Melbourne Line (UK) fly-through: disused railway from Ashby to Derby

Using Google Earth, we follow the course of the former Derby and Ashby branch ot the Midland Railway, also known as the Melbourne Line We start at its junction with the Leicester to Burton line at Ashby de la Zouche. We follow it through Ashby town and Ashby Tunnel, passing its interchange with the horse-drawn Ticknall Tramway, to the site of the first station, Worthington. From there, most of the trackbed is used by the Cloud Trail Greenway, along the edge of Cloud Hill Quarry, through the former stations of Tonge and Melbourne, crossing the River Trent and joining the Castle Donningtom line at Chellaston S junction. From Chellaston North junction the abandoned trackbed continues north through the site of Chellaston station, to a point just north of Wilmore Rd, where it joins the existing branch serving the Rolls Royce works, through the former stations of Sinfin Central and Sinfin North, to its junction with the Derby to Birmingham line, which the route follows to Derby Midland station.
Historical notes: The branch from Derby to Melbourne was opened in 1868, and was extended in 1874 to Ashby de la Zouche, where it connected to the Midland's Leicester to Burton line. This extension made use of the trackbed of the former Ticknall Tramway, engineered by Outram in 1802, including the Old Parks Tunnel, which was enlarged to accommodate the railway. An interchange siding was opened to the north of the tunnel in 1874, and horse-drawn waggons continued to operate to Ticknall Limeyards until 1902. Passenger traffic continued on the line until 1930. In 1939 the War Dpartment acquired the lin between Ashby and ChellastoN S Junc for military training. In1945 the line was returned to LMS who continued to operate it as a freight line until its closure in 1980. In 1990 the trackbed between Worthington and Chellaston S Junc was opened as the CloudTrail Greenway. (source: Wikipedia)

Пікірлер: 9

  • @peterkazmierczak7273
    @peterkazmierczak7273 Жыл бұрын

    Brilliant. I too am fascinated by this line. I remember in January 1973 coming back on an excursion from Plymouth, and our train was diverted via Chellaston Jn to Melbourne Jn - must've been one of the last workings through Chellaston. Another memory is of a glorious summer afternoon at Worthington, looking round the station with all the track still intact. A year or so later, on another visit, they were ripping it all up. I managed to save a piece of bullhead rail and it's now a foot scraper in our garden.

  • @alancharles6789
    @alancharles67892 жыл бұрын

    Fascinating! Brilliant choice of music too.was it all original? Some was reminiscent but not versions of any I knew! I was sure the last one was going to be Pink Cadillac!

  • @brothermoto1964
    @brothermoto1964 Жыл бұрын

    I remember walking part of this route from Chellaston to Breedon. Off track sometimes was the remains of an engine shed? Or did I dream it?!!

  • @mattydare
    @mattydare Жыл бұрын

    Didn't realise the line ran from or to Ashby but it makes sense now. I only knew of the line from Cloud Hill quarry towards Melbourne. You could hear the loco steam up and then whistle. As a kid that would be the cue to run to the bridge and get blasted in steam and soot looking over as the loaded train went rattling past.

  • @flymuzza9205

    @flymuzza9205

    Жыл бұрын

    Thanks. Good to hear from someone who remembers it as a working line!

  • @chrisleedcfc
    @chrisleedcfc2 жыл бұрын

    Missed one station that never was! They built a one sided platform between peartree and derby station that backed on to the industrial estate near the baseball ground. The idea was the heard all the away football fans straight on to some dubious quality rolling stock and have them dropped off as close to the ground to prevent the then growing hooligan element of the game. I don't think it was ever used however it is still there. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramsline_Halt_railway_station

  • @flymuzza9205

    @flymuzza9205

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Chris I did overlook that one, but I won't change the video, because it focuses on features which were contemporary to the Derby-Ashby line.

  • @chrisleedcfc

    @chrisleedcfc

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@flymuzza9205 not a problem, didn't expect you to change it!!! Just for info if you didn't know about it! Would love to have a walk around sinfin North and Central as they are on my doorstep however they are now both heavily fenced off with the expanding Rolls Royce test beds! Great video 👍

  • @MrFatnuts12

    @MrFatnuts12

    2 жыл бұрын

    I know the one. It was known as “The Rams Halt”.