Image ID: 15636

Cottam station, 1959

Town Street
Cottam
England

A Class O2 2-8-0 locomotive (number 63961) passing through Cottam station from the Retford direction. The signalman can be seen about to hand over the single line token to the driver or fireman - originally the line (which formed part of the direct route from Sheffield to Lincoln, avoiding Gainsborough) was double track throughout but latterly the section eastwards from Cottam was singled because of concerns over the condition of Torksey Viaduct, which carried the railway over the River Trent. Eventually this resulted in the complete closure of the route between Clarborough Junction, east of Retford and Torksey on 2 November 1959 with all traffic diverted via Gainsborough, although in 1967 the line from Clarborough to a point west of Cottam was reinstated to serve the new coal-fired Cottam Power Station. This photo was taken in the last week the line through Cottam remained open.

Organisation:

Rate this image:

Keywordspowerstationcoolingtowerchimneyindustryaerialelectricity

Retford Library