Recommended Posts

My memories not what it was but if its any help the No 35 bus to Bulwell cemetery was always a single decker because of a low bridge on Hempshill Lane...(I think)!!...lol

Owdtite.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Replies 243
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Posts

Some interesting maps there. These brought back a memory to me that I had forgotten about until now. One day, during my years at Fairham Comp (I think it was a Geography lesson) we were asked what t

Maps sold and at my asking price thanks to the forum

Nice to have a satisfied customer.   Not many members come back and tell us what they think of the service they've received. There's a shed-load of people out there who've made a couple of p

thanks for that, wondering now how many other bridges I don't know of! bet a few ex GCR ones down the meadows, one that always puzzled me (and still does) is the sherwin rd one at end of castle boulevard, why so low? did the leen at one time flow through there?

Link to post
Share on other sites

I was quite enjoying that deviation to "Time Machines" So much so, I'm going to start a new Topic!!

Link to post
Share on other sites

thanks for that, wondering now how many other bridges I don't know of! bet a few ex GCR ones down the meadows, one that always puzzled me (and still does) is the sherwin rd one at end of castle boulevard, why so low? did the leen at one time flow through there?

When I was a kid my grandparents lived in Lenton and we went past the Sherwin Road bridge on the bus. Always used to fascinate me. Even with horse-drawn carriages when it was built, I reckon the horses would've had to keep their heads down.

And there are two more very low bridges near that on the Midland mainline in Dunkirk. You can see them both on Streetview; Dunkirk Road/Gibbons Street (which you could just get a car under - but not a lorry) and Montpelier Road/Cavendish Street which you can hardly walk under without bending down.

Maybe everybody was a midget around 1860s

Link to post
Share on other sites

Talking of low bridges

5040855925_40e3a86a5f_b.jpg

Jessops lane Gedling

When I worked for a haulage firm in Netherfield we had a flatbed "Trasit Van" which could be converted to a "Tilt" by the fitting of a frame and bag , as we called it. Basically making a tent on the back.

This lad who hadn't been working for us that long but was rather 'Cocksure' (Always telling us who'd been doing the job for years ,"You didn't want to go that way, you should've gone this way !!") had decided to 'swing the lead' on the way back from ooop north somewhere, and went home to hide, having got there from the Lambley lane end he forgot about the low bridge and drove a 10 foot tall vehicle under a 9 foot high structure , result, OOOPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He then took it off completely (No mean feat as it was pretty combersome to say the least) and (In the middle of Jessops Lane) attempted to straighten it back out!!. Well he drove back in to the yard, his tail well and truely between his legs, saying things like "Do you think he'll notice?"

He noticed alright !! P45 in the post on the Monday Ta Ta!!......LOL

Link to post
Share on other sites

That bridge has a double catch which has probably caught a few people out. It's low, but it's also on an incline. So coming in from the Arnold Lane end you appproach a low bridge, but as go you under it, it gets even lower so even if you drive under one end there's no guarantee you'll get out at the other end.

(Look at the line of the bricks under the bridge to see what I mean)

Link to post
Share on other sites

I know you said low, but I can see only 4 courses of bricks! (not sure if your pic fault or my pc) when I was researching my 3rd book (unpublished and expect it to remain thus!) I climbed and measured those 3 bridges in that area, have details somewhere on disk, seem to recall each one a different style? brick arch, steel on pillars or whatever?

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 3 months later...

Here's the same place from the 1950s. It's now obviously an embankment going over the roads - totally the opposite to what they were showing 20 years earlier. And there's no actual line marked - must've been lifted by then. Only the Midland still has tracks shown.

hemp.jpg

On OS 1 inch map sheet 122 (fully revised 1950), the track is not depicted as lifted. It shows a double track line going west from Basford junction to closed stations at Watnall and at Kimberley (MR station, north of GNR station by the brewery) before becoming a disused railway track that ran to a stub connecting to Bennerley junction on the main Erewash Valley line. Passenger service to Watnall and Kimberley (Midland) ended effective Jan 1 1917. The OS map also shows a single track line diverging north from the line at Watnall Junction which connected to several collieries (Watnall, High Park, Moor Green, etc) before joining back to the main Erewash Valley Midland main line. According to the www.forgottenrelics.co.uk website the section from Kimberley to Basford Junction was lifted 1955/1956. If that is true there would not have been coal trains on it in 1959. Watnall colliery also had a GN connection that crossed above the Basford to Bennerley Midland line near Watnall station.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, I did say track lifted 1955/56, what I think I must have seen was coal train coming off the sidings in that area, there were a good few back of Northern Baths and Highbury Hospital? but only found these and in fact the Bennerley Line much later via maps at Angel Row Library. At the time, dark night, street gas lamps etc not easy to see much, or in fact know exactly where we were! Remember at one point going over the odd footbridge somewhere at the back of the highbury pub, say "odd" as a strange bridge, made of concrete? added later? certainly not in keeping with rest of footbridges on that line?

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 months later...

Talking of low bridges

5040855925_40e3a86a5f_b.jpg

Jessops lane Gedling

When I worked for a haulage firm in Netherfield we had a flatbed "Trasit Van" which could be converted to a "Tilt" by the fitting of a frame and bag , as we called it. Basically making a tent on the back.

This lad who hadn't been working for us that long but was rather 'Cocksure' (Always telling us who'd been doing the job for years ,"You didn't want to go that way, you should've gone this way !!") had decided to 'swing the lead' on the way back from ooop north somewhere, and went home to hide, having got there from the Lambley lane end he forgot about the low bridge and drove a 10 foot tall vehicle under a 9 foot high structure , result, OOOPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He then took it off completely (No mean feat as it was pretty combersome to say the least) and (In the middle of Jessops Lane) attempted to straighten it back out!!. Well he drove back in to the yard, his tail well and truely between his legs, saying things like "Do you think he'll notice?"

He noticed alright !! P45 in the post on the Monday Ta Ta!!......LOL

That wouldnt be Bill Radfords Haulage company by any chance would it?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Just a warning, stay out of old coal mines!! One look into one could be your last. Most of the "top" seams do outcrop in that area. If you do find old drift mines, only enter them if you have a good quality gas detector that has an oxygen sensor, and has been recently calibrated.

Most old coal mines are full of black damp, which will overcome you and kill you in seconds!!

Blackdamp = lack of oxygen, usually made up of nitrogen and carbon dioxide.

I worked in coal mines for years so know those dangers first hand!

Link to post
Share on other sites

You'll find evidence of bell pits from ground depressions all around there. Coal was worked from way back in the middle ages.

And Kev, came close to it one night, with the outbye Deputy leading myself and a pumper. And that was a well ventilated road. The Dep's oil lamp went out several times, after he couldn't relight it, we made a hasty retreat back to the main road!! And that was in a working colliery!!

Link to post
Share on other sites

If I remember correctly, Stanton and Stavely Ironworks, was built on the outcrop of the Top Hard seam. I'd have to double check. So that gives you an idea where the outcrop of many seams are.

Link to post
Share on other sites

i read somewhere the other day about there being places on peoples property in stapleford, not sure where i read it, maybe a leaflet through the door of a local councelor i not to sure.

buy=t it got me thinking.....i do however have old photos of the old tunnels under chilwell army barracks..

Link to post
Share on other sites

The library would be a good place to start, then local newspaper archives, then a visit to the Coal Authority at Berry Hill, Mansfield, who have all colliery abandonment plans. BGS at Keyworth would be another search place for seam outcropping?

Link to post
Share on other sites

That wouldnt be Bill Radfords Haulage company by any chance would it?

It certainly was

You didn't work there at some time did you ?

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...
  • 6 months later...

i read somewhere the other day about there being places on peoples property in stapleford, not sure where i read it, maybe a leaflet through the door of a local councelor i not to sure.

buy=t it got me thinking.....i do however have old photos of the old tunnels under chilwell army barracks..

Hi Richard

Would be really really interested to see any pics of those tunnels and anything else around the old chilwell depot/toton/beeston/stapleford/bramcote area

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...