Joint Diversion
By
the autumn of 2013, the 87 miles of route between Werrington Junction
(north of Peterborough) and Bessacarr Junction (south of Doncaster) was
the longest remaining stretch of semaphore signalled track left in
Britain. This cab-ride over the former GN&GE Joint Line, filmed on a
glorious autumn day on a diverted East Coast HST, shows this
delightfully antiquated route at its best. Despite the line undergoing
extensive modernisation, there were still numerous signal boxes,
semaphore signals and manually operated crossing gates still in
operation, most of which were due to go by 2014.
The first three miles of the journey are along the East Coast Main
Line from Peterborough to Werrington Junction where the diverted Kings
Cross to Aberdeen HST takes the Joint Line to head through the rural
backwaters of Lincolnshire to Spalding. North of Spalding the route is
dotted with numerous wooden crossing gates which are still operated by
crossing keepers. At Sleaford (which still had four manual signal boxes)
we avoid the towns Avoiding Line and instead pass through the station
before taking the single track section to Sleaford North Junction. The
journey continues across the Fens through Metheringham before passing
through the busy rail hub of Lincoln. After Pyewipe Junction, the
semaphore signals and manual boxes at Saxilby and Stow Park are in their
final months of operation, while at Gainsborough Lea Road the derelict
signalbox awaits demolition. Just around the corner we cross the Grimsby
to Sheffield route at Gainsborough Trent Junction, where several
semaphores are in their final months of operation. The last leg of the
journey is through Beckingham and Finningley to Bessacarr Junction on
the southern outskirts of Doncaster. A series of junctions follow in
quick succession as we pass Decoy and Belmont Yards before briefly
re-joining the East Coast Main Line at Sand Bank Junction to travel the
short distance into Doncaster station.
The programme was filmed in 16:9 widescreen and the accompanying
soundtrack is that of HST power car 43319’s MTU power unit.
