East Midlands Miscellany

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Right, back to the pictures.

 

The main reason for many to visit High Dyke was to see (and certainly hear) these beauties. 55022 climbs the final half-mile past High Dyke to Stoke Summit with a King's Cross-bound semi-fast in 1981.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Coal from one of the colliieries in and around the Leen Valley rumbles through the suburb of Lenton on the western side of Nottingham. The driver gives me a cheery wave, though on an earlier occasion it looks like the loco received a less welcoming visit by white paint being dropped on the cab roof.

[johnw1]

20077 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/6592787923/

40073 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/6542097087/

45133 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/6542095355/

45135 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/6542100825/

47446 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/6542098953/

156414 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/12967984954/

201 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/11475957936/

60045 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/8734579748/

66585 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/8733464353/

156410 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/8734580840/

[Enterprisingwestern]

High Dyke in happier times; sidings full of iron-ore tipplers, telegraph-pole route still in use and the sun shines. June 1973 finds Cl.47 1702 on a down special. My dad's Renault 10 is parked up near signal D2 in the background.

 

One of Tinsleys French re-engines on ECML walkabout.

 

Mike.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

One area that I wish I'd investigated more were the colliery branches in the Notts/Derby Coalfield. I was lucky enough once to go down Bentinck Colliery, right to the coalface, in the mid 1970s. The camaraderie of the miners still lingers with me, as did the coal dust for about a week after.

 

Here we are at Tibshelf East Jn in the late 1970s, on the branch serving the pits at Sutton, Silverhill, Teversal and Pleasley. The signalbox was opened as recently March 1969, the fourth box to have been at this location. It closed in January 1984.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

A Cl.45/1 sweeps down the Erewash Valley line past Westhouses with a 7-coach Sheffield - St Pancras (via Nottm) service. The train is formed one 1st, two 2nds, a brake 2nd, restaurant/buffet car and two 1sts.

 

Tibshelf Sidings are in the right background.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

A Cl.47 arrives at Tibshelf Sidings with a rake of (the then quite new) HBA coal hoppers.

Westhouse Farm sits on the hillside, having watched a procession of 3Fs, 4Fs, 8Fs, Beyer-Garretts, 9Fs, Cl.20s, Cl.25s, Peaks and Cl.47s pass on coal trains. Soon Cl.56's and later the Cl.58s and other motive power would arrive on the scene as the amount of trackwork reduced before the sidings and the line to Pleasley closed altogether.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

We just CAN'T not visit Skegness our our wayward rambles around the East Midlands. For many who lived in Derby, Nottingham and Leicester, Skeggy was the place where they saw the sea for the first time. I know it was for me.

 

Though I don't remember that first trip, we must've travelled from Derby Friargate. Looking at timetables of the period the Saturday through trains avoided Nottm Vic and went via the "Back Line" through Gedling Tunnel.

 

I clearly remember a later journey, with smoke drifting across Darley Park from the B1 at the head of our train, just after we had begun the trip. By then Gedling Tunnel was unsafe and all trains travelled via Nottm Vic.

 

Our picture shows Skeggy on a typically wet afternoon in 1980. Rather that a pair of the iconic Cl.20s, we find a local service shortly after arrival from Grantham.

[Rob F]

Enjoying the pictures but I think you mean Mapperley tunnel?

 

Rob

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Thanks; indeed I was Rob. Nice to see a Forest supporter on the ball.....

[Rob F]

....unlike the team.

 

Rob

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Meanwhile, back in the Westhouses area, a pair of Cl.20s plod alond the Pleasley branch and approach Tibshelf East Jn. in the late 1970s.

 

The line here was originally double track, being singled in October 1970. Regular passenger services ceased as far back as July 1930.

 

Today all the track has gone, with the route becoming a walkable trailway.

[Poor Old Bruce]

We just CAN'T not visit Skegness our our wayward rambles around the East Midlands. For many who lived in Derby, Nottingham and Leicester, Skeggy was the place where they saw the sea for the first time. I know it was for me.

 

Was the tide in then!

 

Another place to get to from Friargate was Cleethorpes. My mother took me there at some time in the (late?) '50s. I know we went from Friargate but I don't know which way we went except that we did go past Lincoln shed as I recognised it years later.

[RANGERS]

We just CAN'T not visit Skegness our our wayward rambles around the East Midlands. For many who lived in Derby, Nottingham and Leicester, Skeggy was the place where they saw the sea for the first time. I know it was for me.Though I don't remember that first trip, we must've travelled from Derby Friargate. Looking at timetables of the period the Saturday through trains avoided Nottm Vic and went via the "Back Line" through Gedling Tunnel.I clearly remember a later journey, with smoke drifting across Darley Park from the B1 at the head of our train, just after we had begun the trip. By then Gedling Tunnel was unsafe and all trains travelled via Nottm Vic.Our picture shows Skeggy on a typically wet afternoon in 1980. Rather that a pair of the iconic Cl.20s, we find a local service shortly after arrival from Grantham.

The 114s were as iconic as the 20s as far as Skegness was concerned, and even more frequent visitors over a 30+ year period.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Found this print at the bottom of a box - had it for years but don't know who or when it was taken. The location is clear enough though, just west of Derby Friargate station near Slack Lane engine shed. Is that a J6 tender in the loco yard on the left? The last of these were withdrawn in June 1962.

 

The B1 is heading a westbound Cl.8 through freight made up of steel bolster wagons.

[eastwestdivide]

Hope Kettering counts as East Mids. Here, a 25+brake van trundles through on the freight/slow lines in about 1982.

There's a fair bit of "period detail" in these two shots: the old style yard lamp, all the mechanical signalling paraphernalia, the yellow staff van, the loading gauge, a red platform trolley (worryingly parked at 90° to the track), a sign for the Rail-link coach to Corby, the rest of the corporate image signs, the typical two-post Midland telegraph poles... At least the canopies are still there.

 

 

[Peter Kazmierczak]

'course it does.

Regarding the PO trolley. If I recall, the brakes are "on" when the handle is verticle as in your picture.

Edited May 5, 2014 by Western Sunset

[eastwestdivide]

The brakes might be on, but I had the idea it was meant to be belt and braces with platform trolleys, after a nasty accident. 

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Particularly as I think there was one not too far away at Wellingborough.

[RANGERS]

Hope Kettering counts as East Mids. Here, a 25+brake van trundles through on the freight/slow lines in about 1982.

There's a fair bit of "period detail" in these two shots: the old style yard lamp, all the mechanical signalling paraphernalia, the yellow staff van, the loading gauge, a red platform trolley (worryingly parked at 90° to the track), a sign for the Rail-link coach to Corby, the rest of the corporate image signs, the typical two-post Midland telegraph poles... At least the canopies are still there.

 

N44_0020.jpg

N44_0021.jpg

The yard lamps still survive at Kettering although I think this one has gone. The former sidings to the West of the box, the ones which were the final resting place of countless steam engines and early diesels on their way to Cohens scrapyard, have long since been disconnected from the network but the lamps still stand.

[Poor Old Bruce]

Here's another taken at Friargate on the last day of passenger trains. It shows 43091 entering the station after running round.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Lincoln (Central) was one of those stations that flattered to deceive. A large layout but with apparently not much happening most of the time. Most of the services were provided by DMU's, even by the early 1960s. Looks like a freight has passed this way recently with a faulty bottom hopper door, judging by the white powder spread between the rails.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Hello Richard,

I can't find a regular Friargate - Cleethorpes service in the late 1950s/early 1960s. Perhaps it only ran for a year in the mid 1950s, or was an excursion.

 

There was an 8am Nottm Vic - Cleethorpes (later extended to start back from Leicester Central) that ran round the houses taking 2 hours to reach Lincoln from Nottm) but this did run via Lincoln Central.

 

Did you recall changing at Nottm Vic?

 

Regards,

Peter

[jonny777]

There were not that many Derby to Cleethorpes excursions either, in the late 1950s.

 

An occasional one ran on Sundays. I found one in 1958 but was early in the season on June 22nd hauled by K3 61837.

 

There was one on Thursday July 7th 1958 with 61874 on the front, but that is about all for 1958 that I can find.

Edited May 7, 2014 by jonny777

[Poor Old Bruce]

Peter, - Reasonably sure it was an excursion. No recollection of changing anywhere or even of any shuffling about at Nottingham onto the Midland.

 

Jonny777, - I am fairly sure it was a weekday trip. Can't remember when schools broke up in those days and it was a long time ago. Friargate to Cleethorpes behind a K3 sound interesting though, I wonder if it went via Mansfield and the LD&EC?

 

Richard