Interesting insight into railway line

SHEPSHED History Society was given a very interesting insight into the origin of the Leics & Swannington railway when Bill Pemberton came with many slides to the November meeting to explain the reason behind it being built.

It was opened in July 1832 after William Stenson, a well known surveyor in conjunction with George Stephenson and his son Robert decided it would be more profitable to transport coal to Leicester by means of a railway instead of waterways.

And so began one of the first railways to be constructed to carry coal from Swannington to Leicester. Later it was modernised in order to carry people as well. The actual stations were very few and far apart, stopping instead to allow passengers to alight on the side of the track.

They would have purchased from the local inns a metal token as their ticket which would be collected by the ticket collector on the train and returned to the inns to be used again. Bill then went into lengthy details pertaining to the well known Swannington Incline and all what it involved, the engine of which is still on display in the York museum. It was a very entertaining evening that was enjoyed by all the members.

The December meeting is the Christmas social evening when Mel Wilson will be giving a talk entitled Father Christmas and his colleagues, then afterwards there will be a luxury buffet supper with punch and non alcoholic drinks provided.