Bourn and Essendine Railway

Its line ran through the ceremonial counties of Lincolnshire and Rutland in the East Midlands of England.

An army general, a clergyman and some tradespeople in the town put together a proposal which went to Parliament as a Bill.

The company purchased Old Red Hall, stated to be a fine Elizabethan mansion, at Bourne for use as offices.

[4][5] Stations were at Braceborough Spa (a platform only, serving a nearby place where healing waters could be taken), Thurlby (which had a small goods yard) and Bourn.

It gave notice in 1863 that it would discontinue working, but it was persuaded to carry on for another year at 60% of the receipts instead of the previous 50%.

[4][5] Bourne station developed as the focal point for trains from King's Lynn via Spalding, and from Sleaford, as well as Essendine.

In 1894 the Saxby (Leicestershire) extension from Bourne was opened by the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway.

[5] From 1927 until closure the branch train was composed of an articulated twin set built out of two coaches from Ivatt steam-motor cars.

[5] Bourne never became an important enough commercial centre to justify a decent train service making a connection at Essendine, and complete closure of the branch came on 18 June 1951.