Willoughby
A last-day photograph of the Mablethorpe branch train is taken at Willoughby on Saturday 3rd October 1970. This working had arrived at 09.13 from Mablethorpe to connect into the 08.20 Cleethorpes to Kings Cross. It returned to Mablethorpe at 09.25, arriving at 09.43 and after a leisurely shunt into the Up platform waited there until 11.00 when it returned to Willoughby to connect into the 10.50 Skegness to Grimsby Town and the 10.45 Grimsby Town to Spalding. Photo: John Tolson, courtesy Trevor Davis.
Willoughby was a delightful station to the very end. On the last Saturday of operation, October 3rd 1970, three trains cross at 11.25 am. Heading towards Grimsby Town on the Down Main at the left of the picture is the 10.50 from Skegness, whilst on the Up Main the 10.45 Grimsby Town to Spalding arrives. To the right, in the bay platform, the 11.38 to Mablethorpe will be the last of the three to depart. Photo: John Tolson, courtesy Trevor Davis.
On 3rd October 1970, the last Saturday of operation of the East Lincs main line, a Class 114 Derby Heavyweight DMU enters Willoughby with the 15.55 Peterborough to Grimsby. These workings left from the former bay platforms 4 and 5 at the North end of Peterborough station which were swept away as no longer needed in the 1972 re-modelling. The young boy in the foreground must be around sixty years old now. One wonders if he remembers the occasion? Photo: John Tolson, courtesy Trevor Davis.
In fading light on Saturday 3rd October 1970, the Mablethorpe branch train waits in the bay platform at Willoughby for passengers to cross over from the 15.55 from Peterborough and the 17.10 from Grimsby Town. It will then form the penultimate train to Mablethorpe, departing at 17.55. The Mablethorpe branch was formerly a loop round to Louth, but the section from Mablethorpe to Louth was lightly used and closed on December 5th 1960. Photo: John Tolson, courtesy Trevor Davis.
Mablethorpe
The last day of railway operations at Mablethorpe on Saturday October 3rd 1970 had a bright and sunny start. The Branch train, formed of a Derby Heavyweight Class 114 unit, has just arrived on the 09.25 from Willoughby and is carrying out the shunting movement to cross over to the Up platform, as shown by the 'Off' platform starting signal. Photo: John Tolson, courtesy Trevor Davis.
Having crossed over to the Up line, the Branch train draws in to Mablethorpe's platform 2 to form the 11.00 departure to Willoughby where it will connect into Northbound and Southbound trains on the main line. Platform 1 was formerly the North-facing bay but fell out of use after closure of the line to Louth. Photo: John Tolson, courtesy Trevor Davis.
Mablethorpe never managed to eclipse Skegness in attracting holidaymakers. Nonetheless, even through to the last Summer of operation it retained a through Summer Saturday working from Sheffield which ran from June 13th to September 5th 1970, arriving in Mablethorpe at 12.20 and departing at 13.30. After these dates, when only the Branch train was left, a Derby Class 114 waits at Platform 2 with the 11.00 to Willoughby. Photo: John Tolson, courtesy Trevor Davis.
The Branch train to Willoughby waits at Mablethorpe's Up platform on the last day of operations, Saturday October 3rd 1970. Mablethorpe signal box can be seen beyond the station building, of wooden construction with characteristic East Lincolnshire decorative bargeboards. Photo: John Tolson, courtesy Trevor Davis.
A lovely view of the approach to Mablethorpe station on its last day of operation, a bright and breezy Saturday October 3rd 1970. The Branch train to Willoughby waits time at the Up platform before its departure at 11.00. Photo: John Tolson, courtesy Trevor Davis.