A BRIEF SOJOURN BACK TO SOUTH YORKSHIRE

We're now in Nottinghamshire, following the GN&GE Joint line up to Beckingham, where the station is seen in 1967 (Ben Brooksbank - Creative Commons License). 

Here's the signal box in 1980 (now gone, of course).

To the north, Walkeringham signal box, 1969.

Walkeringham station in pre-grouping days.

If you're wondering where we're going, follow the map here. Our next stop is Gringley-on-the-Hill, where the Blue Bell has decent beer.

To the west is Mattersey, where we can view the ruins of the Priory.

Not far away, the village of Everton. The Blacksmiths has a good range of beers.

Next up, the little known rural community called Misson. 

There was once a tiny ferry across the River Idle.

Misson was once served by rail, on the freight only Tickhill Light Railway. Here's a view from a 350hp diesel shunter approaching the weed-strewn depot from Bawtry (W Ashton).

By 1968, rail traffic had ceased.

A Ruston diesel was found on a farm in Misson sometime around 1982. 

If you're lucky, you might find some cask beer at the Ship at Newington, but it won't be Home Ales.

Just in Yorkshire, Austerfield was once home to the White Hart.

Onwards to Bawtry. As we arrive in the small town, we find the railway station, long closed, but on the busy East Coast Main Line. Here's the station in GNR times.

The exterior, in GNR days and 1969.

Some ECML steam approaches Bawtry.

D9011 passes through the station in 1962 (Roger Joanes - Creative Commons License).

Ex H&BR 0-6-0 no 2418 shunts at Bawtry in 1923.

A couple of views of Bawtry station environs circa 1969.

Serving the railway was the Station Hotel, now demolished.

To the south of Bawtry station station was a viaduct, subject to a speed restriction for many years. It was finally rebuilt and is seen here in 1986, as an InterCity 125 passes at speed.

Here's the east side of the viaduct in 2012.

Flying over Bawtry in 1925.

The Market Place, circa 1938.

The Crown (no real ale) overlooks the Market Place.

St Nicolas Church, Bawtry, 2005.

East Midland Motor Services used to serve Bawtry.

Stagecoach is now the main operator.

Chesterfield Transport came into Bawtry, post deregulation.

A Caroline-Seagull coach from Great Yarmouth calls for a comfort break in 1988.

Wilfreda Coaches, moved to Bawtry from Ranskill. This view in 1986.

Time for a beer. Nothing at this pub, as the Marquis of Granby seems to no longer exist. 

There's beer in the White Hart, though not in the old pub.

The Turnpike is a free house facing the Market Place.

On the edge of town is the Ship, a great place to finish this post.

Next time, back into Nottinghamshire.

GAINSBOROUGH

Yes, we're off to Gainsborough in this post, but first we must cross the Trent to East Ferry. Watch out for the paddle steam Scarborough passing by. 

There's a pub in East Stockwith, the Ferry House, but no real ales these days.

Follow the map (here) and you'll come to Blyton, where there's the White Hart ready to slake your thirst.

Blyton station was a long way from the village. The platforms had gone by 1967 (Ben Brooksbabk - Create Commons Licence).

Northorpe station was another early closer, but the GCR signal box survived to control the level crossing.

Almost a U Turn now and we come to Morton, just north of Gainsborough and contiguous with it.

A Humber Keel, the Loxley, passes Morton on the River Trent.

The Aegir (or Eagre) is a natural phenomenon on the Trent, similar to the Severn Bore. Here it is at Morton Corner.

Morton was home to Eagre Coaches.

Eagre Coaches ran a service into Gainsborough and here are a few of their buses in the town.

Lincolnshire Road Car had a depot in Gainsborough.

Here are a few Road Car buses on service in Gainsborough.

Barnard's was a short lived independent serving Gainsborough.

All Saints church, Gainsborough, 1989.

Gainsborough Old Hall tower, a famous location in the town (Creative Commons License).

The Market Place and Silver Street.

Gainsborough's wharves beside the Trent.

The Aegir passes through Gainsborough.

A souvenir from the long closed Friendship Hotel in the town centre.

The Elm Cottage is worth seeking out.

There's a Wetherspoons, the Sweyne Forkbeard.

Leaving the best until last, the Eight Jolly Brewers.

The Gainsborough Model Railway Society has an O Gauge model railway, occupying a former school. The layout is based on the ECML from Kings Cross to Leeds.

Well situated for the town, but today with a very sparce train service, Gainsborough Central station was once a busy place, Here's a view from the air in 1939.

A visit to an almost empty Central station in the late 1960s.

The nearby Marshall's factory had a Fowler diesel shunter.

Gainsborough other station is Lea Road, with trains at least hourly. Here are two pre-grouping views.

The signal box here survived into the 1980s, but was later destroyed by fire.

A southbound class 31 arrives.

Now we must cross the Trent into Nottinghamshire, but I'm not paying the toll!

So, we'll use the railway. Both lines come together at Trent Junction. A different type of coming together took place just prior to WW1.

Just on the Lincolnshire side, here's Gainsborough Trent Junction signal in 1979, with West Burton power station in the background.

We'll be exploring that bit of Nottinghamshire in the next post.