01:07

Welcome to Railway Forum!
Welcome!

Thank you for finding your way to Railway Forum, a dedicated community for railway and train enthusiasts. There's a variety of forums, a wonderful gallery, and what's more, we are absolutely FREE. You are very welcome to join, take part in the discussion, and post your pictures!

Click here to go to the forums home page and find out more.
Click here to join.


Go Back   Railway Forum > General Railway Discussion > Passenger Operations and Observations

Ripley Branch to be reopened?

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 24th December 2010, 10:02
wyvern's Avatar
wyvern wyvern is offline  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Next to Owd George's last railway
Posts: 605
Ripley Branch to be reopened?

On this mornings East Midlands BBC News a consortium plans to reopen the old Midland Railway branch from Breadsall north of Derby to Ripley to run commuter trains.

Would it be feasible? The trackbed is still intact complete with rails over most of its length but there are eight level crossings over its less than ten mile length - admittedly all except one across minor roads.

It is still, I believe, connected to the main line but only the up goods.

I wonder if it would be possible to go on to Butterley and the Midland Railway Centre.


Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 24th December 2010, 14:54
michaelmark2 michaelmark2 is offline  
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Ripley
Posts: 1
I certainly hope that they do reopen the branch line. I myself live in the town of Ripley. It would be so useful to many people. Those want to go shopping in Derby's Westfield Centre or going to see the rams on a saturday afternoon.
Does anybody know a website which gives more information about the proposition?
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 24th December 2010, 15:15
wyvern's Avatar
wyvern wyvern is offline  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Next to Owd George's last railway
Posts: 605
No. I've been looking but its not even on the BBC website yet.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 25th December 2010, 01:55
saxokid's Avatar
saxokid saxokid is offline  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: wirral
Posts: 438
Images: 171
Sounds good to see branch line being re opened.........
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 30th December 2010, 14:16
Madcaravanner's Avatar
Madcaravanner Madcaravanner is offline  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Chesterfield, Derbyshire
Posts: 977
Images: 140
Quote:
Originally Posted by wyvern View Post
No. I've been looking but its not even on the BBC website yet.
Try looking for the trackbed on Google Earth I can't find any track at all on any route out of Derby except the mainlines North OR any track South from Ripley but found some trackbed and it HAS been built on
__________________
Regards
Gray
The wheelchair Paparazzi

https://www.flickr.com/gp/grays_photos/6P1643
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 30th December 2010, 18:06
wyvern's Avatar
wyvern wyvern is offline  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Next to Owd George's last railway
Posts: 605
It's still shown on Quail as far as Denby and you can see it diverging away from the main line as you travel just north of Derby.

However it is so overgrown that it would be difficult to spot it on Google Earth. Look for level crossings, and on Streetview.

I believe the original Ripley station was in a cutting which has been filled in however. I guess it would have to terminate at Marehay.

North of the station the trackbed I believe is a footpath.

This is how it used to run:
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Capture.JPG (113.0 KB, 16 views)

Last edited by wyvern; 30th December 2010 at 18:15.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 2nd January 2011, 09:18
wyvern's Avatar
wyvern wyvern is offline  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Next to Owd George's last railway
Posts: 605
Have just found this. Although I like the idea, this article seems more than a little fanciful.

Rail News : Proposal-for-new-derbyshire-passenger-line/
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 2nd January 2011, 22:28
John H-T's Avatar
John H-T John H-T is offline
Station Manager
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 6,351
Images: 528
As I pay Council Tax to the Amber Valley, I look forward to the consultation!

It will be an interesting line to opperate with all the level crossings, especially as some are close together. I have seen a video of a frieght train closing two crossings at once while the gates are being opened and closed. I assume that they will have to install automatic barriers/lights to keep trafic flowing!

Best wishes,

John H-T.
__________________
Ecclesbourne Valley Railway.
LMS Patriot Group.
LMS Carriage Association.
Belper Model Railway Group.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 3rd January 2011, 00:06
Master Cutler's Avatar
Master Cutler Master Cutler is offline  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Mansfield Notts
Posts: 511
OS Explorer map shows the track bed in tact as a footpath through Nuttals Park to Ripley town centre, so there may yet be hope.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 3rd January 2011, 09:49
wyvern's Avatar
wyvern wyvern is offline  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Next to Owd George's last railway
Posts: 605
Yes. To the north the track bed is a County Council footpath. I just wasnt sure about the length through Ripley station.

There is a description of operating the route in its later years in "Derby Trainman: 1990-94" by T. J. Helme.

A history of the line called "Rails to Ripley" by Howard Sprenger (who is/was a leading light at the EVR) has just been published.

You can see many of the crossings on Streetview.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 01:07.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.