Walking & Exploring the Disused Railways of Welbeck Colliery

Please watch: "The Most Beautiful Closed Railway in the UK? Scarborough to Whitby Railway Episode 2"
• The Most Beautiful Clo... -~-
Join me as i set off from nearby Welbeck Colliery Junction, and follow and explore the disused and abandoned branch line though to Welbeck Colliery in Nottinghamshire, closed since May 2010.
Then we follow the second branch that served the Colliery, closed back in 1959 right through to it's previous connection to the mainline at Shirebrook North Junction.
Signal at 7 minutes in is CJ 220 NOT CO 220
To enjoy Phils images visit www.flickr.com...
To visit Robin's images please visit www.flickr.com...
Please visit www.flickr.com... for all of Wilbert B's collections
A selection of the music tracks are thanks to Josh Woodward at www.joshwoodward.com
#abandoned #disusedrailway #railway Additional Music by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0.
www.scottbuckley.com.au

[@RedZu1]

So glad you captured this. i have alot of memorys of walking this with my pup, before it all became overgrown.

[@erichill5908]

Hi, thoroughly enjoyed the video, an excellent bit of filming. I live very local to this and although a couple of the facts are wrong it did not detract from the enjoyment. The Top Sandy Lane crossing is locally known as Jacksons Crossing after the man who originally owned the allotments the other side of the houses, i rented the fields there for over 30 years until recently. The first bit of the line is actually the original and the Church Warsop side line to Shirebrook the one that was built in 1929. On the far side of the field at Jacksons crossing is evidence that shows it was possibly the navvie camp of the builders of the line. Good work though. would have loved to have joined you.

[@johannesfeigl5309]

Excellent camera workyour vids are just so enjoyablethank you for posting😊

[@martinmarsola6477]

Thank you for the exhausting following of the abandoned rail line. Very interesting, and appreciated. Cheers mate! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🙂👍🇺🇸

[@paulcopestake7481]

My mother house backs onto this line you walked past ut on your trek as a child i remember trains almost every hour with upto 50 wagons welbeck ollerton and thoreby were the 3 most productive mines in nottinghamshire and there was still 75 years of coal left in all of them when they closed. I remember as a child walking the embankment of this brench line watching the trains in the 80s. My dad worked at welbeck from the age of 14 lokking after the pit ponies untill he moved to face.

[@aljonflavin6760]

Most ENJOYABLE good music and history. Driven under those bridges many times used to deliver to the canteens of those pits.

[@stevea4771]

Amazing how much it's overgrown. Worked out of Welbeck and ran round in the loop many times

[@TrekkingExploration]

It's apparently been sold to a private buyer now too 😔

[@tonyrobinson362]

We use to work the Welbeck colliery to Northfleet in Kent with a couple of cl37s and 43 murs to Toton in the 70s

[@tonyrobinson362]

That should be mgrs !

[@myselfG3184]

Different places of history in England keep watching. thumb's up very interesting local history 👍

[@Rollingforwards]

great explore, i love these type of videos.

[@westernmonitor]

Another gem of a video. I enjoyed it very much but it did make me sad as we have lost so much. I spent many happy hours up this way photographing coal workings during the 80s and early 90s. You vids show me a landscape I hardly recognize. The same happened on my patch in South Wales although happily in a couple of cases the lines previously only used by freight are now re open for passengers. Thanks once again quite outstanding work

[@TrekkingExploration]

I need to look into South Wales, there must be quite a few

[@westernmonitor]

@@TrekkingExploration If you ever want to come down to South Wales I would be happy to show you around the area. You may wish to take a look at the Facebook Group I set up in 2014 called Railways In South Wales we have over 2800 members and some of the finest photographers as members. Robert Masterman like you is a prolific video producer and member and we do have links to the RCTS South Wales Branch

[@terryansell6641]

Very enjoyable and with so much history of the line. In New Zealand these lines would be used for tourists on rail buggies, so much fun.

[@TrekkingExploration]

I need one of those buggies 😂 Glad you enjoyed it 😀 Thank you for watching 🙂

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Back in Feb 2000 i travelled along this branch on a railtour (top n tailed coaches, 58 025+c+60049 to Welbeck Coll for any rail enthusiasts interested). We also visited Thoresby Colliery, High Marnham Power Stn and Rufford Coal Stocking Site on this trip, all places that sadly no longer exist!

[@TrekkingExploration]

I bet that was an absolutely smashing day out 👍😀

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

@@TrekkingExploration We knew even back then these places were on borrowed time. There were a lot more lines in the area that had already closed, the collieries already gone! Some of these lines (or sometimes just the spur off) were built just to service the coal industry but others were remains of lines closed in the 1960s but certain bits kept open for freight traffic. Some happily have re-opened (like Mansfiled) but others disappear for good. It was interesting to see how quickly nature has taken back this line when others lay barren for years after closure! Keep up your vids, it looks like fun!

[@frankfitzgerald5832]

Another great video love these old disused lines with the signals and speed markers also some great stills there really enjoying your back catalogue Ant ....Frank & Lee..

[@TrekkingExploration]

This was my favourite railway walk from last year, very satisfying 🙂

[@Carolb66]

Wow, nature takes over really quick, so overgrown! great the rails still down though. Fab older video Ant. ❤😊

[@TrekkingExploration]

I think all of this has been removed now

[@Carolb66]

@@TrekkingExploration such a shame, thanks for the update.

[@robertwilliams5178]

​@@TrekkingExplorationit has, rode over it today and all tracks have been lifted

[@paulwilson5939]

Brilliant stuff I wish I could have come with you! My Dad (and his immediate family) came from Warsop and i was brought up in Clipstone so it is all familiar territory to me. I used to spend time at Langwith Junction, Welbeck Colliery Junction and Shirebrook depot back in the day. I have some photos around somewhere! Keep up the great work!

[@nigelbunney711]

Brilliant Video. The first one I have seen and looking forward to more. Thank-You... As for the video, couldn't believe the first section had only been closed 9 years, so grown over...

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thank you so much for the kind comment 😀 I could not believe how much vegetation there is. I did the Bevercotes Branch a few weeks ago and that closed in 1997, it was a walk in the park compared to this one! I thoroughly enjoyed walking it still 👍

[@NXRayA]

I did this walk today (Easter Monday 2021) and can confirm that the track has been lifted between Top Sandy Lane and a couple of hundred meters before the River Meden. Not only that but the ballast has also been removed in places. There is some type of engineering work currently in progress near Cherry Grove. I started the walk at the end of Robin Hood Avenue and continued to just after Netherfield Lane bridge where the line is blocked by some heavy duty security fencing with no easy way through. Most surprised to see some ground signals near Robin Hood Avenue that are actually still lit red. Well worth a visit.

[@dougle03]

They are lit because the line is still technically PWAY as far as I can tell. The rail removal is most likely not official.

[@gazclass58]

Brilliant video from last year 👍 wow some really cool photo shots much appreciated sharing once again take care.

[@TrekkingExploration]

This was a good one and I only just managed to do it before it got sold off

[@mckaos4103]

Tears in my eyes mate 😥 on bridge number 1 if lookin towards warsop my nana and grandad lived on the left at 232 Sherwood st. My grandad Dennis Flynn was signal man at the box in shirebrook. We used ta walk n play around ther takin the numbers of the trains. I loved the shunters ✌️✌️never knew it was like a jungle so sad cos it’s memories slowly fading away rip warsop and welbeck and all pits and lines around. I salute you sirs also further down down from bridge 1 towards cherry grove bridge no 2 my mate from years ago got hit by a train on that section 🙏🙏🙏 rip mate. Not mention name cos of respect. Next ta Sandy lane crossing xx at meden school we used to do cross country runnin starting at meden then down turn right towards number 4 bridge and finishing under 3 and going through ta the meden school 👍👍

[@chrisbayly5457]

Really enjoyed the walk, so interesting as always Ant....

[@dct1]

Enjoying your colliery railway walk videos! There’s so much infrastructure left in place here I can’t believe it! I walked along part of the Clipstone branch a few years ago on a visit down south but most of the line had been lifted. Have you checked out the Thoresby line?

[@robertwilliams5178]

Great video Ant, rode over the track today after watching this video recently and sadly the tracks have now been lifted.

[@TrekkingExploration]

Is all the ballast still there? I remember there were signals too near the junction

[@martinhew981]

Excellent. surprising so much still remains and not been taken be souvenir hunters. Interesting as always

[@TrekkingExploration]

Hey Martin thanks for watching. This was one of my favourite walks from this year 😀

[@williamtown4058]

Would have great potential for a preserved railway, if anyone has the money or time.

[@jonmarshall3694]

When you started your walk before the bridge there is a peace of land called oakie island me and my friends used to fire acorns at each other in gadders or sligslots i used to make out of a y out of tree branch and the runaround were we used to go in the guards van at the back of the train and at the top sandy lane crossing the farm land after silver gate well it was a big white wooden gates when i was growing up and the other side were you said it leads to church warsop it dont cos church warsop is 2 half mile away and leads to top sandy lane on left is lea road and bracken close and on the right is mount crescent cos i used to sit on the white gate and watch trains go by i been living at mount crescent since i was 3 in 1969 were live now 2023 and first bridge on your walk thats were warsop begins and the second bridge were clamber up if you turn left it leads down to third bridge cherry grove and princess Avenue and sherwood street which the first bridge to the middle of warsop and i used to walk to meden school from sandy lane crossing to the third bridge down the bank to lane with houses on left to meden school and other side of meden school is church warsop and bridge 8 starts of meden vale it was called welbeck and leads to church warsop and the inline from welbeck colliery to shirebrook and the line was not closed in 1959 cos i was born in1966 and when i was about 5 i used to sit on top of the bridge at top of cuckney hill with my dad its got to have closed about 1972 and i can still remember to this day and the bridge is still there and have you seen the walk under the track by a little bridge for 2 people walk through and this line you hsve walked from welbeck colliery dont end were you video ends cos the line ends abit farther up cos the line goes down a cutting to the worksop to nottingham line cos they are 2 different tracks cos the bridge you are on at the end of the video does go were you said and it goes were you started from and to warsop main colliery junction and also to langwith junction station were the track comes back on itself and he walks to the end of the lane were he stand on the bridge at the end of the video with track on his left he will come to shirebrook station

[@helenthorne8451]

Really good walk 🚶‍♂️ 👌 thanks x

[@TrekkingExploration]

One of the first I ever did and almost gone now

[@alanlake5220]

Thanks for posting, a very good informative video

[@TrekkingExploration]

Hi Alan, thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed it 😀👍

[@alanlake5220]

@@TrekkingExploration Worked many a passenger train, from Nottingham to Worksop, on the Robin hood line, Great to find out some information about the collieries,and the lines around Shirebrook, now on the second video, keep up the good work

[@johnking1381]

The sleepers thrown down the side of the banking were discarded after a derailment circa 1990, a friend lived next to the track and saw it.

[@TrekkingExploration]

I'll have to look into that :)

[@johnking1381]

@@TrekkingExploration let me know if you find anything, not been able to find anything on it.

[@NewBuildmini]

"Farm Dirt Track" crossing is officially called "Bowrings" crossing. Top Sandy Lane is for some reason called "Welbeck Colliery" crossing.

[@TrekkingExploration]

I kept having Bowrings coming up on some of my photo locations, i wonder if it's any connection to the haulage firm?

[@erichill5908]

The Bowring family have several businesses in the area, the crossing relates to one of the familys farms. This was seen on the video near Meden Vale and is called Assarts Farm. The haulage business belongs to one of the other brothers. and is located at the top of Foest Road as mentioned near the start of the video.

[@harrywheeler1633]

The track on the section of this line between Top Sandy Lane crossing and just beside Glebe Avenue has been lifted.

[@TrekkingExploration]

Yes I'd heard it was happening. I wonder what the plans are

[@LadySophieofHougunManor7325]

Awesome video

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks so very much

[@adamh6832]

Grew up here great video brings back some memories

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thank you for watching 😀 Glad you enjoyed it

[@adamh6832]

@@TrekkingExploration no thank you mid 90's when I last seen all that was sat thinking what it would all look like the other day then I find your video 👍😊

[@dougle03]

I don't think the SecState has formally removed this from the PWAY, although clearly NR have stopped caring about it. They will still be surveying the structures as the obligation is still on NR to maintain them.

[@steadyred1832]

Only just found your channel, via a Conisborough viaduct joint explorer with zero... Amazing how quickly natures takes back the built environment. The letters on the signals are "CJ" for Welbeck Colliery Junction, the signal box was on the junction of the same name on the Ollerton to Shirebrook railway line. More info here: www.signalboxes.com/welbeck-colliery-jn.php Should have watched the entire video before commenting. Good work.

[@fatladreviews3887]

Good morning I really enjoyed the video looks a great place to explore. Have you walked along the old silverwood colliery that's a nice walk

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thank you 🙂 This has all changed since I went. I'll definitely look into silver wood

[@fatladreviews3887]

@@TrekkingExploration we will definitely have to visit this place

[@Channel-ij5px]

@@fatladreviews3887 good luck with that, the whole line has been bought by a private land owner who bought it to rip up the rails for scrap and he isn’t a very pleasant chap if you meet him

[@merledoughty5787]

would make a great wee preserved line even if they were just small motorised track vehicles like the golf cart type

[@TrekkingExploration]

Its all still there a year later however its been sold on to a private land owner now.

[@smilevideobritain499]

excellent. thank you

[@TrekkingExploration]

Glad you enjoyed it. It seems ages since I did this one 😃

[@phantomsvideos]

Used to sign that line!

[@johnhalley974]

Class 37 or 47 knocking along at 30 to 40 mph would soon clear most of that shrubbery

[@dougle03]

with the snow shovel on

[@Dave1976.]

Hi. Just came across your channel. Enjoyed what seen so far. You always wonder when lines are closed & not used 4 years why the lines were never took up. Also will they ever be used again. Must of left them down for a reason.

[@TrekkingExploration]

Morning thanks for watching. I believe this one has since been sold off via auction to a private buyer. Only for the sale of the scrap I've heard so far

[@Dave1976.]

You are welcome. Up & down the country even on abandoned lines there on places where lines are still down & well over grown. There also are places where lines run then stop then start again.

[@stephenharper9961]

Second signal is CJ 225

[@janepatricia8779]

Good video as usual, shame to see everything overgrown.🌝

[@haynes01623]

Hey dude their is a disused railway where most tracks still their from near hucknall to where hucknall collery used to be

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks I'll look at some map's 👍

[@timothyparsons8327]

...well, some!

[@111greatbear3]

Is the track still there today

[@johnlaw3323]

Great vid really enjoyed. Any idea why there were two separate lines to the same colliery?

[@TrekkingExploration]

I've since spoken to someone who worked there, apparently the second abandoned line i finished was abandoned due to the incline and and the increase in weights of the workings. I can remember as i walked to Shirebrook it was quite a drop down

[@EMTH_YT]

Fully abandoned. I have some signs and other pieces from this line.

[@TrekkingExploration]

Good, better that than they rot away or get scrapped

[@EMTH_YT]

@@TrekkingExploration Most of the others are bolted on and I don't have anything to get them off with. Well I do, but I'm not driving there with a large saw

[@TrekkingExploration]

I gave the 30mph sign a wiggle out of interest, but i imagine they go a few feet down 😂

[@paulcharlton4788]

@@TrekkingExploration I've been doing a bit of research on this. Abandoned railways these days are managed by The Highways authority. I've been in touch with them and they are not responsible for this branch or any of the others on the Ollerton line. So my next port of call was Network Rails Redundant Assets Department. They have confirmed that all these lines remain Network Rail property and at some point all the redundant infrastructure could be collected by them and auctioned off by tender! Now that might never happen but basically talking stuff from these lines could end up with you being in hot water if you get caught! So, the moral of this story is - don't get caught :-)

[@dougle03]

@@paulcharlton4788 Indeed, This line is still PWAY officially, so yes, NR are very much owner and custodian of it. Officially it's 'mothballed', but it's still PWAY, so should be maintained, I suspect the ORR have allowed NR to halt maintenance...

[@johnmccnj]

goo.gl/maps/GGma3AC2ZyMyHHKF8 This is what the Broomhill Ln crossing looked like when the Googlemobile went through in 2011 (Compare with 16:24). Interesting how the vegetation hasn't grown as much as some of the rest of the line. Also interesting that the GSM-R signs must have been put in after the line was closed?

[@TrekkingExploration]

Yes it's just strange how it's all still there. When all the others just got ripped up

[@dougle03]

@@TrekkingExploration It's still valid PWAY I think

[@jasinere35]

comes out at meden vale colliery site

[@paulcharlton4788]

jason adams It’s in Medan Vale but it’s actually Welbeck Colliery.

[@jasinere35]

didn't know that but its deffo an explore & track still down says a lot about it even thou a lot of colleries around the area have gone the sustrans have converted the track beds to paths & this is another that could have the same done to it

[@paulcharlton4788]

@@jasinere35 It certainly could - but - there is a suggestion by the local council that it could be used for the importation of material to be used in the reclamation work at the old pit site.

[@mickbottomley6815]

someone ought to claim that run trains again

[@dougle03]

Nope, I live right next to it... lol