Postland signal box
Postland signal box
In 1879 the Great Northern and Great Eastern railways presented Parliamentary proposals to construct a line from Spalding to Lincoln, completing a 123-mile freight route between Cambridge and Doncaster. Their intention was to tap into the profitable market for coal movements into East Anglia from Yorkshire.
Overseen by a joint committee, the route brought together a number of existing lines, amongst them the GN’s Spalding-March (Whitemoor Junction) connection which had opened on 1st April 1867. This served a number of isolated communities including Crowland where a station was established. It was renamed Postland in 1871.
On the south side of the station was a level crossing, adjacent to which is a Great Northern Type 1 signal box dating from 1882. Although now derelict, this evocative railway outpost still contains its original 35-lever frame. There were rumours of the box being demolished to make way for a road widening scheme but, as yet, it has evaded the bulldozers.
The March-Spalding line closed on 27th November 1982. However other signal boxes on the line have also survived, notably at Cowbit and French Drove.
February 2014