Firsby to Skegness railway branch line

rdf:langString Firsby to Skegness railway branch line

rdf:langString The Firsby to Skegness railway line is a branch railway line, in Lincolnshire, England. It was built by an independent company to connect Wainfleet, at first, and then the seaside town of Skegness, with the main line network at Firsby. It opened in 1871 from Firsby to Wainfleet, and 1873 throughout. With the development of Skegness as a seaside holiday and excursion destination, the line increased in usage in the latter decades of the nineteenth century, and retained its popularity in most of the twentieth. In 1970 the main line at Firsby was closed north of the junction for Skegness, and the branch is now connected by the residual part of the main line from Boston. Although British seaside holidays have declined in popularity, Skegness as a resort, and the branch line remain in heavy use. A publicity poster for Skegness as a holiday destination was published by the Great Northern Railway in 1908, and caught the public imagination; it is still familiar today. Billy Butlin established his first holiday camp, Butlins, at Skegness in 1936, attracting much business to the line. The branch line is open at the present day, although the connection to the former main line at Firsby faces towards Boston, by-passing the original junction.