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Tag Archives: Railroads
Some Early Lines, Old Railway Companies, The Ashby and Nuneaton Joint Railway
Some Early Lines
Old Railway Companies
Ashby & Nuneaton Joint Railway
The Ashby & Nuneaton Joint Railway was the only joint MR/L&NWR project. Market Bosworth station, now used as a garage, was, at this time, also the southern limit of the Battlefield Line, which aimed to extend along the track-bed beyond the station towards Shenton and Bosworth battlefield.
The London & North Western Railway proposed a line from Ashby to Nuneaton via Market Bosworth in conjunction with the Nuneaton – Wigston line opened in 1864, but the Midland Railway had already obtained powers for an identical line in 1846, which had lapsed at the time of the purchase of the Leicester & Swannington Railway. Now, however, it revived the plans the result being a joint project, authorised on 1 September 1873, was worked by both partners, becoming part on the London, Midland & Scottish Railway in 1923. Three miles of track-bed between Shackerstone and Market Bosworth are now part of the preserved ‘Battlefield Line’.
Midland Railway train behind 0-4-4 tank No. 2081 at Market Bosworth in around 1905
http://spellerweb.net
The Battlefield Line is the last remaining part of the former Ashby and Nuneaton Joint Railway which was opened in 1873. It runs from Shackerstone via Market Bosworth to Shenton in Leicestershire and is operated by the Shackerstone Railway Society.
Shackerstone Station is at the northern end of the line, and is the headquarters of the railway with museum, Victorian tea room souvenir shop, loco shed and main rolling stock located here. There is ample free parking, and the Ashby Canal is just a stones throw away.
Our remarkable railway captures the very essence of a country line, with steam, diesel and railcar train services along with small stations meandering along a single track line. It really does convey something of the feeling and atmosphere of heady days past.
For anyone who retains a sense of nostalgia for times gone by, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at this place – one of Leicestershire’s best kept secrets, not just a train ride but a journey into history as well.
Railways in Preservation in the 1980s & 1990s, Churnet Valley Railway, December 1993
Railways in Preservation in the 1980s & 1990s
Churnet Valley Railway, December 1993
Knotty Unveils 3- Stage Plan
Churnet Valley Railway, at the dawn of turning a 20-year dream into reality in North Staffordshire, have revealed their operational timetable.
A Light Railway Order application was lodged nearly a year ago which has generated only a limited number of objections.
Now the ‘Knotty’ have identified three distinct stages of development.
2014 – Hasn’t the Knotty done well??!!
Some Early Lines, Old Railway Companies, Alloa Railway
Some Early Lines
Old Railway Companies
Alloa Railway
Authorised on 11 August 1879, this 3-mile branch ran from the Caledonian Railway’s South Alloa branch, across the river Forth to Alloa. The Caledonian Railway paid for the line, absorbing the Company with effect from 1 September 1884, the Act (14 July) also authorising extension. The line opened on 1 October 1885 – the North British Railway had running powers.
A glassy River Forth and a line of bridge stanchions, reflecting, perhaps, on times past. They once carried the Alloa Railway to the industrial town on the north bank.
The Alloa railway was connected to the Stirling and Dunfermline Railway by a connecting line from Longcarse Junction built by the North British Railway in exchange for reciprocal running powers.
British Railways added a second connection from Longcarse Junction to Alloa Marshalling Yard (parallel with the S&D line) in 1957. This made the turntable at Alloa passenger station redundant.
Alloa Swing Bridge
The swing bridge across the Forth was opened on 1 October 1885. It was subsequently closed twice due to storm damage in 1904/5 and 1920/1.

Old Alloa Station – early 1900s
http://www.scot-rail.co.uk
Steam Railways in Preservation in the 1980s-90s, From Dec 17 1993, Glocestershire Warwickshire Railway
Steam Railways in Preservation in the 1980s-90s – From Dec 17 1993
Glocestershire Warwickshire Railway
GWR will be a mile longer before Easter
The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway will be at least one mile longer when it opens at Easter for the start of its tenth season, Chairman Richard Johnson has pledged in his annual report.
Following a terrifically successful season which has seen the GWR’s membership top 2,000 and a record number of services attract an extra 20% of passengers, Mr. Johnson says that they will be nearer to Cheltenham Racecourse in 1994.
He commented, in the latest edition of the GWR ‘Cornishman’ magazine: ‘The news of the track extension is that the plc Board have had a definite commitment from the Permanent Way Department that an extension of at least one mile will be open by Easter next year.
‘The majority of track is laid and ballast is clean and ready.’
‘The longer our line gets, the more we must ensure that we are able to maintain what we have. The creeping vegetation along the line needs to be kept at bay and those infernal weeds in the track need to be removed once and for all – not just from the running line but also from the yards and sidings. It is one area where we have consistently let ourselves down over the last two years.’
He added that the visit of the ‘Flying Scotsman’ had demonstrated once again that ‘star’ locos do undoubtedly bring in the crowds.
‘A building able to house a number of such locos on a secure and permanent basis will increase our profile yet higher… the endless debate is whether or not available funds should go towards it, or to further track extensions.
‘There is no right answer, both are important.’
The spring season at the GWR will open on a high note with the return of ex-Great Western Hall Class loco ‘Burton Agnes Hall’.
Some Early Lines, Old Railway Companies, Aberdeen Railway
Some Early Lines
Old Railway Companies
Aberdeen Railway

Aberdeen, Gateway to Royal Deeside. LNER/LMS Vintage Travel posters http://www.travelpostersonline.com Frank H.Mason
The Aberdeen Railway was a railway that ran mainly along the North East coast of Scotland south from Aberdeen to Guthrie on the Arbroath and Forfar Railway. There were branches to Montrose and Brechin.
The sidings and railway lines Aberdeen railway station
View taken from near the top of College Street car park. The station itself is off to the bottom left of the photo.
Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved] © Copyright Lizzie and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Incorporated on 31 July 1845 for a line from Guthrie (Arbroath and Forfar Railway) to Aberdeen, with branches to Brechin and Montrose, it was promoted by Great North of Scotland Railway supporters, who arranged for amalgamation should it be thought appropriate. However, by the time half the capital was paid up and spent, the Companies had drawn apart. It was worked by the Scottish Central Railway between 12 May 1851 and31 July 1854, and the Company amalgamated with the Scottish Midland Junction Railway on 29 July 1856 to form the Scottish North Eastern Railway, connecting Perth to Aberdeen. This latter company was absorbed by the Caledonian Railway on 10 August 1866, which in turn became part of the LMS on 1 July 1923.
Openings
1 February 1848 – Guthrie (Arbroath and Forfar Railway) to Montrose
1 November 1849 – Dubton to Portlethen
1 April 1850 – Portlethen to Aberdeen Ferryhill
2 August 1853 – Aberdeen Ferryhill to Aberdeen Guild Street
The station currently standing was built as Aberdeen Joint Station between 1913–16, replacing an 1867 structure of the same name, on the same site. The station and the new Denburn Valley Line enabled the main line from the south and the commuter line from Deeside to connect
with the line from the north. The lines from the south had previously terminated at the adjacent Aberdeen Guild Street. Even this had not been Aberdeen’s first railway station, that distinction belonging to a previous terminus a short way south at Ferryhill. After the construction of the Joint Station, Guild Street Station became a goods station. Some of its tracks remain, but the vast majority of the site was cleared in 2005.
This image was taken from the Geograph project collection. See this photograph’s page on the Geograph website for the photographer’s contact details. The copyright on this image is owned by Stanley Howe and is licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.
USA Railways – From Railroad Glory Days
USA Railways
From Railroad Glory Days
Railroad Glory Days
It has been a long time since Denver had a visit from Union Pacific 3985.
Railroad Glory Days
Denver actually has two remaining railroad stations: the well known Union Station, and the long disused Moffat Station shown here in a photo taken yesterday.
Moffat Station was the Denver terminus of David Halliday Moffat’s Denver, Northwestern and Pacific Railroad. This railroad was a latecomer to Denver — construction begun in 1904. It was projected to be the short route between Denver and Salt Lake City. Although the railroad never achieved Moffat’s (1839 – 1911) goal,ending a Craig, it survived long enough to be absorbed into the Denver & Rio Grande Western in 1947.
The station, designed by Edwin Moorman, is said to be predominantly Georgian Revival architecture and was opened to business in 1906. It has been redeveloped for a new use among overwhelming, larger new buildings that constitute Denver’s burgeoning LoDo neighborhood.
Much more about Denver architecture at http://RailroadGloryDays.com/GhostBldgs