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Location notes
Located about 5 miles from the A1 / A151 junction at Colsterworth, this location is a peaceful village on the East Coast Main Line at the top end of the famous Stoke Bank.
Nearest Cities are Grantham (about 11 miles away) and Stamford (about 13 miles).
Nearest Cities are Grantham (about 11 miles away) and Stamford (about 13 miles).
Railway type and traffic
Swayfield is on the East Coast so therefore there will be a lot of traffic on a weekday. You are likely to see are Virgin East Coast 91+MkIV sets and HSTs, Grand Central HST/180s working and Hull Trains 180s. East Midlands Trains 158s feature on an hourly service to and from Norwich and Liverpool.
Freight Traffic - you are likely to see GBRf 66s on Intermodals and engineers trains, DB Schenker 66s on Intermodals and a couple of Freightliner 66s. During the night hours freight does increase and the chance for an DB Schenker class 92 from Doncaster on a steel train is high.
Freight Traffic - you are likely to see GBRf 66s on Intermodals and engineers trains, DB Schenker 66s on Intermodals and a couple of Freightliner 66s. During the night hours freight does increase and the chance for an DB Schenker class 92 from Doncaster on a steel train is high.
Environment
This location is at the end of a small village, and is mainly open fields around. There are no farms in the vicinity. You should be fairly safe after dark, as your car is nearby!!!
Road directions
From the A1/A151 at Colsterworth:
Take the A151 towards Bourne, and after passing under the ECML, continue along the road looking for a turning to the right for SWAYFIELD, and continue down this road.. When you get to the end of this road, turn right and you will see the location in front of you.
From the B1176 from Stamford:
Leave Stamford by following the A6121 through the village of Ryhall, and take the turning on the left for the B1176. You need to follow this road for about 8 miles, and you will cross both under and over the ECML many times.. (useful photo opportunites exist!!!)
After passing through the village of Swinstead, you will be on a long straight - just keep an eye out for the left-hand turn into Swayfield.
Turn left here, and follow the road to get to the location.
On arriving at the location, you will see a small grassy area that you can reverse your car into on the left hand side, just before the bridge.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Stoke Bank, Swayfield Bridge map co-ordinates
Take the A151 towards Bourne, and after passing under the ECML, continue along the road looking for a turning to the right for SWAYFIELD, and continue down this road.. When you get to the end of this road, turn right and you will see the location in front of you.
From the B1176 from Stamford:
Leave Stamford by following the A6121 through the village of Ryhall, and take the turning on the left for the B1176. You need to follow this road for about 8 miles, and you will cross both under and over the ECML many times.. (useful photo opportunites exist!!!)
After passing through the village of Swinstead, you will be on a long straight - just keep an eye out for the left-hand turn into Swayfield.
Turn left here, and follow the road to get to the location.
On arriving at the location, you will see a small grassy area that you can reverse your car into on the left hand side, just before the bridge.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Stoke Bank, Swayfield Bridge map co-ordinates
Parking
You can leave your car in a small pull in area next to the bridge, that you will have to reverse into
The area around here is pretty safe as it is down a country lane, right on the outskirts of a village.
The area around here is pretty safe as it is down a country lane, right on the outskirts of a village.
Public transport
There is a bus service to the village of Swayfield from Grantham and Stamford.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Amenities
There is a pub, called the Royal Oak, in the village, about 5 minutess walk away. There may also be a chippy in the village of Corby Glen about 3 miles away. But you may be better of driving to one of the local towns for a bite to eat.
Accommodation
Nearest hotels would probably be in either Grantham or Stamford, although there may be some rooms nearby at Colsterworth on the A1/A151 junction.
Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin:
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Stoke Bank, Swayfield Bridge
Streetmap links
Stoke Bank, Swayfield Bridge general view map
Stoke Bank, Swayfield Bridge close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Stoke Bank, Swayfield Bridge
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Stoke Bank, Swayfield Bridge
Googly map
Stoke Bank, Swayfield Bridge general view map
Stoke Bank, Swayfield Bridge close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Stoke Bank, Swayfield Bridge
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Photographic notes
This location is on top of a bridge and you may need a set of small steps to see over the bridge. Being on Stoke Bank this is one of the best places to photograph trains on this famous stretch of the East Coast Main Line. Northbound trains are climbing the bank and are visible for a few miles before reaching you.
However, you get very little prior warning of approaching southbound trains as they come out of the curve south of the site of Corby Glen station towards Swayfield bridge.
The only issues at this location are the vegetation along the north side of the road here which can limit shots of approaching southbound trains when in leaf, and (of course) those overhead wires!
However, you get very little prior warning of approaching southbound trains as they come out of the curve south of the site of Corby Glen station towards Swayfield bridge.
The only issues at this location are the vegetation along the north side of the road here which can limit shots of approaching southbound trains when in leaf, and (of course) those overhead wires!
General views - All photographs © Giles Lawrence unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking north
Fig 2 - Looking north
Fig 3 - Looking south
Location Video
Northbound
Southbound
Southbound
Disclaimer
All information contained within this is site is © Trainspots. The images used on this site remain the property of the original photographer, as credited at the top of the page, and are used with their kind permission.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
