Journal 64 — Spring 2017

Table of Contents

  • In the Beginning — The Foundations of Midland Locomotive Stock Part 1: The Constituent Companies
  • Foreigners
  • Railway Operation of the 1840s
  • Alterations at Masborough Station, 1844
  • The Chevet Tunnel and its Removal
  • The Lenton Accident of 1844
  • North Staffordshire Railway Trains at Derby
  • Query Corner
  • Comments on Items in Previous Journals
  • Plan of Nottingham’s New Station, 1904
  • Front cover

    Front cover

    Our cover picture is a foretaste to Dave Hunt’s article on the Midland’s early locomotive stock, including those inherited from the constituent companies and from those taken over early in its history. Denys Brindley’s painting was commissioned by Jim Perkins, co-author of the three-volume series The Midland Railway in Nottingham, and shows the MCR engine house at Nottingham in 1839. Bury 2–2--0 Tiger is seen at the left of the engine house whilst, on the right, are depicted 0–4--2 Fox built by Jones, Turner & Evans, which was originally a contractor’s engine used during the line’s construction and later bought by the MCR, and the Butterley Co.'s. 2–2--2 Hercules. All three had been withdrawn by 1847.

    The fencing in the background of the picture was the boundary to the ‘Locomotive Road’, by which passengers reached the station before the Carrington Street bridge was built, on the other side of which was the Nottingham Canal owned by the Ambergate Co. that was later absorbed by the GNR. Note also the stone blocks on which the track was laid — some of these blocks still exist.

    [Jim Perkins collection]

  • Rear cover

    Rear cover

    In an attempt to keep to our general theme of ‘Early Midland’ our back cover reproduces the earliest Midland Railway advertisement of services that I have been able to find. The trip was to London on 22nd July 1844 with a return either on the 27th or two days later. It was printed in The Bradford Observer; and Halifax, Huddersfield, and Keighley Reporter of Thursday, 11th July 1844.

    This Midland excursion was just two months or so after the formation of the Midland Railway on 10th May 1844 by the merger of the three constituents, the North Midland, the Midland Counties and the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railways. Note the absence of third class and the expensive fares compared with, say, an ordinary workman’s weekly wage. Despite the apparent misprint on the bottom line the date at which the advertisement was issued from Mr. Bell’s office was 8th June 1844, the print of the second ‘4’ being rather light and most of it then disappearing during the scan from the newspaper.