catfan 14,793 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 A brief history. 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 I remember playing around the old Sherwood station back in the ‘50s and walking through the tunnel under Woodborough Rd. The slope down the hill towards the woods was great for sledging down in the winter. There was a very good pitch and putt course on the opposite slope of the park which I haven’t played on for about 25 years. Woe betide you if you were caught sledging down there! 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MargieH 7,600 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 Phil. I never dared walk under the Woodborough Road tunnel. I was even scared of going too far into the smaller tunnel! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted January 15, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 Talking of tunnels, Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 I must admit it was a bit eerie! I don't know if its blocked off for safety now. Two of my friends went through it about 20 years ago. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 Is that the view from Woodthorpe Drive? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted January 15, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 It is, yes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,793 Posted January 15, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 47 minutes ago, philmayfield said: I must admit it was a bit eerie! I don't know if its blocked off for safety now. Two of my friends went through it about 20 years ago. Blocked off now but there are YouTube video's showing the tunnels being explored. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,465 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 Same tunnel on the last occasion a passenger train went through it. http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/s/sherwood/index11.shtml Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 When I lived in Woodthorpe in the ‘50’s one way into the park was to climb the bridge wall on Marlborough Rd. and go along the old suburban railway. The rails hadn’t been taken up at that time and I do remember once seeing a goods train on the line. The other way in, out of hours, was through one of the bent railings on Woodthorpe Drive. Just wide enough for a child to squeeze through! There used to be an interesting rock garden on the road side. I presume that’s still there. There were quite a few greenhouses and a garden at the top end. I think they grew the plants for the parks and traffic islands in the City. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MargieH 7,600 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 1 hour ago, catfan said: Talking of tunnels, That photo is taken from the park - it is the small tunnel going under Woodthorpe Drive! CT The information on the link you posted Is not unite accurate. I suppose I’m being a bit picky but if the train coming out of Ashwell tunnel is going into Sherwood station it was going in the wrong direction to get to Daybrook, Bulwell etc as stated! It looks to me that it was coming out of Ashwell tunnel towards Woodthorpe Drive (where Thomas the Tank engine is now). The train in the link photo would already have been through Sherwood station before entering Ashwell tunnel. I saw the last train (a special) go under Woodthorpe Drive when I was a little girl - mum took me on to the bridge to see it 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MargieH 7,600 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 1 hour ago, philmayfield said:There used to be an interesting rock garden on the road side. I presume that’s still there. That was called the dell and was originally a very small clay pit for making bricks. It’s still there but has been landscaped to be a more open space. Not an exciting place to play hide and seek anymore. It used to have stone tunnels..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MargieH 7,600 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 Sorry Phil, the quote facility didn't work properly. I was referring to the place you called 'a small rock garden' Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 The Dell. That's right! I remember the tunnels. We also used to go looking for newts in the brickyard pond further up the road. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MargieH 7,600 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 Never looked for newts but did play in the brickyard and picked pussy willow from there. (Also climbed in the trucks) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 Oh yes, the trucks! They were pulled by cable and had a turning point on Breckhill fields where they went back up to the brickworks. That was another good sledging run in the winter. There was a path that went down the side from Breckhill to Melbury Rd. You probably went to school that way. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beekay 5,143 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 forgive my ignorance but I'm having trouble identifying and placing where you are with this one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 Breckhill Rd.runs from Mapperley top down to Thackeray’s Lane roundabout. It used to be open fields on the rhs as you descended the steep hill. Woodthorpe Drive runs parallel past Woodthorpe Park and finishes at Mansfield Rd. Sherwood. Breckhill had the No. 25 bus service. There was no NCT service on Woodthorpe Drive. Does that help? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beekay 5,143 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 I know Breckhill rd., also Woodthorpe park, as I used to live near there for 10 years. I used to learn some of my bus driving with crashbox on Breckhill. What I'm having difficulty is placing a train track and tunnel in that area. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MargieH 7,600 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 BK part of the suburban railway ran through Woodthorpe Park. There was one tunnel (Ashwell tunnel) which passed under part of the park, near where the children’s play ground was:still is. The other ‘railway’ we were talking about was a little one which ran through 3 main brickyards which were next to Breckhill Road, Woodthorpe Drive and Woodthorpe Road, carrying the brick clay in little trucks. hope this makes sense.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beekay 5,143 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 Thank you Margie for the insight. Would I be right in thinking the main line ran from Victoria, heading North, ( I've seen pictures of a tunnel just outside of Victoria. Have walked our sons on Woodthorpe park many times. Just can't imagine a tunnel running underneath. Did the main line head towards Mansfield or Ollerton or perhaps some of the collieries up there somewhere.? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 We're talking two railway lines here. One ran past Daybook Station under the Plains to Gedling Station and ultimately in to Victoria Station. The suburban railway left the main line just after Daybook Station, went through Woodthorpe, over Thackeray's Lane, Marlborough Rd., through Woodthorpe Park, Sherwood Station, under Woodborough Rd, Thorneywood Station and on to Victoria Station. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MargieH 7,600 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 I know very little about the suburban railway apart from the bit which ran under the park! I do know it linked to the main line to Daybrook and then to Bulwell. There is info and maps on t’internet and I think on Nottstalgia somewhere you could google Nottingham Suburban railway if you are interested! just read your post Phil. I wasn’t quick enough in replying! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,130 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 From Daybrook the line ran to Basford North Station on Highbury Rd. and on towards Kimberley. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beekay 5,143 Posted January 15, 2021 Report Share Posted January 15, 2021 Correct me if I'm wrong Phil, but wasn't there a bridge over Thackereys lane, just before you got to the island? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.