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June 4, 2011
Metheringham Rail Station
The railway came to Metheringham in 1882. The line was built from Yorkshire to Cambridgeshire, the Great Northern and Great Eastern Railways. The 'Joint Line', as it became known, was born from a desire by the Great Eastern Railway to link its operating heartland in East Anglia with the coalfields in the North.
The station was opened on 1 August 1882 as Blankney and Metheringham (the signal box today still being referred to as Blankney). Shortly after opening, the prominent landowner and Member of Parliament in the area, the 1st Viscount Chaplin constructed a mile long coach road, known as Blankney Ride, to take visitors discreetly and directly from the station to his home at Blankney Hall. Such visitors are rumoured to include the then Prince of Wales, who would come 'into the country' for 'amorous liaisons'.
The hall was badly damaged by fire in 1945 and subsequently demolished in 1960 but the ride still exists today (complete with bridge to avoid the Blankney-Martin Road) as a pleasant public walk through the woods to Blankney from opposite the station.
(29 Aug 11 - Ed's note .This is factually incorrect. see 1st comment below!)
During World War II the railways played a pivotal role in Britain's war effort and they had to remain operational come what may. To this end, several emergency signal centres were built in the 1940s to take over should the main control centre be damaged. One such control centre was built at Metheringham to take over, should the centre in Lincoln be knocked out. Given the strategic importance of Lincolnshire's airfield, this was thought highly likely but fortunately never came to pass.
Following the war marked social change in England included greater ownership of private motor cars. Despite nationalisation following the war, many rail lines were worn out and continued to compete with each other and now also with road traffic for business - a situation which was not sustainable and the railways were left deep in financial troubles. In these circumstances Blankney and Metheringham station was closed in 1961, one year before Dr Beeching took on the task of rationalizing the railways. However, passenger trains continued to run on the line, from Doncaster to Cambridge, including the Boat Train, from Liverpool to Harwich.
Just over a decade later, in 1972, Edward Heath's government passed a Local Government Act to re-organise local authorities in England and Wales. This led, in 1976, to the merger of Kesteven, Holland and Lindsey, into Lincolnshire County Council. Very early on plans were put in place by the Parish Council and County Councillor Zena Scholey to encourage British Rail to re-open the station for the ever expanding villiage, with new housing developments taking place.
Lincolnshire County Council paid British Rail the sum of £7,415 to re-open it as Metheringham station and on 3 October 1975, fourteen years after closure, the station re-opened with an inaugural train from Metheringham to Lincoln. The 'rail service' was opened by Councillor D R Webb, Chairman of the County Council Transportation Committee in the presence of the entire Primary School, along with many villagers. The school choir sang a specially composed song written by the Headmaster, Mr John Hyde. Afterwards 35 children were taken by train to Lincoln. Also present at the ceremony was Mr Edward Savory (then Station Master of Liverpool Street Station, London) who had been the last resident Station Master of the old station (1951-58) Metheringham and Blankney and Mrs Alice Revill, widow of the last Station porter. To celebrate the re-opening of the station there was 'free' travel for two weeks; thereafter and from 20 October a single fare to Lincoln was 30 pence.
By 1978 the station had approximately 30,000 passengers per year. In both 1983 and 1995 concerns were expressed regarding other overcrowding of early morning trains by the number of school pupils being carried to Sleaford. In the Summer Term of 1983 some 160 boys and girls used the train for this journey to and from Sleaford. There were also major concerns as these stations were totally unmanned and Sleaford itself had no supervision after 1.00 pm.
Come 2007/08 passenger numbers had jumped to 100,000 per year (recent figures in 2009-10 showed Metheringham had 98,722 users compared to Ruskington which had 80,838) and Metheringham Station was completely rebuilt with new platforms and up to date shelters on each platform. However the remaining buildings at the station were in a significant state of disrepair, becoming attractive to vandals and the likes. After a number of years of complaints by both the Parish Council and others as to the state of the station environment the County Council undertook a survey of key stations, including Metheringham.
In 2009 the Parish Council was asked to comment on their Consultation Document. As a result the County Council acquired additional land at the station and in partnership with East Midland Trains and Network Rail and Lincolnshire County Council the much needed improvements were undertaken in 2011. The railway station has subsequently been turned into a rural transport hub which now has provision for the Call-Connect Bus Service, Cyclist ,(12 bays) and for pedestrians. There are 26 bays for motor vehicles and three dedicated disabled bays.
The rural transport interchange was officially opened on 12 April 2011 by Lincolnshire County Councillors Mrs Patricia Bradwell and Mr William Webb in the presence of members of Metheringham Parish Council.
Correction re article in Summer Issue about Metheringham Railway Station.
It was reported in the Summer Issue of this magazine that there is a 'pleasant public walk through the woods to Blankney from opposite the Railway Station'. This is in actual fact totally incorrect as this is private property. This historical resumé, was a straight lift off the Notice Board at our newly refurbished Railway Station and those concerned in producing it will be advised of their error. We apologise for this error. We would however state that there is a clearly signed ' public footpath' around the edge of these woods with access near to the crossing gates.
Does Metheringham Station have CCTV?