About SideTracked Caches
This cache belongs to the SideTracked series. It is not designed to take you to a magical place with a breath taking view. It's a distraction for the weary traveller, but anyone else can go and find it too. More Information can be found at the SideTracked Website
About Five Mile House Station
Five Mile House station served the village of Fiskerton on the north bank of the River Witham; it was named after a public house that was used by boatmen with the pub building being used as part of the station. Many passengers using the station had to cross the river using the chain ferry which was operated by railway staff. Due to a lack of traffic, the station was closed on the 1st December 1850, reopening on 1st September 1865 at the request of a local farmer who asked for goods facilities to be provided.
Much of the station was destroyed by fire in 1919 probably caused by a spark from a passing locomotive. The stationmaster's house, office, waiting room and signal box were all destroyed. A new signal box was built but the other buildings weren't replaced with two huts being provided, one to act as an office and the other a waiting room with no buildings on the platforms.
The station had two timber built staggered platforms, one either side of the crossing that led only to the ferry. The signalbox stood on the down side of the line adjacent to the crossing controlling access to the small goods yard which was also on the down side to the east of the crossing. Although remotely sited the station handled a full range of goods traffic including livestock and potatoes, grain and sugar beet.
After final closure to both goods and passenger traffic on 15th September 1958, advertised anglers' trains from Rotherham, Sheffield and Wadsley Bridge continued to call at the station on summer weekends until 6th September 1964 when there was just one train in each direction on a Saturday. The ferry closed in 1957 and was replaced by a footbridge.
The wooden platforms remained in place at least into the early 1970s; today the Water Rail Way path runs through the site of the station with an interpretation board at the site.
To find the final coordinates for this cache, simply take part in the Water Railway Adventure Lab®.
Use your phone's native QR code scanner to open this Adventure in the Adventure Lab® mobile app, or open the following URL: https://adventurelab.page.link/Uokz