The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Another piece of Spalding’s railway history will go this weekend when Winsover Road signal box is demolished.
Hopes of seeing it preserved in some format have gone and the structure will be dismantled this weekend. A road closure is in place from 10pm on Saturday until 9am on Sunday.
Rail enthusiasts Trevor and Susan Smith are sad to see the signal box go.
Trevor said: “I guess it’s part of the times.
“It’s a shame that more people didn’t try to keep it because there are not many pieces of our railway history left around.”
The demolition coincides with the first day of East Coast Main Line trains being diverted onto the GNGE line through South Holland.
As we reported two weeks ago, more than 100 train paths (possible movements) have been booked on each of the five forthcoming Saturdays, plus a handful on the Sunday mornings.
One rail expert told us he expects the actual figure to be about 90 passenger and freight trains.
Local MP John Hayes is concerned about road traffic congestion and the lack of communication which Network Rail appears to have issued. He was due to hold talks with representatives of the firm, the police, and Lincolnshire County Council highways yesterday.
He said: “I want to establish exactly what communications have taken place and what measures have been put in place [to mitigate the impact].”
A Network Rail spokesman said: “This is not a new practice.
“We have diverted main line services over GNGE 17 times since 2010.
“Our emergency planner is aware of the sensitivities in the country and so informed emergency services as a matter of courtesy.”
