Ashley 288 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Great find Ray thanks, had always assumed that was the route, mentioned earlier the awsworth bit threw me, not today but will have to do a drive Ripley to Nottingham following the old route where possible (should imagine all roads still accessible cept for alterations like at Sun Inn Eastwood?) Have to do a little more research though? where for example was the crossing mentioned in the time table? Had to laugh when reading the article at the fact that as the years went by the service got slower! right at the end it says "On Mondays to Saturdays from 31st May 2011 the Rainbow 1 service from Ripley to Nottingham will be augmented by a new hourly fast bus to be known as Rapid 1. This will call at all stops between Ripley and Langley Mill (former tram depot) and then operate non-stop via the A610 bypassing Eastwood and Kimberley to Nottingham Victoria bus station. The journey time will be 52 minutes; just 10 minutes longer than the old A4." The A4 service ran from 1949 to 1971, guess this is called progress? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
briyeo 56 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 There is no real mystery with the Notts and Derby Traction tram route. It more or less is the same as the current Trent Barton R1 Ripley to Nottingham as far as Cinderhill. The tram way ran from Ripley to Cinderhill. From that point it leased the NCT lines to the city centre terminus. On the subject of the different noise that N&D Trolley buses made as compared to NCT Trolleys, I do seem to remember that the N&D Trolleys had to have a special type of collector so it could deal with the frequent hard frosts that the up and down route was subject to in winter. Heanor at the top of the hill often has different weather conditions than Langley Mill does in the valley, far more freezing fogs that would effect the cables no doubt. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,451 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 An odd example......a Notts & Derby trolleybus which looks like a normal bus with poles stuck on top http://website.lineo...tsxderby327.jpg same thing from the other side http://website.lineo...sxderby327b.jpg And another regular trolley http://website.lineo...derbynnu234.jpg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
briyeo 56 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 There were single deck versions also, they have appeared on this forum before were it was wondered if they were dual fuel buses, but the bonnet only covers the electric equipment. https://www.hpacde.org.uk/picturethepast/jpgh_derbyshire/DCCS000068.jpg https://www.hpacde.org.uk/picturethepast/jpgh_derbyshire/DCER000516.jpg https://www.hpacde.org.uk/picturethepast/jpgh_derbyshire/DCCS000069.jpg https://www.hpacde.org.uk/picturethepast/jpgh_derbyshire/DCCS000067.jpg https://www.hpacde.org.uk/picturethepast/jpgh_derbyshire/DCCS000005.jpg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
taxi ray 170 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Ashley, looking at an old map, on the road from Codnor to Loscoe there was a railway line going across the road, so I presume that is where Loscoe crossing was, there is also a station on the map Crosshill and Codnor station. Looking at a modern map there is a small street, called station lane, this is between Codnor Denby lane and Waingroves road Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Anyone know locations of the Nottm/Ripley photos? I know the following, (guess most will) photo no. ending 067 King St/Queen St Nottingham 068 coming off Mansfield Rd approaching Gregory Blvd before turning up Sherwood Rise 069 on Valley Rd Basford between Nottingham Rd and Radford Rd, will turn right to go over Church St railway bridge Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StephenFord 866 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 05 is presumably at Langley Mill depot, and shows the old fleet (half-cabs) on the right and the new fleet (full-front) on the left. So this probably dates it to about 1946-47? Amazing that they should have re-equipped so shortly before abandonment, but I seem to think this was because Notts & Derby/Midland General were in the Balfour Beatty group who were part of the private electricity generating industry. When the industry was nationalised the implications of having to buy electricity at commercial rates stood the economics of trolleybus operation on their head. 516 shows a single decker with the destination Cotmanhay, so it is obviously somewhere in the "greater Ilkeston conurbation"(!) - between Cotmanhay and Hallam Fields. Any Il'son specialists? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,451 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Ashley, the other two are apparently Langley Mill http://www.pictureth...000005&prevUrl= and Ilkeston http://www.pictureth...000516&prevUrl= Quote Link to post Share on other sites
briyeo 56 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 This could be the Loscoe crossing refered to in the timetable, as already said it is a level crossing for the Loscoe colliery railway line that eventually joins the Midland line at Langley Mill. The colliery closed in 1933. http://www.picturethepast.org.uk/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment%3BEQUALS%3BDCAV002165&pos=2&action=zoom Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Re the crossing photo, trouble with me is I've no idea what these various area's are/were called, to me that photo reminds me of the old road to Matlock at Langley Mill, you turned right at The Midland Hotel and along a road with 2 or 3 ungated level crossings from pits to the canal or former Great Northern Railway Quote Link to post Share on other sites
briyeo 56 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Ashley this particular crossing was down the hill from Heanor heading towards Codnor and then Ripley, more or less across the road from the more recently closed Ormonde colliery at Loscoe. The Cromford road you mention did have two railway crossings. The first was for the Smiths flower mill and the second was for Moorgreen Colliery both linking to the Midland line. The Moorgreen crossing was gated, I was held up there many times.I cant remember ever seeing the Smiths one used. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Like I said don't really know the area, only recall those lines as most unfriendly towards motorbikes esp in the wet! never did see any trains on them, assumed GNR because of ex Midland being high up just along the road to Heanor, found a few pics of that bridge I recalled, several pic it was near Steam Mill Lane and known as Iron Bridge leading to Britain pit? several pics on picture the past, some with A1 bus on last day on trolley service. can't download as my photobucket gone wrong or rather the system has, seems I need different windows or different version of outlook express? (text is jumbled with download button} Only ever been to Heanor twice, both times in dark, once with Sovereign band, played at miners welfare, and once to some newspaper depot about 5am to pick up 10 million trader papers or seemed thus, said I'd deliver in a day! gave up at teatime and dumped the still over half to deliver back Quote Link to post Share on other sites
briyeo 56 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Who would have thought Corgi would ever have released a model of a N&D Weymann Trolley bus, I bought a dozen of them for my collection Someone will be able to tell me where this is I'm sure. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
denshaw 2,871 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Just turned left on to Stockhill lane? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paulus 541 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Same place as I caught the 41 to Trent Bridge many years later, (school run) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trevor S 2,003 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Does anybody know why these buses were apparently converted from engine to electric power? Was it austerity measures in the 40s due to shortage of fuel? Looking at Cliff Ton's post a #208, money appeared to be an issue when you look at the lack of tread on the front tyre! http://website.lineone.net/~john-mightycat/nottsxderby327b.jpg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StephenFord 866 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 They weren't converted. These were the original Notts & Derby trolleybuses, as supplied in 1933, with half-cab style bodies like motor buses. (Bus bodies were supplied by different manufacturers from the chassis, and it was quite possible to mount different designs of body on a particular chassis - e.g. motor or trolleybus). Some companies (Barton for example) later had quite a lot of motor buses with full front bodies, which arguably looked like trolleybuses. There is some suggestion that the enclosed area to the left of the driver on full-front trolleybuses tended to steam up, obscuring the drivers' view. When this happened it was a bit of a scramble to get in there to wipe the windows. With a half-cab the driver could wipe the windows on both sides of him without leaving his seat. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trevor S 2,003 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 Thanks Stephen. That explains it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
briyeo 56 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 These vehicles were not converted motor buses they were built new like this in 1933. The chassis is an AEC 661T-EEC, this is a trolley bus chassis. the body is by Metropolitan Cammell Carriage and Wagon Company (MCCW). Chassis and bodies were separately sourced items back then and could be mixed and matched so to speak. Maybe the company just wanted the electric vehicles to look like conventional motor buses or they got a special deal on the bodies. There was a whole different outlook on tyre tread years ago I think and the laws governing this were probably very loose. I remember when I was at school 1965 we had the pleasure of a tour around the Langley Mill depot. One of the things that I remember was a demonstration of cutting a tread on a bald looking tyre with a hand held cutting tool a little like a grooving plane you would use in woodwork. You beat me to it Stephen, I was still looking through my fleet history book for any extra info . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
denshaw 2,871 Posted November 8, 2012 Report Share Posted November 8, 2012 They still had those tyre cutters in the eighties, NCT used to "rent" their tyres, pay so much per mile. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 Yes recall those electric tyre cutters in use in the late 80's at Bamford's scrap yard Awsworth, when I went there looking for an engine for a boat, also got the Stockhill Lane photo with the Thomas North Pit Railway Bridge in background Quote Link to post Share on other sites
briyeo 56 Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 I'm quite shocked to find you are still able to re-cut tyres or at least modern electric cutters are available now. http://tyre-rite.co.uk/searchresult.aspx?CategoryID=21 Don't try this at home. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trevor S 2,003 Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 Thanks gents.....the knowledge depth of Nottstalgian members never fails to amaze! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paulus 541 Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 Allegedly there are more 'Anoraks per Topic' ( an official unit of measure) on Nottstalgia than can be found anywhere else on the planet....... We all have our specialities & idiot- syncrasies..................mine's old cars & 60's moosik Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StephenFord 866 Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 Well said Paulus. I am proud to make my contribution to this record. [From the bus-anorak-idiot] 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.