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Journal Contents 2005

Issue no. 28 — Summer 2005

Cover photo: Mansfield Colliery, initially known as Crown Farm Colliery started production in 1906. It was reached by a branch off the Mansfield to Southwell line, which opened in January 1905. The wagons of the owner, the Bolsover Colliery Co. Ltd., are prominent, this being the first of their collieries in Nottinghamshire as the mining area expanded eastwards into the concealed coal measures. No.3383 was built in 1892 as 2106 and never received a larger boiler, being withdrawn in 1935. Delivered in 1899 as No.2409, No.3588 received its larger 'H' class boiler in 1908 along with the more modern Deeley cab that did at least provide the locomen with a proper roof over their heads. Despite its more powerful boiler No. 3588 was withdrawn in 1926. Two years later all locos carrying these boilers had been rebuilt or withdrawn, yet engines in a condition similar to No.3383 remained until 1959. Both these engines remained in the Nottingham district for most of their lives. As neither are very clean, this photo may date from the post Great War period. The partly obscured wagon belongs to Albert Usher & Co., a firm of coal merchants that had many depots in London, including two on the Midland Railway. [Photograph J. Ryan collection; notes by Peter Witts]

Back cover: Because of the number of items in this issue, there was little space to include an illustration on the back cover that needed an extensive description. We therefore show a rather attractive advertisement for the 11.3Oam St. Pancras to Glasgow, which purported to have 'The Best Restaurant Service'. [L. Knighton collection]

  • Accident at St. Mary's Junction — 8th February 1906 / Dave Harris
  • Mr. Marillier pays a visit to Kettering / Robin Cullup
  • Boiler explosion onboard the Talbot / Michael Walker
  • Wilson station — an early closure / David Birt
  • John Knowles / Philip Cousins
  • An extraordinary source of knowledge / Eddie Johnson — David Tee
  • Locomotive aesthetics / Jack Braithwaite
  • The centenary of the Mansfield colliery branch / Roger Brettle
  • The battle of the engines — Nottingham 1852 / Andrew Surry
  • The Derby C&W foremens' outing of 1919 / Glynn Waite
  • Alarming accident at the Midland station, Nottingham / Tony Wall
  • Miscellaneous Midland Information / Glynn Waite
  • Query Corner
    • New query 39 : Can you identify the station (1)?
    • New query 40 : Can you identify the station (2)?
    • New query 41 : Circular plate wagon — D322
    • New query 42 : Locomotive loans between the Midland, War
      Department and other companies
  • Comments on items on previous Journals
    • Early accidents on the Midland Railway: 1847 [No. 23, p.1]
    • St. Andrews church, Derby [No. 26, back cover; No. 27, p.1]
    • Some features of the line — Nottingham to Newark [No. 26, p.1; No. 27, p.20]
    • Passenger classification on MR in the 19th century [No. 27, p.1]

Issue no. 29 — Autumn 2005

Cover photo: 22,941 Midland Railway employees had joined HM Forces by the end of the First World War. During this time women were appointed to jobs that had previously been the preserve of men. In this photograph we see a group of female loco cleaners on Straker steam lorry, registration FB 01 (MR No.5263). The sign shows that 21,500 men had joined the Forces at this time, so the photograph was presumably taken during the Spring/Summer of 1918. The location of the photograph is not known, although the FB registration is said to have been used by Bath from 1903 to 1932. See also page 18 for other photographs of female employees during WW1. [Photograph J. Alsop collection]

Back cover: A handbill advertising Cook's half day excursion fares to St. Albans on Thursday 8th July 1909 in connection with a Children's Pageant. This coincided with a visit by the Mayor and some of the inhabitants of Caen in Northern France — perhaps an early case of today's twinning? The main activities appear to have involved traditional British dancing, rounded off with a firework display, for which there was a charge of 6d. No doubt similar facilities were available from south of St. Albans, and probably off the Hemel Hempsted branch as well. [S. Summerson collection]

  • Early accidents on the Midland Railway; 1848 (part 1) / Chris Rouse
  • Millhouses shed: what you didn't see when it was open/ Richard
    Morton — Dr. / Arthur Barnett
  • Boiler explosion onboard the Talbot / Michael Walker
  • Locomotive aesthetics / Jack Braithwaite
  • Midland Railway steamer "Donegal" / Michael Walker
  • Midland Railway football teams / Glynn Waite
  • Observatory on Milford tunnel to be raised 30ft / Glynn Waite
  • Wartime women employees/ Glynn Waite — John Alsop
  • Opening of the Nottingham & Lincoln Railway, 1846 / Glynn Waite
  • Query corner
    • Query 39 : station identified as Langwith on the Worksop to
      Mansfield line / Mick King, Richard Morton
    • Query 40 : station identified as Rotherham Westgate / Richard Morton
    • New query 41 : another station to identify
    • New query 42 : a station with a signal box on the platform
  • Comments on items on previous Journals
    • Accident at St. Mary's junction — 8th February 1906 [No. 28, p.1]
    • Mr. Marillier pays a visit to Kettering [No. 28, p.5]
    • An extraordinary source of knowledge [No. 28, p.14]

Issue no. 30 — Winter 2005

Cover photo: It is over a century ago since the line between Chinley North Junction and New Mills South was widened to take four lines. This necessitated the opening out of the 261 yards Bugsworth Tunnel, a process that is recorded as having taken from 30th September 1901 to 13th July 1902. This photograph shows the northern mouth of the Tunnel a few years before the changes took place. Additional notes, including a photograph taken farther from the tunnel mouth, can be found on page 12. [Cumbrian Railways Association Wilson-Mitchell Collection]

Back cover: A handbill with a difference this time. As will be seen from the annotations, it is actually a proof copy advertising Thos. Cook & Son inclusive excursions from stations in Yorkshire to London in 1898. The back, which gives full details about the excursions and what is offered, is illustrated the inside front cover. Similar handbills are known for other parts of Britain and are also listed inside. [G. Waite collection]

  • Early accidents on the Midland Railway; 1848 (part 2) / Chris Rouse
  • Some thoughts on James Allport as a technical railwayman / Roger Brettle
  • Special stops at Chiltern Green / Glynn Waite, Lawrence Knighton
  • Bugsworth Tunnel / Glynn Waite
  • John Knowles / Philip Cousins
  • Locomotive aesthetics / Jack Braithwaite
  • The accident at Elstree, 22nd July 1874 / Geoff Goslin
  • Discipline / Glyn Waite
  • More Cook's proof handbills
  • Query corner
    • New query 43 : the end of a station platform
    • New query 44 : postcards issued at Midland hotels