in 1848, the great northern railway opened a line from lincoln to boston, and built a coal wharf at dogdyke in 1851. this resulted in increased traffic on the canal, but a branch line from kirkstead to horncastle via woodhall spa was opened in 1854, in direct competition to the canal, after which decline was rapid, with the last dividend being paid in 1873. against this trend a short cut known as the tumby cut was built in 1876.