Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:EngvarB Template:Infobox rail Template:Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway RDT Template:Passenger Lines of North East Lincolnshire The Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway is a Template:Track gauge minimum-gauge railway that primarily serves holidaymakers in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England.Template:Sfn It operates from near the Cleethorpes Leisure Centre, running to the mouth of the Buck Beck.

History

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The CCLR began as the Cleethorpes Miniature Railway in 1948, and ran for a distance of Template:Convert near the sea front in Cleethorpes.Template:Sfn The line was relocated and extended the following year, and between 1949 and 1971 ran southwards for Template:Convert from Cleethorpes Town to Thrunscoe (near the current Discovery Halt).Template:Sfn The line was extended at both ends in 1972: the northern terminus was relocated slightly closer to the town centre, while at its southern end it now ran as far as the Zoo.Template:Sfn

It became the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway when it was privatised in 1991,Template:Sfn and the new company renamed the termini Kingsway and Witts End. Witts End (located at zoo, which by this time had closed to visitors) was abandoned in 1994, and a new southern terminus was built at Meridian (now Lakeside). A new extension from Lakeside to Humberston North Sea Lane was opened in 2007, lengthening the railway from Template:Convert to Template:Convert.Template:Sfn

In the 1960s, the line used battery locomotives. On being regauged in the 1970s, two Rio Grande steam outline locomotives built by Severn Lamb were used. Since being taken into private ownership, a variety of steam and diesel locomotives have been used, followed by petrol-driven engines with a steam outline, though genuine steam locomotives are now in operation. A National Lottery grant enabled the railways supporter association to acquire stock from the long-dismantled Sutton Miniature Railway in Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield, including Bassett-Lowke Class 10 Little Giant 'Mighty Atom.'<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Sfn

The railway held the Olympic Torch on Day 39 of the 2012 Olympic Torch relay with BMR locomotive 'Mountaineer' hauling the Alan Keef 'Council Rake' carriages from Kingsway station to Lakeside station.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The railway was sold to Cleethorpes Light Railway Limited in May 2014 Template:Sfn<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and celebrated its 70th anniversary in July 2018. The railway also had its 75th Anniversary in July 2023

Present operations

Trains run from Cleethorpes Kingsway station, next to Cleethorpes Leisure Centre, over a Template:Convert viaduct and along the sea wall, turning SSW to run past the sheds to the intermediate main station named Lakeside. The track will continue Template:Convert south-east to a station named Humberston, close to the Meridian Line car park, and the mouth of the Buck Beck.

The Humberston section of the line has been closed to the public since the 2019 running season due to level crossings in need of upgrades.

Stations

• Cleethorpes Kingsway: Original station dismantled in 1998 and the current station built and opened in 1999 with a viaduct over the boating lake on way into the station. Station building houses a gift shop.
• Discovery Halt: No longer in use, but platform exists, accessed by means of footpath alongside.
• Lakeside: The main terminus with engine sheds and workshops, passing loop and on the platforms a cafe, multi-function space and the Signal Box Inn 'The Smallest Pub on the Planet'.
• Humberston: Opened in 2007, features a signal box.Template:Sfn (currently closed to the public)

Operations

There are multiple operational timetables for the 2025 season. The first train departs Lakeside Station at 10:40 and runs every forty minutes between Lakeside and Kingsway Station, with last train times being 15:20, 16:00 and 16:40. Special timetables are put in place on special event days and busy periods throughout the season.

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Steam Locomotives

Locomotives which have worked on the railway but have since left are listed in Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway timeline.

Name	No	Wheel arrangement	Built	In service
SRRL no.24<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	24	Template:Whyte	Fairbourne 1990	In Service
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	11	Template:Whyte	Kerr Stuart KS720/1901Template:Sfn	In Service
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		2w-2 VBT	R&ER 1985	Awaiting Restoration
Effie		Template:Whyte	Great Northern Steam 1999	Overhaul

Diesel Locomotives

Locomotives which have worked on the railway but have since left are listed in Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway timeline.

Name	No	Wheel arrangement	Built	In service
	7	0-4-0 DM	R A Lister & Company Limited 1944	Under Restoration
Rachel	15	0-6-0 DM	Trevor Guest Engineering 1959	In Service
DA1	6	0-4-0 DM	BMR 1986	In Service
Königswinter	5	0-8-2 DH	Severn-Lamb Limited 1973	In Service

References

Sources

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• Template:Quail-2-2016

Further reading

• Template:Cite book

External links

• Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway Official Website
• The railway in Miniature Railway World
• The railway and its predecessors in Miniature Railway World Blog
• The railway in Geoffs Pages
• Images of the railway past and present in flickr
• Images of the railway from 2001 to the present in Dave's Rail Pics
• One-time resident loco Haigh Hall in Narrow Gauge Heaven