Spilsby branch
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The Spilsby branch was a 4-mile (6.4 km) long Firsby to Spilsby Railway single track branch railway line that ran between Firsby, on the Kings Cross London to Cleethorpes main line, to Spilsby, Lincolnshire, via one intermediate station, Halton Holgate. The branch line was authorised in 1865 and construction started in 1867. The branch line opened on 1 May 1868 and services started the following day. The line was poorly used from the start. Proposals to extend the line to Horncastle in the 1880s came to nothing. After the Firsby to Spilsby Railway proved unable to run the line at a profit the Great Northern Railway bought the line in 1890.
Passing to the London & North Eastern Railway in the 1923 grouping the line closed to passengers on 10 September 1939, as a wartime measure. The line never reopened to passengers and closed completely on 1 December 1958.
A small local railway company built a branch line from Firsby junction to Spilsby, which it opened on 1 May 1868. The branch was just over 4 miles (6.4 km)long and connected Spilsby to the King's Cross, London to Cleethorpes main line. The only other railway station on the branch line was Halton Holegate. Necessary parliamentary permission was obtained by an Act in July 1865 which incorporated The Spilsby & Firsby Railway Company with an authorised capital of £20,000 and loans of £8,333 for the construction of the four-mile-long single-track branch.
Construction of the railway began in March 1867 with the ceremonial cutting of the first turf performed by local rector, the Reverend Rawnsley who was standing in for the railway company's chairman Lord Willoughby de Eresby. The railway was expected to be opened quickly but disputes with the contractors arose over the quality of their work and several lengths of track had to be replaced. With these problems finally fixed the official opening took place.
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