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Published on Leave a comment on Grantham Station Columns

In a new page just added to our website Brian Maddison explains how, as the engineer responsible for all the structures on the South end of the East Coast Main Line in the early 1990s, he embarked on a project to thoroughly clean, protect and repaint the Victorian cast iron columns supporting the canopy over platform 1.  Preparation for undertaking projects of this kind had involved training some of his staff in new skills so as to both provide longer lasting protection and reveal architectural detail previously hidden by many layers of paint.  However, the process also exposed marks and blemishes on the surface of the columns, some of which arose from the method of manufacture while others were down to corrosion.  It was after looking at the columns again recently, while waiting for a London train, that Brian contacted Tracks through Grantham and told us the story, which you can read here.

Published on Leave a comment on Ken Willetts

We are sorry to bring the sad news that Grantham driver Ken Willetts passed away on Saturday 5th September aged 93 years.  Ken has supported Tracks through Grantham for many years.

Ken began on the railway at Grantham as an engine cleaner in the late 1940s.  At the age of 16½ he was asked to fire The Flying Scotsman express between Grantham and Newcastle after the booked fireman reported sick.  It was explained to the Driver, Bill Thompson, that the only spare men available were two young cleaners who had just finished cleaning the locomotive which would take over the train.  One of them was Ken, and Bill knew Ken's father so he said, "I'll take Jim Willetts' lad."  They had been due to return from Tyneside with a Grantham A3 locomotive, but it had failed with a heated bearing.  So instead they got an A2/2, a type of engine which was hard work to fire.  Bill Thompson had to help Ken out by taking the shovel for part of the return journey.  Thus began Ken's main line career on the footplate.

Ken’s funeral will take place at Grantham Crematorium, Harrowby Road, NG31 9DT on Friday 2nd October at 12.30pm and afterwards at the Railway Club.  All friends are invited.

The family notice in The Grantham Journal is here.

Regards,

John Clayson and Mel Smith

Published on Leave a comment on Railway Recollections – By Paul Squires

Over the years our ongoing request to hear about your 'trainspotting memories' has steadily gathered momentum. In fact the Spotters' Corner section of the website had become quite congested. When you think about it, that's actually a good thing, so please do keep them coming. The 'down side' for our website visitors was an increasing difficulty in navigating each story. We've decided that the best solution was for us to reallocate each story across three 'new' sub-sections, all linked to the main Spotters' Corner page. That change has now been implemented, so to start things off, here's a rural trainspotting story sent in by Paul Squires. You can read Paul's story in full here

 

Published on

Hello all,

If you were able to get along to our last meeting at the Grantham Railway Club you'll have heard Nick Pigott, the longest-serving editor of The Railway Magazine, relate in fascinating detail how the seeds of his future career in railway journalism were firmly planted when, as a small boy, he was standing with his mother beside the W.H. Smith & Son bookstall on the southbound main line platform of Grantham station.

Nick has kindly offered us the opportunity to publish his specially written recollections on our website, and you will find them here.

We’ve included photographs and other images which support the story.

It’s well worth a read, whether or not you heard it ‘live’ in April.

Regards,

John and Mel

PS: if you find images reluctant to load on the page please try the 'Refresh' button or equivalent in your browser.

Published on

We’ve launched a new page titled ECML Electrification in the 1980s in the Looking after the Line section.  It ‘does what it says on the tin’ by illustrating some of the work involved  40 years or so ago to prepare the main line through the Grantham area for the introduction of electric trains.

We've also rejigged the recently published 'parent' page Looking after the Line.

 

Published on

These newly launched pages take us back to 1960 and 1898.  Though separated in time by more than 60 years, curiously both have a connection with Manchester...

'Tulip Time' - Manchester to the Bulb Fields in May 1960

A handbill promoting a day excursion from stations in the Manchester area to Grantham, where motor coaches were waiting for a tour of the Lincolnshire bulb fields.

From King's Cross to Grantham 'Under the Train' in June 1898

The extraordinary story of a London carriage examiner who unintentionally travelled 105 miles to Grantham while trapped beneath one of the carriages of a Manchester-bound train.

Header image: a train from London King's Cross to Manchester London Road pauses at Grantham in the 1890s.  The Great Northern Railway locomotive will hand over to a Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway engine for travel onward via Retford, Sheffield and Penistone.

Published on

Our most recent new page takes a look at a vital activity, the maintenance and renewal of railway track - 'the permanent way' - in the Grantham area.

In 1950s and 1960s, with the adoption of continuous welded rail on the main lines, mechanised methods of track maintenance and renewal were being introduced in parallel with manual techniques practiced since the 1840s, when railways developed as a national network.

Looking after the Line compares the old with examples of the more recent: the complete renewal of the Down Main Line at Grantham South in the 1980s and of the track through Gonerby Tunnel in 2016.

We are grateful to retired railway civil engineer Eric Jeyes for his interest and contribution of photographs and explanation.

Published on Leave a comment on Fred Harris: arrangements for his funeral

Dear Friends,

Further to our previous post, Fred’s grand-daughter Debbie has asked us to circulate information about his funeral and to say, on behalf of his family, that all who wish to join them in remembering Fred are very welcome to attend.

Fred’s funeral will be held at Grantham Crematorium on Monday 21st July at 1.30pm, and it will be followed by a wake at the Railway Club.

Details of the venues are as follows:

  • Grantham Crematorium, Harrowby Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire NG31 9DT
  • Grantham Railway Club, Huntingtower Road, Grantham, NG31 7AU (parking is available on site)

An obituary notice can be found on the website of Robert Holland Funeral Director here, including contact details for messages, donations etc.

We’ll be grateful if you will forward the above information to anyone you’re aware of who may have known Fred, especially if they are not contactable by Tracks through Grantham.

PS. The date of Fred’s passing was incorrect in some versions of our previous message. It was Thursday 3rd July.

Regards,

Mel & John