Railway nameboard returns

A historic railway sign from North Thoresby has been returned to a site close to where it was located up until the village station was closed in 1970.

The newly-restored nameboard, which came from the signal box that once stood alongside the level crossing in Station Road, is now on display close by in the ‘New Inn’ pub, thanks to the volunteers at the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway.

Leyland Penn from the LWR, explains how the Great Northern Railway nameboard came into their possession. “A couple of months ago I had a phone message from someone who didn’t leave their name, saying they had left an item that we would be interested in under the seat in the waiting shelter at Ludborough station. When I looked I found the large wooden ‘North Thoresby’ signal box nameboard, albeit in quite a dilapidated condition, exactly where they said it would be”.

The heritage railway’s maintenance team decided to renovate it and put it back as it would have looked back in GNR days. As there was no room to display it in the museum at Ludborough station they contacted with Kirsty Moncaster at the New Inn at North Thoresby and offered it on loan to display at the pub.

“I am delighted to have the sign on show in the New Inn because the pub has important historical connections with the railway that used to run through the village” said Kirsty. “It is appropriate that the nameboard is now on display just a few yards from the site where it was located all those years ago”.

Our photo shows (left to right) Garth Lewin, Leyland Penn, Kirsty Moncaster and Renny Briggs with the newly-restored “North Thoresby’ nameboard.