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Month: February 2018

Published on Leave a comment on The Gresley Society: Colin Walker’s Grantham

If you're a member of the Gresley Society you will have seen an evocative 13-page feature of Colin Walker's photographs from the 1950s and 1960s in the current (Autumn 2017, No. 173) edition of the Society's journal The Gresley Observer.  The photographs were taken at a range of locations including the Loco (shed), the northern and the southern approaches, and at the passenger station.  Colin was there on 'The Last Day' that Grantham Loco was operational, Saturday 7th September 1963, when he recorded some poignant views of the shed's remaining active A3s preparing to leave and departing: No. 60066, No. 60108 and No. 60112.

To become a member and secure a copy please see the membership page of the Society's website here.

Our own tribute to Colin Walker can be found here.

John Clayson

Published on Leave a comment on Stoke signal box

For our latest new page we move to one of the boundaries of the Tracks through Grantham 'sphere of interest' in terms of railway geography and infrastructure.

'Stoke Bank' is a legendary location, comprehensively written into East Coast Main Line history as one of the world's most renowned railway racing stretches where speed records have been made and broken.

But what about the signal box at the start of the descent (or, equally, at the summit of the ascent from both directions)?  Many a train timer's stopwatch has clicked there, but few travellers spared much of a thought for the men on duty at Stoke box as they sped past.  Many a loco crew, short of steam on a poor engine, have been thankful when the gradient changed from adverse to favourable as they exchanged a wave with the signalman at the isolated outpost.

Derek Steptoe's evocative memories of the box introduce a fine selection of photographs by Mike Mather and Noel Ingram.

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Published on 1 Comment on Diesel Multiple Units / Railcars
Grantham Arrival - August 1971.  We are currently writing a new section for the TTG website all about the 'Diesel Era'  - Our starting point will of course cover the introduction of Diesel Multiple Unit / Railcar (DMUs) services to and from Grantham. Our photograph (above) shows an arrival in the Bay during the early 1970s, but if you were a Driver or a Staff member during any period from the mid 1950s to the mid 1980s and have memories & anecdotes from that time we would like to hear from you. We would also like to hear from passengers and their own experience of travelling by DMU from Grantham. Incidentally, does anyone recognise the Driver?

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Published on 3 Comments on Halcyon Days at Grantham!
Halcyon Days at Grantham! I thought that I would post this recently discovered image. It turned up whilst looking through an old wallet of B&W 127 negatives. Not a photograph to win any prizes, but it captures the joy and excitement of trainspotting with friends at Grantham. Notice the regulation 'snake belt' and rolled up shirt sleeves. I can't remember when this picture was taken or even the loco in view. Any guesses?