Long Gone Railways

[ube 38]

They loose all their land after dumping all that shite into the tunnel....imho

[Notts Lad oop North 14]

yes, lets get stoking, had a walk down to where the cotgrave pit line branches off the old GNR line to Grantham at Radcliffe, horrible concrete viaduct but theres a triangle junction there too, I wonder IF as some have envisaged the old MR Melton route reopened thet could join up here? would have hell of a job rebuilding original route through west bridgford etc!

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!

[Dick Hatts 1]

Agreed.

Although I like to have good old moan about Beeching, I think the closures at that time were inevitable.

The crimes are that they've built over lines and knocked down bridges and filled in tunnels.

The lines should have been closed but left intact for future use.

[Ashley 288]

most were thus for many years, in the case of the NSR esp so, but nothing was done except build on bits

[plantfit 7,580]

Picture sent over to me by my mate Rob (the oracle) taken at the Glos/Warks railway the other day.

Thought you might like to see it

Rog

[bamber 128]

Its a moot point about the wisdom and economics of maintaining old rights of way and infrastructure on a just in case basis. Cost Benefit Analysis; modelling future demands and all that.

The truth is - and pro-railway types may not like this - Britain's post war investment in its road system has been woefully inadequate.

If Nottingham were a Dutch or German city it would have direct motorway links from around the Greater Nottingham area to a national motorway system that was itself more than a bare bones network.

For example there would be direct routes to Manchester and to the A1. Instead we have a collection of cart tracks exemplified by the A453 - which, when dualled, will prove as inadequate as the undersized A42/M42 as it draws flows away from the A52.

The government will have its photo opportunity but it will be a case of more of the same under-investment.

[Ashley 288]

Britain's post war investment in its road system has been woefully inadequate.

If Nottingham were a Dutch or German city it would have direct motorway links from around the Greater Nottingham area to a national motorway system

re first point, at time we did not need it?

"If Nottingham were Dutch or German City" etc probably true as after WW11 there weren't even side roads in or around many german cities!

[rob237 89]

Although I like to have good old moan about Beeching, I think the closures at that time were inevitable.

Quite so...his task was made easier by the classic "use it, or lose it" syndrome.

Investigation revealed that the majority of the most vociferous objectors were either from outside the area (rent-a-mob) or, if local, never used the rail service when it was there! The revelation was much used by the Good Doctor.

Cheers

Robt P.

[Notts Lad oop North 14]

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 are in parts of Leicester.

Make no mistake the Beeching cuts were quite devastating for Nottingham and could actually have been worse making Nottingham into a virtual cul-de-sac off the Midland Main Line.Local labour MPs protested about the cuts, local Tories did not. The loop in the bowel of the Vic should have been kept and then the Nottingham Light Rail system could have used the old lines to get to Hucknall and have a magnificent interchange system right under the Vic Centre. The fact this did not happen when it clearly could have is a travesty and the blames lies squarely with the those dreadful politicians who allowed the chance to slip away.

[firbeck 859]

Sorry but I don't like the way that this has been re-organised, it's a nightmare, do we get one page per reply now, I understand why you've done it, but it's not very user friendly.

Rant Over, for now anyway.

Lets forget Beeching, the man was a Tory b#####d, he had no concerns for the interests of the general population, he was in Ernie Marples pocket, imagine that, a Minister of Transport who owned a motorway construction company, where were his interests going to lie, certainly not in modernising and promoting the railways, it wasn't going to pay for the upkeep of his Tory lifestyle was it. On the other hand, Beechings plans had hardly been implemented when that useless, upper class, chinless, hunting and shooting twat Alec Douglas Home was replaced by the great Socialist leader Harold Wilson, who made no effort what so ever to prevent Beeching and his Tory schemes from being implemented.

Enough of that, lets get back to a few visuals. I found a few more photos of Derby Open Day.

This is Compound 1000 taken at Derby Open Day 1960.

Star of the show 1961, the last steam locomotive to be built, Evening Star 92220, Class 9F built Swindon 1960 and unfortunately recently shoved into the museum at Swindon.

Compound 1000 again, I wonder what they were all looking at.

Station scene, Derby Open Day 1962, Jubilee, Repulse, probably on the Devonian relief.

Why this was photographed at the time, I don't know, but how rare to see a shot like this now.

Included for it's interest, a brand new ex-works Peak on the Birmingham line taken off the old A6 bridge, 1961, whats also interesting is the Jubilee approaching with possibly a Bristol train and the old withdrawn locos stored in the former goods depot behind.

I've got more interesting open days but we are expecting guests and I'm being nagged to knock it on the head.

[Beefsteak 305]

You've lost me with your opening remarks , nothing has been altered (To the best of my knowledge)

I'll second that beefy mate...

Bip

[mr rob t 11]

FFS firbeck, get rid of that chip on your shoulder. I enjoy most of your posts and even agree with some of them but then you go on one of your tantrums and expect us to agree with you. If we don't' then in your eyes we are as bad as the people you have been calling. By the way, i go hunting and shooting so there's some ammunition for you. !sleeping!

[Ashley 288]

Re lines under Vic Centre, this was looked at in 1970's, I saw a report on such by the council looking into running LR through the tunnels,about size of a phone book! there was not enough headroom in car park, and you don't dig out or whatever with 26 floors of concrete above you! So came up with idea of using northern tunnels and digging another under york st and milton st to market square terminus, of course nothing came of it, same with the planned station pre GCR days running east to west in trinity square area with tunnel under the park and deby rd, I also saw plan of that in some book, anyone have a copy?

[firbeck 859]

You've lost me with your opening remarks , nothing has been altered (To the best of my knowledge)

Maybe not your end, but ever since the pretty Xmas pictures were put on I've found it very difficult to get on to the site at all, I know it was down yesterday, but because of the difficulties I experienced previously, I assumed it was something to do with my server until Plantfit put me right.

The other day my son was messing about on the net and managed to infect everything with a virus. It took me a morning of messing about to get rid of it, however since then, when I did manage to get on here, every thing has sorted itself out into long lists that you have to click on to get a viewing, no thread is more than 3 pages long. I assumed it was a reorganisation to cut down on web space, but perhaps the virus has messed up the settings, if so, how do I correct it to get it back to the way it was before, because having to keep clicking on a posting to read it is a pain in the bum.

[firbeck 859]

Aha, ignore that last comment, somehow the display mode had been changed, it must have been the virus messing up the settings, I've managed to get it back to the way it was. Panic over.

[Dick Hatts 1]

I recall seeing plans for the pre GC east to west railway too Ashley. It was in an A5 size book I got from Arnold library, forget the name.

Anyway a question for those with long memories.

I took the kids fro a walk along the old GN leen valley yeterday. We started at Riepark nera the bottom of Hucknall Rd where it bends round along Bestwood Rd. I know after groupping that a spur of the Great Central was created by the golf course so that trains could come off GC and run along the embankment behind Bestwood railway club ( now Sports and social) then across Hucknall road onto the GN leen valley.

I assume there was a bridge across Hucknall Road? Does anyone recall it, know when it was demolished have pics etc?

Here's a map btw of the area back in the day, Top right is the area I'm talking about>

[Fynger 841]

Great map...it shows nicely the derelect shed we used to play in just down the road from school and the ( huge )golf course we had to run round fer cross country....( dint need that memory...hee hee )

[Beefsteak 305]

Don't even think of appologising to any body then Firbeck

[firbeck 859]

Don't even think of appologising to any body then Firbeck

Not much point really, Beeching, Marples and Home are all dead.

Incidentally, did you get the chance to speak to your local chappie with regard to the Sea Harrier, we are relying on you to look after it.

[Ashley 288]

Re the map etc, yes I remember that bridge but only as such not the style material used or type, was on that embankment some years ago and found a smashed open safe there, no money but papers etc still in it proved from city centre pub! think same day I walked through all the trackbed around Bulwell Common Station site inc the bridge where that spur went under main lines, incidentally that's not the first map I've seen that omits the rathole and GNR to GCR up branch, I know sidings etc ignored but that was a major route

[nnsc 131]

Re the map etc, yes I remember that bridge but only as such not the style material used or type, was on that embankment some years ago and found a smashed open safe there, no money but papers etc still in it proved from city centre pub! think same day I walked through all the trackbed around Bulwell Common Station site inc the bridge where that spur went under main lines, incidentally that's not the first map I've seen that omits the rathole and GNR to GCR up branch, I know sidings etc ignored but that was a major route

The map shown displays the 'rathole'. I think the map dates from around 1920 and is in colour.

[nnsc 131]

Sorry the map should be this below!

[Ashley 288]

yes that's the rathole line, it had the tunnel under GNR Mainlines and it's own bridge under Arnold Rd, the lines at Basford West Jct had nicknames "Grandad" "Squeaky" were 2 but don't know which etc or the 3rd, also shown is the MR branch to Ilkeston and the cinderhill pit branches from MR and GNR plus the site of level crossing on lane from Guantley St to Nuthall Rd side of later Wilkinson Street, theres also mention of "Lovers Walks" which I think referred to elevated footpath at track height on the GNR viaduct west from Vernon Rd such were I seem to recall still there in 1950's but unsafe to use whilst other non railway features are original route of the leen, and Whitemoor Road plus Fairfax Street which went "under" Valley Road. One thing I had never heard of though was "The Daybrook Works" which looks as if then where heathfield estate now is? what was it?

[Fynger 841]

With regard to the colour 1920s map....i dont suppose you have any more of it to the left....where the railways run through Kimberley do you ??

[nnsc 131]

With regard to the colour 1920s map....i dont suppose you have any more of it to the left....where the railways run through Kimberley do you ??

Unfortunately the map only covers about another inch to the left and is already at its furthest north.