Flanders and Swann - The Slow Train

I haven't checked when this recording was originally made of Flanders & Swann singing The Slow Train but what is certain is that Sir John Betjeman would have known about it and I suspect, like me could identify with it in terms of the sadness at the loss of virtually a whole rail network by mainly The Beeching cuts or 'axe'. I would guess the song was written in the late 1960s.

This song mentions many stations that people eligible for The U3A (a branch of which I visited today for the first time) namely 'of an age' that some might describe as aged would know. For example I heard mention of Mumby Road - that would have been my local station where amazingly I could have taken a train (probably a direct train too) to London Kings Cross. Typically for so many stations on the rail network it was miles - literally more than a mile from the community or village that was mentioned in the name - i.e. Mumby. Long Lane (very appropriately named) ran between the village and the Mumby Road station and it was certainly at least a mile long - so no wonder not that many people travelled by train when a bus would have gone through Mumby (as it still does today). Mumby, for those that may not know, is in Lincolnshire within the newly designated Coastal Country Park (well, I think it is ... in the park).

At the end of my land is the rise in the roadway to a bridge over the former railway line that was - the old Sutton-on-Sea and Mablethorpe line. Mumby Road was actually nearest to the little hamlet of Thurlby, a short walk away - the station was also about two and a half miles from Huttoft and I suppose all three communities, Mumby, Thurlby and Huttoft all would have used Mumby Road for transport links in the line's heyday.

Listen carefully to the song and its mention of numerous stations that people over sixty might remember or know of. I as a southerner know many from down south like Dunstable Town in Bedfordshire for example, but more locally to my present home in Lincolnshire, I heard mention of Tumby Woodside and the delightfully named Dogdyke adjacent to the River Witham that runs through Boston to The Wash.

It's worth looking at the fade in, fade out, pictures too to see if you know any of the stations.

I have been tempted to add a new blog label "Railways" and I might yet but for now I think this item (post) can nestle inside the Betjeman label quite comfortably.

My wife and I are currently members of the Lincolnshire branch of The Sir John Betjeman Society and I would recommend it to anyone who might have an interest in heritage generally, perhaps Betjeman (the man) or his poetry (e.g. the long poem he wrote about Huttoft's St. Margaret's Church - "A Lincolnshire Church") - one wonders did he arrive by train to view it - doubt it somehow. Indeed people like us, interested in old railways, railway architecture and paraphernalia might also enjoy membership of the society. It has some interesting events, talks and outings as well as some interesting and friendly members. If you want more details contact me and I will assist through The Secretary (who is not me by the way). I can't provide a website link as there is at present no website to my knowledge.