Issue no. 16 — Summer 2001
Cover photo: Perhaps this photograph should have appeared in "Query Corner", for little is known about the Service Messroom Band. It is well recorded that the Midland encouraged its employees to become involved in a variety of extramural activities, and it is quite possible that the company contributed to the cost of the instruments, which was likely to have been beyond the pockets of most conciliation staff. The photograph was probably taken at either the Locomotive or Carriage & Wagon Works at Derby. It is speculation, but could the band have played during the religious services that took place in the Works' messrooms, details of which appeared in Midland Record No.11.
Back cover: This handbill is from an era when an aeroplane was a very unusual sight and people used to run out of the house to look at the "strange bird in the sky". Hence, visits to the aerodrome at Hendon would have created great excitement on Saturdays during the summer of 1913. Similar trips may well have taken place in 1914, but they would certainly ceased after war was declared. An earlier handbill, without an illustration, is known for an aviation meeting at Doncaster in September 1908. [L. Knighton collection]
- Co-operation with the LD&EC Railway / Glynn Waite
- Midland Railway Literature (13) / Ted Hancock
- Change at Child's Hill / Geoff Goslin
- The Leicester Agricultural Show Branch (1868) / John Gough
- Locomotive aesthetics / Jack Braithwaite
- Comments on items on previous Journals
- Midland Railway Literature
- Locomotive aesthetics [No. 15]
- Early accidents : Sawley
- In memory of George Thums
- Query Corner
- Query 20 : Out-Door Assistant's Office Derby / Form numbers
- Query 22 : Where is this station (1)?
- Query 23 : Where is this station (2)?
- Query 24 (new query) : Unknown Midland Railway saloon near
Wimbourne S&DJR. - Query 25 (new query) : 0-4-2 Locomotives
- Query 26 (new query) : Where was this photograph taken?
Issue no. 17 — Autumn 2001
Cover photo: On Foreign Territory: 25 Class 2-4-0 No. 26 arriving at Worcester Shrub Hill, sometime between 1903 and 1907. On the back of this photograph it is recorded that the train was the 10.15am from Birmingham, so the time is around 11.0am. During this particular period, the train started from Sheffield at 8.0am and ran to Bristol, with through carriages from both Heysham and Nottingham. By 1910, it had been re-routed via Dunhamstead, with a Worcester portion being detached at Birmingham, from where it departed 10.18am. It is possible that a service in similar timings continued for many years. The editor can certainly remember travelling on a Sheffield to Worcester service in the late 1950s and early 60s, which left Derby at 9.5am. [Roy F. Burrows Midland Collection Trust]
Back cover: This notice from the days before electronic announcements is self-explanatory. No doubt the people to whom it was aimed would also be able to give reasonably accurate information about timekeeping and the reasons for delays. [MRS Collection, courtesy Peter Holmes]
- On locomotive aesthetics / Ken Grainger
- A Midland joint line centenary / Roger Brettle
- The Peckwash Mill Disaster - 1st December 1900 / David Harris
- Speed restrictions
- Beyond the boundaries / David Geldard
- Some Midland Railway Company notices
- Comments on items on previous Journals
- Midland Railway Literature [No.16]
- Service messroom band
- Books, periodicals and chess
- More memories of George Pratt
- Query corner
- Query 25 : Early 0-4-2 locomotives
- Query 26 (new query) : Where was this photograph taken
- Query 28 (new query) : The station hut, Derby
Issue no. 18 — Winter 2001
Cover photo: Something a little different this time! Jos. De Poorter was an agent for the Midland Railway in Rotterdam and dealt with traffic moved between that port and Kings Lynn. This postcard would have been used for advertising people about the movement of their goods. Interestingly, much of the text is written in German. It tells us that there was a regular steam line from Rotterdam to Kings Lynn and vice versa, and that it was the quickest connection with Central England. However, the term regular appears to have been stretching a point as boats only sailed from Rotterdam on Saturdays and Kings Lynn on Tuesdays. L. Sommerfield appears to have been the agent at the Kings Lynn end. Can anyone provide further information about services to the Continent via Kings Lynn please? This was presumably a service for goods traffic rather than passengers. [G. Waite collection]
Back cover: From 21st January to 1st February 1892 trains could not run via the Worcester Loop between Stoke Works and Abbott's Wood Junction, due to an obstruction in Worcester Tunnel. Notices were published which showed trains being diverted via Spetchley and Dunhampstead, with some services serving Worcester from Abbott's Wood worked by pilot locomotives. Illustrated here is part of a circular which regularised the arrangements from 24th January. More information about the arrangements can be found under "Comment".
- Miners' strikes and their effect on the Midland Railway / Glynn Waite
- A new Midland route to Manchester and Liverpool : the centenary of the New Mills and Heaton Mersey Line / Roger Brettle
- Locomotive aesthetics / Jack Braithwaite
- Comments on items in previous Journals
- The Peckwash Mill Disaster
- Worcester
- Beyond the boundaries
- Query corner
- Query 25 : Early 0-4-2 locomotives
- Query 29 (new query) : Sharland