King's Lynn
-
- Posts: 512
- Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2018 9:36 pm
King's Lynn
I was 12 years old when we moved to King's Lynn in 1972 and we stayed there right through my teens until I left home for University in 1978. I have long thought about spending a little time reviewing the railway history of the town. This first post covers King's Lynn Harbour Branch which left the mainline just before that line entered the town in South Lynn
http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/09/16/ki ... our-branch
http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/09/16/ki ... our-branch
Re: King's Lynn
Is interesting to look at old pictures and one realizes how prosperous Britain used to be. Its a real shame we dont have the prospects to find full time jobs like there once were. I have to say that in my area I've not seen full time work in anything other then the medical field for a long time.
I love the swing bridge. There used to be quite popular at one time. Though not the same, not too far from here there used to be a hydraulic lifting bridge which used to rely on the tide to compress a large hydraulic chamber mounted in a tower which would be used to lift the bridge when needed. The tower still remains and is a listed building but the bridge itself wasn't listed as was removed by the local council ready for redevelopment which closed the dock from being used as made them into an inland lake. The controlling signal box to the tower and the railway wasn't listed either and was also removed which is a bit of a shame. It was still there in the 1990's.
I love the swing bridge. There used to be quite popular at one time. Though not the same, not too far from here there used to be a hydraulic lifting bridge which used to rely on the tide to compress a large hydraulic chamber mounted in a tower which would be used to lift the bridge when needed. The tower still remains and is a listed building but the bridge itself wasn't listed as was removed by the local council ready for redevelopment which closed the dock from being used as made them into an inland lake. The controlling signal box to the tower and the railway wasn't listed either and was also removed which is a bit of a shame. It was still there in the 1990's.
Modelling On A Budget ---》 https://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/F ... 22&t=52212
Re: King's Lynn
Those full time jobs were at the will of the employer, Mountain, there was no protection other than if you got sent away from one job you could usually find another. Try reading up about dockers in the 50s and 60s, things were pretty hard, especially when your face didn't fit!
It was all about prosperity for the owners of the factories, not for the workers who lived in appalling conditions by today's standards, had no protection if unemployed, got paid peanuts and health and safety was non existent... It's all very good looking back with rose tinted glasses but reality for most people was pretty poor. I'd rather live now than then.
Strangely, though, I think we are less likely to move to find a job now than we were back then, perhaps because of benefits? Many people expect the jobs to come to them rather than them go to the jobs... I've just been doing SWMHO's family tree and her great grandfather moved from Stourbridge to Hanley then to Ancoats and finally to Leith to follow the work (glass making) which would be some move even now but this was in the 1860s and 70s and he had a wife and 6 kids in tow! I think the working class back in the olden days was a much hardier bunch than they are now!
Sorry for the thread drift, Roger!
It was all about prosperity for the owners of the factories, not for the workers who lived in appalling conditions by today's standards, had no protection if unemployed, got paid peanuts and health and safety was non existent... It's all very good looking back with rose tinted glasses but reality for most people was pretty poor. I'd rather live now than then.
Strangely, though, I think we are less likely to move to find a job now than we were back then, perhaps because of benefits? Many people expect the jobs to come to them rather than them go to the jobs... I've just been doing SWMHO's family tree and her great grandfather moved from Stourbridge to Hanley then to Ancoats and finally to Leith to follow the work (glass making) which would be some move even now but this was in the 1860s and 70s and he had a wife and 6 kids in tow! I think the working class back in the olden days was a much hardier bunch than they are now!
Sorry for the thread drift, Roger!
- luckymucklebackit
- Posts: 3712
- Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2011 7:05 am
- Location: Eaglesham (Again)
- Contact:
Re: King's Lynn
Coincidentally I am heading for Kings Lynn tomorrow on business to do an audit of one of our suppliers, might have some time to have a look around. I notice there are some freight sidings just to the north of the station, do they see much traffic?
Jim
Jim
This Signature Left Intentionally Blank, but since I have written this and I intended to do it, this Signature is intentionally not blank. Paradox or What?
My layout - Gateside and Northbridge
My layout - Gateside and Northbridge
- luckymucklebackit
- Posts: 3712
- Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2011 7:05 am
- Location: Eaglesham (Again)
- Contact:
Re: King's Lynn
Posted while sitting in The Maids Head supping Timothy Taylor’s after visiting the station and model shop. Sometimes business travel isn’t that bad after all
Jim
Jim
This Signature Left Intentionally Blank, but since I have written this and I intended to do it, this Signature is intentionally not blank. Paradox or What?
My layout - Gateside and Northbridge
My layout - Gateside and Northbridge
- Bufferstop
- Posts: 13796
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 12:06 pm
- Location: Bottom end of N. Warks line
Re: King's Lynn
The CAMRA Guide and UKModelshops directory on your smartphone, essential business travel equipment!
Growing old, can't avoid it. Growing up, forget it!
My Layout, My Workbench Blog and My Opinions
My Layout, My Workbench Blog and My Opinions
-
- Posts: 512
- Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2018 9:36 pm
Re: King's Lynn
The harbour branch left the mainline South of King's Lynn. The docks branch left the mainline close to King's Lynn Station. The post below includes a very short history of the harbour and docks and then covers the length of the branch from the station to John Kennedy Road.
http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/09/24/ki ... nch-part-1
http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/09/24/ki ... nch-part-1
-
- Posts: 512
- Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2018 9:36 pm
Re: King's Lynn
The second part of a study on the Docks Branch in King's Lynn. ......
http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/09/24/ki ... nch-part-2
This post covers the area around the Alexandra Dock. A further post will follow to cover the railways around the Bentinck Dock.
http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/09/24/ki ... nch-part-2
This post covers the area around the Alexandra Dock. A further post will follow to cover the railways around the Bentinck Dock.
-
- Posts: 512
- Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2018 9:36 pm
Re: King's Lynn
This is the third and final post about the Docks Railway in King's Lynn.
https://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/10/07/k ... nch-part-3
The post covers the area around Bentinck Dock and has some detail about the Savage's Works on the East side of the dock. Savage's were internationally renowned for their steam-powered fairground attractions.
https://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/10/07/k ... nch-part-3
The post covers the area around Bentinck Dock and has some detail about the Savage's Works on the East side of the dock. Savage's were internationally renowned for their steam-powered fairground attractions.
-
- Posts: 512
- Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2018 9:36 pm
Re: King's Lynn
A few random bits and pieces which relate to the docks railways in King's Lynn ....
http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/11/06/ki ... cellaneous
http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/11/06/ki ... cellaneous
-
- Posts: 512
- Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2018 9:36 pm
Re: King's Lynn
One of the directors of the Docks and Harbour Railways in King's Lynn was William Burkitt, a self-made local business man who had the means to order his own locomotive from Alfred Dodman & Company of Kings Lynn. The loco was named 'Gazelle'. This is the story of that locomotive. It pulls, Colonel Stephens, King's Lynn and the Shropshire and Montgomery Light Railway into one story!
http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/07/21/gazelle
http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/07/21/gazelle
-
- Posts: 512
- Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2018 9:36 pm
Re: King's Lynn
There is a lot more to cover about the railways in and around King's Lynn. This post gives a flavour of what is to come in due course.
http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/10/21/ea ... kings-lynn
There is a significant length of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway, the branch to Hunstanton, the original length of the line from Gaywood towards Bawsey and a number of quarry and other short lines, without even considering the main line towards Ely.
When time permits. ..............
http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/10/21/ea ... kings-lynn
There is a significant length of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway, the branch to Hunstanton, the original length of the line from Gaywood towards Bawsey and a number of quarry and other short lines, without even considering the main line towards Ely.
When time permits. ..............
-
- Posts: 512
- Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2018 9:36 pm
Re: King's Lynn
The Lynn and Fakenham Railway - Part 1. ...
This post results from reading Issue No. 30 of the "Railway Archive" Journal. It contains an article about the locomotives originally purchased for the Cornwall Minerals Railway. That company dramatically over-ordered motive power and when it lease was taken over by the GWR, 50% of its original order were returned to the manufacturer Sharp, Stewart of Manchester.
Eight if these locomotives found their way to the Lynn & Fakenham Railway and eventually onto the books of the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway.
This first post about the Lynn & Fakenham Railway focusses on these locomotives. ...
http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/11/16/th ... way-part-1
This post results from reading Issue No. 30 of the "Railway Archive" Journal. It contains an article about the locomotives originally purchased for the Cornwall Minerals Railway. That company dramatically over-ordered motive power and when it lease was taken over by the GWR, 50% of its original order were returned to the manufacturer Sharp, Stewart of Manchester.
Eight if these locomotives found their way to the Lynn & Fakenham Railway and eventually onto the books of the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway.
This first post about the Lynn & Fakenham Railway focusses on these locomotives. ...
http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/11/16/th ... way-part-1
Although first mooted in the 1840s, the Lynn & Fakenham Railway was not opened, over its full length, until 1880. It only had a short independent life, being absorbed into the Eastern & Midlands Railway in 1883.
A look at the history of the line and it’s route through the Norfolk countryside is for a future post.
The Lynn & Fakenham Railway is mentioned in an article in the journal “Railway Archive.” Interestingly, that article is about the locomotives which were initially purchased for the Cornwall Minerals Railway. [1]