Erewash Valley Line
Encyclopedia
The Erewash Valley Line is a railway line in Britain running from south of Chesterfield
along the Erewash Valley
to Trent Junction at Long Eaton
, joining the Midland Main Line
at each end.
coalminers had a lucrative trade with Leicester
using the Erewash Canal
, the River Trent
and the Leicester Navigation. The Leicester miners had attempted to compete by building the Charnwood Forest Canal
but this was unsuccessful. However, in 1832, they opened the Leicester and Swannington Railway
.
The Nottinghamshire miners already had a tramway, the Mansfield and Pinxton Railway
. They attempted to raise the funds for a railway to Leicester but found it difficult to attract investors. Their ideas developed into a line linking Nottingham
to Derby
and Leicester
which would carry their coal from the Erewash Valley. This was the beginning of the Midland Counties Railway
, and they attracted the attention of Lancashire
and Yorkshire
financiers. The idea developed further into a connection to the London and Birmingham Railway
at Rugby
. However, a proposed connection from the north of the Erewash to Chesterfield
was its undoing, since it would compete with the North Midland Railway
.
The building of the Midland Counties Railway went ahead without the Erewash Valley Line. However, in 1844, the Midland Railway
was formed through the amalgamation of the North Midland, the Midland Counties and the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
. The Midland almost immediately acquired the "Leicester and Swannington" and the "Mansfield and Pinxton".
Finally in 1844 it built the Erewash Valley line as far as Pinxton
in 1847, with a link to the Butterley Company
's own railway at Codnor Park in 1849. The line was finally completed to Chesterfield in 1862.
It was immediately successful, not only serving the collieries but also the ironworks and brickworks around Ripley
, particularly the Butterley Company. By the end of the century, it was also carrying main-line expresses from London to Leeds
and Settle and Carlisle Line
services to Scotland
, while the main line to Derby served the expresses to Manchester
, and the main line to Nottingham
used the Corby line
from Kettering and ran through the now closed Old Dalby line
diverting near Melton Mowbray
.
.
as part of a £250 million investment in the regions railways has proposed improvements to the junctions at each end, resignalling throughout, and a new East Midlands Control Centre.
As well as renewing the signalling, three junctions at Trowell, Ironville and Codnor Park will be redesigned and rebuilt.
Since the existing Midland Main Line from Derby through the Derwent Valley
has a number of tunnels and cuttings which are listed buildings and it is a World Heritage Area
, it seems that the Erewash line is ripe for expansion. As the new signalling is rolled out, train detection is moving away from the traditional Track circuit
detection of trains to Axle counting
.
Services using this route were diverted via Derby while the work was carried out. Westinghouse Rail Systems engineers installed and tested new signalling equipment along the line, GrantRail Ltd
remodelled Trowell Junction, installed the new Ironville Junction and renewed three miles of track in the Stanton Gate to Trowell area and at Ironville. The closure was also used to rebuild three bridges at Langley Mill, Eastwood and Ilkeston.
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
along the Erewash Valley
Erewash Valley
The Erewash Valley is the valley of the River Erewash on the border of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire as far as the River Trent. It runs along the boundary of the southern end of the Derbyshire hills and the more rolling Nottinghamshire country...
to Trent Junction at Long Eaton
Long Eaton
Long Eaton is a town in Derbyshire, England. It lies just north of the River Trent about southwest of Nottingham and is part of the Nottingham Urban Area...
, joining the Midland Main Line
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
at each end.
History
The Erewash Valley Line has historic, but troubled, origins. At the beginning of the nineteenth century the NottinghamshireNottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
coalminers had a lucrative trade with Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
using the Erewash Canal
Erewash Canal
The Erewash Canal is a broad canal in Derbyshire, England. It runs just under and has 14 locks. The first lock at Langley Bridge is actually part of the Cromford Canal.-Origins:...
, the River Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
and the Leicester Navigation. The Leicester miners had attempted to compete by building the Charnwood Forest Canal
Charnwood Forest Canal
The Charnwood Forest Canal, sometimes known as the "Forest Line of the Leicester Navigation", was opened between Thringstone and Nanpantan, with a further connection to Barrow Hill, near Worthington, in 1794...
but this was unsuccessful. However, in 1832, they opened the Leicester and Swannington Railway
Leicester and Swannington Railway
The Leicester and Swannington Railway was one of England's first railways, being opened on 17 July 1832 to bring coal from collieries in west Leicestershire to Leicester.-Overview:...
.
Mansfield and Pinxton Railway
The Mansfield and Pinxton Railway was an early horse-drawn railway company in the United Kingdom, constructed in 1819 to transport coal between Mansfield and the head of the Pinxton branch of the Cromford Canal and thence by the Erewash Valley and the Trent to Leicester...
. They attempted to raise the funds for a railway to Leicester but found it difficult to attract investors. Their ideas developed into a line linking Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
to Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
and Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
which would carry their coal from the Erewash Valley. This was the beginning of the Midland Counties Railway
Midland Counties Railway
The Midland Counties Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom which existed between 1832 and 1844, connecting Nottingham, Leicester and Derby with Rugby and thence, via the London and Birmingham Railway, to London. The MCR system connected with the North Midland Railway and the...
, and they attracted the attention of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
and Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
financiers. The idea developed further into a connection to the London and Birmingham Railway
London and Birmingham Railway
The London and Birmingham Railway was an early railway company in the United Kingdom from 1833 to 1846, when it became part of the London and North Western Railway ....
at Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
. However, a proposed connection from the north of the Erewash to Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
was its undoing, since it would compete with the North Midland Railway
North Midland Railway
The North Midland Railway was a British railway company, which opened its line from Derby to Rotherham and Leeds in 1840.At Derby it connected with the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station...
.
The building of the Midland Counties Railway went ahead without the Erewash Valley Line. However, in 1844, the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
was formed through the amalgamation of the North Midland, the Midland Counties and the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
The Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway was a British railway company. From Birmingham it connected at Derby with the North Midland Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station...
. The Midland almost immediately acquired the "Leicester and Swannington" and the "Mansfield and Pinxton".
Finally in 1844 it built the Erewash Valley line as far as Pinxton
Pinxton
Pinxton is a village on the eastern boundary of Derbyshire in the Bolsover district, England.In Anglo-Saxon times it was a small agricultural community, thought to have been recorded in the Domesday Book as "Esnotrewic." It is also thought that it was known as "Snodeswic," given by Wulfric Spott to...
in 1847, with a link to the Butterley Company
Butterley Company
Butterley Engineering was an engineering company based in Ripley, Derbyshire. The company was formed from the Butterley Company which began as Benjamin Outram and Company in 1790 and existed until 2009.-Origins:...
's own railway at Codnor Park in 1849. The line was finally completed to Chesterfield in 1862.
It was immediately successful, not only serving the collieries but also the ironworks and brickworks around Ripley
Ripley, Derbyshire
Ripley is a town in the Amber Valley area of Derbyshire in England.- Earliest history :Not much information is available as to when Ripley was founded, but it existed at the time of the Domesday Book, when it was held by a man called Levenot....
, particularly the Butterley Company. By the end of the century, it was also carrying main-line expresses from London to Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and Settle and Carlisle Line
Settle-Carlisle Railway
The Settle–Carlisle Line is a long main railway line in northern England. It is also known as the Settle and Carlisle. It is a part of the National Rail network and was constructed in the 1870s...
services to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, while the main line to Derby served the expresses to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, and the main line to Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
used the Corby line
Oakham to Kettering Line
The Oakham to Kettering Railway Line is a railway line in the East Midlands of England. For many years it was used for mainly for freight traffic, and as an important diversionary route for passenger trains travelling the Midland Main Line as well as for the occasional excursion.Recently, however,...
from Kettering and ran through the now closed Old Dalby line
Old Dalby
Old Dalby is a village in the English county of Leicestershire. It is located to the north-west of Melton Mowbray. It was originally known as "Wold Dalby" or "Dalby on the Wolds".-Village:...
diverting near Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray is a town in the Melton borough of Leicestershire, England. It is to the northeast of Leicester, and southeast of Nottingham...
.
Present day
With the loss of heavy industry in the area, local traffic contracted massively, yet it continues to be the second-busiest freight line in the East MidlandsEast Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
.
- East Midlands TrainsEast Midlands TrainsEast Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
(EMT) uses this route for several of its key business morning and late afternoon services from SheffieldSheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
and Leeds to London. - An EMT inter-urban working also uses part of the line hourly between Nottingham and Chesterfield on the NorwichNorwichNorwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
to LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
service. - Northern RailNorthern RailNorthern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
from December 2008 has operated an hourly Nottingham-Leeds service on the route.
Future
Network RailNetwork Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
as part of a £250 million investment in the regions railways has proposed improvements to the junctions at each end, resignalling throughout, and a new East Midlands Control Centre.
As well as renewing the signalling, three junctions at Trowell, Ironville and Codnor Park will be redesigned and rebuilt.
Since the existing Midland Main Line from Derby through the Derwent Valley
River Derwent, Derbyshire
The Derwent is a river in the county of Derbyshire, England. It is 66 miles long and is a tributary of the River Trent which it joins south of Derby. For half its course, the river flows through the Peak District....
has a number of tunnels and cuttings which are listed buildings and it is a World Heritage Area
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
, it seems that the Erewash line is ripe for expansion. As the new signalling is rolled out, train detection is moving away from the traditional Track circuit
Track circuit
A track circuit is a simple electrical device used to detect the absence of a train on rail tracks, used to inform signallers and control relevant signals.- Principles and operation :...
detection of trains to Axle counting
Axle counter
An axle counter is a device on a railway that detects the passing of a train in lieu of the more common track circuit. A counting head is installed at each end of the section, and as each axle passes the head at the start of the section, a counter increments...
.
- Part 1a - North Erewash (Trowell to Coney Green)
- Part 1b - Tapton (Coney Green to Tapton)
- Part 2a - South Erewash (Toton)
- Part 2b - South Erewash (remainder)
Summer 2007 Engineering Work
Signalling was renewed at a cost of £56 million over a 19-mile stretch between Trowell and Coney Green Junction via Langley Mill and Alfreton. The line was closed from 10 June 2007 until 6 August 2007 while the project was completed.Services using this route were diverted via Derby while the work was carried out. Westinghouse Rail Systems engineers installed and tested new signalling equipment along the line, GrantRail Ltd
GrantRail
VolkerRail is part of VolkerWessels UK, a multi-disciplinary construction and civil engineering group. VolkerRail specialises in providing railway infrastructure services across the UK and Ireland.- History :...
remodelled Trowell Junction, installed the new Ironville Junction and renewed three miles of track in the Stanton Gate to Trowell area and at Ironville. The closure was also used to rebuild three bridges at Langley Mill, Eastwood and Ilkeston.