Nottingham–Grantham line
{{Short description|Branch line in the East Midlands of England}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Infobox rail line
| name = Nottingham–Grantham line
| color =
| logo =
| logo_width = 145px
| image = Radcliffe railway station MMB 18 158770.jpg
| image_width = 300px
| caption = An East Midlands Trains {{brc|158}} near Radcliffe station in December 2010
| type = Heavy rail
| system = National Rail
| status = Operational
| locale = Lincolnshire
Nottinghamshire
East Midlands
| start = Nottingham
{{coord|52.9471|-1.1467|type:railwaystation_region:GB|display=inline|name=Nottingham station}}
| end = Grantham
{{coord|52.9067|-0.6430|type:railwaystation_region:GB|display=inline|name=Grantham station}}
| stations = 8
| routes =
| daily_ridership =
| open = 1850
| close =
| owner = Network Rail
| operator = East Midlands Railway
| character =
| depot =
| stock = {{ubl||{{BRC|170}} Turbostar |{{BRC|158}} Express Sprinter}}
| linelength =
| tracklength =
| tracks = Two
| gauge = {{RailGauge|ussg|allk=on}}
| electrification =
| speed =
| elevation =
| map = 300px
(Click to expand)
| map_state = uncollapsed
}}
{{Nottingham-Grantham Line}}
The Nottingham–Grantham line is a branch line between the city of Nottingham and the town of Grantham in the East Midlands of England. For most of its length it runs parallel to the A52.
The following places are served by the line:
Routes to Skegness
At Grantham, the line meets the East Coast Main Line and also the Grantham–Skegness line. Not all Skegness-bound trains stop at Grantham, and the express service (limited stop) has its first stop at Sleaford, splitting from the Grantham line near Allington onto the Grantham Avoiding Line at Allington junction.[http://www.signalbox.org/gallery/e/allingtonjcn.php "Allington Junction"]. Signalbox.org. Retrieved 21 July 2012 The journey on this route to Skegness saves 30 minutes of the 2 hours 20 minutes journey via Grantham.
History
The line was initially operated by the Ambergate, Nottingham, Boston and Eastern Junction Railway from 15 July 1850, taken over by the GNR in 1852. At Bottesford, the line was crossed by a north-south LNWR line from Melton Mowbray to Newark-on-Trent (this northern section was owned by GNR). A western spur of this railway (through Barnstone) joined at Saxondale junction.[http://www.meltonmowbray.steamrailways.com/Barnstone%20Branch.htm "The Barnstone Branch"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070317190827/http://www.meltonmowbray.steamrailways.com/Barnstone%20Branch.htm |date=17 March 2007}}. Steamrailways.com. Retrieved 21 July 2012
Services were disrupted in July 2012 when an embankment collapsed near Allington.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-18921075 |title=Bank slip in Lincolnshire affects train services |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=20 July 2012 |access-date=20 July 2012}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-18944482 |title=Grantham and Nottingham rail services resume after bank slip work |date=22 July 2012 |access-date=22 July 2012 |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC}} The line also closed for some six weeks in the summer of 2013, as part of a large-scale improvement to Nottinghamshire's rail network.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-18903291 |title=Nottingham to London trains affected by £100m works |date=19 July 2012 |access-date=21 July 2012 |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC}} Skegness councillors were critical of the decision to close the line during the height of the tourist season, but Network Rail, the rail infrastructure company, stated that the summer was the quietest time on the line.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-18951834 |title=Skegness tourists put off by work at Nottingham station |date=23 July 2012 |access-date=24 July 2012 |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC}}
=Cotgrave Colliery branch=
The branch to Cotgrave Colliery left the Grantham line at the east end of the viaduct over the River Trent and headed south for about {{convert|2|mi}}. It was built in 1960. The major engineering work was the {{convert|360|yd}} long, {{convert|30|ft}} high, concrete viaduct,[http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/bridges/gallery/cotgrave.html Cotgrave Viaduct photo and article] formed of 37 spans of about {{convert|30|ft}} each, where the branch left the main line. Most of the line was on a bank about {{convert|21|ft}} high, formed of about {{convert|300,000|cuyd}} of fill from a borrow pit alongside the main road. Most of the line was on a 1 in 392 gradient, with {{convert|1030|yd}} at 1 in 199.{{cite magazine |title= Colliery Branch Construction in Nottinghamshire |magazine=The Railway Magazine |issue=709 | date= May 1960| page=353}} The colliery closed in 1993 and the track was lifted in 2012.
Services
All services on the line are provided by East Midlands Railway. There is an hourly service in each direction between {{rws|Liverpool Lime Street}} and {{rws|Norwich}}, generally calling only at {{rws|Nottingham}} and {{rws|Grantham}}, and an hourly service in each direction between Nottingham and {{rws|Skegness}}, via {{rws|Grantham}}, calling at most stations along the route. Very few trains serve {{rws|Netherfield}} or {{rws|Elton and Orston}}.{{NRtimes|May 2025|58}} These services are usually formed of {{brc|158}} Express Sprinter or {{brc|170}} Turbostar DMUs.
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.binghamheritage.org.uk/history_of_bingham/victorian/bingham_railway.php "Binghams Railways"]. Bingham Heritage Trails Association. Retrieved 21 July 2012
{{GeoGroup}}
{{commons category}}
{{Railway lines in the East Midlands}}
{{coord|52.9533|-0.8750|dim:30000_region:GB|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nottingham-Grantham line}}
Category:Rail transport in Lincolnshire
Category:Rail transport in Nottinghamshire
Category:Railway lines opened in 1850