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.

Click here for pictures of Postland signal box in the early Eighties when it was still operational (see Page 2).