MRS Journal No. 12 (Winter 1999)

Table of Contents

• Early Accidents on the Midland Railway: 1845 (Part 1) / By Chris Rouse
• Midland Railway Literature (10) / By Ted Hancock
• The Johnson Single Framed Six Coupled Goods Tender Engines : an Aesthetic Appreciation / By Jack Braithwaite
• Into The Next Millenium…
• The Monk Spring Junction to Cudworth Centenary / By Roger Brettle
• The Annett’s Key / By Tony Overton
• Midland Railway Horse-Drawn Parcels Van / By Nelson Twells
• Comments on Items in Previous Journals
  • Defence of Railways… [No. 11 p.14]
  • Wellingborough Provender Store [No. 9, p.17; No. 10, p.14]
  • Two Hours in Sheffield, 21st May 1897 [No. 11, p.9]
  • Cromford Station [No. 11, p.20]
• Query Corner
  • Query 16: Engine Tenter
  • Query 18: Accident at West Bridge
• Ashby Station

• Front cover
  The North Midland Railway station at Darfield was another one with staggered platforms [Jnl.11, p.18]. This interesting view of the Up platform probably dates from the last decade of the 19th century as the 154 yard Cat Hill Tunnel in the background was removed in the course of widening the line in 1899 / 1900. Darfield station itself was re-sited 45 chains to the north as a result of this work. The new station on the Doncaster Road was opened at 12 noon on Sunday 30th June 1900.

Rear cover
On the night of 23rd December 1893, a serious land slip occurred in Marple cutting. Single line working was introduced over the Down line between Strines and Marple South, a distance of just over 2 miles. This was on the Midland’s main route from Manchester to London. The “Disley cut-off” was not opened until 1902 and trains attached and detached portions at the cramped Marple station. Efforts were made quickly to minimise the inevitable delays being caused by the slip. This notice, which was issued on Christmas Day, shows that the section of single line operation was to be shortened by opening a new signalbox in Marple cutting and continuously manning the “special occasions only” box at the Goyt Viaduct. The new Marple Cutting box was opened around 29th December. Double line working was restored on 7th January 1894, but the repairs were nowhere near complete. It was June 1894 before the Engineer was able to slew the lines into their permanent positions and 22nd July before the temporary Marple Cutting box could be closed. Note the heading “Sheffield & Midland Joint Railway”. Was this the normal form used on operating notices at that time?