Bulwell Viaduct

[Ashley 288]

Nice view of the GCR Viaduct over the MR at Bulwell

[firbeck 860]

And here's the bridge number off it that I rescued before it was gone forever:

Left hand end I recall.

[mick2me 3,033]

And here's the bridge number off it that I rescued before it was gone forever

Liberated... The word is Liberated

[firbeck 860]

Further to my PM, if the Loughborough bridges are 328 or whatever, whether or not Bulwell is 175 or 269 then that would make the numbering increase towards London, so where would bridge 1 and presumably the start of the GCR be, Chesterfield?
Just the sort of question that will get people yawning, or do you folk prefer to hear in detail what Bip had for his frigging breakfast.

[plantfit 7,662]

Interesting question that one Pete, come to think of where did all the old rail company lines start and finish?

(I know,terminii)it's also interesting to hear what Bip had for breakfast,lunch, dinner and supper

Rog

[mick2me 3,033]

If you ask me, Knowing what Bip gets fer breakfast is "A bridge too far"!

But I did like the map

[Ashley 288]

Touch wood have enclosed full railway map, interesting to note the private sidings, also the mineral line from cinderhill pit etc to radford wharf with it's + crossing where it met the trowell loop, not sure re bridge numbers but do know the mileages refer to miles from it's london termini, assume other companies had same arrangement?

[firbeck 860]

The GCR had it's origins in The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway. When the decision was made to head south for London and the Channel Tunnel, the junction was made at Woodhouse, just outside Sheffield. If you look at it on Google Earth, it's difficult to find the first period bridge, but maybe there was originally a footbridge at Beighton station which could have been GCR number 1.

Had their dreams come true, it would have been interesting to note what the GCR plate on the Channel Tunnel would have been.

If we ever travelled to Sheff via Vic, Woodhouse was an interesting place as it was the end of the electrified lines from Manchester, so you would always find a line of 26 or 27xxx locos waiting for duty. Yes steam was still king in those days, but some of these archaic looking machines were actually older than for instance some of the 9F's we'd just passed in Annesley sheds.

Just to remind you, here's a picture I took of one of these beasts at Penistone in 1965, you must admit that they had character, I believe that they were designed in the late 30's.

What a waste of an electrified railway, now totally demolished.

[Ashley 288]

Firbeck, just been looking at original GCR plans (via internet) not all bridges are numbered on that including typically Bulwell Viaduct which is listed just as that, however individual arch sizes height and span of each are listed, ie no.8 40'6" high 32'2" span! (what's that in OO gauge?) Bridges I did find numbered are Park Rd Hucknall no.264 Arnold Rd over rathole line 272, Mainline over Arnold Rd 277, halfpenny bridge 275, so it does look like the viaduct or bridge over the road was 269 If you don't know of site I was looking at it's here follow links for whole route!

http://www.railwayarchive.org.uk/map/planBookSection.php?planNo=4&row=2&col=4

[firbeck 860]

Fantastic site Ashley, thanks for that.

Rob237 and Ashley, I have a really interesting book called 'Jowetts Railway Centres', it's all hand written with historical plans to match, the section on Nottinghams railways is very detailed, here's an extract:

If you would like to see more, I'll be quite happy to e-mail the info to both of you.

Just a comment, having asked a question on Bulwell Forest Station, following all our imput, a thank you or comment would be appreciated from Johnr don't you think. There are so many people that dip in and out of here without making a contribution but expect help, some of the names, for instance, that crop up on the birthday list, are a mystery to me.

[Beefsteak 305]

Don't email them Firbeck, put them on here, just remember to credit the origins!!

On the subject , I was looking at those two maps and was suprised to see that, although two lines ran through there , there was no station at West Bridgeford !!

[Ashley 288]

Yes know what you mean! possibly thought better after the mix up re the stations? Glad you liked that GCR map etc, please email me nottm pages etc. Once read an article written in the evening post at time of closure of the GCR by a chap who recalled the building of it, as a child he and mates used to go and play on the various sites etc, also met a woman with similar experiences, in her 90's but still "with it" and told of going to the site of Vic Station on way home from school to see what work had been done daily.

Would be interested in any info on route, plans etc of GNR North/West of Vernon Rd plus old pit lines, M1 route etc etc watnall and hucknall

As regards West Bridgford, yes it was odd no stations? esp thinking about Lenton Radford and Basford on the Mansfield route of MR, maybe by the time those lines were built 31 and 50 years after the Mansfield route the planners thought there would be little passengers alighting/boarding at any station in WB?

[rob237 89]

...There are so many people that dip in and out of here without making a contribution but expect help...

The classic case being that bloke seeking obscure Boon TV venues - Avocet?

He had about half a dozen folk scouring the county for him and then, when Bamber and Rog eventually found the place, he was off like a scalded cat...

Do put the further 'Jowett' images on site, as per Ian's suggestion, they look to be of high quality...thanks.

Cheers

Robt P.

[firbeck 860]

Interesting comment re the West Bridgeford Station, perhaps it was planned, there was supposed to be a Wollaton station constructed south of the Trowell Road bridge, some sources suggest it was actually built, but there was never any on site evidence to suggest that it was, though the bridge that is there now has a lovely cast iron sign dating from 1909? (Could never remove it in my youth), as the line was built in 1875, perhaps something was originally there. These maps and literature from Jowett suggest that a station called Bramcote was built on the line, presumably.....................

F### me, you won't believe this, I just heard a noise, went out into the garden and a Spitfire and Typhoon in close formation just flew right overhead at about 1000 ft, I can't believe it, I just froze, should have run in for me camera I know, but what the?????????????????????????????? never seen anything like it, except at an airshow. Lucky me, what was that all about then? Our youth just walked in from school and even he thought it was cool.

Yesterday we had 3 Royal Navy Lynx helicopters come over in close formation, had me camera, unfortunately the chip was in the computer, I give up.

Sorry, back to Bramcote station, supposedly next to the Bramcote Road bridge, I never found any evidence of it.

I'll see what I can do with this Jowett stuff, it's larger than A1 and the text is quite important too.

[rob237 89]

...a Spitfire and Typhoon in close formation just flew right overhead at about 1000 ft, I can't believe it, I just froze...

All is revealed...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8341772.stm

"The ceremony included a Spitfire and Typhoon aircraft flypast..."

34053 also in attendance?

Cheers

Robt P.

[firbeck 860]

Thanks for that matey, sad to think that is only a temporary placement, God knows what the replacement statue will look like, at least it's not by Tracey Emin, talentless, but wealthy, ugly, self opinionated, p1$$ taking bitch.

[bamber 128]

In which year did they demolish the Bulwell Viaduct?

[firbeck 860]

In which year did they demolish the Bulwell Viaduct?

October 1981, if you go onto 'Picture the Past' and key in Bulwell viaduct you'll see some sad pictures of the demolition.

[Owdtite 2]

Lovely to find this topic on here, thanks for starting it!! The viaduct was part of my growing up, the prefab I was born in had a terrific view of it from the kitchen window so I could see all the trains go over it.I used to walk to school and go under it, I have never seen icicles so big anywhere as they hung underneath it, we used to throw stones and try and knock the icicles down. My father used to work a lot in Leeds and Sheffield and was a regular traveller on the line alighting at Bulwell Common and then walking home! I used to wave to him off the train sometimes when he crossed the viaduct.As I got older we used to get on the line at back of the Lido and lay our happenies and pennies to be flattened, we also used to stone the fish trains.(I wasnt really a vandal...honest).Marshalls transport yard was underneath the viaduct....A & R Marshall, coincidently I knew a family with the same name and initials but were not related... So, the viaduct was a big part of my young life, I have lost count of how many times I have sheltered under it during heavy rain when coming home from school. Thanks for the memories you Guys, thanks a lot.

Owdtite..

[Fynger 841]

[Owdtite 2]

OMG Fynger, thanks so much. I can actually spot the prefab that I was born in on that 2nd picture. I can see the farmers house at the top and his fields on the right where we used to go and scrump his pears and then run off when he came after us. I am so glad that I found this Forum, you guys are just great.Thanks again!

Owdtite.