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The Great Central in and around Nottingham


Mallard60022
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I have a number of books on the railways in Nottingham and lines 'outside the city' including an excellent volume on Colwick Yards and Shed.

However, I am fascinated by the GC north of Nottingham Victoria and how the route has almost been obliterated and I want to explore and research the 'old routes').

I would appreciate any advice or information from those that 'know'.

I've seen lots of stuff on utube and various website but would appreciate more 'local knowledge' if possible. 

For example, where the GC left 'greater Nottingham' and headed north west towards Hucknall and there is now a Morrisons store at Springfield Retail Park just north of Bulwell, how did the GC cross the Midland (still there as tram and Robin Hood Lines), Was this where Bulwell viaduct was?

This could also become an area for post general stuff about railways around Nottinghamshire which would be of great interest to me and some buddies.

Many thanks,

Phil @ 36E

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You might find "Great Central Then and Now" by Mac Hawkins, pub David and Charles ISBN 0 7153 9326 X some use.  published 1991 - so it's not entirely up to date now.

 

It has then and now photos, the camera positions are as near as possible identical, of the line from Sheffield to Marylebone.  

Bulwell Common to East Leake takes up about 30 pages.

Newton to Bulwell common takes about 16 pages.

At least 2 images to a page, detailed captions and some maps.

 

My photos (or rather Dad's) of the GC in B/W stop in the mid 50s.

 

David

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Bulwell viaduct was indeed where Morrisons now is - it started just on the Bulwell side of the railway social club on Bestwood Road and spanned the valley, ending next to the old baths/lido (now the Ken Martin Sports Centre) on the west side of Hucknall Lane. You can still see the blue brick of the base of the viaduct there, if I remember correctly.

 

If you think it is difficult to trace there, it is far harder to imagine where it once ran further north, beyond Hucknall. Huge lengths of it have been landscaped into oblivion. 

Edited by Armchair Modeller
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http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw020931?search=bulwell&ref=11

 

This image more or less shows the whole span of the viaduct. , with Hucknall Lane on the left. Morrisons store building is actually just north of the course of the viaduct. The main part of the car park is on the viaduct site. Very little in this shot is recognisable now, except perhaps the golf course, top right, and the course of the Robin Hood Line/NET, mid right top to bottom of the picture.

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Ah so that tiny bit of blue brick is part of a base. I thank you AM; off to the reference books. Hucknall is indeed the last place one can see clearly where the GC line was (a filled cutting), until Linby and the embankments where it swung across the Midland and GN routes.

I have today identified the remaining 'relic' at Colwick yards. The LMS Social Club, just as you turn in to the huge industrial estate just off the main road (Colwick Loop). I am sure the large shed was where B & Q is now? Elsewhere on the estate there is almost zero sign that any railway was there at all.  

David, your dad's pics are just superb. I could spend all day just 'flipping' through them; thanks.

So, thanks for the aerial pics site. Is that the GN link coming in to run near the Midland top right?

I'll get hold of that book ASAP.

My references are the Book Law publications 'Railways of Nottingham'  and an unusual one called 'Far Down the Shining Line 4', but that is a volume on the LMS.

I was saying to my colleague today, what would some folk say if they knew that two men of a certain age were wandering around greater Nottingham searching for bits of brick and earth and even taking some photo's of those wonderful features? I was also suggesting that almost everyone passing said 'artefacts' probably have no idea what was once there, unless of course they have lived there all their lives and they are also 'of a certain age'.

However, I find this investigating truly fascinating.

Thanks chaps.

Phil @ 36E 

Edited by Mallard60022
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My knowledge mainly covers the area from Bulwell up to Beighton and the Chesterfield loop. If you need any help in that part of the world, I would be only too pleased to help if I can.

 

Nottingham railways are covered to some extent on the Nottstalgia site here http://nottstalgia.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7892

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My knowledge mainly covers the area from Bulwell up to Beighton and the Chesterfield loop. If you need any help in that part of the world, I would be only too pleased to help if I can.

 

Nottingham railways are covered to some extent on the Nottstalgia site here http://nottstalgia.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7892

Oh thanks for that link!

 

I've just wasted an afternoon enjoying another "discovery" on the net :D as a Nottingham lad very many childhood memories brought back. What with that and DaveF's topic on here I'm not getting much else done. Thanks for the find.

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I have today identified the remaining 'relic' at Colwick yards. The LMS Social Club, just as you turn in to the huge industrial estate just off the main road (Colwick Loop). I am sure the large shed was where B & Q is now? Elsewhere on the estate there is almost zero sign that any railway was there at all.  

 

I only spotted that recently, despite visiting the retail park many times over the years! Don't forget that the eastern extremity of Colwick is still in use as an oil terminal, with access controlled by Rectory Junction signal box (which I think is due to close under this summer's resignalling work). The Colwick loop road itself is of course built on the trackbed of Great Northern line from Colwick in to the city, closed when BR diverted the Grantham trains in to the Midland station.

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Thanks Pete. I was aware of the road using that route beside the racecourse. One can still see the old platform where (I believe) horses were unloaded for the course.

Can you tell me when the Gedling loop that was the curved line that crossed what is now Victoria Road (was that once Netherfield Lane?) was singled? As you may well know, the level crossing is still there, just by Netherfield Sure Start Centre. The whole of the newish estate just there was built on allotment land.

I shall look at the eastern end of Colwick on the next visit as we didn't venture down there, only lurked around the Colwick Estates industrial area (what a dump, in parts).

P  

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I'm not sure when it was singled - presumably in the 1960s or early 1970s. It's been that way for as long as I can remember - I can only ever remember seeing one train using it (in the late 1990s when it was being used to extract stockpiled coal from the remains of Gedling Colliery).

 

It now appears to be disconnected at the Netherfield end and partially lifted. I think the County Council have bought the track bed for use as a footpath as part of a bundle of these disused lines - certainly they've bought the Cotgrave branch, which has now been completely lifted including the curved viaduct where it meets the Grantham line. 

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I grew up in Hucknall/Linby, but Dad hails from Bulwell, I remember the GC viaduct well, used to have a "Home Ales" ad on it from memory. The embankments heading north from Bulwell were severed when the Hucknall bypass was built, but can still be seem as you travel on this road.

Edited by RedgateModels
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I grew up in Hucknall/Linby, but Dad hails from Bulwell, I remember the GC viaduct well, used to have a "Home Ales" ad on it from memory. The embankments heading north from Bulwell were severed when the Hucknall bypass was built, but can still be seem as you travel on this road.

.........talking of which there are some really good pictures of the GC line on the RCTS Mystery Photographs site

 

http://www.rcts.org.uk/features/mysteryphotos/

 

You can browse earlier days by clicking NEXT at the bottom of each page, or do searches for individual locations. "Bulwell" (and variations), "Hucknall", Hucknall Central", Hucknall GC", "Hucknall Town" all highlight interesting shots (not all GC), never mind Annesley, Kirkby and places further north or south.

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I have today identified the remaining 'relic' at Colwick yards. The LMS Social Club, just as you turn in to the huge industrial estate just off the main road (Colwick Loop). I am sure the large shed was where B & Q is now? Elsewhere on the estate there is almost zero sign that any railway was there at all.  

 

Phil @ 36E 

 

LMS Social Club!! That is the former Colwick Depot Social Club, nothing to do with the LMS :ireful: 

The shed was under the big road junction and on the Netherfield side of it, there used to be a haulage firm based on the opposite corner to the Club and part of their yard was concrete over the blue brick shed floor.

If you head down past the retail park, you should be able to find some evidence of the marshalling yards. There is still track in the undergrowth at the side of the Grantham line, there is a foot crossing to the industrial estate in the area.

 

I was born 1/2 a mile from New Basford station, a few years after DaveF's dad's pictures but nothing much had changed so there are some real memories in the collection. The biggest difference being the introduction of the 9Fs on the Windcutters. :sungum: 

 

If I can be of any help please ask.

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Thanks very much GC. I wasn't being rude mentioning the LMS (sorry) Social Club. It really has got a big LMS sign on the front at the moment (but in black and white).

Can you shed any light on the Netherfield Lane 'mystery'? Has it been renamed Victoria Road?

Also the crossing for the Gedling line, by the now Netherfield Sure Start Centre. When was the line singled/removed?

Thanks, P.

Edited by Mallard60022
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Thanks very much GC. I wasn't being rude mentioning the LMS (sorry) Social Club. It really has got a big LMS sign on the front at the moment (but in black and white).

Can you shed any light on the Netherfield Lane 'mystery'? Has it been renamed Victoria Road?

Also the crossing for the Gedling line, by the now Netherfield Sure Start Centre. When was the line singled/removed?

Thanks, P.

 

I've always known that road as Victoria Road, my wife to be was the receptionist at Jersey Kapwood when they moved into the former Samuel Bourne factory, now demolished and houses built on the site.

I think it was single by then, around 1974, Alf Henshaw's book from the RCTS has a picture of it singled in 1981 with the crossing gates and box still in situ, although the caption puts it as just before demolition, with the line having been singled in 1966.

The connection to the Grantham line was plain lined a few years ago, although the signals are still in place, as it's only recently that it has been officially disused as distinct from 'mothballed'. Expect them all to be removed during the resignalling later this year.

Worth getting hold of the RCTS 'Great Northern in the East Midlands; vol 1 if you can. Although their website shows it out of print, it may still be available from one of the society sales stands.

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It now appears to be disconnected at the Netherfield end and partially lifted. I think the County Council have bought the track bed for use as a footpath as part of a bundle of these disused lines - certainly they've bought the Cotgrave branch, which has now been completely lifted including the curved viaduct where it meets the Grantham line. 

Going off thread I know but thats a big disappointment. There was a scheme drawn up to link the Cotgrave branch to the test track that was the Midland mainline to Melton in order in quicken up Nottingham-East Anglian cross country trains.

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I did some further careful reading of my books last night. Victoria Road probably became Netherfield Lane/Road just about where the level crossing was. The Box of course was Netherfield Lane. However, my reading source says the Lane was actually renamed Victoria Road (date uncertain). The line was singled in 66. Lifting barriers were installed later.Now there are sets of oversize gates; why? 

Looking east

post-2326-0-10753400-1367664041_thumb.jpg

 

Looking west

post-2326-0-52341900-1367664061_thumb.jpg

Seems like the Council is not as far sighted as the lot that helped visualise the regeneration of the Nottingham Worksop route; or maybe?

I have been looking at the brilliant closed stations web sites and that wikki thingy. I hadn't realised just how many pics and useful pointers I could get from those sources. That aside I thank you all for your input.

(Redgate, it was my temporary job with Notts CC when I first moved up here that brought various 'earthworks' such as the GC at Hucknall by pass into my radar. Being the rail nut I am, as I tootled in and out of Nott'm and around most of the County, my beady eyes began to spot all sorts of interesting stuff. What I have not been able to do until recently is put stuff in place geographically; I just can't believe that where rail once was there is just almost zero evidence. I suppose if I revisited my home City of Plymouth, I would be able to as I grew up there and would have a sense of 'what was and had been'? )

Phil @ 36E

Edited by Mallard60022
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Lots of useful info out there folks!

 

I'm building a "virtual" model of the area, see here. http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?460-Nottinghamshire-UK.

 

A few more useful links on there, especially the Picture the Past site from Nottinghamshire archives http://www.picturethepast.org.uk/.  A search for "Bulwell" and "Viaduct" brings up pictures of both the construction in 1897 and demolition in 1981 of the viaduct...

 

I'm concentrating on the 1970s era ex-MR routes, after the GC was closed, but while most of the trackbed and civil engineering was still intact.

 

I've just this past week started buliding the route from Radford to Hucknall, with the Bulwell viaduct as I remember it, the GC cutting through Hucknall still unfilled (a friend of my mother's lives backing onto the route, I remember the cutting, although not the tracks...)

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Lots of useful info out there folks!

 

I'm building a "virtual" model of the area, see here. http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?460-Nottinghamshire-UK.

 

A few more useful links on there, especially the Picture the Past site from Nottinghamshire archives http://www.picturethepast.org.uk/.  A search for "Bulwell" and "Viaduct" brings up pictures of both the construction in 1897 and demolition in 1981 of the viaduct...

 

I'm concentrating on the 1970s era ex-MR routes, after the GC was closed, but while most of the trackbed and civil engineering was still intact.

 

I've just this past week started buliding the route from Radford to Hucknall, with the Bulwell viaduct as I remember it, the GC cutting through Hucknall still unfilled (a friend of my mother's lives backing onto the route, I remember the cutting, although not the tracks...)

Thanks David. Great maps on photobucket link thanks. Looking at your 'signature' (love that song - sad) it is great to see that some stations still survive.

By virtual do you mean as in a computer image set up; that sounds very interesting.

Phil

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Yes, "Virtual" means computer simulation.  It's the only way to get a decent length into a model without the limitations of "OO"...

 

What I meant to add is that, although my interest is the ex-Midland lines in the 70s/80s, another user of Trainz has already done a version of the GC from Annesley to Ashby Magna.  Here's a few screenshots.

 

Ruddington

post-1762-0-30357900-1368226715_thumb.jpg

 

Weekday Cross & Middle Hill

post-1762-0-33192100-1368226727_thumb.jpg

 

Weekday Cross

post-1762-0-87086100-1368226745_thumb.jpg

 

Nottingham Victoria north end

post-1762-0-18472900-1368226765_thumb.jpg

 

Bagthorpe Jcts & Arnold Road

post-1762-0-01868100-1368226784_thumb.jpg

 

Bulwell Common

post-1762-0-36204000-1368226802_thumb.jpg

 

Bulwell Viaduct & Dye Works

post-1762-0-38307600-1368226819_thumb.jpg

 

Hucknall Central

post-1762-0-32309700-1368226832_thumb.jpg

 

GC viaduct across MR & GN at Linby

post-1762-0-64634200-1368226847_thumb.jpg

 

I must point out this is not my work, although I will be incorporating this into my version of the ex-Midland routes.

Edited by DavidBird
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All I can say is wow. That's amazing, bringing areas to life in a way; just look at that Bulwell Viaduct scene.

Do you think it is OK to 'save' these scenes?

Thanks matey.

Phil

Edited by Mallard60022
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There are some interesting screen shots there - someone has obviously put a lot of work into reproducing the GC in all its glory.

 

I did notice though that a lot of artistic licence has been used in the Linby scene, in particular - the GN and Midland stations were nothing like those drawn. Presumably that s just a case of concentrating all their efforts on getting the GC bit right.

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...

Do you think it is OK to 'save' these scenes?

...

 

Save away Phil.  If you're interested to see how he's done any particular location, just ask and I'll post a screenshot. 

 

There are some interesting screen shots there - someone has obviously put a lot of work into reproducing the GC in all its glory.

 

I did notice though that a lot of artistic licence has been used in the Linby scene, in particular - the GN and Midland stations were nothing like those drawn. Presumably that s just a case of concentrating all their efforts on getting the GC bit right.

 

I'm not sure how he does it, but when I build (and I don't get anywhere as good as he does) I concentrate on getting the trackplan and signalling as accurate as I can and trying to get just a feel for the scenery.  It is done on a library system, the route "layout" contains only the data for positions of tracks and objects, these are actually seperate files on the computer.  Hence a row of terrace houses, for example, can be made up from repetitions of just one or two models, or a MGR train can be made of a Class 47 and 42 instances of a single HAA wagon.  A route builder can either go for maximum accuracy, which will probably mean making the buildings as well, which is very time consuming, or go for an impression using buildings already made by others.  The "Trainz Community" makes most of the objects available for free :sungum: and there's probably something pretty close out there already.  I have used station buldings from the Settle & Carlisle pack for representing Beeston & Attenborough, not accurate but good enough for the Midland Railway feel.

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