A Wasted Railway Opportunity? The Clowne Branch could have been a valuble Missing Link

A Wasted Railway Opportunity? The Clowne Branch could have been a valuble, but now missing, Link on our UK Railway Network.
The Clowne Branch, built by the Midland Railway was once an integral railway link between two large areas. Connecting Chesterfield, Staveley & Clowne to the Coalfields and communities of the East Midlands and beyond.
As the coal industry declined, collieries closed and local industry reduced, the line became a shadow of itself. The Clowne branch was little used by the early 1990s and with track replacement deemed too expensive to warrant and an underground fire somewhere below the trackbed at Creswell, the line was closed with the exception of the mile length of railway line leading onto the Oxcroft Colliery Branch, itself lasting until 2006.
In this railway walk i'll be retracing the railway, now a Greenway.
I'll be mixing archive photos with footage within my own to try to best recreat how this line once was.
Archive footage by Peak Railway association: • Peak Rail Presents - D...
Stapleton Road: • Class 20s at Elmton an...
Neil Hayton Railway Memories: • RAILFREIGHT COAL CLASS...
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#disusedrailway #norfolk #disused #railway #abandoned Additional Music by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0.
www.scottbuckley.com.au
#abandoned #railway #train #station #disused #great #central #clowne #midland #closed #history

[@LKBRICKS1993]

Excellent video really enjoyed it. Love relic's of old railways. If not so many railways had closed. I think there was a lot of missed opportunities We would be in a better world and wouldn't need so many cars on the road.

[@TrekkingExploration]

Some lost routes would have been so useful now. Thanks for watching 🙂

[@nickboden5866]

Superb Video, it’s so good to see volunteers busy helping restore the masterpieces of very hard working railway in its day. As always your soundtrack very poignant and that romantics sadness to once a thriving environment. Look forward to your next instalment.

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks very much for watching Nick. Those volunteers are a cracking bunch 😀

[@70mmbobbyj]

Thank you for a very entertaining video. always love these railway walk videos even more so with the added old maps, photos and films.

[@TrekkingExploration]

I'm pleased you enjoyed it thanks very much indeed

[@kathyjohnson5290]

What a great journey down memory lane. 1957-61 I walked along side those lines over the steel pedestrian bridge and through the brick tunnel. And eventually over Boughton Lane bridge to school. There seemed hardly a time when "black fives " and their clanking valve gear weren't passing through with wagons of coal. Thank for your hard work in producing it and others I enjoy. Regards Terry Johnson in New Zealand

[@g8ymw]

My father was a farm manager / herdsman (!971/82) on the farm about 2 fields South from the bridge at 27:00 I moved there in 1975 Normally empty MGRs would go downhill behind Class 47s and later Class 56s Empty unfitted (or vacuum braked) empties would go uphill hauled by pairs of Class 20s. They did bark out climbing up to Clowne When the "Old Road" was down for engineering works. Loaded MGRs would be dragged up to Cresswell with the train loco at the rear which would be at the front when the train goes through Whitwell The leading loco up to Creswell would run back to Seymour light engine

[@paulallen6915]

I walk on this most days with the dog, its amazing the work that has been done over the years on the clean up.

[@TrekkingExploration]

In quite a short space of time too. Thanks very much for watching ☺️

[@paulallen6915]

@@TrekkingExploration thanks for documenting your walk. You missed the figures scattered around Clowne in the cutting. Next time your'e there, see if you can see them.

[@TrekkingExploration]

@@paulallen6915 I've seen things in the trees and bushes a few years ago is it those?

[@paulallen6915]

@@TrekkingExploration yes, that's the ones. They are all a little faded now.

[@robertleem5643]

Awesome video, will send this one to my parents to watch - the houses at 13.59 I grew up in one of those, every day I would walk across the bridge down the path and through the tunnel at 15.36 to go to school, at the end was a sweet shop where I used to buy half penny black jacks etc, brings back so many memories. I was there a few months ago taking photos, am going Saturday to see my parents and taking my camera again to photograph some other bits and pieces. Many thanks for sharing, happy to send you some old photos if I find them

[@heathermorley6074]

Thank you so much for this . Had a family night watching this with mum and dad who are in their eighties and remember these active lines well.

[@lindamccaughey6669]

Fantastic video again. Love your enthusiasm. Loved the really old steam train tho the diesel is great too. Just loving this history. Thanks for taking me along. Please take care

[@greg5639]

The problem with the work mans hut is people use it as a toilet ! I wanted to put a bench in and paint it etc, but after cleaning it out a couple of times I'd come back and and it's again been used as a toilet ! Some people hey ? Great filming once again, me duck.

[@ceanothus_bluemoon]

Super film. Great to see the volunteers sprucing up the station there. Loved the original pictures/footage. A wasted opportunity? Probably. Things often have ways of going full circle, so who knows!

[@steadycamman1]

Thank you for the video Ant, loved it, your soundtracks always go so well with your videos, it melts my heart every time, thanks again, Pete.

[@Gavlaagreens123]

If only the government would spend the billions on this country and use these old railway's, as they keep saying about using public transport. The beeching cut was one of the worst things that was ever done.

[@matthewtrueblood408]

3 brilliant videos in the last couple of weeks Ant. Keep up the great work and love the sound of you thinking about returning to ones you did a few years ago.

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks very much 🙂 I rather enjoyed doing these 3. I think the area around Staveley and Seymour definitely need revisiting 👍

[@simonballard6413]

Another most interesting line and the lovely music as always. Yes, I agree with you - certainly, a missed opportunity. Clowne will need a station as the population expands. Love the very deep cuttings!

[@mattlund8170]

Another really interesting railway vid ant ❤

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks Matt I'm pleased you enjoyed it 😊

[@thefnafguydude]

Superb

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks for watching 🙂

[@thefnafguydude]

@@TrekkingExploration ur welcome!

[@sugarbertie1143]

They've done at great job at Clowne station. It looks brilliant! It's a good walk on the Clowne branch and quite interesting too. I used to hear trains at night time from home, slogging up the branch as it was quite a steep section from Seymour up to Clowne. I was lucky to travel on it several times on railtours in the latter years and it was an extra special run to me being a 'freight only' local line. Shame it was never kept for passenger services to link Staveley to the Robin Hood Line at Creswell. A big opportunity missed!. Great video again BTW!.

[@bobingram6912]

What a jam packed episode! lots of stuff on the ground and some good old vids showing the history. Top volunteers keeping things in shape, good to see people taking pride in our history.

[@TrekkingExploration]

Glad you enjoyed it Bob. It's one of the good ones this one is. Lots of things included

[@a11csc]

great work by the volunteers Ant.like you say this line would be a boon today

[@fhwolthuis]

Thank you for braving the weather for us, Ant 💪🏼😃

[@TrekkingExploration]

I'm glad it improved eventually 😃 Thanks for watching

[@MultiBarry56]

I worked one year at Seymour and 24 years at Oxcroft. Then I started at Capital Refractory until I retired in 2019. It's brilliant what the volunteers are doing and what you are doing Ant keeping the memories alive.

[@chrisbayly5457]

a great journey as always Ant and so informative

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks very much for the Chris

[@2010ditta]

Amazing. Great video, so well researched with all the archive footage. Good to see the volunteers getting stuck in bringing Clowne station back to life. All the best.

[@jasinere35]

fantastic walk for those around the area

[@TrekkingExploration]

Yes it is. Thank you for watching 🙂

[@jasinere35]

@@TrekkingExploration i rode that one when they were still turning it into a footpath i enjoy watching both you & paul(the wobbly runner) doccument these old beds especially the ones i did but never took pics of or if i did never put them up on socia media for others to enjoy its also memories from an era in my life that i can never go back to having now moved back to the north east

[@shirleylynch7529]

Well presented and filmed as always Ant. Lots research too went into this video. Excellent work. Thank you.

[@chillintheuk]

another banging video!! keep up the great work!!

[@omegaman3001962]

just shows you what we have lost

[@TrekkingExploration]

Sadly so 😩 Thanks for watching 🙂

[@andrewmaurerandrew6801]

Absolute quality as always top man 👍👍👍👍👍

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks so much Andrew

[@malcolmrichardson3881]

Great archive footage and interview with the volunteer restoring Clownes station. As you say, it does seem a particularly short-sited decision to have closed the line and also rob Clownes of one of its two stations - both now closed, but thankfully being restored. Splendid video. Thank you for a very interesting video.

[@maestromanification]

Interesting video Ant In 2015 my last shift before becoming seriously ill was the network rail saloon to high marnham. It had on board people from network rail, east Midlands trains and people from the councils of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire They said passenger trains would start within two years between Ollerton and Shirebrook which obviously didn't happen but the general consensus was if this line had still been in a Ollerton Chesterfield or Sheffield service would have better Shame it came to nothing Cheers Russ

[@SMILEVIDEOTRAINS]

Excellent narration and video captures.

[@TrekkingExploration]

Glad you enjoyed it thank you very much 😊

[@michaelmiller641]

Interesting journey, there, Ant. Thanks for that excellent video!

[@JuliaHopewell]

Loved those deep embankments and the greenery. It is hard to fathom the sheer physical effort and risk that those navvies and co took to achieve this. Some beautiful bridges too. Good to see them still being maintained. Not quite so sad about the 1960's signal box as I probably should be though 😁. Another brilliant, moving and engrossing experience. Thank you, Ant.

[@MarcelosalivaTRENESArg]

Nice video excellent my friends 😊awesome 😮Greeting 😁 👋🏻

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks very much for watching 🙂

[@stevenstopford9847]

Brilliant video many thanks 👍🏻

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks very much Steven 🙂

[@jasonhimpson2334]

Yet another fantastic and fascinating video Ant. Thanks to your videos I visited and walked Seymour Junction and the Bolsover branch in March. Now I want to revisit to do Clowne and Oxcroft. Keep these videos coming, I thoroughly enjoy them.

[@Jimyjames73]

Hello Ant @ 19:31 There is also see that "MR" sign at the Bakewell Station on the Monsal Trail!!! @ 31:47 - May be they left those 'Sleepers' there b/c they thought 1 day in the Future the Railway will come back & will be needed perhaps??? Here is a thought Ant - If in the 1960's they hadn't closed all of them 100's & 100's of miles of Railway Track - would there be lass traffic on the Road today??? 🤔🚂🚂🚂

[@railwaychristina3192]

Oh thank you. Fabulous part of the country

[@jontaylor1652]

Hey Ant, is that the same bunch of guys who are doing the restoration at the other Clowne Station? Thanks for yet another great video, brilliant channel.

[@TrekkingExploration]

Yes it is they are doing a fantastic job of looking after them both 🙂

[@marybradley7791]

I agree with you that is would have been very useful if they had kept the railway, very short term decision made back in the 90s, pity the station was lost too, at least it makes for a very good greenway for cyclists and pedestrians, nice to see some effort has been made to present the history of the line. At least there is a bus service available. Very interesting video.

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks very much for watching. It's definitely a shame. An East - West connection would have been fantastic

[@suzyqualcast6269]

Lancs, Dsrbgs & Coast, isn't that the one with termini by the Portland, that used to tower over tube works on that blue bricked viaduct over Horned Bridge before shooting off up where the dual carriageway now heads to Heath Mway bout.?

[@jasinere35]

you mentioned stavely that trackbed from stavely to rother valley country park is one of the routes that being considered to be reopened as a light rail wether or not thats going to happen is another thing but keep it in mind that this was what was recommended a couple of years ago on one of the heritage sites since HS2 isnt happening they did mention that along with several others

[@eggy77]

I was told that the high arch culvert where the Clown brook ran used to be a footpath so the brook must have been diverted later. Loads of abandoned poles etc at Seymour and some still in situ, surprised you didn't call in at the air raid shelter while there. Think I read where the Creswell signal box is gonna get demolished, if so that's gonna be a massive loss as the old boxes like that look brilliant.

[@steadycamman1]

Thanks

[@greg5639]

You can walk all the way into Oxcroft, but they're now working on cleaning up the old tips etc, bit rough on the feet from walking on the ballast though.

[@eggy77]

I sometimes bike along it but not done this year so expect it'll be a bit overgrown now, occasionally I'll give it a bit of a trim so I don't get brambled

[@pixe1refr35h]

Brilliant video!

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks very much indeed

[@R118GSiVVC]

Would love to see you do the afan lines in and around Neath port Talbot area of south Wales ant!!

[@MrMansun95]

This needs to reopen ! brill video !

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks very much for watching 🙂

[@StephenForster-z3m]

👍

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks for watching 🙂

[@macstyle2012]

19:00 - If I owned a Calvin Klein T-shirt, I wouldn't use it to do dirty manual work.

[@railwaychristina3192]

I dont understand , in these days of green transport requirements, why the line was closed in 2000s ..like the Leicester to Burton on Trent line, could be re opened for passengers or retained for goods?

[@MichaelCampin]

If the station was demolished in 2000 it did not make 21st Century as the new century commenced on 1st January 2001, easy explanation there was no year 0 .

[@TrekkingExploration]

Fascinating

[@2009theknight]

Nobody envisioned back then that roads were not the way to go, beeching was an idiot, if they kept these lines open it would have took all these cars today off the road today and people would have used the railway instead would be less polluting

[@marybradley7791]

I wish they had kept all those railways that were destroyed over the years as i dont drive and it is difficult to get into the countryside, i rely on my son to drive me around, i hate buses because they are so slow and only use them when i have to.

[@_RabbitLeader]

Why is the UK still closing down railways? It is a disgrace.

[@seany84uk]

It would be cheaper to re open these key lost routes that link major routes rather than the railway for the rich known as hs2

[@AJD1979]

:) :)