Transport
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[edit] Alfreton Transport
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History
Alfreton Railway Station - a short history'
Coal was the motivation for the Erewash Valley line. The advantage gained by the collieries of the Leicester coal field as a result of the building of the Leicester and Swannington Railway precipitated the meeting of local coal owners in the Sun public house at Eastwood. At that meeting, the roots of the Midland Railway Company, it was decided to build a railway from the Erewash Valley to Leicester in order to give access to Leicester for the Eastwood area collieries. At that meeting it was decided to construct a line from Leicester via Trent to Pinxton. The Bill came before Parliament in 1837 but was killed due to the opposition of the canal companies and George Stephenson. A second attempt was made by the presentation of a second Bill in 1845 which proposed a line from Trent through the Erewash valley to Pye Bridge where one branch would go to Pinxton to connect with the Pinxton and Mansfield Railway and the other would continue through Alfreton to Clay Cross to Join the North Midland Railway. This Bill was supported by Stephenson and an Act was obtained in 1845. The after effects of the “Railway Mania” resulted in the Company not being able to raise sufficient capital and the line was terminated at Birchwood Sidings some 71/2 miles short of Clay Cross. A passenger service was run from Derby and Nottingham to Mansfield with Pye Bridge (for Alfreton) appearing in the timetable. (see below) As public confidence in railways increased and the smaller railways consolidated, capital became available and the Midland Railway initiated the boring of Cotes Park Tunnel, half a mile south of what is Alfreton station. In January 1862 the tunnel was open to traffic and the Erewash Valley Line became part of the Midland Main Line to Leeds. The passenger service commenced on the 12th May 1862 with one train in each direction.
For more more information and pictures visit www.alfretonrailwaystation.co.uk or www.wagonplate9.co.uk
Location, Directions, Map
References
Alfreton Railway Station, Alfreton Bus Station, Midland Railway
Groups and Organisations of note
Famous People
Internal Links
External Links
Misc
