Local rail users have been keeping station adopter Tony Cave busy this summer, with the return of the 10.10 Skegness service bringing a mix of eager day‑trippers, confused passengers, and the occasional abandoned ticket.
Tony reports that on the very first day of the service, 17 May, four people were already waiting at Netherfield. Three boarded happily, while one intending to travel to Nottingham had missed the small print: his train required a short walk to Carlton for the 10.35 connection. “A good job I was there,” Tony notes, after steering him in the right direction.
Passenger numbers have steadily grown over the first five weeks, with 16 people joining the service on one day alone. Not all journeys have gone smoothly, however. One traveller mistakenly believed the train went to Grantham and ended up needing a taxi back to Nottingham. Tony points out he’d have been better off staying aboard until Bingham for the 11.01 connection.
The Skegness train typically runs with four coaches on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays, and two on other days. Tony advises passengers to walk down the platform, as the front coaches are usually quieter — and you’ll arrive at Skegness quicker, thanks to the route avoiding Grantham.
Ticket Machine Troubles
Between 5 and 12 June, three passengers failed to collect their tickets from Netherfield’s smart machine — all singles to Radcliffe, Ruskington and Grantham. Tony now checks the machine daily, and even found an unclaimed Nottingham ticket at Carlton. In that same period, the machine was used seven times.
Carlton Station: Gardens & Buses
Tony’s long‑running work on Carlton’s flower planters continues, though he admits heavy compost bags are becoming harder to manage. Self‑setting plants and annuals now form the backbone of the displays, with watering and pruning still part of his routine.
A new poster board at Platform 1 outlines onward bus travel, including Nottingham City Transport routes 25, 26, 44 and the new 45. The suggested nine‑minute walk to Carlton Square “is a bit tight,” Tony says, noting Burton Road stops are closer. Route 45 replaces the former 24, looping through Rivendell and Burton Road before returning to Nottingham.
Brief Encounters
Parliament recently discussed future changes to passenger fares, including integrated contactless ticketing for Manchester and the West Midlands in 2026/7, with trials planned for the North and East Midlands. Meanwhile, open‑access operator Lumo has begun running services between Stirling and London Euston — meaning Carlton passengers could reach Stirling with just one change at Crewe.
Locally, Newark Book Festival returns 9–12 July, with stalls in the Town Hall colonnades and Market Place. Tony will be helping at the Dawn Book Supply stand. Early 20th‑century Midland Railway signalling diagrams remain available for viewing at DBS until the end of August.
20 Years of Station Adoption
Tony marks 20 years as station adopter this spring, having taken on Carlton in 2006 and later Netherfield. Back then, facilities were sparse: no seats, graffiti‑covered shelters, overgrown bushes, and cleaners visiting only once a fortnight. “We have come a long way since then,” he writes, though he still hopes for more platform seating and a ticket machine on Carlton’s Platform 1.
He recalls duplicating timetables for Carlton Library in the 1990s, and even running a stall on Platform 2 in 2006 with timetable leaflets and a prize draw for Lincoln tickets. A Nottingham Evening Post photographer captured the moment, featuring Tony in the Neighbourhood News section.
His memories stretch back to the 1980s and 60s — including a night when a derailment at Staythorpe forced single‑line working, and a freight locomotive was used to haul passenger coaches. “In those days the notion of cancelling a train… was unthinkable,” he quotes from an East Coast Main Line controller.
Engineering Works – July
- 11 & 18 July (Saturdays): Lincoln–Crewe trains terminate at Derby; buses replace Derby–Crewe.
- 20–24 July (Mon–Fri): The 23.00 Lincoln–Nottingham service is replaced by buses; the 22.34 Nottingham–Lincoln runs four minutes earlier.
Tony signs off with his usual reminder: information is accurate to the best of his knowledge, but passengers should always check official sources.
