RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted March 29, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 29, 2012 I'm probably best known in railway circles for modelling the SW of England, possibly because I've been involved in building Treneglos and Diesels in the Duchy. The other project I'm involved with is many miles away across the Atlantic. Prompted by a thread title on here, I started wondering why it's the far away (distance wise) prototypes I follow, particularly as there's an old disused line within a couple of miles of where I live. That will be the Ashby and Nuneaton Joint Railway. I've visited the Battlefield line a few times, looked at the old buildings at Measham and walked bits of the trackbed. Now digging around for information is part of my job and I'm familiar with library and Google searches but, is it me, or is the line one of those unloved, not missed railways that has next to nothing written about it? So far I've only found the same few lines of non-information repeated on multiple sites and an old book title (but nothing about the book). I'd love to know more about my local (long closed) line - am I missing anything obvious? Any pointers from those more in the know would be appreciated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Natalie Graham Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 That book on the line is quite good, if somewhat brief, although not entirely reliable. For instance it describes the LNWR signal box at Market Bosworth as a 'typical Midland design'.Think of the early Oakwood Press Locomotive Papers and you get an idea of the style of the book. I have thought of modelling Market Bosworth from time to time having lived close to the line just south of the Station many years ago. It is a line I have long had an interest in so will be following the thread with interest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cary hill Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Further to the above post - contents of the book are as below: Chapter One - Early Transport Schemes pp5-11 Chapter Two - The Railway Mania Period and After pp12-16 Chapter Three - Formation of the Joint Line pp17-21 Chapter Four - A Tour of the Remaining Track and Formation, 1974 pp22-32 Chapter Five - The Charnwood Forest Railway pp33-41 Chapter Six - Passenger Services pp42-48 Chapter Seven - Freight Services pp49-58 Appendix 1 - Locomotive Notes pp59-62 Appendix 2 - Closures of Stations pp63 Photographs: 1. Shackerstone Station 1876 (repeated on front cover) 2. Ashby-de-la-Zouch Station facade and forecourt 1958 3. Shackerstone Station looking north 1951 4. Exterior of Shackerstone Station April 1957 5. Midland train at Market Bosworth Station c. 1900 6. Market Bosworth Station looking north 1951 7. LMS Class 4 0-6-0 44542 of Burton Shed on a Derby and Burton excursion train to Leamington Spa at Stoke Golding in the early 1950s 8. Market Bosworth Signal Box. A typical Midland Railway design (not) 9. Nuneaton Abbey Street Station in April 1957 10. Ex-Midland Railway 2F 0-6-0 3642 of Burton Shed at the south end of Coalville East Station October 1935 11. Coalville East Station looking south October 1935 12. General view of Whitwick Station looking towards Loughborough June 1965 13. Whitwick Station. The Booking Hall and steps down to the platform - exterior shot 14. Loughborough Derby Road Station - facade and forecourt during the 1950's 15. Loughborough Derby Road Station. Platfrom and circulating area in the late 1950's 16. The daily pick-up goods leaving Loughborough, during the 1950s MR 4F 0-6-0 Burton Shed Disused locomotive shed on the right. 17. Loughborough Engine Shed June 1938 by then used by a joinery company and 7 years since the last passenger train ran to Loughborough 18. Charnwood Forest Junction Engine Shed October 1935 (disused since 1927?) 19. Overseal Locomotive Shed 1954 with 8F 48662 of Burton Shed and 2 Class 4F 0-6-0s 20. Typical Joint Railway trespass sign I suspect photographs were hard to come by as Casserley, Camwell and L & GRP are credited for over half of the meagre total. There is fold-out map, inside the back cover, titled as The Ashby & Nuneaton Joint Railway with associated railways, tramways and canals. It's a "composite" map as it shows all features, even if some had disappeared before others were built Scaled at 7/16ths = 1 mile it looks as if it was drawn in someone's lunch-hour but serves it's purpose well enough. I have said tome in front of me and, if you wish to PM me I could send it on to you, as I don't think I have any further use for it this side of the River Styx, and doubt that it will plug my pension gap either, bearing in mind the original £1.00 cover price and that it has "yellowed" somewhat with age. Let me know if you are interested. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted March 30, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted March 30, 2012 Thank you very much for the information on the book, much appreciated. David, I'll be sending you a PM to take you up on your kind offer. Many thanks Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Invicta Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Yes, the A&N does seem to have been neglected. I've just had a skim through a few of my Leicestershire railway books (I'm an exile from NW Leicestershire- Coalville- down here in Kent) and there's very little on the A&N in any of them I've looked at so far. I thought 'LNWR Branch Lines of West Leicestershire & East Warwickshire' by Geoffrey Hurst (Milepost, 1993) might be quite promising, but it appears to offer nothing more than a chapter on the Charnwood Forest line that met the A&N's Shackerstone-Coalville branch... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyrush Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 The NRM holds a large scale undated track plan of Market Bosworth in the BR/OPC collection, ref.22098 Cambridge University Map Library has a land plan entitled Hinckley - Stoke Golding [OS 1:2500 sheets dissected with annotations re bridge numbers and land disposal and already shown as ‘old railway’ with no track] 265 x 33cm I have a LMS Strip Diagram of the line from Loughborough to Nuneaton amended up to August 1945 The Ashby & Nuneaton Joint is covered in John Gough's Midland Railway Chronology The Coalville - Loughborough LNW line signal boxes are covered by sketches in Swift's Layout Plans Vol.7 I would suspect that the Battlefield Line might have had a load of paperwork unloaded on them from the BR archives when they took over the line - it might be worth asking them what they got! Given a bit of time, I could sort you out a spreadsheet for the line. Send me a PM and I'll let you have a sample. Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DavidLong Posted March 30, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 30, 2012 This is the sort of thread that makes me realise why I like RM Web so much. A discussion slightly off the mainstream and backed up by a generous offer from another member. Thanks for posting, Chris. I'll be following with interest. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Natalie Graham Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 The NRM holds a large scale undated track plan of Market Bosworth in the BR/OPC collection, ref.22098 I have a copy of that, bought when it was still OPC that were doing them. It was the plan for the raising of the platforms in LMS days. It doesn't show the goods yard but is very detailed in regards to the area around the passenger platforms. Hinckley and Bosworth council's planning portal also has a drawing of three sides of the stationmaster's house at Market Bosworth in connection with an application to add a conservatory. I also have a good elevation drawing of the station buildings on the line which came from the museum at the preserved line at Shackerstone. I haven't been to the museum there since I left the area around 30 years ago but it used to be very good, if somewhat jumbled, I think that would be good place to start looking for information on the line. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted March 30, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted March 30, 2012 Yes, the A&N does seem to have been neglected. I've just had a skim through a few of my Leicestershire railway books (I'm an exile from NW Leicestershire- Coalville- down here in Kent) and there's very little on the A&N in any of them I've looked at so far. I thought 'LNWR Branch Lines of West Leicestershire & East Warwickshire' by Geoffrey Hurst (Milepost, 1993) might be quite promising, but it appears to offer nothing more than a chapter on the Charnwood Forest line that met the A&N's Shackerstone-Coalville branch... Once upon a time I was heavily into the old LMS but moved onwards to the southern. I've looked through dozens ok my old books and found only one photo of the A&N. Considering the number of books, websites and photos freely available for other lines I've been surprised how little is out there for my local. Weird that I can find out more about lines in outer Cornwall than the East Midlands. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted March 30, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted March 30, 2012 The NRM holds a large scale undated track plan of Market Bosworth in the BR/OPC collection, ref.22098 Cambridge University Map Library has a land plan entitled Hinckley - Stoke Golding [OS 1:2500 sheets dissected with annotations re bridge numbers and land disposal and already shown as ‘old railway’ with no track] 265 x 33cm I have a LMS Strip Diagram of the line from Loughborough to Nuneaton amended up to August 1945 The Ashby & Nuneaton Joint is covered in John Gough's Midland Railway Chronology The Coalville - Loughborough LNW line signal boxes are covered by sketches in Swift's Layout Plans Vol.7 I would suspect that the Battlefield Line might have had a load of paperwork unloaded on them from the BR archives when they took over the line - it might be worth asking them what they got! Given a bit of time, I could sort you out a spreadsheet for the line. Send me a PM and I'll let you have a sample. Andy Cracking info Andy, will be sending you a PM in the morning. Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted March 30, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted March 30, 2012 This is the sort of thread that makes me realise why I like RM Web so much. A discussion slightly off the mainstream and backed up by a generous offer from another member. Thanks for posting, Chris. I'll be following with interest. David Ditto, warms the heart. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted March 30, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2012 No photos but I have all the LMS appendix information from 1931 right through until today, so if you need any info then just ask, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Miles Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 The Midland Railway Study Centre in Derby has quite a lot of relevant material such as timetables, photos of stations (copies of photos are only available via Kidderminster Railway Museum). I did a search on Ashby and it came up with 698 items, although obviously not all of these are relevant to the A&N and some are tickets which might not interest you. If you want to know more have a look at http://www.midlandrailwaystudycentre.org.uk/about.htm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted April 1, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 1, 2012 Sorry for a bit of a break folks. We've had the outlaws over for the weekend and I ended up renumbering a 4f and two 3fs for my FIL. Also converted a BR std brakevan to the earlier LNER type. Today was good as we went over to Moira Furnace and had a wander along the cut and the trackbed of the A&N nearby. The ladies then went shopping so we then accidentally popped over to Measham stn and then Shackerstone. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted April 1, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 1, 2012 The Midland Railway Study Centre in Derby has quite a lot of relevant material such as timetables, photos of stations (copies of photos are only available via Kidderminster Railway Museum). I did a search on Ashby and it came up with 698 items, although obviously not all of these are relevant to the A&N and some are tickets which might not interest you. If you want to know more have a look at http://www.midlandrailwaystudycentre.org.uk/about.htm. Thanks John, I've not come across the MRSC before but have a friend who volunteers at the Kidderminster museum. I can't seem to get the link to work though but will do a proper search when on the laptop (not phone). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted April 1, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 1, 2012 I have a copy of that, bought when it was still OPC that were doing them. It was the plan for the raising of the platforms in LMS days. It doesn't show the goods yard but is very detailed in regards to the area around the passenger platforms. Hinckley and Bosworth council's planning portal also has a drawing of three sides of the stationmaster's house at Market Bosworth in connection with an application to add a conservatory. I also have a good elevation drawing of the station buildings on the line which came from the museum at the preserved line at Shackerstone. I haven't been to the museum there since I left the area around 30 years ago but it used to be very good, if somewhat jumbled, I think that would be good place to start looking for information on the line. Thanks Natalie, I went over to the Shackerstone today but unfortunately the museum was closed as the guy who runs it recently had a death in the family. Did get lots of photos of the station building though. Will have to visit again but next time will ring first about the museum as I don't have much luck with it being open. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted April 1, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 1, 2012 Ok, a few photos from today's little trip Measham Station as it is today. The station has been tastefully restored by the local authority and now houses a museum (yet to catch it open though). The Goods Shed is now home to a company that builds and repairs canal barges. Further east there's an old bridge but the track bed appears to be partly filled... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonB Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 The Derby Telegraph paper does a "Bygone" topics edition fairly regularly (or at least used to do so). Did or does the Ashby equivalent paper do likewise? I've never approached a paper with a view to accessing their Photo archives, so don't know what reaction you are likely to get! A while back (6+ years) there was an archive of local papers at Sharpe's Pottery museum in Swadlincote, don't know if it's still there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted April 1, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 1, 2012 A few shots up near Moira Furnace... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coombe Barton Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 Do you have this http://www.nationala...essmethod=5&j=1 Been listening to whistles on that line all day. And have you tried the Snibston Museum? Ages since I've been there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 And here's the northern extremity of the line at Moira West Jn where it met the MR Burton and Leicester line. Here's a 1982 shot when coal trains were still an everyday sight. The line to Nuneaton bears away to the right. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted April 1, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 1, 2012 Looks significantly poorer these days Peter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted April 1, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 1, 2012 A big thank you to everyone that has contributed links so far. Much appreciated.and many leads to follow up on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted April 1, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 1, 2012 A few taken today West of Measham: Looking west Looking east East facing side of the bridge Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted April 1, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 1, 2012 And a few from our trip to Shackerstone: Main station building Station Master's House Footbridge Around the yard Signal Box (Not original?) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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