OUR BIG PUSH TO LOUTH GOES ON!
It is always disappointing in the extreme when a hard working team has planned to the last detail an event to inform, entertain and educate the local and national population, only to be forced to cancel it because of unpredicted circumstances way beyond its control, writes ELR50 (East Lincolnshire Railway) chairman Mike Fowler.
ELR50 falls exactly into that category. It was designed to commemorate the loss of the East Lincolnshire main line from Grimsby to Boston and Peterborough, the branch from Willoughby to Mablethorpe and the cross-country route from Firsby to Lincoln. Also scheduled for closure was the Skegness branch, but this was reprieved for two years thanks to the efforts of holiday camp magnate Sir Billy Butlin, and it remains open today.
ELR50 came about as a result of the exhibition in Alford in 2015 commemorating 45 years since the lines closed. Most of the contributors joined forces in early 2016 to propose the closure of the lines should be commemorated in 2020 by an exhibition on a much grander scale.
After investigating various venues, Batemans Brewery at Wainfleet showed considerable support and enthusiasm. The presence of the station at Wainfleet was a bonus, along with the suitability of the site. Also, being close to
