Boston Station through time

 

The Station in the Edwardian view above is barely recognisable to anyone catching a train at Boston today. There was a newspaper and book stall on platform one, visible in the view above, and the canopy roof along each platform extended over the train, providing full protection from the elements. On platform two, the buildings have been demolished after decades of neglect, but they had originally housed the refreshment rooms. In its heyday, this was a very busy junction and large numbers of passengers would have made connections here. There were express services between Grimsby and London King's Cross, long distance services from the Midlands to the coast, and local services to Lincoln, Horncastle and Peterborough. Boston was hit hard by Beeching's cuts, and since 1970 has found itself merely a branch line station on the Nottingham to Skegness line, but it remains a staffed station functioning as a base for train crew and retaining an efficient and helpful booking and enquiry office. Extract reproduced here from BOSTON THROUGH TIME by Helen Shinn reproduced with kind permission. Book available from The Boston Old Times, 2 Silver Court Boston PE21 6JR

Photo: Jim Shinn (copyright)