It was always the contention of supporters of the LCLR that what made their railway different to other privately operated lines, such as preserved railways or the
Cleethorpes Miniature Railway, was that it was “real transport”. They were transporting people from the holiday camps and bus terminus in Humberston to the beach
and the Fitties and to a great extent that remained true throughout the 25 years of the original LCLR’s operations.

 Old Box Brownie photo of the NGRS Special in 1962 – the LCLR’s young volunteer workers were enormously
flattered that their efforts in operating “real narrow gauge passenger trains” were recognised by such an august
body and driver Doug Hewson (right) and fireman John "Mick” Allen are seen on the footplate of Peckett 0-6-0ST
Jurassic returning from Humberston Beach to Humberston North Sea Lane during the visit.

 An inside view – a misty September late afternoon in 1963 when the line was still running daily services
to the middle of the month, with a good view of the ex-Liverpool Corporation Tramways seats fitted
inside the former Ashover Light Railway carriages when placed into service on the LCLR.
The loco heading into the mist is 1926 Simplex 4wd Paul – note the demeanour of the adult passengers,
which suggests they are travelling on  “real” public transport, not just out for a ride.

 Almost the end – the last steaming of Jurassic in August 1985 with only a few weeks to go to the closure of the line…
Jurassic runs round her train at Humberston North Sea Lane prior to returning to South Sea Lane.

 Seagull’s eye view of the LCLR main line from North Sea Lane – peering over Jurassic’s cab roof as she steams
towards the Fitties holiday camp on a damp and dreary August Sunday 1985.

 The essential charm of the LCLR – Jurassic and a typical train of a converted WW1 Class D bogie wagon
and one of the former Ashover Light Railway carriages, setting off for South Sea Lane past grazing horses
on one side and campers and caravans on the other.

 What killed the original LCLR is all shown in this photograph – by 1985, the company’s directors had to take some difficult decisions on the future of the operation, as the time for renewal or surrender of the lease on the track bed drew near. As Jurassic steams towards North Sea Lane with a two coach train, a double decker of Grimsby Cleethorpes Transport draws level – the service was introduced in 1962 by the local authority, and cut the LCLR’s traffic and revenue by two-thirds. Meanwhile the paucity of campers in the adjacent site shows how the after-effects of the miners’ strike and the economic collapse of manufacturing in South and West Yorkshire (where most visitors to the area worked) contributed to the closure. Then there’s the puddles in the foreground, indicating the “summer” climate of Humberston. They are all symptoms of what killed the line –rivalry from bus services, competition from foreign holidays and guaranteed Spanish sunshine, economic hardships of the core group of holidaymakers who had once patronised Humberston and its holiday camps and chalets. That the line survived 25 years and developed an idiosyncratic and distinctive charm was nothing less than miraculous.

 MORE