UK’s first ‘new’ enthusiast line celebrates half centenary
By: Robin Jones
To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the first railway to be built purely by enthusiasts and volunteers in the UK – the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway, it is planned to hold a 'LCLR 50' weekend on 4-5 September 2010 at the recently reopened line’s new site at Skegness Water Leisure Park, Walls Lane, Ingoldmells, Skegness, Lincolnshire PE25 1JF.
A Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway passenger train skirts Skegness Aerodrome
Over this special weekend, it is hoped to run a diesel hauled service train for passengers with Ashover Light Railway Coach No 2, a demonstration Military Ambulance train, with stock from the trench warfare railways of World War I, owned by the LCLR Historic Vehicles Trust and to recreate the passenger train from the Nocton Estates Light Railway, on which much of the LCLR rolling stock ran before opening at Humberston, near Cleethorpes on 27 August 1960.
Many photo opportunities will be available on each day, including Jurassic, the line’s steam locomotive currently awaiting restoration.
Full details, including confirmation of events and train times, are available on the LCLR website at www.lincolnshire-coast-light-railway.co.uk and at www.davesrailpics.co.uk
Pilots of light aircraft and their passengers who fly in to Skegness Aerodrome (adjacent to the railway) on either day will be given free tickets to ride the trains.
Remaining opening dates for 2010 are 15, 22, 29/30 August and LCLR 50 on 4-5 September. Trains normally operate from 11.00-15.45 as a minimum on all opening days.
The Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway owns some of the most historic English narrow gauge railway vehicles in existence and is the only 'true' narrow gauge railway (as distinct from miniature railways) on the East Coast. The railway is operated with some equipment originally built for the War Department trench warfare railways in World War I, some built for the Ashover Light Railway (Derbyshire), the unique Sand Hutton Railway (North Yorkshire), the Nocton Estates Railway (Lincoln) and the Humberston and Skegness brickworks.
The LCLR was jointly awarded the Heritage Railway Association’s 2009 Small Groups Award for its achievement in reopening to the public after a break of 24 years, when the lease from Grimsby Borough Council for the previous site at Humberston expired. The LCLR shares this award with the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway at Ludborough and the plaque will be on display during the LCLR 50 weekend.
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