction via a 616 yard tunnel which gives them a choice to connect with Northampton or King's Cliffe albeit through industrial sites not wanting to move.  Furthermore, the line could extend at Wansford to Stamford with minimal fuss, the majority of the line is there, but industrial units sit beautifully on long isthmuses.