THE BRANCH LINE FROM SAXBY TO LITTLE BYTHAM & THE M&GNJR.
THE BRANCH FROM SAXBY MADE AN END ON CONNECTION WITH THE MIDLAND & GREAT NORTHERN JOINT RAILWAY AT LITTLE BYTHAM, ALLOWING M&GN TRAINS TO WORK THROUGH TO LEICESTER & NOTTINGHAM. SAXBY JUNCTION WAS LAID OUT FOR THROUGH RUNNING & M&GN LOCO'S WERE A FAMILIAR SIGHT AT MELTON MOWBRAY STATION AND ON THE LINE BETWEEN THERE & SYSTON. THE BRANCH WAS BUILT BY AND OWNED BY THE M.R. HOWEVER, IT WAS NEVER PART OF THE JOINT LINE.
THE BRANCH OPENED ON 5/6/1893 TO GOODS TRAFFIC AND ON 1/5/1894 TO PASSENGERS. PASSENGER TRAINS CEASED TO RUN ON 2/3/1959 ALONG WITH THE WHOLE M&GN SYSTEM AND GOODS TRAFFIC ENDED ON 5/4/1964 OTHER THAN IRONSTONE FROM PAINES SIDINGS TO SAXBY WHICH RAN UNTIL 1966.
THE PASSENGER SERVICE FOR THE STATIONS ON THE BRANCH WAS MEAGRE, THIS WAS VERY MUCH A ROUTE FOR THROUGH TRAFFIC .
BETWEEN SAXBY AND WYMONDHAM.
3F No 3374 IN AUGUST 1934, CLIMBING THE BANK OUT OF SAXBY TOWARDS WYMONDHAM STATION. THE IMPRSSIVE BRICK BRIDGE WAS SIMPLY AN ACCOMMODATION BRIDGE. PHOTO H.N. JAMES.
A TRAIN FOR THE EAST COAST BEHIND CLASS D9 No 6018 IN JUNE 1946. PHOTO H.N. JAMES.
AT THE SUMMIT OF THE BANK BETWEEN SAXBY & WYMONDHAM. PHOTO H.N. JAMES.
WYMONDHAM & EDMONTHORPE STATION.
REMAINS AT SITE: STATION BUILDING AS PRIVATE HOUSE, OVERBRIDGES, GOODS SHED, WEIGH BRIDGE OFFICE, CATTLE DOCK.
A LOCAL TRAIN AT WYMONDHAM STATION IN THE 1930's WITH AN M&GN LOCO AND MIDLAND COACHES.
THE SAME VIEW IN 1985, AND IT REMAINS MUCH THE SAME TODAY.
LOCO'S 3326 AND 6040 BRING A LONG HOLIDAY TRAIN INTO WYMONDHAM IN THE SUMMER OF 1937. PHOTO H.N. JAMES.
SETTING THE TABLET FOR THE TRAIN IN THE PICTURE ABOVE. PHOTO H.N. JAMES.
M&GNJR No.34 ON A VERY MIXED LOCAL TRAIN IN 1937. PHOTO H.N. JAMES.
M&GNJR No. 48 IN THE SUMMER OF 1937. PHOTO H.N. JAMES.
A DOUBLE HEADED HOLIDAY TRAIN FROM LIVERPOOL LIME ST. TO YARMOUTH HEADING EAST IN AUGUST 1933 BEHIND LOCO'S 417 & 3957. PHOTO H.N. JAMES.
M&GNJR No. 28 AT WYMONDHAM IN THE 1920'S. PHOTO H.N. JAMES.
No. 3958 PULLS OUT OF THE STATION TOWARDS SAXBY IN 1937. PHOTO H.N. JAMES.
LOOKING TOWARDS THE STATION FORM THE GOODS YARD IN 1937. PHOTO H.N. JAMES.
A HOLIDAY TRAIN DOUBLE HEADED BY 4F CLASS LOCO'S IN 1934. PHOTO H.N. JAMES.
LOADING HORSES AT WYMONDHAM IN 1928, POSSIBLY IN CONNECTION WITH RACES AT NEARBY GARTHORPE.
PHOTO H.N. JAMES.
HOW MANY MODELLERS REMEMBER THE WATER PUMP?!
LOCO 3954 IN AUGUST 1934, WITH IRONSTONE FROM PAINES SIDINGS. PHOTO H.N. JAMES.
IN 1984, THE WEIGHBRIDHE STILL CARRIED LMS GREEN & CREAM PAINT; THIS SCHEME WAS INTRODUCED IN 1937 FOR RURAL STATIONS BUT WAS NOT WIDELY USED, MOST LMS STAIONS BEING RED AND CREAM OR BROWN & CREAM. THE LEAD BASED PAINT CERTAINLY WEATHERED WELL, IN 2008 IT WAS STILL PERFECTLY RECOGNISEABLE.
PAINES SIDINGS.
THIS WAS THE INTERCHANGE FOR THE MARKET OVERTON IRONSTONE QUARRIES LINE WHICH OPENED IN 1906 AND CLOSED IN1966. UNFORTUNATELY I DO NOT HAVE A PLAN FOR THIS SITE OR ANY PICTURES, BUT SEE 'THE IRONSTONE QUARRIES OF THE MIDLANDS PART IX' BY ERIC TONKS, FOR FULL DETAILS.
BUCKMINSTER SIDINGS.
THIS WAS THE CONNECTION TO THE IRONSTONE QUARRIES AT BUCKMINSTER WHICH WERE ALSO CONNECTED TO THE G.N.R. HIGH DYKE BRANCH.
IN 2008 THE QAURRY WAS BEING USED AS LANDFILL SITE.
SOUTH WITHAM
A POSTCARD DATING FROM AROUND 1900 WHEN THE STATION WAS ALMOST NEW. IT MUST HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM THE TOP OF A SIGNAL POST.
THE STONE BUILT STATION BUILDING IN 1986, NOW AN ATTRACTIVE HOUSE.
THE BRICK ROAD BRIDGE AT SOUTH WITHAM STATION.
THE TRACK REMAINED ON THE BRANCH IN 1963 BUT THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC; THIS IS THE LINE BETWEEN SOUTH WITHAM AND CASTLE BYTHAM.
CASTLE BYTHAM
THE GOODS YARD IN 1963, STILL COMPLETE BUT BECOMMING OVERGROWN.
THE PLATFORM ON THE RIGHT IN 1963 WITH THE WOODEN STATION BUILDING, AND A LARGE LIME KILN ON THE LEFT.
LITTLE BYTHAM
THE END OF THE MIDLAND BRANCH AND THE BEGINNING OF THE M&GNJR WAS IN FRONT OF THE SIGNAL BOX.
LITTLE BYTHAM IN 1961 FROM THE EAST COAST MAIN LINE, SHOWING THE GIRDER BRIDGE CARRYING THE MIDLAND LINE. PHOTO H.N. JAMES.
TIMETABLES FOR THE SUMMER OF 1903.
