Notts Lad oop North

Re The locos with yellow cabside stripes not allowed to run under the wires south of Crewe - this started around 1964 and the reason was to stop firemen climbing up on the coal on the tender and coming into contact with the wires. I can only presume this may have actually happened and some poor chap got fried alive. Dont think many classes got the stripes but these did Jubilee Coronation Fowler 4F All ex LMS types and maybe they had higher tenders or something. And not all locos in those classes got their stripes either.. Dont ever recall seeing any standards with stripes... Its got nohin

Isnt this the line that spurs off at Lenton North Junction? If so I cannot see a good reason why it should be closed. It allows trains to go north to the likes of Sheffield and Leeds without having to go via Toton so saving time and money. At one time it was fairly busy with freight but not now. I came down this line a few years back on my way to Norwich through Nottingham and it was my first time down it. Its singled at some point as you come into Nottingham.

Firbeck I dont think 61264 was the last B1 withdrawn off Colwick. By 1966 Colwick had been "transfered" to the Midland division of BR and nearly all its old allocation was replaced by Black 5's, 8F's and standard 3's BUT some B1's were kept. By this time 61264 was already a departmental loco so technically already withdrawn and I am sure carried a departmental number. I have a pic taken at Colwick in August 1966 showng 61089 and a colour slide from Sept 1966 taken at Nottingham Midland with 61390 from COLK ( on buffer beam) about to work a Jolly Fisherman to Skegness out of platform 6. Colwic

Does anyone know exactly where Beeston sleeper works was? It was home to a couple of funny little diesel shunters in the ED1-ED10 range plus it had its own little narrow gauge railway. I have a feeling it may have been at the far end of Wilford Yards which would have put it in Lenton, not Beeston but then I dont know. Any clues anyone?

There were definitely two different and distinct fish trains that ran through Nottingham in the early 1960s 1. Grimsby to Whitland hauled down the GC by an Immingham Brit as far as Woodford Halse or Banbury and replaced by a Castle 2. Grimsby to Nottingham and Derby and maybe beyond and ran along the Midland lines from Lincoln to Nottingham Midland then out through Lenton by a whole mixtire of locos. You could get rare Eastern Region B1's on it or it could be Derby or Nottingham Black 5's or Crabs. I have some pics of it at various locations so will bring them here soon The "Tamworth Mail"

No Rob- you are forgetting about Nottingham Shed 16A which was I believe in Wilford and not very far from Mildand Station. It was certainly not too far for a pair of 10year olds to go and bunk the shed on a evening in June 1964 and then catch a unit back to Carlton & Netherfield from Midland.... And talking of fish trains dont forget Nottingham had two and one came down the Midland line and travelled on to Derby at least. Used to arrive about 7.00 and oddly enough you could often find a "crab" on the front. Railfans will know what I am taking about..

I think a lot of people are getting confused here as there were TWO infant schools in close proximity. There was an Infant school on Collygate Road that was in the grounds of Mundella and was certainly used as such in the 1950's. I was there for two years from Easter 1957 but we were all and I do mean all transfered to the other school circa Sept 59 and this school entrance was on Mundella Road and yes it was between Wilford Crescent and Mundella Road. I went back to the Meadows over Christmas and the "new" Collygate" has been demolished whereas the "old" Collygate still stands and is now a

Hi Rory I am in your pic on post 3 so obviously we were at the same infants and then Junior School. This is not Collygate mind, its another infant school on nearby Mundella Road which we transfered to at the start of our third year in the infants. I am the boy without any costume and to my right is Stephen James - the only name I can now recall. I was supposed to be a "boy from Europe". If you look you can see a representation of other countries, notably China but boy was I ashamed of my "costume". Oh well I had a better part than in the second year of infants nativity or Christmas play wher

Visited some of my old schools in the Meadows yesteday ,and here is a round up of news Collygate infants school - main old building still standing now a muslim centre XXXXXXX infants school - demolished, This was round the corner from Collygate in Mundella Road and we were transfered here when Collygate closed in 1959. Anyone recall its name? Trent Bridge Junior School - demolished ( became Trent Bridge Primary School) Trent Bridge Seniors - back part demolished but an old building at the front remains and is now an independent Christian School! Trent Bridge Senior - new block - still sta

The Beeching cuts were made at a time when our railways were in decline and the roads were starting to take away much of their freight traffic. Now look at the current scene. More people than ever are using the railways and demand is increasing. With a little planning and foresight the GCR could have been left intact to serve as a vital freight artery taking slower freight trains off the ECML and the WCML plus keeping some local services. The Trent Viaduct will never be built again and in any event there is no path through Nottingham and the Meadows with the raised sections gone, just as they

I believe that was seriously being looked at some years back as the then BR wanted that old route back to Melton and as you have pointed out it cannot be easily returned as some morons allowed embankments to be removed in West Bridgford. What on earth were the local Council doing in the 1960's? They should have made sure the Melton line infrastructure was protecetd and even more important should have kept the loop through Victoria Station to allow a bus rail interchange that would have been in the heart of town. Politicians ? Bah humbug!

Hi again Firbeck Well between the two of us we are starting to fill in the gaps at the famous Derby Shows so now we have.. 1960 it was 71000 1961 it my have been semi 462XX City of Stoke on Trent 1962 it was 46256 Sir William A Stanier and 70048 1963 it was 46251City of Nottingham 1964 it was 46245 City of London 1965 it was 70012 John Of Gaunt 1966 it was 70028 Something Star 1967 it was 70013 Oliver Cromwell 1968 it was I think diesel HS4000 Kestrel plus ex works Brittiania 70004 William Shakespeare is in the mix somewhere early 60's or even 1959 Re that Jube at Derby. Either

Thats a big help Firbeck so.. 1963 it was 46251City of Nottingham 1962 it was 46256 Sir William A Stanier and 70048 1961 1960 it was 71000 and... I have color slides of two more "semis" at Derby shows namely City of London and City of Stoke on Trent so hopefully I can assign years for those. Also have a colour print of 70004 William Shakespeare plus great colour slide of 71000 with spotterw running all over the top of it!

Back on the Long Gone Railways theme ... did anyone else on here go to the famous Derby Works Open Days in the 1960's? My first one was in 1963 and I am currently trying to date some photos taken by my late Uncle. I know they date from 1959-1963 but would welcome any info about the stars of the show each year. Certainly from 1960-63 there was always a Coronation Pacific and sometimes a Brit too . Check this out.. But what year is this from 1960/61/62? I know it isnt 1963 as that year 46251 City of Nottingham was the star of the show. Over to you guys...

Yes I remember well the "Bonfire Wars" in the Meadows in the early 1960's. We lived on Pyatt Street then and all the big lads ( thats secondary school boys!) in the nearby steets got together to build a big bonfire on the "Rec" not far away. It was an annual thing in the days before the organized fireworks displays we see today and entire families would go down there on Bonfire Night to see the fire burn and also to let off fireworks. My last Meadows Bonfire night would prove to be in 1962 and I recall it well because when the older lads came calling for any old wood my dad decided it would b

Firbeck - it seems your hyperlink leads to a dead page - any chance of checking this as I would like to know some more about this crash? Cheers Rob - thanks for the detail about the crash, I had no idea how really dreadful it was. The report states that from the start of the breakup until crash was just 6 seconds. I guess I witnessed the first three or so seeing the leading edge and one wing edge breaking up and seeing the nose lift - after that I was on the ground with everyone else. The description explains why I saw the nose-cone facing back up the runway as in its final moments the V

Hi Rob I was at Syerston and saw that Vulcan crash at the tender age of 4 - and I am sure it was 1957 not 58. My father was taking me to my first ever air display so it was likely a September one usually organized in memory of the Battle of Britain. I was standing on the grass at the front of the crowd with my father when the Vulcan came in low and fast from our left. Then we could suddenly see what looked like hundreds of sheets of paper coming off the back of the Vulcan. Someone shouted - its coming down and then everyone threw themselves to the ground and my dad threw himself over me to gi

The Sneinton area was quite badly hit in the Nottingham blitz and the railways were quite likely the targets for the bombs. From memory the carriage sidings near what we now call the Eastcroft were badly hit but worse damage was suffered by the LNWR Goods warehouse - this was still around in the 60's but the site is now covered by housing. My fathers family were sheltering in the "shelter" in the the back garden but a bomb would have finished them all off. They were lucky but others in the district were not so fortunate. Particularly unlucky were some workers at the bakery on Meadow Lane sh

Funny but I just dont recall a single overweight/ Fat ( People of Size?) kid at school in first the Meadows and then in Carlton from 1957-1964 during my primary school years. The first overweight kid I ever saw was in my class at Carlton Le Willows Grammar and boy did he get some abuse. Elephant was one name thrown at him but he was actually very pleasant with a great sense of humour. I am sure that for a very small minority there may be some physical eg hormonal reason for weight gain. For 99% its simply because they eat too much of the wrong kind of food. It aint rocket science, cut down th

I left Nottingham many moons ago but have memories of two hospitals. At the age of four I had my tonsils ( and I think) my adenoids taken out in a hospital almost in the City Centre and certainly near the Aboretum. Like the other correspondent I recall the food - soup , ice cream and all soft stuff obviously - what was that one called? Then in the mid 70's I got tetanus after our pet cat bit me and I didnt clean the wound. I was taken by ambulance from my school to a big hospital up near Bestwood - whch one was that?

Well I am an ex- Carlton Le Willows boy but shamefully have to admit I didnt recognze many of those boozers with the exception of the Town Centre ones - Bell, Sal and Trip. I checked out the home site and the people on there were about two - three years below me. We did however risk being suspended in the Upper Sixth by sneaking out at dinnertime for a furtive half pint at nearby pubs. It was only half a pint because that was all we could afford. Three pubs were hit and chosen carefully as "easy to get served" as we were all wearing our bright green Grammar school blazers and full school unifo

Firbeck - I can assure you it absolutely was the Bradford to Bornemouth. It didnt go through Derby and it didnt have to go back through Derby either. It came down the Erewash line from Sheffiled straight into Nottingham I dont know the exact route but from Nottingham it definitely went down the Midland main line. It could have taken the line from Leicester to Birmingham and then down the route still used today. Remember one year previously and this train called at Nottingham Vic then onto Rugby, Woodford Halse, Banbury, Oxford etc. Had it not been for the reverse at Nottingham we would never

Hiya Firbeck - more great shots - keep em coming. Can definitely help you with info on the Alberta working. It was working the first leg of a Bradford to Bournemouth to Nottingham where it came off the train and went to Colwick shed for a sleepover. Was definitely the last ever Jubilee to work a regular BR train into Nottingham... and that train and service finsihed on the same day as did Nottingham Vics mainline days - September 3rd 1966. A frankly dreadful day in the history of Nottinghams railways!

Rob - which shed was 61269 fom? If Colwick I will almost certainly have one somewhere but I dont recall that being a Colwick B1?

MEMORIES OF THE BIER KELLER In the mid 1970's, certainly summer of 1975, the Bier Keller was a regular Friday night out and what a good night it was too. We would get the bus down to Midland station and then drop into the pub opposite the Keller to tank up on some "cheap" beer. Think it was a Shippos joint and it was always two pints of mild for me, sank very quickly. Reason for this was the German beer (Lowenbrau) was mega expensive. Then it was down the steps into the Keller and into a stein of Lowenbrau. When the band started playing we all got up and stood on the benches singing along