Bilboro-lad 294 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 Well the signal box at rectory Junction has now closed, as has the box at Colwick station. I hope they keep the Junction box as it is a nice looking box. In fact I'm going to build a smaller scale version in my garden as a shed when I move. I've not seen the petrol tankers in the area lately either so I guess they must have stopped working too. Does anyone have any more info? I remember the place when it was the biggest marshalling yard in Europe. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 There is a book Railways of Nottingham(A History of The Great Northern Colwick Motive Power Depot & Marshalling Yard) Book Law Publications By Peter Barry Waite. A good book & well worth getting Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 I worked for a short period at Colwick yard Firstly as signal box lad at North & Rectory junctions I also did a stint as switch board operator. This was in 1965/66 I can remember when there were seven boxes controlling the Colwick area. 1) Netherfield Junction 2) Netherfield Lane. 3) Colwick North Junction. 4) Locomotive Junction(down lines only) 5) Carlton Field (up lines only) 6) Rectory Junction 7) Colwick East Junction. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 In the late 50s Colwick loco(38A) had an allocation of 200 steam locos It was third largest allocation behind Stratford(30A) St Margaret's (64A) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bilboro-lad 294 Posted May 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 Wasn't Netherfield Lane the old name for Victoria Road? The one near the disused crossing gates next to the old Caroline Club?. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 Netherfield Lane Box was on Victoria Road & was between Netherfield Junction & Colwick North Junction. When I worked at Colwick the box was in fully working order & the gates were opened/closed many times a day. Another book of interest The Great Northern Railway in the East Midlands volume 1(of 4) By Alfred Henshaw Published by RCTS Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,435 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 Photo of that box at post #34 here http://nottstalgia.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=8526&page=2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisB 150 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 Did you know, that somewhere behind Rectory Junction box there is a maggot farm? You would know if you were in the vicinity in warm weather! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bilboro-lad 294 Posted May 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 It's all gone. Been gone for a few months now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 Yes & in summer it honked awfully. And across the river there is Stoke Bardolph(sewage farm) & a glue factory. When I worked in Rectory Junction box in summer there always was a plague of flies. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bilboro-lad 294 Posted May 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 It's not over the river, it's round the bend. The smelly factory (Chettles) make pet food products. Never smell either these days. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 The flies & the smell were enough to send anybody "round the bend" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ravintrainman 10 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 Well the signal box at rectory Junction has now closed, as has the box at Colwick station. I hope they keep the Junction box as it is a nice looking box. In fact I'm going to build a smaller scale version in my garden as a shed when I move. I've not seen the petrol tankers in the area lately either so I guess they must have stopped working too. Does anyone have any more info? I remember the place when it was the biggest marshalling yard in Europe. The tanks are still running, around 05.40 through Midland after running round out east. Often hold up the 05.50 Skeg if a bit slow backing into the sidings at Rectory. After discharging they run forward to Grantham to run round again then head off up the East Coast main line to Newark and back to Lindsay 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bilboro-lad 294 Posted May 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 They used to get there mid morning. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
piggy and babs 544 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 Yes & in summer it honked awfully. And across the river there is Stoke Bardolph(sewage farm) & a glue factory. When I worked in Rectory Junction box in summer there always was a plague of flies. buble wrap you forgot the old maggot farm and the suger beet factory depending on the wind depended on the smell you got that day Quote Link to post Share on other sites
piggy and babs 544 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 been in most of the signal boxes round there many times and the sheds loved the open days always had a special train in that day but living were we did about 200 yards up line from netherfield lane all the trains used to pass our terrace we used to sit on the sleeper fence at the bottom house mrs moseberry and whatch all the trains go by . firemen often used to throgh a few lumps of unuseded coal over the fence for her as her husband had been killed on the railwaywe used to put it in her buckets in her coal house Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 buble wrap you forgot the old maggot farm and the suger beet factory depending on the wind depended on the smell you got that day Yes I forgot there were two maggot "farms" around there & I will never forget the sweet smell of success(sugar) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bilboro-lad 294 Posted May 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 Where was the old maggot farm? The only one I knew the one at the very end of the private road, next to what was then a Hoveringham lake that was later filled in. My school mate drowned in the Trent under the railway bridge at Rectory junction in 1968. I wonder if Babs knows the family? His name was Alan Frost and he is buried at Carlton Cemetery. Someone still puts flowers on his grave all these years later. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
piggy and babs 544 Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 knew alan very well he was with my younger brother john when he drowned but it was on radcliff bend a little further up river my brother tried for over an hour to find him there was actually a gang of about 8 young lads swimming that day but most of them dissapeared befor the police arrived jonny and 2 others carried on trying to find allan. my brother was a strong swimmer but has never been swimming from that day to this. it had very bad effect on him they had been friends all there lives mrs frost was brilliant though and never blamed him or the others. although i know he blamed hisself and still thinks he should have got him out. know allans dad died but as far as i know mrs frost and his 2 younger brothers are still alive and i used to see mrs frost going to the grave with flower quite often but have not seen her for a long time. yes the maggot farms were down bottom end private rd Quote Link to post Share on other sites
piggy and babs 544 Posted May 5, 2014 Report Share Posted May 5, 2014 one of our friends john moorcroft worked in rectory junction we used to walk over the viduct to radcliffe side when he was on duty when we wanted to come back we would wave to him to see if it was safe to come back red flag ment stay there green flag it was safe to come back over the viduct. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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