The Chesterfield Loop - Lost Great Central Railway

We're back in Chesterfield on this video. The 4th episode in our Chesterfield Lost Railway series and we're looking at the Great Central Railways Chesterfield Loop.
The Chesterfield Loop ran between Staveley Central and Heath Junction on the Great Central Main Line. It was built by the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway, opening in 1892 as part of their Derbyshire lines. It became the GCR, later LNER and closed in the 1960s after years of decline. Dr Beeching put the axe on the railway, with stations closing in 1963-64.
We start our journey today at the former Staveley GCR station. Opening in 1892 as Staveley Town before being renamed Staveley Central in 1950 - the which is had until it's closure in 1964. This was the junction where the Chesterfield Loop left the GCR mainline. A busy junction with many local colliery lines intersecting and joining the GCR as well as goods and engine sheds nearby. Now extinct and underneath the Staveley relief road.
We follow the alignment through Staveley town centre tracing the footsteps towards the Chesterfield Canal and the Staveley Works complex. Here we find the new alignment of the canal that was rerouted upon the opening of the railway. Now a popular canalside spot but there is plenty of the old railway to find here. The old date stone from the Chesterfield Tunnel (see part 1) can be found here and the fantastic remains of the old abandoned Staveley Works railway station. Opened 1892 until 1963, it's scarcely believable from the old photos. Remains of the platforms can still be found in the woods by the canal. The complex of sidings are long gone that served the local industry.
We continue towards Chesterfield town centre and meet another former station - Sheepbridge and Brimington railway station. The site keeps the name Old Station Yard but the station buildings are gone - the last one burned down a number of years ago. This station closed in 1956, slightly earlier than the others. The station was renamed to just Brimington in 1951.
The line follows the canal into Chesterfield, but shortly after Brimington was erased by the A61 new road through the town. We covered the Chesterfield Central station in part 1. We'll pick up the section after the town centre towards Heath in the next episode.
Links to previous related videos
Part 1 - Chesterfield GCR - • Chesterfield and the L...
Part 2 - Hornsbridge and the LD&ECR - • Chesterfield Lost Rail...
Part 3 - The Brampton Branch - • The Brampton Branch Li...
Barrow Hill, Staveley Works shed - • Day out at Barrow Hill...
GCR Staveley to Arkwright, Duckmanton - • Disused Railway Derbys...