LNER K3 2-6-0 No 61957 crossing the closed and lifted trackbed at Bottesford probably on 8th September 1962 when the photographer was known to be there to capture the last Belgrave Road to Mablethorpe train. There is another disused overbridge in the distance under the bridge and a signal box that is GNR. 61957 was a Colwick engine for its last few years. The signal box in the distance next to the farm over bridge is Bottesford North junction closed (according to my information) on 18th February 1962 (as part of a scheme for singling the line to Lowfield) along with Bottesford South Junction (behind the camera) and Cotham signal boxes.

John Clayson says (and it is now confirmed that this is correct) "I suggest this may be part of the junction arrangement at Bottesford where the Nottingham to Lincoln & Grantham line passed over the GN&LNW Joint line between Market Harborough and Newark.
If the view is at this suggested location, the photographer would be looking north towards Bottesford North Junction along the trackbed of the GN&LNW line, and 61957 and its train are travelling west to east. Maps appear to show the presence of a second bridge, as seen in the distance, and the curvature of the line 'fits' the locality. However, I can't find for comparison another photo known to show the bridge.
This section of the joint line was taken out of use on Monday 11th December 1961 and the track was probably recovered during the following week [ref. The Rationalisation of the Grantham-Nottingham Line (Gonerby - Radcliffe-on-Trent) - Part Four, by Don Anderson in 'Great Northern News' (Great Northern Railway Society) No. 164 (Mar/Apr 2009)]. The trackbed appears clean and fresh, so a date between December 1961 and September 1962, when the loco was withdrawn, appears plausible.
It's interesting to note that the telegraph pole route linking Bottesford South and North junction boxes is still physically intact at this point and time. Looks like the civil engineers had pushed ahead with track reclamation, leaving the S&T boys in their wake".



Photo: T.G. Hepburn / Rail Archive Stephenson