THE DOCKS AND INDUSTRIAL SOUTH HUMBERSIDE

Despite it being built by the Great Central Railway, the first passengers to Immingham Dock were hauled by a contractor's loco. The dock opened in 1912.

The first five vessels are seen in Immingham Dock.

Even into the 1980s, Immingham had some lovely GCR lower quadrant signals.

The LNER took over the GCR in 1923, includng the loco shed.

Now for two views of the shed area in 1979. The coaling stage was still standing!

A final view of Immingham shed, October 1992 (Richard Huggins).

We now head across country, almost doubling back on ourselves, to the GCR station at Healing.

Next station westwards along the line is Stallingborough, with its traditional signal box still in use in 2004.

There's an upmarket pub at Stallingborough, the Thatchers Inn.

We're still in a westerly direction and soon come to Habrough station. It was a busy place in the early 1970s.

The signal box survived until at least 1985, when this photo was taken.

Beside the station is the Station Hotel, a good place to rest awhile, at least until the next post.

 

TWO LIGHT RAILWAYS

Before we leave Grimsby, there's a few beer related things to look at. First we have the long closed Wellow Brewery, taken over by Whitbread. This photo taken circa 1974.

 The other closed brewery in Grimsby, still in situ around 1974, was Hewitt's. 

Amazingly, the Duke of Wellington pub was recently repainted in Hewitt's livery, but only sold fizzy keg beers.

In the town centre, the Friary had a selection of real ales.

Walter's wasn't a bad pub either.

Sadly, once a great boozer, depite the silly name - Swigs. It's now gone.

We now head to Corporation Bridge, where the Grimsby & Immingham Tramway started. Built by the Great Central Railway, it was the nearest thing in the UK to an Amercan interurban.

The Grimsby & Immingham Tramway ran through the streets for the first mile or so. 

This map, thanks to Wikipedia, shows the route at its full extent. Part of it is in French, but you'll work it out, I'm sure.

What the map doesn't show is the parallel Grimsby District Light Railway, a freight only line linking Grimsby Wester Docks with Immingham. Most is still open today. The tramway and railway met at Pyewipe. (Photographer unknown).

West Marsh Junction, on the GDLR, had a fine GCR signal box back in 1980. A rare GCR ground signal also featured.

Once the street running section of the tramway closed, the connection was made by bus to Pyewipe depot.

More trams await service at Pyewipe.

Meanwhile, back on the GDLR, here's Pyewipe Road crossing box, with a little industrial Ruston diesel nearby.

At the reversal point (see map), the concrete traction poles of the tramway and even a bit of buried rail were still visible in 1972, long after closure in 1961.

We'll take a good look at Immingham in the next post.

IT AIN'T THAT GRIM IN GRIMSBY

 Trains from Cleethorpes are controlled from this modern(ish) signal box at Pasture Street, Grimsby. A Northern 153 passes over the single line at this point.

The overall roof at Grimsby Town station was renewed in the 1970s and is seen here protecting 31437's train in 1986.

To the west of Grimsby Town station was Friargate Crossing signal box, long closed now, but still open in 1980.

Not far away is People's Park, a pleasant green spot for the townsfolk.

Close to People's Park was the Hainton Inn. Only selling keg beers, it later became a restaurant, but is now closed. 1980 saw a visit by the morris men.

Hainton Street signal box controlled a level crossng on the former Louth line. There was a passenger halt here once.

Back towards the town centre, we happen upon Lincolnshire Road Car's depot, where this Bristol MW was found in 1977.

Road Car's servces used a small bus station in town.

Aplpleby's of Conisholme also terminated/started here.

Nowadays, Stagecoach is the main operator and uses the new bus station.

Found in a council yard in Grimsby was ex Road Car Bristol L type, sometime around 1973/4. Note, on the left, the old rolling stock from the Cleethorpes Miniature Railway.

A long vanished bus operator, "Ada No. 2", outside the County Hotel in Grimsby.

The County Hotel, on Brighowgate, is still in business today.

A more unusual pub is The Barge, moored in the old River Head dock, next to the present bus station.

Here is an old view.

On the other side was Wetherspoon's (Lloyds No. 1) Ice Barque. It's now shut.

Wetherspoons still have a presence in Grimsby, in the form of the Yarborough Hotel, by Grimsby Town station.

We can stay the night there. In the next post there are a couple of other things to look at, before heading out of town.