Obscure railways in Derbys. and Notts
East Midlands oddities
28 February 1976
I’m not certain of the real purpose of this trip (other than a good day out, which it certainly was). I think it was a couple of subterranean Rustons... ...at Doe Lea colliery, just beside junction 27 on the M1 - a small privately-owned drift mine, where two small 2’ gauge diesels had been used underground at some time in the past (one of my colleagues “needed” to see them...). I suspect they’re still there, poor things (locos, not colleagues). No photos from underground, but the surface arrangements were worth a snap or two. Our next call was at Butterley (not, I agree, particularly odd or obscure), where the Midland Railway project was beginning to take shape. Nothing was moving, but there were some interesting items of motive power. We moved on to the White Peak - to DSF Refractories at Friden, which operated a 2’ gauge line to transport clay from the nearby pit into the works. It being Saturday, nothing was moving (this was
becoming the theme for the day), but we were able to photograph the locos, roosting inside the works. Spondon power station, on the east side of Derby, operated an interesting fleet of locomotives, all electrically-powered. The standard gauge locos were of the 4-wheeled steeple- cabbed variety, with pantograph on the cab roof, and a set of batteries for use where there were no wires. There was also a fleet of narrow gauge (2’) battery- electrics built by Wingrove and Rogers. One, “Honest Frank”, had gained steam-outline bodywork. (It goes without saying that nothing moved) I have a faint memory of seeking (finding?) the track of a miniature railway. Where, I have no idea. Didn’t take any photos, so the last few views are of (static) 2’ gauge locomotives (modern Hunslets and an older, out-of-use and derailed Ruston) at the Hoveringham gravel pits at Holme Pierrepoint - a site better known today as the home of the National Water Sports Centre. Photographic notes***
Geoff’s Rail Diaries
44027 - first of the LMS 4Fs - at Butterley Motor-Rail 2024 of 1921 at Butterley 73129 - the Caprotti Std 5 at Butterley Stanton No. 24 crane tank Barclay 1875 of 1925 at Butterley Gladys - the only surviving Markham 109 of 1894 at Butterley No. 158A MR 2-4-0 at Butterley 3' gauge Fowler 2-4-0 diesel of 1935 Butterley Doe Lea Doe Lea Ruston 191658 of 1938 at DSF Friden Ruston 237914 of 1946 at DSF Friden Ruston 191658 of 1938 at DSF Friden Rails in the yard, Friden Wagons in the yard, Friden MR 7191 of 1937 at Friden 2' gauge Hunslets 6681 of 1970 & 7178 of 1971 at Hoveringham Holme Pierrepoint Ruston 370555 of 1953 OOU at Hoveringham Holme Pierrepoint The RH (again) & Hunslet 6692 of 1970 at Hoveringham Holme Pierrepoint WR D6912 of 1964 "Honest Frank" CEGB Spondon No. 3 EE1379 of 1946 OOU at CEGB Spondon No. 1 English Electric E905 of 35 at CEGB Spondon No. 1 English Electric E905 of 35 at CEGB Spondon WR 4wBE at CEGB Spondon
Doe Lea