Recommended Posts

bulwellmap.jpg

Not sure of the year (post 1947) or where this came from, maybe even here? but (to me anyway) a few places,sites etc of interest, Starting with the railways bottom left the ex GNR line from Basford North is heading west after crossing Vernon Rd, The old junction on the former MR leading to Bennerley Junction via bridges over Main St/Coventry Rd, Bradford St and Hempshall Lane past Sankeys old works is also there. I saw that factory burn down July 1980 (same day as incidence of mass hysteria, fainting etc at Brass Band Gala near Kirky in Ashfield) in a fire that reminded me of Saddams burning of the Kuwait Oil fields! (1,000's of plastic plant pots went up) Station Road is shown as if there is a level crossing next to the station, I guess there was at one time? however Carey Rd is shown crossing the railway via a bridge! Further north the "Source of The Leen" would appear to be south of Moor Bridge,lol The Route from "The Dive" on The former GC is easily seen, as is a footpath going under the main line and over the branch. Blenheim Lane, the continuation of Commercial Road, would appear to be in it's original form judging by the width of it? if so it went over land off the map that was later part of Hucknall Airfield to join Long Lane (Watnall Rd), I recall the fenced off junction of that there, IIRC near a house that had a red light on the roof, (not a brothel, but a warning for low flying landing aircraft!)

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Station Road is shown as if there is a level crossing next to the station, I guess there was at one time?

I've only ever seen one photo which comes close to showing that, but even this is obviously years after any crossing had gone

station.jpg

But back in the 1880s, obviously before the bridge was built, looks like there definitely was one

bulwell-3.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

You keep bringing back memories Clif Ton. There used to be a gate where the old level crossing used to be that was open when passenger trains were stopping at the station, I walked across with my mother a number of times, if it was locked we had to climb up the stairs to Highbury Road.

The post war map has a number of errors it only shows one side of the Bestwood to Bulwell connection near the Forest.

The foot path opposite Cantrell Road, first of all there was a kiss gate then it crossed the "dive" line on the flat, there were wooden rails so that you had to zig zag through them, then it went under the main line and then crossed the southbound line from Bestwood on the flat again with zig zag gates.

I think Carey Road was originally called Forest Road. I think that the signal box that controlled the crossing was called Forest Road Crossing.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Can never recall a gate leading to the lines at the station, just a fence, then again not my area. and if it had been it was post 1955. I do remember the crossing gates at Nottingham Road Old Basford though, but always in the closed to road traffic position. From the earlier map it looks like you got to the up platform via the road? Interesting to note how even back then there'd been a "road widening scheme", probably at time of the coming of the railway? the actual "main road" bridge over the leen being narrower than the rest.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The memory of walking through the gate at the station would be late 1940's or very early 1950's. I don't recall a footbridge at the station I think passengers had to cross by the foot crossing which would have been the old road.

I also remember the closed off crossing at Basford and trolley buses from Nottingham Road turning round in Vernon Road. Not much traffic in those days.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Brian, you've just got me thinking, I wonder if a coincidence that some trolley buses (and assume earlier trams) turned around at or near railways stations? Basford Vernon, Basford North, Bulwell Market, Going back to that map, yes I've a photo in a book "somewhere" of "Forest Road" signal box and crossing, and whilst not on the map wasn't there some realignment of the road where it crossed the lines at Basford? early photos look as if it were "aimed at Lincoln Street"? where as later it was more right angled onto David Lane? whether the name change (Lincoln St to David Lane Crossings) coincided with that, (if it happened, photos can be misleading) I don't know,

Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't know the answer to you questions, Ashley, I don't know if trams ever used Nottingham Road, The Notts & Derby trams went via Radford Road into town. I am not familiar with the Lincoln Street, David Lane junction but I would have thought that originally it would have been a Y junction converted to a T junction when traffic got heavier. I always knew the crossing as Lincoln Street crossing, that was what the signal box was called, has the railway changed its name?

I didn't know Basford very well only the Main Road and Vernon Park, I left Bulwell in about 1972 and then lived in Newthorpe Common for a couple of years before moving south to Hertfordshire. I always worked for the NCB/British Coal first at the Cinderhill Laboratory then at Eastwood Hall and finally at the national HQ at Hobart House, London.

Incidently I remember a pea souper in Nottingham when the trolleys stopped running, I caught a train from the Midland when it got to Basford crossings the fireman got down and walked forward to make sure the gates were open for the train. We got some good fog's in those days.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The picture enclosed hopefully shows the original alignment of the crossing at Basford, certainly now it is called David Lane but not sure for how long? maybe it only changed with the coming of the new tram system? As regards trams on Nottingham Road the only bit of info I've found stated "trolley buses replaced trams on the Nottingham Rd route in 1927" There is/was a "wire support" pole on Sherwood Rise somewhere opposite the Polish church, am told that was from the old tram days? the "is/was" as last seen about 10 years ago.

lincolnstreet.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

The picture enclosed hopefully shows the original alignment of the crossing at Basford, certainly now it is called David Lane but not sure for how long? maybe it only changed with the coming of the new tram system? As regards trams on Nottingham Road the only bit of info I've found stated "trolley buses replaced trams on the Nottingham Rd route in 1927" There is/was a "wire support" pole on Sherwood Rise somewhere opposite the Polish church, am told that was from the old tram days? the "is/was" as last seen about 10 years ago.

lincolnstreet.jpg

and now

not that different now. Of course the houses were replaced with the lovely Basford flats but now they are all gone and they are houses again!! The red iron footbridge on the left is still there.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The picture enclosed hopefully shows the original alignment of the crossing at Basford, certainly now it is called David Lane but not sure for how long?

Looks like it's been called David Lane for quite a while. This is 1880s and the alignment doesn't seem to have changed that much.

Biggest thing to notice here is that Vernon Road had only got as far as the crossing; to get to Bulwell you still had to go up Bulwell Lane past the Old Pear Tree pub

CROSSING.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

Oh my goodness Susy, if you'd have posted that up-to-date picture and not said where it was, I'd have never guessed. What a difference a generation makes. I used to walk over those crossings every Saturday as a kid, on my way up to Cheltenham St to see my grandma. The first picture is just how I remember it. [not that I was around in those days, I might add!]

Link to post
Share on other sites

Cliff Ton, Re Lincoln Street v David Lane,I was referring to the name of the crossing and the fact that (to me anyway) the angle of the crossing has been changed from acute or obtuse depending on the approach, to more or less 90 degrees and so changing the "main road" the other side of the crossing. That section of Vernon Road was built by The Midland Railway as an "Old Basford Bypass"! The 2 main roads to Bulwell from Nottingham ie Radford Rd and Nottingham Rd had gone to Old Basford, both joining Church Street, Nottingham Rd via that still there isolated section and Radford Rd where it does now. Both went over the railway when it was built via level crossings, the Church St one later replaced by the still there bridge, the original end of Vernon Road joined the bridge, what was Smithy's Scrap Yard was the original road!, hence a narrow long car breakers yard. Guess the pits of the area were still using Thomas North's original line Rob? would be interesting to see other sections of that map if available.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Apparently there is work going on on the Robin Hood line today & tomorrow and both Bulwell Forest Crossing on Carey Road and Lincoln Street Crossing on David Lane will be closed. So the railway still calls it Lincoln Street crossing. The work is for new signalling to be controlled from Derby.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Looking at Google Maps, the junction on the tram line is much further north than the area covered by the old map, I assume that the colliery line was on the same site.

Surprising that the Cinderhill/Babbington Colliery rail branch, beginning just beyond the level crossing, was yet to be laid...

Cheers

Robt P.

Looking at the wider view of the old maps, the branch to Cinderhill is marked, but is further north along Vernon Road (although that didn't exist in those days). The line branched off at a point nearly level with the site of the old GN Basford station

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 4 weeks later...

Just noticed on that photo from Cliff Ton, on the left there is an old gas lamp, that was there till well into the 1980's, no glass etc and not working but that apart top etc ok, was after such for my garden, but too risky! in end I alerted Midland Railway Centre, not sure if they "rescued" it

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...