The Ramsey North Branch

 

Opened in 1863 as the Ramsey Railway, the line from Holme to Ramsey North was an attempt by local businessmen to stimulate the growth and economy of the town and its surrounding businesses, after the town had been by-passed by both the Great Northern Railway and the Eastern Counties (later Great Eastern) Railway. The branch was something of an anomaly from the start, being operated by the GNR, but with the majority of shares being held by the GER!

1875 the Ramsey Railway was absorbed into the Great Eastern Railway, who immediately leased the Branch to the Great Northern Railway. This arrangement persisted until Grouping in 1923, when all ownership and operations became part of the LNER.

Services on the Branch varied little between opening and the early 1930s, comprising between five and seven passenger workings and two goods workings per weekday. However, in response to increasing competition from local buses, on February 2nd 1931 the LNER reduced the number of passenger workings to just three round trips per day. These operated in the morning and passengers were advised to travel by bus from midday onwards. During World War 2 the passenger service was reduced to two trips per day and the service was withdrawn completely by the LNER with effect from Monday October 6th 1947.

Goods traffic continued with morning and afternoon trip workings (Class K) from New England, but this was reduced to a single trip per day in the early 1960s. Typical traffic included coal for the merchants in Ramsey station yard, seed potatoes, fertilisers and occasional agricultural machinery. For many years, the grain mill at Ramsey dispatched up to ten wagons per day destined for Birkenhead and Manchester.

As with most wagonload traffic in the 1960s, levels dwindled as road traffic dominated and the line closed completely on and from July 2nd 1973.

A 1946 One Inch Ordnance Survey Map of the Ramsey North Branch showing the tight curve to the East after Holme station, then Whittlesea Mere and Long Drove crossings followed by the line's only significant engineering feature - the bridge over New Dyke. This is followed by Ramsey St Mary's station, by the delightfully-named Ugg Mere, and finally the the run over New Fen into Ramsey North. The Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint station, which lost its passenger service in September 1930, can be seen to the South of the Town. Map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland. Copyright CC-BY.
A 1946 One Inch Ordnance Survey Map of the Ramsey North Branch showing the tight curve to the East after Holme station, then Whittlesea Mere and Long Drove crossings followed by the line's only significant engineering feature - the bridge over New Dyke. This is followed by Ramsey St Mary's station, by the delightfully-named Ugg Mere, and finally the the run over New Fen into Ramsey North. The Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint station, which lost its passenger service in September 1930, can be seen to the South of the Town. Map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland. Copyright CC-BY.
There were three gated crossings on the Ramsey North Branch: Whittlesea Mere, Long Drove and St Mary's Station, in order from Holme. At the first of these, Whittlesea Mere, March-allocated Class 08 No. 3409 has paused for the guard to open the gates whilst working 9B08, the 08.35 from Holme to Ramsey North on a cold and frosty, but beautifully sunny, 31st December 1970. The only intermediate station on the branch was Ramsey St Mary's (known as Holme St Mary's in the BR Working Timetable) which was an 'as required' stop for 9B08 and latterly generated little traffic. Photo: John Tolson, courtesy Trevor Davis.
Long Drove crossing was the middle of the three gated crossing on the Ramsey North Branch and the flat, low-lying nature of the terrain can be seen in this view. With the crossing gates closed by the guard, Class 08 No. 3409 creeps over the B660 Holme to Ramsey St Mary's road with one mineral wagon and two vans that make up 9B08, the 08.35 from Holme to Ramsey North on December 31st 1970. Photo: John Tolson, courtesy Trevor Davis.
Drawing to a halt after crossing the road at Ramsey St Mary's on December 31st 1970, BR Class 08 No. 3409 (later 08 339) will pick up the guard and then head to Ramsey North on the final section of its run from Holme with 9B08. The ornate gate post on the left was a distinctive feature at St Mary's, being of cast iron rather than the usual heavy timber baulk. Photo: John Tolson, courtesy Trevor Davis.
BR Class 08 No. 3409 has just arrived at Ramsey North on December 31st 1970 with 9B08, the 08.35 from Holme and has uncoupled and drawn forward, ready to run round its train. It will collect two empty 16-ton minerals from the adjacent sidings and then position the wagons it arrived with in the sidings, before heading back to Holme at 09.35. On arrival at Holme at 10.10 it will then head South at 10.50 to Connington as 9B25, arriving at 11.15 and finally head back to New England as 9B26, departing Connington at 12.35 and arriving in New England at 14.10. Photo: John Tolson, courtesy Trevor Davis.
The makeshift station buildings at Ramsey North changed little over the years, but unfortunately the unique goods shed with its double awnings (one on either side), that used to stand next to the brick building behind 3409, had been demolished by the time of this view on December 31st 1970. Having arrived on 9B08 from Holme, 3409 runs round its train to collect empties and position the arriving wagons. Coal and agricultural products were the mainstay of traffic on the branch. Photo: John Tolson, courtesy Trevor Davis.
A cold and frosty December 31st 1970 at Ramsey North sees BR Class 08 No. 3409 collecting two empty 16-ton mineral wagons and propelling them onto the guard's van (whose lamp catches the sun wonderfully!) at the rear of 9B08, the 08.35 departure from Holme. The two vans and single mineral wagon will then be positioned in the sidings and 3409 with its two empties and brake will return to Holme as 9B24, departing Ramsey at 09.35. The timetable allowed 35 minutes for the circa six mile journey along the branch which allowed for three level crossings and a 15 mph speed limit. Photo: John Tolson, courtesy Trevor Davis.
The gradient profile of the Ramsey North branch was perfectly level apart from 1 in 66 inclines up to and down from the crossing of New Dyke, at its junction with the old course of the River Nene. Crossing New Dyke with two empty 16-ton minerals on 9B24, the 09.35 Ramsey to Holme, Class 08 No. 3409 (later 08339) catches the morning sun on December 31st 1970. Photo: John Tolson, courtesy Trevor Davis.
Having arrived at Holme on 9B24 from Ramsey North on December 31st 1970, BR Class 08 no. 3409 has been down to Connington to round and is now running wrong line on the Up line, before shortly crossing over onto the Down line to return to New England. The journey was a leisurely one, with an hour and thirty-five minutes allowed for just over ten miles from Connington to New England. Photo: John Tolson, courtesy Trevor Davis.

Ramsey North Branch Timetables

LNER Summer 1924 Passenger Timetable

The LNER's Summer 1924 timetable shows both the Ramsey North and Ramsey East branches in operation, before the LNER made a number of cutbacks to its rural services in the early 1930s (which included withdrawal of passenger services from Ramsey East 22nd September 1930). In the Summer of 1924 the Ramsey North branch offered seven trains, timed at convenient points throughout day, with generally good connections at Holme for the North and the South. Image Credit: The LNER Society.
The LNER's Summer 1924 timetable shows both the Ramsey North and Ramsey East branches in operation, before the LNER made a number of cutbacks to its rural services in the early 1930s (which included withdrawal of passenger services from Ramsey East 22nd September 1930). In the Summer of 1924 the Ramsey North branch offered seven trains, timed at convenient points throughout day, with generally good connections at Holme for the North and the South. Image Credit: The LNER Society.

LNER Summer 1939 Passenger Timetable

From February 2nd 1931, the LNER reduced the passenger service on the Ramsey North Branch to just three trips per day, all in the morning, as the effects of competing bus services began to bite. These are seen in the Summer 1939 timetable shown here. The fact that the bus service commences in the afternoon would suggest some collaboration between the LNER and the Eastern Counties Omnibus Company. Photo: Alan Jones.
From February 2nd 1931, the LNER reduced the passenger service on the Ramsey North Branch to just three trips per day, all in the morning, as the effects of competing bus services began to bite. These are seen in the Summer 1939 timetable shown here. The fact that the bus service commences in the afternoon would suggest some collaboration between the LNER and the Eastern Counties Omnibus Company. Photo: Alan Jones.

LNER Summer 1941 Passenger Timetable

The wartime service over the Ramsey North branch was minimal, comprising two out and back trips from Ramsey to Holme in the morning. Additional trains ran for Service personnel based at nearby RAF Upwood, but these we not advertised in the public timetables. Photo: Alan Jones.
The wartime service over the Ramsey North branch was minimal, comprising two out and back trips from Ramsey to Holme in the morning. Additional trains ran for Service personnel based at nearby RAF Upwood, but these we not advertised in the public timetables. Photo: Alan Jones.

Bradshaw's Guide - August 1946

Bradshaw's August 1946 Guide, showing the Ramsey North branch passenger timetable in close-to its final form, comprising two trips per day. Interestingly, the pattern of running a goods train down to Ramsey first and then running the two passenger workings as out-and-back journeys from Ramsey persisted to the end. Photo: Alan Jones.
Bradshaw's August 1946 Guide, showing the Ramsey North branch passenger timetable in close-to its final form, comprising two trips per day. Interestingly, the pattern of running a goods train down to Ramsey first and then running the two passenger workings as out-and-back journeys from Ramsey persisted to the end. Photo: Alan Jones.

BR Eastern Region Working Timetable of Freight Trains, Section A, 4th May 1970

 

9B12 07.25 New England to Holme (page A59)

9B08 08.35 Connington to Ramsey North (page A12)

9B24 09.35 Ramsey to Holme (page A63)

9B25 10.50 Holme to Connington (page A62)

9B26 12.35 Connington to New England (page A15)

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