Midland Railway Ripley Branch
Encyclopedia
The Midland Railway Ripley Branch connected Derby
to Ripley
in Derbyshire
, England
running from Little Eaton
Junction on the Midland Railway
line to Leeds
.
to Ripley, had been the site of a number of collieries and ironstone workings. They were situated around Denby
particularly, and there were also busy potteries
. Improved transport links widened their market. Those workings to the north of Ripley were catered for, from 1794, by the Cromford Canal
. When the Derby Canal was built, it extended northwards to Little Eaton from where was built the Little Eaton Gangway
in 1795, to cater for the area to the south, particularly its trade with Derby.
In 1830 the committee overseeing the gangway met to discuss the possibility of upgrading the line to utilise steam engines from Smithy Houses along the track of the gangway and the northern arm of the canal to Chester Green
in Derby. George Stephenson
reported on the idea but recommended that a completely new line should be built with the original continuing to operate.
Neither plan was adopted, but in 1847 the Midland Railway deposited plans for a branch at Little Eaton from its main line, with feeder lines from collieries at Marehay and White Lee (or Whiteley) to the south of Waingroves
.
There then followed a hiatus while work continued, but extended time was needed to complete purchasing land and completing the work, for which Parliamentary permission was granted in 1851. The line was finally opened for freight as far as Ripley in September 1855.
However Board of Trade
approval was still needed for passenger traffic, and a report was submitted by its inspector, Captain Tyler, in December. Opening to the public was postponed and, on 9th. January, another inspector, Colonel Wynn provided a report. Captain Tyler reported again on 7 February and a third time on 4th. March. Presumably, all this time, the line was recovering its investment by carrying coal and other minerals. The Midland was clearly aiming to provide the minimum of infrastructure, and the Colonel reported in April, twice in May, in June and July. Finally, on 20th. of August, the Captain was satisfied, having been told that the line would be worked "one engine in steam." The first passenger train to Ripley ran on 1st. September, 1856. The gangway continued to operate until July 1908.
This area of Derbyshire had been important for ironworking since Norman
times, and the use of charcoal for smelting was being superseded by coal. Both of these were very close to the surface and could extracted using drift mines
or bell pit
s. The ruins of two furnaces opened at Morley Park
are visible today from the A38
. As the market increased deeper pits were dug to exploit what became known as the "Kilburn seam."
Coal traffic was such that, in 1903, Kilburn Colliery siding was extended to form a double track as far as Denby. Here, Kelly's Directory for 1891 notes: "Denby is noted for its extensive collieries, the property of William N. Drury- Lowe esq.
; here also are large blast furnaces for the production of pig iron, belonging to the Denby Iron and Coal Co. Limited. There is a large pottery and extensive brick and tile works. The locality produces also ironstone, cement and brick earth."
In fact the ironstone in the area was of low quality, and the coal more suited for domestic use. After a while, therefore, they were imported from elsewhere. Foundry sand was also brought in from Mansfield
. Meanwhile the railway carried exports of house coal, pig iron and pottery from W&J Slater and the Denby Pottery
. Towards Ripley, Denby Hall Colliery, the largest of all, was opened by the Butterley Company
.
In January 1906, trials were carried out with a railmotor
on the Wirksworth Branch
. On the first of March, the service was provided both to Melbourne
and once a day to Ripley. The railmotors did not prove as successful as expected and the service finished at the beginning of the World War I. However until the end there were five trains a day from Derby to Ripley and six return, with an extra train on Tuesdays and Fridays and Saturdays, plus a return trip on Sunday evening which was also the milk train. Competition came from the Trent
buses service number 1, from Derby to Alfreton
which ran near to the line over almost all its length, and the rail passenger service finished in 1930.
The line remained in use to serve a coal washing plant at Denby into the late Twentieth Century. After some time out of use, in 2011 there was an abortive scheme to reopnen it. However, the track was lifted in July-August.
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...
to 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....
in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
running from Little Eaton
Little Eaton
Little Eaton is a village in the English county of Derbyshire. The name originated from Anglo Saxon times and means the little town by the water....
Junction on 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....
line 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...
.
Origin
In the late eighteenth century the valley running from the Derwent ValleyRiver 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....
to Ripley, had been the site of a number of collieries and ironstone workings. They were situated around Denby
Denby
Denby is a village in the English county of Derbyshire that is notable as the birthplace of John Flamsteed, England's first Royal Astronomer, and the location of the Denby Pottery Company....
particularly, and there were also busy potteries
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
. Improved transport links widened their market. Those workings to the north of Ripley were catered for, from 1794, by the Cromford Canal
Cromford Canal
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....
. When the Derby Canal was built, it extended northwards to Little Eaton from where was built the Little Eaton Gangway
Little Eaton Gangway
The Little Eaton Gangway, or, to give it its official title, the Derby Canal Railway, was a narrow gauge industrial wagonway serving the Derby Canal, in England, at Little Eaton in Derbyshire.- The Derby Canal :...
in 1795, to cater for the area to the south, particularly its trade with Derby.
In 1830 the committee overseeing the gangway met to discuss the possibility of upgrading the line to utilise steam engines from Smithy Houses along the track of the gangway and the northern arm of the canal to Chester Green
Little Chester
Little Chester, or Chester Green as it is often referred to by locals, is a suburb of the city of Derby, in Derbyshire, England, located directly north of the city centre...
in Derby. George Stephenson
George Stephenson
George Stephenson was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives...
reported on the idea but recommended that a completely new line should be built with the original continuing to operate.
Neither plan was adopted, but in 1847 the Midland Railway deposited plans for a branch at Little Eaton from its main line, with feeder lines from collieries at Marehay and White Lee (or Whiteley) to the south of Waingroves
Waingroves
Waingroves is a small village in the Amber Valley district of Derbyshire, approximately two miles away from the town of Ripley. In woodland to the south of the village, there are remains of a Colliery site....
.
Construction
The Midland Railway (Ripley Branches) Act was passed on the 22nd. July 1848 and, by August, a spur from the main line reached the quarries at Little Eaton.There then followed a hiatus while work continued, but extended time was needed to complete purchasing land and completing the work, for which Parliamentary permission was granted in 1851. The line was finally opened for freight as far as Ripley in September 1855.
However Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
approval was still needed for passenger traffic, and a report was submitted by its inspector, Captain Tyler, in December. Opening to the public was postponed and, on 9th. January, another inspector, Colonel Wynn provided a report. Captain Tyler reported again on 7 February and a third time on 4th. March. Presumably, all this time, the line was recovering its investment by carrying coal and other minerals. The Midland was clearly aiming to provide the minimum of infrastructure, and the Colonel reported in April, twice in May, in June and July. Finally, on 20th. of August, the Captain was satisfied, having been told that the line would be worked "one engine in steam." The first passenger train to Ripley ran on 1st. September, 1856. The gangway continued to operate until July 1908.
Operation
Around Little Eaton there were a number of manufacturers, such as potteries, Dowding's paper mill and small quarries. Meanwhile the valley was a prolific agricultural area, exporting its produce to Derby and beyond, partculary from Coxbench.This area of Derbyshire had been important for ironworking since Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
times, and the use of charcoal for smelting was being superseded by coal. Both of these were very close to the surface and could extracted using drift mines
Drift mining
Drift mining is either the mining of a placer deposit by underground methods, or the working of coal seams accessed by adits driven into the surface outcrop of the coal bed. Drift is a more general mining term, meaning a near-horizontal passageway in a mine, following the bed or vein of ore. A...
or bell pit
Bell pit
A bell pit is a primitive method of mining coal, iron ore or other minerals where the coal or ore lies near the surface.. A shaft is sunk to reach the mineral which is excavated by miners transported to the surface by a winch and removed by means of a bucket, much like a well. It gets its name...
s. The ruins of two furnaces opened at Morley Park
Morley Park
Morley Park is an area within the parish of Ripley in the English county of Derbyshire, north of Derby. It is about five miles north of the village of Morley itself.At the Norman Conquest it was within the wapentake of Morleyston...
are visible today from 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,...
. As the market increased deeper pits were dug to exploit what became known as the "Kilburn seam."
Coal traffic was such that, in 1903, Kilburn Colliery siding was extended to form a double track as far as Denby. Here, Kelly's Directory for 1891 notes: "Denby is noted for its extensive collieries, the property of William N. Drury- Lowe esq.
William Drury Lowe
William Drury-Lowe was an English landowner who inherited the Locko Park lands and became a High Sheriff of Derbyshire.-Biography:...
; here also are large blast furnaces for the production of pig iron, belonging to the Denby Iron and Coal Co. Limited. There is a large pottery and extensive brick and tile works. The locality produces also ironstone, cement and brick earth."
In fact the ironstone in the area was of low quality, and the coal more suited for domestic use. After a while, therefore, they were imported from elsewhere. Foundry sand was also brought in from Mansfield
Mansfield
Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the main town in the Mansfield local government district. Mansfield is a part of the Mansfield Urban Area....
. Meanwhile the railway carried exports of house coal, pig iron and pottery from W&J Slater and the Denby Pottery
Denby Pottery Company
Denby Pottery Company Ltd is a British manufacturer of pottery, and is named after the village of Denby in Derbyshire.-History:The pottery at Denby was founded on the estate of William Drury-Lowe in 1809 as a manufacturer of stoneware bottles. It was run by Joseph Jager in partnership with Robert...
. Towards Ripley, Denby Hall Colliery, the largest of all, was opened by 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:...
.
Later history
It would seem that it was freight that provided the Midland's main income from the line. Initially three passenger trains were provided daily (except Sunday) in each direction. By 1903 this had increased to five, and they continued via Langley Mill to Mansfield.In January 1906, trials were carried out with a railmotor
Railmotor
Railmotor is a term which was used by several British railway companies for a steam railcar.-Overview:William Bridges Adams started building railmotors as early as 1848, but only in small numbers...
on the Wirksworth Branch
Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway is a long heritage railway in Derbyshire, the headquarters of the railway centre around Wirksworth station and services operate between Wirksworth and Duffield and Wirksworth and Ravenstor...
. On the first of March, the service was provided both to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and once a day to Ripley. The railmotors did not prove as successful as expected and the service finished at the beginning of the World War I. However until the end there were five trains a day from Derby to Ripley and six return, with an extra train on Tuesdays and Fridays and Saturdays, plus a return trip on Sunday evening which was also the milk train. Competition came from the Trent
Trent Barton
Trent Barton is one of the very small number of significant independent bus operators in the United Kingdom. It was formed as the result of merging Derbyshire's Trent Buses with Nottinghamshire's Barton Transport....
buses service number 1, from Derby to Alfreton
Alfreton
Alfreton is a town and civil parish in Amber Valley, Derbyshire, England, adjoining the Bolsover and North East Derbyshire districts. It was formerly a Norman Manor and later an Urban District. The population of the Alfreton Ward was 7,928 at the 2001 Census...
which ran near to the line over almost all its length, and the rail passenger service finished in 1930.
The line remained in use to serve a coal washing plant at Denby into the late Twentieth Century. After some time out of use, in 2011 there was an abortive scheme to reopnen it. However, the track was lifted in July-August.