Ambergate–Pye Bridge Line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Ambergate–Pye Bridge line is a partially opened and closed railway line in Derbyshire, England. It was a short east–west line linking the Midland Main Line with the Erewash Valley line. The line was opened by the Midland Railway to freight on 1 February 1875, and to passenger trains on 1 May 1875. The Midland was grouped into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) in 1923.
The line, which was double track, started from the Midland Main Line north of Ambergate railway station at Crich Junction ( 53°3′50.00″N1°23′2.00″W / 53.0638889°N 1.3838889°W ) and proceeded through Sawmills, Butterley (where there was a station), Swanwick (where the Swanwick Colliery branch diverged). At its eastern end, it connected to the Erewash Valley line via a triangular junction known as Riddings Junction (with the three points being Riddings Junction, Ironville Junction and Codnor Park Junction). Pye Bridge railway station on the Erewash Valley line was just to the north of this triangle. At this point, the two sides of the triangle cross the River Erewash, meaning that a very small section of the line is actually in Nottinghamshire.
Passenger services were withdrawn on 16 June 1947, just prior to the line passing into British Railways ownership. BR withdrew freight from the line on 23 December 1968, as a result of the Beeching Axe. [1]
Today, the line is preserved and used partially by the Midland Railway – Butterley between Hammersmith and Ironville Junction, while on the western section a road has been built on the same alignment.
The MR-B aims to extend the route of the preserved railway into Pye Bridge within the foreseeable future.
The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844. The Midland was one of the largest railway companies in Britain in the early 20th century, and the largest employer in Derby, where it had its headquarters. It amalgamated with several other railways to create the London, Midland and Scottish Railway at grouping in 1922.
The Cromford Canal ran 14.5 miles from Cromford to the Erewash Canal in Derbyshire, England with a branch to Pinxton. Built by William Jessop with the assistance of Benjamin Outram, its alignment included four tunnels and 14 locks.
The Midland Railway – Butterley is a heritage railway at Butterley, near Ripley in Derbyshire.
The Derwent Valley line is a railway line from Derby to Matlock in Derbyshire.
Ambergate railway station is a railway station owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Railway. It serves the village of Ambergate in Derbyshire, England. The station is located on the Derwent Valley Line from Derby to Matlock, which diverges from the Midland Main Line just south of the station at Ambergate Junction.
Ironville in Derbyshire, England, was built about 1830 by the Butterley Company as a "model village" to house its workers. The population of the civil parish was 1,851 at the 2011 Census. It is situated between Riddings and Codnor Park.
The Derbyshire and Staffordshire extension of the Great Northern Railway was an English railway network built by the GNR to get access to coal resources in the area to the north and west of Nottingham. The Midland Railway had obstructed the GNR in its attempts to secure a share of the lucrative business of transporting coal from the area, and in frustration the GNR built the line. The line was forked: it reached Pinxton in 1875 and a junction with the North Staffordshire Railway at Egginton, approaching Burton on Trent in 1878. The line cut through Derby, resulting in considerable demolition of housing there.
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.
Trent railway station was situated near Long Eaton in Derbyshire at the junction of the Midland Railway line from London to Derby and Nottingham. It was unusual in that it did not serve any community, being simply an interchange. Forty years following closure, East Midlands Parkway railway station was opened for functionally similar purposes.
The Ambergate, Nottingham, Boston and Eastern Junction Railway was a British railway company, which hoped to connect Lancashire with the port of Boston, in Lincolnshire. It was authorised in 1846 but was unable to raise much money. It opened a standard gauge line from a junction near Nottingham to Grantham in 1853. At Nottingham it was to rely on the Midland Railway, but that company was hostile and obstructive.
Codnor Park and Selston railway station was a former railway station to serve the villages of Codnor Park and Selston on the border between Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire and was actually in Jacksdale. In some timetables it was listed as Codnor Park and Selston for Ironville and Jacksdale.
Pinxton South railway station was a former railway station that served Pinxton, Derbyshire; the station site lies within the parish of Selston, Nottinghamshire. It was opened by the Great Northern Railway as "Pinxton" on its Derbyshire Extension in 1875-6 In some timetables it was listed as "Pinxton for South Normanton". It was renamed "Pinxton South" in January 1954.
Butterley railway station is a preserved railway station on the Heritage Midland Railway - Butterley in Derbyshire.
Swanwick Junction railway station is a heritage railway station situated on the former Ambergate to Pye Bridge Line which closed in 1968, but has been partially reopened by the Midland Railway - Butterley. Despite the station's name it is some distance from Swanwick.
Hammersmith railway station is a heritage railway station on the Midland Railway - Butterley in Derbyshire.
Langley Mill railway station was a railway station which served the town of Langley Mill in Derbyshire, England. It was opened in 1895 by the Midland Railway on its branch between Heanor Junction on the Erewash Valley Line and Ripley.
Crosshill and Codnor railway station was a railway station which served the villages of Crosshill and Codnor in Derbyshire, England It was opened in 1890 by the Midland Railway on its branch between Langley Mill on the Erewash Valley Line and Ripley
Heanor railway station was a railway station which served the town of Heanor in Derbyshire, England. It was opened in 1890 by the Midland Railway on its branch between Langley Mill (Branch) railway station on the Erewash Valley Line and Ripley
Ripley railway station was a railway station which served the town of Ripley in Derbyshire, England. It was opened in 1856 by the Midland Railway on its Ripley branch from Little Eaton Junction, approximately 3 miles north of Derby. In 1890 it became the terminus of a line from Heanor Junction on the Erewash Valley Line near Langley Mill.
Pye Bridge railway station served the village of Pye Bridge, Alfreton, England from 1849 to 1967 on the Erewash Valley Line.
