"The Mansfield Railway" what remains.....

[RedgateModels]

Had a very pleasant Saturday afternoon exploring the remains of the Mansfield Railway at the bottom of the garden at my new abode. Those not familiar with the railway, it was the last line to be built through Mansfield - the act of parliament only passed in 1910 and relied very much on the GC using their tunnel through the Robin Hood Hills and leasing GC stock. It was soon absorbed into the LNER and the line south of Crown farm Colliery was closed in the late '60s. Demolition of the Station happened in 1972 and little remains of this line today.

 

Here's a view of the embankment from my garden

 

 

Getting up on top shows the point where the branch for Crown Farm Colliery went off to the right, with the main line carrying on left

 

 

There are a few rodding stools left, well that's what I think they are, happy to be corrected

 

 

At the foot of the embankment just over our fence there is some interesting brickwork, that may have been a culvert at some time? something has made a home there that's for sure

 

 

 

and so to our haul for the day, half a chair, three chair screws and some coal (to be used on my next steam loco model)

 

 

Josh went over the fence later and recovered an almost complete chair and a much larger lump of coal - can't keep a good boy down

 

Finally a pic of RedgateModels Towers from the top

 

[Londontram]

Any chance of a google map view so we can see where abouts you are, I used to live in Mansfield and have walked most of the lines in my time my luckiest find was a fire bar once in the grass on the bank near the old engine shed site

[RedgateModels]

Hows this? - it's an NLS maps screen grab with the current road network overlaid on an old map

 

 

The point where the colliery line diverges is approx in the centre of the image

[Londontram]

I've got you now, I'm trying hard to recall what was there when I lived there (My sister still dose, not far from Oak Tree lane and dont know if its still there but the Flamingo was one of my regulars) Blidworth and Rainworth colleries were still rail conected and the signal box and branch at Sheepbridge lane was still open, All this was long before the Robin hood line so lots of double headed class 20s and 56s on MGR trains. Good luck with your resurch, I do recall Mansfild liberay had a good selection of old maps which I found usefull for referance

[RedgateModels]

http://maps.nls.uk/ is an excellent resource, all you need really, I spend hours on it Personally I've only lived in Mansfield for 17 years, originally hailing from Hucknall - now that used to have LOTS of railways.

[johnd]

I personally remember Bilsthorpe pit when wagons brought in the wood for Pit props and then took out the mined coal. To young ears the sounds of the circular saw could be frightening. Still clearly in my mind. Many times would walk with my Grandfather along side the wagons to go to see his mates at the Pit ( late 50's &60's). He moved to Bilsthorpe from Bolsover in 1929 when the pit opened.

 

Also must find the pics taken in the early 70's taken near Old Clipstone.

Edited April 1, 2014 by johnd

[Londontram]

I used to work in Hucknall, I was the service manager at Ivor Jones garage Annesley Rd a Renault service point which was an out station of J,R,B, Wheatly the Renault garage and builders on Lowmoor Rd Kirkby and yes there was still a lot of lines around the area and at this time most of the track beds around Mansfield, Sutton and Kirkby were still complete and un-built on though at this time as I said it was pre Robin Hood line and the Kirkby tunnels under Derby Rd were still filled in but Annesley shed had long gone and I never found any trace of it.

[Friar Tuck]

The old Mansfield Railway runs very close to me too - but nearer the southern end, where hardly anything is still recognisable as an old railway line.

 

We are very lucky around Mansfield and Ashfield to have so many old railway lines preserved through conversion into footpaths - plus historic traces of the Mansfield & Pinxton and a few early waggonways.

[RedgateModels]

Can't remember a garage on Annesley Road, Dad used to use Central Garage when it was in the middle of town (now the site of a wine bar!) Growing up on the Vaughan Estate we played in the GN cutting and can just remember the two bridges over the GN line where the Leisure Centre is now (one is still there hidden in undergrowth)

[60800]

Presumably, once conserved, those chairs will be put back in-situ? What is left is technically a memorial to the line and therefore should not be removed

 

Edited for typo

Edited April 8, 2014 by 60800

[Catkins]

Presumably, once conserved, those chairs will be put back in-situ? What is left is technically a memorial to the line and therefore should not be removed

 

Edited for typo

Or they should be donated to the local museum, with some background information on the local railways.

[roythebus]

Weighed in at the local scrappy would be a more profitable.

[Sam Moss]

about £3.50 for a standard size chair at a scrap yard.

[Andy_C]

Just spotted this thread on a web search. I’m looking at modelling Mansfield Town Station - in effect the one that is left, but looking at the 50’s and 60’s to catch the steam and diesel l like. A little artistic licence allowed.

 

On the OS maps they show sidings in effect to the Titchfield Park side of the station. I’ve been to the library and got what I can from them, plus acquired the 1917 so maps. I’m still search the net as well, but wondered if any contributors had any photos of this site?

 

Ive also spotted the model railway exhibition in March. I’ll be coming along.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Andy

Edited January 30, 2022 by Andy_C