The LCLR has been described as the first heritage railway to be built on a greenfield site by enthusiasts in the UK. It was originally at Humberston near Cleethorpes in N.E. Lincolnshire, opening in 1960.
After the end of the First World War there was a large amount of surplus narrow gauge railway track and equipment that had been used in France to supply the trenches. Some of this was repatriated to England, being bought by farmers and quarry owners, who saw the advantages of a "portable" railway system for use where road vehicles would get stuck on very poor roads and tracks.
The 2ft (60cm) gauge LCLR was built utilising ex WD track from the Nocton Estates Light Railway, near Lincoln, and when it opened in 1960 provided a useful transport link between the Humberston Fitties caravan park and bus services to Cleethorpes from its North Sea Lane terminus. The railway closed at Humberston in 1985 and was lifted soon afterwards.
The locomotives, stock, and track were initially put into storage - and in the intervening years the railway was painstakingly rebuilt at Skegness Water Leisure Park, finally reopening to the public in May 2009.
Lincolnshire Potato Railways
A scene on the Nocton Estates near Lincoln in the 1930`s, showing potatoes being bagged and then loaded onto a train made up of ex WW1 class D bogie wagons which had seen active service in France.
Another Nocton scene of potatoes being riddled by hand and bagged ready for loading onto the narrow gauge train. The two vehicles in background are ex WW1 ambulance vans. The LCLR has a fully restored 1917 example of one such van at Skegness.
The narrow gauge wagons on the raised platform on right are now seen at the standard gauge railhead at Nocton & Dunstan railway station. They were then transhipped to the large wagons, on left, for onward movement, many going to the Smiths Potato Crisp factory.
LCLR at Humberston 1960 to 1985
"Jurassic"stands at North Sea Lane terminus, with the ex Sand Hutton Railway carriage and two ex Ashover Light Railway carriages, in early 1970s.
The LCLR at Skegness Water Leisure Park 2009 onwards
The above photograph shows Motor Rail Simplex locomotive (No. 6) hauling the 1917 Ambulance Van and a WD class D bogie wagon (both from the Nocton Estates Lt. Railway) with a second Simplex locomotive (No 1 "Paul") at rear, during a gala day in 2010. The light aircraft has just taken off from the adjacent Skegness Airfield on the SWLP site.
Simplex locomotive No 5 "Major" approaches the station with the ex Ashover Light Railway carriage in 2009. The railways shed complex can be seen in distance.
"Jurassic" leaving South Loop on her first day of passenger operation, since restoration - 2nd Aug 2017.