The Railways and Ilkeston Part 3

Beeching and after... the story of how an area well served with railway stations came to have none, and its re-connection 50 years later.
From Ilkeston North Productions and Ilkeston & District Local History Society. Images may not be individually reproduced without permission. I&DLHS is a registered charity no. 1011314.

[@TheCharlotteAGraham]

I was a member of Ilkeston Borough Council at the time of the Beeching cuts. The readings from the Ilkeston Pioneer hardly serve to convey the concern that the news raised followed by the anger when the Council’s proposals were so summarily dismissed. It seemed that there was a vendetta against extensions of the former LNER but, especially, the Great Central - a feeling that I have to this day.

[@KevinBower-gy5be]

7:47 I used to play in the remains of that signal box as a kid. The tracks had long gone, but the ballast bed was still there and so was the shell of this - complete with its point levers. And 14.43 I bought my first car from Les Clark's garage - a 1967 Singer Chamois, UBY 575F. Thanks for those great memories.

[@sofalugger]

Lovely vid n narration..Grew up all around these places ... memories, Halcyon days amazing ..

[@Olleetheowl]

Many thanks for the video. Very interesting, informative and not a little sad. An excellent series. I was glued to all three.

[@tango6nf477]

Absolutely wonderful production, well done.

[@petedemaio168]

Well done. What brilliant local history. A big thanks to all involved. Great archive photos.

[@johnoliver653]

Thank you. A very sad story with a hopeful ending.

[@garrymartin6474]

An excellent series of films, thank you !

[@TheDaf95xf]

What a fantastic narrated story 👍🏻 What a bloody shame we swept it all away 😫 Look how much land the M1 took and they've made it wider and it's still full lol 😂 Railway take up less land and make less pollution 😂

[@themekonlordofthetreens6983]

I loved this vid. It just makes me so angry that the political climate of the day was (And still is.) " Rail has to pay it's way". Road transport doesn't pay it's way, it's subsidised by road tax on motorists.

[@stephenpowell3334]

Very sad story. Typically the political will had no sympathy for the railways and history has also shown British Rail was continually forced into debt through lack of proper funding. Now where do we hear that story today?

[@1975supermike]

Do you have any pictures of what's now the nutbrook trail ? Thanks

[@royfearn4345]

Political decision. Ernest Marple had his fingers in the road transport industry pie. Not a suitable position for a transport minister - he should be impartial.

[@tridentmusic5570]

Of course He was "impartial" - It was "His wife's business - not His (after he signed it over....)

[@tre243t]

Thiswhole episode makes me so angry.... Just like today the corruption, grift and rank stupidity in 'Authority'... destroying infrastructure owned by the people. Tory then Labour - two sides of the same arse. Don't forget Marples Construction ... in the name of Mrs Marples of course... No conflict of interest there lol!