Journal 40 — Summer 2009

Table of Contents

  • Derby ‘A’ Box — Part 2: Derby Station Working 1958–59 / By Garth Ponsonby
  • A Fall from the Footplate at 60 mph [an extract from Bristol Evening World newspaper, 5th June 1936.]
  • Centre Spread: Derby Station North Signal Bridge, June 1903 / By David Harris
  • Midland Electrification — 2: Abortive plans for the Bedford — St. Pancras main line / By Ian Howard
  • An Ex-Derby Engine Driver Murdered [an extract from the Derbyshire Advertiser 23rd November 1894.]
  • Costing the Bedford — St. Pancras Electrification: why Langdon's estimate were too small / By Ian Howard
  • A Pen Portrait of Mr. Langdon / By George Pratt
  • Locomotive Aesthetics / By Jack Braithwaite
  • Query Corner
  • Comments on Items in Previous Journals
  • Front cover

    Front cover

    This lovely picture of a classic early-20th century English scene is, in fact, a photograph of a number of players and spectators relaxing outside the pavilion of Duffield cricket club. The object of Midland Railway interest is the pavilion, with walls and roof made from standard Midland Railway signal box components. One presumes that these were recycled from a redundant signal box, but we know nothing, at the moment, about the story behind this picture.

    Peter Witts points out that the cricket club was in Eyes Meadow that is just to the east of Duffield Junction. The 1901 6-inch OS map shows a pavilion at the northern-most tip of the boundary of the cricket field. The 1914 25-inch map has an additional pavilion on its eastern-most boundary. Both pavilions are shown on the 1938 6-inch map. ‘Google Earth’ shows a pavilion at the north end backed by trees on the perimeter behind. However there is now no trace of a building of any sort on the eastern boundary and there are far fewer trees on this side.

    I have made measurements on the 1:2500 OS map of the area and these show the pavilion to be rectangular, of size 10.5 by 4.5 metres, or 34ft. 6in. by 14ft. 6in., all very approximate. How do these compare with the standard sizes of Midland signalbox panels?

    [Allan Budd collection]

  • Rear cover

    Rear cover

    This notice of 1897 about attaching vehicles to passenger trains at the goods station at Belper is unusual in its insistence and complexity. I suspect that it was issued following some accident or other incident at Belper that needed this sort of remedial action. Does anyone have any more information about this?

    [Ian Howard collection]