Not in itself unique to Spalding in the “Golden Age of Rail” on the 18th October 1848 Spalding’s railway station opened for the first time. This had been constructed at the great expense of £15,000 per mile. The whole town closed its shops to enable attendance of this historic event. That would transform the local economy and how it supplied the needs of the cities in the Midlands and beyond.
“ The men of the marshes came out in multitudes to see the first trains. There was a full show of that great agricultural interest which furnishes the food at one end of the line for the mouths at the other. By means of the Great Northern they will have an interchange of cotton, coal, and cutlery for their cattle and corn, working on that great principle of trade, reciprocity. An opinion has prevailed that now the loop line is nearly completed, it is all the Great Northern Railway need to do; and that with two trunk routes into London, the one by the London and North-Western and the other by the Eastern Counties, a third of their own (from Peterboro’ into London) is rendered unnecessary. Nevertheless, the works upon the main line are proceeding vigorously, and upwards of one million sterling has already been expended on them. When complete (which will not, however, be until the dawn of 1850), it will furnish the shortest and the cheapest route from the north. The advantage of a third trunk line to support itself.
The express train leaving Hull and Boston at 4.30 did not arrive in London until past twelve, instead of half-past-ten, owing to delays on the Great Northern.”
It possibly seems today that such delays are timeless.
[1] Free Press 20.10.1848
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