Lancashire, Derbyshire & East Coast Railway (LD&ECR) past Buxton

[Poggy1165]

I would imagine the problem with the LDEC concept was that they would have needed a phenomenal amount of capital to complete it. Even existing railways sometimes struggled to do that, and for 'new starts' it was worse. The H&BR (for example) was never able to finance its relatively simple extensions into Yorkshire. The LDEC's western ambitions were kicked into touch at quite an early stage.

 

On the other hand they did make a serious attempt to get to Sutton-on-Sea. The GER (if I remember rightly) insisted that the extension be separately financed, and (I assume) no one was keen enough to buy the shares in the subsidiary company - or whatever it should be called.

 

Sutton-on-Sea could have become a sort of poor man's Immingham. It's easy to forget how important the coal export trade was back then. Instead the coal was routed through Grimsby, and ultimately, Immingham itself. The LDEC had running powers to Grimsby and I think Cleethorpes (for excursion trains). Probably a lot cheaper than building the extension and dock. 

[£1.38]

Of course, if Sutton docks had been built, then Immingham Docks may never have been constructed. Proposals for Sutton preceded those for Immingham by a decade or more. It would have been difficult to justify two large new docks on the Lincolnshire coast.

[runs as required]

Stopping at Bill Hudson’s Matlock bookshop stand at the 2019 Easter week-end's York Show, my eye was caught by a glossy book cover featuring Bouch’s spectacular Stainmore Belah viaduct.

Zoe Elizabeth Hunter’s  Vol 4: ‘The Abandoned Lines’ of the Lancashire, Derbyshire & East Coast Railway, shows it crossing Monsal Dale high above the old Midland mainline.

I was hooked !

 

The book is expensive at £38 but includes an extraordinarily detailed visual environmental impact analysis of the crossing of the Peak from Macclesfield, via Buxton and Calver to Chesterfield.

I've posted a link to my illustrated review here - and a link to a discussion of the civil engineering proposals here

 

I do apologise to Argos for only just remembering he originally opened this thread on my behalf.

Best wishes

dh

Edited May 4, 2019 by runs as required

[corneliuslundie]

The virtual railway modellers have been on the case:

https://www.uktrainsim.com/filelib-info.php?form_fileid=38764

Jonathan

[John-Miles]

Volume 1 of the Zoe Hunter book as arrived and I am awaiting Volume 4. As they are so expensive, I am going to miss out on the other two. I presume the cost is because of the extensive use of colour plus the book length of around 300 pages.

 

I have yet to read Vol. 1 in detail but it does give an intriguing clue as to where the western extension was to go. The implication is that possibly the original plan was for a through station on the site of the goods yard and then the goods yard would have to be where the station was built. The line westwards would then cut through Foljambe Road, so as to miss the gas works, which would involve either a short tunnel or a large cutting and then one presumes it would cut across where the allotments are now and follow Brockwell brook. I await volume 4 for more details.

[vulcan product fan]

On 17/05/2019 at 15:46, John-Miles said:

Volume 1 of the Zoe Hunter book as arrived and I am awaiting Volume 4. As they are so expensive, I am going to miss out on the other two. I presume the cost is because of the extensive use of colour plus the book length of around 300 pages.

 

I have yet to read Vol. 1 in detail but it does give an intriguing clue as to where the western extension was to go. The implication is that possibly the original plan was for a through station on the site of the goods yard and then the goods yard would have to be where the station was built. The line westwards would then cut through Foljambe Road, so as to miss the gas works, which would involve either a short tunnel or a large cutting and then one presumes it would cut across where the allotments are now and follow Brockwell brook. I await volume 4 for more details.

Hi John-miles did you get volume 4 have just become interested in LD&EC railway after seeing some great pictures of hornsbridge and having a print of market place station . my wife lived of springbank road half way up Foljambe road and i have spent lots of time walking the area looking for clue to the railway around westbar and brampton . Thanks and anymore info would be great .

                                                                            

[John-Miles]

15 hours ago, vulcan product fan said:

Hi John-miles did you get volume 4 have just become interested in LD&EC railway after seeing some great pictures of hornsbridge and having a print of market place station . my wife lived of springbank road half way up Foljambe road and i have spent lots of time walking the area looking for clue to the railway around westbar and brampton . Thanks and anymore info would be great .

                                                                            

Yes I did and it is absolutely fascinating. The line to the west would have gone through what became the goods yard, crossed West Bars, chopped through Foljambe Road, just missed the gas works (now Lidl) and then crossed Goldwell Hill near the bottom and gone through Brockwell, Loundsley Green to Four Lane Ends where there would have been a branch to Sheepbridge Ironworks. Then over the moors to pass to the north of Baslow, behind Hassop and then cross Monsal Dale on a monster viaduct. There's more but you get the idea. It's well worth the money. It would have been a spectacular railway. Think Settle and Carlisle but more spectacular.

 

The picture shows the LD&EC goods yard in the distance. The lines in the foreground are the Midland's Brampton branch. The view is looking roughly east north east from somewhere around Cannon Mill.  The level crossing gates are at the across Boythorpe Road with the hill out of sight on the right. In the distance is the tower of the Market Hall. The Town Hall isn't there because it hasn't been built. The line of tall buildings behind the goods yard are on West Bars.

Edited March 9, 2020 by John-Miles
I forgot to say where the photo was taken from and in what direction

[vulcan product fan]

Again a big thanks for the information didn't realise it was to go up towards 

Brockwell and Loundsley green then onto four lanes ends i thought it would have gone the easy way along chatsworth road some how . The picture is great even my 10 year old daughter loved it, gives you a real idear of change to the area . i will look out for the book thanks for your help .

Andrew

[runs as required]

On 09/03/2020 at 17:19, vulcan product fan said:

Again a big thanks for the information ... i will look out for the book thanks for your help .

I believe the book proved too successful!

I understand the print run sold-out and it is now unobtainable - I've tried without success to buy one as a gift for my old walking companion.

 

We used to do an annual midnight 'hike' up from Whaley Bridge  - Windgather - Cat Tor - Shining Tor up onto the E/W water parting and then down home along the the C&HP. The views westwards while walking up that ridge were spectacular at night.

We often speculated about where the LD&ECR might have run around Errwood & Thursbitch (Have you read the Thursbitch novel?)

dh

Edited March 14, 2020 by runs as required
predictive text !

[John-Miles]

The LD&EC was to go south of Buxton (but only just) and then it followed the line of Ashwood Dale but at a high level.