Derby Friargate railway station
Encyclopedia
Derby Friargate Station was the main station in Derby on the Great Northern Railway Derbyshire Extension popularly known as the (Derby) Friargate Line.
Today little remains of the station except Andrew Handyside & Co
's bridge over Friargate. Although the remaining arches attached to the south side of Friargate bridge on the right side reveal a boarded-up arch, the inside of which contains the original staircase to the central island platforms. Now vanished is the canopy that provided passenger access to the station, which was situated directly adjacent to the boarded-up arch. It is now impossible to access this from below or from the boarded-up recess where the staircase ascended to the platforms.
over a steeped bridge taking the line under Uttoxeter
Old Road. The main line and sidings are now an industrial estate.
From here the route approaches the site now occupied by Sainsbury's and there are still some signs of the existence of the old railway, such as a disused bridge over where the line once stood. Further along and a bridge carrying the old Kingsway part of Derby outer ring road can be observed, although today it only carries a little used pavement.
Next the line crosses the line of the A38
and climbs through a deep cutting to a summit at Mickleover tunnel. Neither end of the 464-yard tunnel is visible, having been hidden beneath spoil since 1982. For further information about the route of the line and its history see Great Northern Railway's Derbyshire Extension.
An on-line petition was set up for people to show their support for getting the council to restore the bridge. The bridge was sold by British Rail to Derby City Council for a pound in the 1960s. The transaction was carried out on the promise that the bridge should be maintained in good condition in perpetuity.
song "Underneath the Arches
" may be about the bridge. According to a TV programme broadcast in 1957, Bud Flanagan said that he wrote the song in Derby
in 1927, and first performed it a week later at the Pier Pavilion, Southport
.
History
Friargate Bridge
Andrew Handyside
Andrew Handyside and Company was an iron founder in Derby, England in the nineteenth century.-Biography:Born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1805, Handyside worked in his uncle Charles Baird's engineering business in St. Petersburg before taking over the Brittania Foundry in 1848...
's bridge over Friargate. Although the remaining arches attached to the south side of Friargate bridge on the right side reveal a boarded-up arch, the inside of which contains the original staircase to the central island platforms. Now vanished is the canopy that provided passenger access to the station, which was situated directly adjacent to the boarded-up arch. It is now impossible to access this from below or from the boarded-up recess where the staircase ascended to the platforms.
Station site
It is possible to walk the old station site and to inspect Handyside's bridge, although the crossing has been fenced off for safety reasons. The old route of the line was towards MickleoverMickleover
Mickleover is a suburb located two miles west of the city centre and is the most westerly suburb of the City of Derby in the United Kingdom.-History:...
over a steeped bridge taking the line under Uttoxeter
Uttoxeter
Uttoxeter is a historic market town in Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. The current population is approximately 13,711, though new developments in the town will increase this figure. Uttoxeter lies close to the River Dove and is near the cities of Stoke-on-Trent, Derby and...
Old Road. The main line and sidings are now an industrial estate.
From here the route approaches the site now occupied by Sainsbury's and there are still some signs of the existence of the old railway, such as a disused bridge over where the line once stood. Further along and a bridge carrying the old Kingsway part of Derby outer ring road can be observed, although today it only carries a little used pavement.
Next the line crosses the line of the A38
A38 road
The A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...
and climbs through a deep cutting to a summit at Mickleover tunnel. Neither end of the 464-yard tunnel is visible, having been hidden beneath spoil since 1982. For further information about the route of the line and its history see Great Northern Railway's Derbyshire Extension.
Friar Gate Bridge Restoration
In late 2007 many members of the public and people with local businesses near Friar Gate railway bridge have noticed the poor state of maintenance of the bridge. Several letters appeared in the local paper about this issue.An on-line petition was set up for people to show their support for getting the council to restore the bridge. The bridge was sold by British Rail to Derby City Council for a pound in the 1960s. The transaction was carried out on the promise that the bridge should be maintained in good condition in perpetuity.
Memories of Friargate Station
Published in 1998, the book Memories of Friargate Station by local author Susan Bourne, chronicles the station from its early days until its demolition. It also looks at the people who worked there."Underneath the Arches"
The Flanagan and AllenFlanagan and Allen
Flanagan and Allen were a British singing and comedy double act popular during World War II. Its members were Bud Flanagan and Chesney Allen...
song "Underneath the Arches
Underneath the Arches (song)
"Underneath the Arches" is a 1931 popular song with words and music by Bud Flanagan, and additional lyrics by Reg Connelly. It was one of the most famous songs of the duo Flanagan and Allen....
" may be about the bridge. According to a TV programme broadcast in 1957, Bud Flanagan said that he wrote the song in 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...
in 1927, and first performed it a week later at the Pier Pavilion, Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
.