Moor Lane cut-through

[barclaycon 569]

Fascinating stuff there Barclaycon. If you find out when the book is available please let us know.

I believe it will be out on Oct 21st. It's mentioned here (scroll down to bottom):

http://www.bramcotehistory.org.uk/page26.html

[barclaycon 569]

A lot of interesting stuff there, but I'm intrigued by the "Bramcote railway station". Did the speakers say exactly where it was? There isn't - and to my knowledge never has been - a railway line close to Bramcote. The nearest is the still-existant Midland line from Nottingham to Derby, and that doesn't get particularly close to Bramcote itself.

Yes, they said it was just near to the Bramcote Moor canal bridge and was accessed from Coventry Lane.

We're talking about the Trowell extension line here. The one that was built in 1875 from Radford through to Trowell and passes through Bramcote Moor at the top. I believe it was built to relieve congestion and enable fast trains to dash up from St Pancras, along the Old Dalby route, across the Lady Bay bridge into Nottingham then off through Lenton, Radford and through to Trowell - bypassing Derby completely.

Alan Dance showed us 2 maps that detailed the station approach road from Coventry Lane and even indicated where the platforms were.

He also showed us a document from the Midland Railway promising to build the station in return for use of the land.

The landowner at the time was Catherine Sherwin Gregory and it was assumed that the station was for her own private use. However, she died in 1892 and by 1894 it was removed from all station records.

He also showed us a railway document listing 'Bramcote' station. (It's also in 'Railway Passenger Stations' by Michael Quick).

[Trevor S 2,003]

PTP has the following two items on the subject: -

The first makes reference to an Elizabethan tramway. They are no getting their railway confused with the tramway for the coal wagons?

http://www.picturethepast.org.uk/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;NCCS002059&pos=96&action=zoom&id=48409

http://www.picturethepast.org.uk/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;NCCV000215&pos=64&action=zoom&id=107383

Previous thread on Nottstalgia;-

http://nottstalgia.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5186&hl=bramcote

[barclaycon 569]

It's fascinating that the owner of Bramcote Moor (presumably until Henry 8th. stripped the churches of their lands) was Sempringham Priory which is in Lincolnshire. Shows how powerful the church was.

Sempringham Priory had land all over the place.

The discovery of coal in the area and its exploitation by the Willoughbys is what paid for Wollaton Hall.

Somebody here mentioned something about a cottage in the middle of Bramcote Moor.

Apparently this was something to do with the operation of a 'sough' which is a drainage channel to take water out of mine workings.

When the surface coal was exhausted, they dug down and the mine workings actually went under the Moor.

All in all, very interesting stuff.

Extremely well researched.

[barclaycon 569]

PTP has the following two items on the subject: -

The first makes reference to an Elizabethan tramway. They are no getting their railway confused with the tramway for the coal wagons?

http://www.picturethepast.org.uk/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;NCCS002059&pos=96&action=zoom&id=48409

http://www.picturethepast.org.uk/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;NCCV000215&pos=64&action=zoom&id=107383

Previous thread on Nottstalgia;-

http://nottstalgia.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5186&hl=bramcote

I think it's more likely that PTP has got their terminology wrong.

I'm sure that coal was transported through Moor Lane cut-through to Bridle Path and Beeston in Elizabethen times, but there is no evidence anywhere that it was a tramway with rails.

There is definite evidence that there was a tramway on the other side transporting coal and indeed the rails were later used to mark boundaries.

Believe me, the two guys from Bramcote History Group have gone into incredible detail about this.

[hippo girl 1,995]

I have always thought that bridle road had been a rail track.

The old cottage had no windows fronting the road......any explanation for this theory ?

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

There used to be a cottage on the corner of Moor Lane and Deddington Lane. It may have been demolished.

I remember exploring the small parcel of land in the triangle between the railway, the canal and Coventry Lane and also between the rose gardens and the canal. It was in the 60s and I am sure we found evidence of tramways once being there. I also remember primitive pit head gear on the corner of Bilborough Road and Trowell Road (diagonally opposite to Balloon Woods). The original wollaton colliery was next to the canal on Bramcote Moor. The site then became a brickworks when the later Wollaton pit was built.

[barclaycon 569]

Yes. All spot on.

The cottage you mentioned was White House Farm. (I used to deliver their evening paper).

There is still evidence of tram tracks in that parcel of land.

When they were ripped up they were sold on and used as boundary markers.

Littlebro posted a good map earlier on which showed the place where Bramcote private station was (plot 14). it shows the access to it from Coventry Lane.

[Ashley 288]

Thought the mention of a railway station at Bramcote would get replies, and proved right, All I can tell you is from an unknown author " according to RCH ? records there was an intermediate station at BRAMCOTE although no other information sources have made mention of such"

This was from a hand written "History of Nottinghamshire Railways" publication I came across, Said station was reputed to be on the Radford to Trowell Loop but gave no indication as exactly where it was, it did however give interesting details re features such as "Seeleys Crossing" with a signal box of the same name controlling where the route met the Thomas North Colliery Railway on a head on + (as per the symbol) crossing near Beechdale Baths, said box also controlled "Babbington Wharf" sidings where coal wagons were stored before transfer of their contents to narrow boats on Nottingham Canal at said Babbington Wharf at Ilkeston Road near the later Crown Pub

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

Ashley for photographs of this box go to WWW.picture the past.org and type in Western Boulevard. You will see photos of the construction of W. Boulevard and the level crossing where the two railways crossed. My dad used to call this train the 'Puffing Billy' when he was a child in the 20s. Him and his mates used to walk along the railway and pick up coal that had fallen off the trucks. I have a huge interest in all the older colliery tramways and early mines in that area.

[Cliff Ton 10,458]

The 'station' was so private it obviously wasn't even marked on maps. This is the area concerned in the 1870s, so you can make your own guess. Coventry Lane is the road going north/south on the left.

[StephenFord 866]

Re #72 : RCH is Railway Clearing House. It was set up in the early days of railways, to manage the apportioning of revenue between railway companies. Freight travelling across the country might run on three or four different companies' lines, and they were all entitled to a slice of the money. Likewise for passengers, it was possible to buy through tickets (carefully route restricted) with the proceeds allotted penny by penny to the operators involved. I think it came to do quite a lot of other things, but all related to co-ordinating and smoothing the issues of a network owned by many different companies. It was undoubtedly a bureaucratic nightmare in days when everything was done by an army of clerks extracting figures from daily and weekly returns submitted by thousands of booking clerks up and down the land. I believe there was a complete set of RCH maps covering the entire country network.

[barclaycon 569]

Cliff.

First of all I'm glad that you have identified the railway (Radford - Trowell loop).

It's possible that the station at Bramcote was never even used at all !

The Midland Railway was committed to building it as a stipulation of the landowner.

Quite a few Lords of the Manor did this in return for having railways on their land. They had their own station's built and the right to stop any train that they wished to use.

Brocklesby in Lincolnshire is another example.

I've seen the documents AND several maps which show platforms and the approach road from Coventry Lane (I think one was a RCH document). And, like I say, it was listed as an 'un-timetabled' station.

I don't have any documents myself, I'm simply passing on what Graham Crisp and Alan Dance showed in their presentation last Monday.

Bramcote Station is clearly an anomily and anyway any reference to it was wiped out in 1894 after Catherine Sherwin Gregory died.

[FLY2 10,108]

I remember in the late 50s cycling with mates to the Hemlockstone. It was not surrounded be fencing then, and wandered round.

About where the Crem is was a lake with a small island in it. On rummaging around, we found several lengths of railway track.

They were about 20 ft long and much thinner and lighter than ordinary standard track. It was more like narrow gauge rails.

Four of us easily carried them and made a small bridge to the island. I wondered if this was from some early wagon way or contractors equipment.

Yes, some of us did fall in and scuff our knees. I suppose that's why I enjoy "Last of the Summer Wine" so much, it reminds me of my childhood .

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

Don't forget that there was a coal mine at Trowell Moor. There were underground fires in the slag heap for years. We used to go and kick the ground and watch the smoke come up.

One night in the mid 60s, myself and three friends decided to visit the empty Bramcote Hills House, late, to see if it was haunted. We walked down Moor Lane and then through the private (as they were then) woods to the rear of the House. We got in easily, nearly broke our necks on the (lack of) floor boards, and guess what. We found no ghosts. We probably scared them off.

[barclaycon 569]

The coal mine at Trowell Moor definitely had a tramway.

Re. Bramcote Hills House. I can remember playing football many times on the flat bit in front of the house (must have been about 1968).

I always wondered why it was in ruins. Looking back at old pictures - shows how beautiful it was.

PTP has got pictures of cows grazing in front of the house and also pictures of the landscaping of the park.

I went to Bramcote Hills Secondary Modern which was very close.

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

I can tell you from experience of that night that in the sixties there was not a lot inside the place. One part had some white line machinery and other bits and bobs for maintaining playing fields, but the rest had floor boards missing. It was a disappointment. Oh, and no ghosts.

[mick2me 3,033]

Re Catherine Sherwin Gregory @#76

There is a Sherwin Road and a Gregory Street at Lenton, named after her perhaps?

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

The Sherwin Gregorys owned a lot of property all over Nottingham and Notts.

[littlebro 234]

I remember in the late 50s cycling with mates to the Hemlockstone. It was not surrounded be fencing then, and wandered round.

About where the Crem is was a lake with a small island in it. On rummaging around, we found several lengths of railway track.

They were about 20 ft long and much thinner and lighter than ordinary standard track. It was more like narrow gauge rails.

Four of us easily carried them and made a small bridge to the island. I wondered if this was from some early wagon way or contractors equipment.

There was a 'tramway' from Codlings Yard, Sidings Lane (now J McCann) SSW to the Crematorium site which was a sand pit. The tramway is shown on 1956 OS maps. Bramcote sand was mainly used in the foundry industries for castings.

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

Quite amazing how many industrial sites have been transformed. On my old 6 inch to the mile map, it shows Moor Lane linking on to Coventry Lane. But there is another track off Trowell Road going across Trowell Moor between Moor Farm and Spring Farm. Two things I noticed. 1. Moor Road and that other track could have once been the same road. They almost exactly line up with only the corner of Trowll Road and Coventry Lane missing. 2. The map shows 5 coal mines adjacent to this alignment, including one in Balloon Woods.

Apart from the modern alignment of roads, it must have been a heck of a busy industrial area a couple of hundred years ago. I love all this stuff and try to imagine what it was all like.

[Ashley 288]

bilbraborn, that address you gave doesn't work, but this one does, Found that photo, many thanks, http://www.picturethepast.org.uk/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;NTGM004737&pos=1&action=zoom&id=56186

Assume the view is looking towards Radford? have read somewhere that the then redundant pit line was used during the construction of that part of Western Boulevard then all ripped up? The last trace of the route(heading away from the pits) of the former, as far is I know can still be seen as overgrown area on said road between housing and Bluecoat School on section Aspley Lane to Nuthall Road

basfordred, re the "lake" off topic but similar tale, went "newting" as a kid in 50's at the various sand quarries with loads of narrow gauge cable hauled "railway lines" Mapperley Top/Woodthorpe Drive area, some still in use then, some not, A real big quarry at junction of those 2 roads (still there full of housing behind the petrol station) was flooded, we found a raft prob made by the local kids and were having a great time till we found a bloated large dead dog in the middle of said lake, worse was to follow when someone (not me!) prodded it with a stick, the thing "exploded" showering us with guts and maggots! Still recall the smell even now

[FLY2 10,108]

Sherwin Arms pub at Bramcote Island.

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

Now your talking Basfordred. I remember going in but can't remember coming out. Seriously. What a sign of the times. My mate moved to Wadsworth Road near there when we were both 11 years old and still at primary school. I used to cycle there to visit him. And remember there was no By-pass then. All the Derby traffic went through Stapleford.

I can't see kids that age being allowed to do it now.

[barclaycon 569]

The names Sherwin and Gregory crop up a lot throughout the area.

As do the Hanleys, Longdens, Willoughbys.