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thanks for info re books, know the routes etc wanted more first hand local knowledge which I don't think the books will give? re Hucknall, only station I knew was the former GCR Watnall Rd one, and then in latter years (1963) when my mother lived on Shortwood Ave, do recall though that station won some award for local best kept one or similar, depending on where you think boundries of Hucknall are it could be argued it had 4 stations as there was one on the GNR (Butlers Hill) which was I believe somewhere in the Hankin St/Rd off Portland Rd area?

that would probably be where the 'Butlers hill' stop is for the tram now. Thats definitely still Hucknall, so you're right it did have 4! you learn something every day!

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Managed to buy 4 plates in '68 from a schoolmaster friend who had acquired 20 (!) from Derby Works for their brass weight. Paid £70 for Malay States, Queensland, Hood & North Borneo. Idiot that

Hopefully this will be a picture of the last northbound steam special, perhaps some of you recognise yourselves The last southbound York-Bournemouth is the train on the left.

A topic about old Nottm railway stations might interest a few of the train buffs on here !   http://www.nottinghampost.com/news/history/lost-railway-stations-nottingham-220673

Hi--, susyshoes, I see you like dancing, have a look at a video I did at our regular dance in Newton Abbot ,Wednesdays, we also have a Thursday Dance in Torquay and Tea Dance in Torquay Sundays but I am a bit under the weather today so we will give it a miss.

Evening Dance Thursdays , all with our fabulous Keyboard PLAYER John Westlake

Emjoy your dancing

thanks Danny, yes I love dancing although dont get chance to do any due to working full time. Prefer the latin stuff meself but can throw a few shapes with the best of em!!

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Susy, did you ever get down Linby Lane when all 3 lines were open? That's something I would have liked to have seen, The GC going over, the MR crossing and the GR going under all within a few yards of each other, all would have been British Railways of course in your and my time, don't think I ever did see such, certainly don't remember though did cross on the GC a good few times going on holiday. First time I recall seeing the 3 routes there was 1970 or later, think the bridge over had gone, but recall the GC embankments, the MR level crossing, old type gates across twin tracks and a NCB conveyer belt system using the GR route. Another site I would like to have seen was the set up at Wighay bridge, still not sure of the details re Washdyke Lane and any other roads the GC passed on way to it's Hucknall Station. One road I do recall was Meadow Lane with it's 4 bridges over and a level crossing, think it was the first of the bridges (GN)after the crossing going towards Sneinton that was like a road tunnel with I seem to recall street lighting 24/7 in it? such was it's size because of the amount of lines above, Never seen any pictures of the bridges etc other than the MR one.

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Unfortunately not Ashley. In fact as i mentioned in a different topic on here, i rarely even noticed the trains in Hucknall as a kid, and certainly never got the chance to use them, which i now regret as reading all of these forums has really opened my eyes as to how many lines there were in the 60s (my childhood years) and of course earlier.

I can really only remember them changing the road layout on Linby Lane to 'dispose of' the bridge and making the road straighter. i can just remember running across the lines to get from Linby lane to Vaughan Estate. I lived on Sandy lane from 60 to 83 and remember the line that ran parallel with that and across Wood lane which i guess ended up in Annesly/Newstead, but once again unfortunatly only remember them when they were being pulled up to build houses on them on Spring Street and Coniston Road. Why do we always wish we'd taken more notice of things when we were younger!!?!

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Probabaly showing you all something youve seen before, but i was searching for Hucknall station photos and came across this site. Although i didnt find anything for Hucknall, I found some interesting photos.

http://www.rcts.org.uk/features/mysteryphotos/show.htm?page=2&serial=44&img=66-24-12

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Thanks for that Susy, not seen any of those before,

Theres a great photo on there of 40 bridges at Awsworth, think its entitled Awsworth viaduct

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Thought this a better place to add "pit connections" from railways than the "Wilford North Power Station" topic that prompted this question, Which is "do you recall which railway companies ran to which local pits"? Can't say I recall any really but think The Midland "only" ran to Radford and Wollaton, Babbington/Cinderhill had the MR and GNR (all post Thomas North era) The GNR "only" ran to Gedling, Clifton had both the MR and the GC and the MR and GNR (I think) went to the 2 Hucknall pits, however I know there were other pits and wonder where lines to them came from? (theres also a couple of pits in the area that none of the above companies ran to but still had coal trains going in and out, who's the first to answer this one? lol

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.. (theres also a couple of pits in the area that none of the above companies ran to but still had coal trains going in and out, who's the first to answer this one?...

Calverton and Cotgrave, as both their rail connections were built in BR days...

Cheers

Robt P.

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The agreement to build the line to Calverton Colliery was between BA Collieries Ltd and the LNER & LMS.

The Cotgrave Colliery Branch was pure NCB/BR.

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Thought this a better place to add "pit connections" from railways than the "Wilford North Power Station" topic that prompted this question, Which is "do you recall which railway companies ran to which local pits"? Can't say I recall any really but think The Midland "only" ran to Radford and Wollaton, Babbington/Cinderhill had the MR and GNR (all post Thomas North era) The GNR "only" ran to Gedling, Clifton had both the MR and the GC and the MR and GNR (I think) went to the 2 Hucknall pits, however I know there were other pits and wonder where lines to them came from? (theres also a couple of pits in the area that none of the above companies ran to but still had coal trains going in and out, who's the first to answer this one? lol

How wide do you want to go? It was more complicated than it first looks as some Railway Companies had running powers over other companies lines. The LNWR had sidings and a loco shed at Colwick.

Bestwood & Linby also had connections to both the GNR & MR. Hucknall no1 also connected to the GCR as well as the GNR & MR. That completes the old No6 Area collieries. The other Areas were just as complicated if not more so.

The main reasons for building many of the lines was to get to collieries.

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The agreement to build the line to Calverton Colliery was between BA Collieries Ltd and the LNER & LMS...

...but was not constructed until the mid-50's..."BR days"

Which was the gist of Lord Such's question...

Cheers

Robt P.

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Coal winding began at Calverton in March 1953 the coal preparation plant was commissioned in 1954. The railway line proberbly opened then. The rail agreement provided for the whole output of the colliery to go out by rail, there was no Landsale at Calverton.

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Yes, that's what I thought Rob, read somewhere that the route to/from Calverton (at least in part) as well as being double tracked was also built to a high standard leading to speculation that it was to become part of some cross country route to join up with the ECMR, whether there was any truth in it I don't know. As regards the Cotgrave line heard recently from a Radcliffe local that "last time the queen visited Nottingham by train it was parked up as it were on the section where it crossed the A52 with armed police guarding it" no idea if true or what? Knew of the LNWR running powers inc it's use of The GNR at Basford etc as well as south of the city both into the old GNR Station and via it's own track off the GNR into it's Manvers St Goods Station.

(How's that Rob, not a such in sight! Lol)

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...As regards the Cotgrave line heard recently from a Radcliffe local that "last time the queen visited Nottingham by train it was parked up as it were on the section where it crossed the A52 with armed police guarding it" no idea if true or what?...

Yes indeed, my understanding too. Also gathered that, very surprisingly, her own saloon/sleeper (the Duke has his own carriage) was parked directly on the A52 overbridge...

Seemingly the importance of her slumber not being disturbed by passing lorries was exceeded by the need to keep her exact location clearly visible to the security forces... (and to any would-be attackers!)

Unsure whether it still applies in these hi-tech surveillance days, but - as late as the 80's - it was normal practice for an armed security officer (wearing soft shoes) to walk around the outside length of the Royal Train throughout the night.

Cheers

Robt P.

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Ians going to comment on a railway/colliery discussion, shock, horror, probe, read all about !!

A few years ago (2000ish) the Royal Train was parked up at Eccles whilst her Maj was on a visit to the area. How do I know? I had an early (pre 8.00am) delivery to do to an industrial unit next to the siding, I got there for 7.30am but the rozzers wouldn't let me down the road, stating that the units wouldn't be open till the train went (On the dot at 9.00am ) I went to cafe for my breakfast but was still back within half an hour. I got to them for 1 minute past 9 and the owner of the company went ballistic at me for being late !! Claiming to have been there waiting for said delivery since 8.00am !! I asked him how he'd got in and he claimed to have been hiding from the cops, totally impossible, but he still refused to pay the delivery charges. (About 30 quid) On my way out I (Cough , cough) just happened to ahem, 'mention' to the same Rozzer that someone had claimed to be hiding in such and such a unit all night !!. I went on my way whilst the "Blues and Twos" went on, and a motorcycle cop shot off towards an unsuspecting armpit ! (Don't get angry , get even!)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Yes, that's what I thought Rob, read somewhere that the route to/from Calverton (at least in part) as well as being double tracked was also built to a high standard leading to speculation that it was to become part of some cross country route to join up with the ECMR, whether there was any truth in it I don't know.

I remember reading about this some years ago, and found the reference to it again recently, only problem I can't remember where I read it now!

The plan was a joint LMS/LNER line as a relief to the Midland and ECM lines, proposed around WW2. There were (still are?), I understand, some earthworks and bridges around Farnsfield.

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Was not aware of this projected ECML connection, and find the concept to be extemely interesting...

Has sometimes occurred to me that the short onward extension of the MR Nottm-Worksop service to Retford, say in early BR days, would have had much virtue.

As a goodly percentage of Nottinghamian passengers travelling to Grantham today must be heading to the North/East-Scotland, the Retford extension still seems valid for the Robin Hood line - despite the removal of Whisker Hill Jct, and the ECML station rail access.

The Newark Castle/Newark Northgate walking distance has always been an issue...

Presumably the planned line would have connected with the ECML around Dukeries Jct?

Would appreciate any further information on this matter, from either of you...

Cheers

Robt P.

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The talk about the Calverton branch caused me to remember a book I liberated from the NCB library at Hobart House London when that was being disbanded in about 1993, I never really looked at it properly as it was not very interesting looking being just type written and then printed. The title is "An Account of Railway Development in the Nottinghamshire Coalfield" by John A Banks & Peter Coxon and dated 1949.

I quote "in addition to the newly opened Bilsthorpe colliery, new pits were contemplated at Calverton, south of Blidworth, and Bothamsall, north of Ollerton; and it became evident to the railway companies that lines must be built to serve them.

The outcome was a railway line some 24 miles long to be constructed jointly by the LMS & LNER. Authorised in 1926, it was to extend from junctions with the LMS & LNER at Hucknall, through Farnsfield & Ollerton to Checker House on the LNER between Worksop & Retford." It was known as the Mid Notts Joint Line. The only part of the line to be built was between Ollerton & Farnsfield in 1929/30.

It appears to me that the aim was coal not passengers.

The book then mentioned Calverton "A railway is to be built but it will not be the southern part of the Mid-Notts Joint Line as the site of the present colliery does not coincide with the position of the proposed Calverton colliery of the 1920's." An act was passed in 1947 for the branch.

Then again "Many years ago, a similar project for a colliery here, was mooted, and some land actually aquired for the construction of a railway line from Hucknall to Burnstump Hill. Plans were prepared for a shaft to be sunk here, but the 1914 wae steadied the scheme, which was later dropped, and the acquired land sold."

I will now read the book properly and see if there are any more gems.

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It appears to me that the aim was coal not passengers...

Indeed...clearly so, because of the 3 new pits being the reason for the plan.

Would be interested to hear if your book reading reveals any reference to passenger options...

Cheers

Robt P.

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The book makes no mention of any passenger ideas, The line would not have been a very fast route due to mining subsidence just like that on the GCR north of Nottingham. Some interesting possibilities would have been created as it would have linked to three lines to the south MR GNR & GCR.

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