Originally Posted by Bill Tooke
Hello one and all,
I have just joined the forum, I came across it via the 'old Tuxford' website, really trawling the web for info on the ex LD&ECR and the Mansfild Railway. As an ex Mansfield stalwart but living in Plymouth since 1965 and ex Royal Marine, I have always maintained a strong interest in the ex LNER line from Nottingham Victoria to Lincoln via Mansfield, Tuxford and Pyewipe Junction. Whilst living in Mansfield I travelled the line both ways from Mansfield to Nottingham and to Lincoln, this was during the 'all steam' period, even going to the east coast via the Tuxford link onto the ECML to Scarborough. The excursion trains were always hauled by B1's, K3's and the occasional B16/3, I particularly recall one train returning to Mansfield from Tuxford really shifting by Boughton, coaches swaying prior to a stop at Ollerton, that was in 1959. I enlisted in the RM in 1965 and after spells in Aden, Singapore, Borneo, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan and Australia, when I returned to Mansfield in 1970, the Mansfield Railway had gone and all I had were memories. Of course the ex LMS line is back with us and a possible prospect of passenger trains running back to Warsop, Edwinstowe and Ollerton, however we have the likelihood of the reinstatement of trains from Bere Alston to Tavistock
down here in Devon, it's been on the cards since the mid 1990's, so don't expect trains to Ollerton that quickly. It's all about money, housing investment and new estates providing passengers, mind in our case, the forecast of worsening weather conditions along the Dawlish coast will eventually see the reopening of the Okehampton line.
Nice to be on board the Railway Forum and I look forward to reading comments on the railway scene in North Nottinghamshire.
Bill Tooke
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