16. East of England tour-14-18.08.81

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-1981 > 16. East of England tour-14-18.08.81
For our 1981 big summer trip Graham and I headed east from our homes in the west country. We started off in the Leicester area on the MML before taking in the semaphore signalling on the line between there and Peterborough. Following a little Deltic activity on the ECML we took in much mechanical signalling in Cambridgeshire including a survey of the doomed 'Joint Line' that ran between March and Spalding. Finally, we headed off to the Ely and Cambridge area before making for home after a few exhausting days. Graham and I travelled in the Austin 1100 and wild camped at various spots as we usually did at this time.
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1. MML & Rutland-15.08.81 After travelling up the previous evening from Bath and camping near Pillerton Priors (Warwickshire) we continued along the Fosse Way to Leicester. We spent some time exploring the mechanical signalling around the city before heading east through Rutland ending up at Melton Mowbray. We camped again, as we did the previous year, at Essendine adjacent to the ECML.

After travelling up the previous evening from Bath and camping near Pillerton Priors (Warwickshire) we continued along the Fosse Way to Leicester. We spent some time exploring the mechanical signalling around the city before heading east through Rutland ending up at Melton Mowbray. We camped again, as we did the previous year, at Essendine adjacent to the ECML.
2. March and the GN & GE ‘Joint’-16.08.81 After what had started out as a stunning summer's day with clear blue skies it soon began to cloud up but at least, with a bit of patience, I managed most of the photographs in some semblance of sunshine. Graham and I initially headed back west retracing our steps to pick up from where we had got to on the Midland route from Peterborough to Leicester. Then we headed east taking in part of the line to Spalding and then the route to March. Finally, we headed north capturing scenes on the doomed GNR/GER ‘Joint’ line between March and Spalding that would close just over a year after our visit.

After what had started out as a stunning summer's day with clear blue skies it soon began to cloud up but at least, with a bit of patience, I managed most of the photographs in some semblance of sunshine. Graham and I initially headed back west retracing our steps to pick up from where we had got to on the Midland route from Peterborough to Leicester. Then we headed east taking in part of the line to Spalding and then the route to March. Finally, we headed north capturing scenes on the doomed GNR/GER ‘Joint’ line between March and Spalding that would close just over a year after our visit.
3. GN & GE 'Joint' line & to Ely-17.08.81 Graham and I partially retraced our steps from yesterday back along the doomed GN & GE Joint line from Spalding to March hoping, as it was a Mondy, to actually capture some trains traversing the route. Following this we headed southeast across the Fens to Ely before heading north a short distance towards King's Lynn to then wild camp overnight at Wallington-cum-Thorpland just north of Downham Market. All this was after capturing a little ECML action at Essendine first thing. We were blessed with some super summer weather on this day that made a pleasant and welcome change!

Graham and I partially retraced our steps from yesterday back along the doomed GN & GE Joint line from Spalding to March hoping, as it was a Mondy, to actually capture some trains traversing the route. Following this we headed southeast across the Fens to Ely before heading north a short distance towards King's Lynn to then wild camp overnight at Wallington-cum-Thorpland just north of Downham Market. All this was after capturing a little ECML action at Essendine first thing. We were blessed with some super summer weather on this day that made a pleasant and welcome change!
4. GE mainline & home-18.08.81 The final day of our Eastern Counties summer trip found Graham and I surveying the line between King’s Lyn and Cambridge but avoiding the Ely area as that was visited the previous day. After doing some signal boxes southwest of Cambridge we headed for home via, as my notes state, via Hitchin, Luton, Oxford and Swindon arriving back at 21.45. I did not know it at the time, but this would be my final ‘big’ summer trip with Graham as we both moved in slightly different directions.

The final day of our Eastern Counties summer trip found Graham and I surveying the line between King’s Lyn and Cambridge but avoiding the Ely area as that was visited the previous day. After doing some signal boxes southwest of Cambridge we headed for home via, as my notes state, via Hitchin, Luton, Oxford and Swindon arriving back at 21.45. I did not know it at the time, but this would be my final ‘big’ summer trip with Graham as we both moved in slightly different directions.
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