61379 Mayflower
Scan0010 Duckmanton South Junction
Duckmanton South Junction was one of four interconnected junctions. The others were Duckmanton East Junction, Duckmanton North Junction (half a mile north on the main line, see previous photo) and Arkwright Town Junction; all four were usually collectively referred to as Duckmanton Junction or Duckmanton Junctions. They were a huge White Elephant installed in a fit of exuberance when the GCR absorbed the impecunious LDECR in 1907.
Duckmanton South Junction,, shown here, enabled traffic to travel E-S, the other side of the junction allowed traffic to travel S-E, curving up and over the main lines in what would today be called a 'Flying Junction'. As can be seen, by the time of this journey all E-S tarffic had ceased and th eline had been lifted, as had its counterpart S-E flyover line.
Remarkably, the tracks on which my train is travelling were eventually lifted, but were subsequently relaid and a sort of reborn Duckmanton South Junction was reinvented in the late 1970s Alas it was all to be short lived. The Wikipedia entry ably tracks and shows this complex history.
On 28th February 1965 I undertook a trip specifically to travel a route in terminal decline - the Great Central Main Line, especially the part north of Nottingham, which I knew best.
Manchester Central-Sheffield Victoria-Marylebone expresses had finished in 1959/60 and local passenger services north of Rugby Central had finished on 5th March 1963.
The only daytime passenger service between Nottingham Victoria and Sheffield Victoria was the York-Bournemouth (Newcastle-Bournemouth in Summer) which laft Sheffield Victoria southbound at 11:37, as it had for as long as anyone could remember. The return train also travelled in daylight.
I therefore researched how far south on the GCR I could travel and be able to cross the platform and travel back on the return working. The answer was Rugby Central with a comfortable time there in case of delays and to explore the place.
Interestingly, when I phoned to double-check the lady in the Booking Office at Sheffield Victoria did her best to redirect me to travel to and from Sheffield Midland. When it came to it on the day the ticket clerk had to hand write Rugby Central on my ticket, which to my immense regret, I lent to a 'friend' some years later; I have not seen it since.
The day was classic February, cool and grey, but mercifully not raining. I spent the entire journey from Sheffield to Nottingham hanging out of door windows catching familiar locations from a vantage point likely to vanish forever. I was out of the windows again through subsequent stations.
At a virtually deserted Rugby Central I wandered the station and the site. After a while a pleasant voice called me from the signalbox and invited me up. I didn't need asking twice.
A magical day.
Scan0010 Duckmanton South Junction
Duckmanton South Junction was one of four interconnected junctions. The others were Duckmanton East Junction, Duckmanton North Junction (half a mile north on the main line, see previous photo) and Arkwright Town Junction; all four were usually collectively referred to as Duckmanton Junction or Duckmanton Junctions. They were a huge White Elephant installed in a fit of exuberance when the GCR absorbed the impecunious LDECR in 1907.
Duckmanton South Junction,, shown here, enabled traffic to travel E-S, the other side of the junction allowed traffic to travel S-E, curving up and over the main lines in what would today be called a 'Flying Junction'. As can be seen, by the time of this journey all E-S tarffic had ceased and th eline had been lifted, as had its counterpart S-E flyover line.
Remarkably, the tracks on which my train is travelling were eventually lifted, but were subsequently relaid and a sort of reborn Duckmanton South Junction was reinvented in the late 1970s Alas it was all to be short lived. The Wikipedia entry ably tracks and shows this complex history.
On 28th February 1965 I undertook a trip specifically to travel a route in terminal decline - the Great Central Main Line, especially the part north of Nottingham, which I knew best.
Manchester Central-Sheffield Victoria-Marylebone expresses had finished in 1959/60 and local passenger services north of Rugby Central had finished on 5th March 1963.
The only daytime passenger service between Nottingham Victoria and Sheffield Victoria was the York-Bournemouth (Newcastle-Bournemouth in Summer) which laft Sheffield Victoria southbound at 11:37, as it had for as long as anyone could remember. The return train also travelled in daylight.
I therefore researched how far south on the GCR I could travel and be able to cross the platform and travel back on the return working. The answer was Rugby Central with a comfortable time there in case of delays and to explore the place.
Interestingly, when I phoned to double-check the lady in the Booking Office at Sheffield Victoria did her best to redirect me to travel to and from Sheffield Midland. When it came to it on the day the ticket clerk had to hand write Rugby Central on my ticket, which to my immense regret, I lent to a 'friend' some years later; I have not seen it since.
The day was classic February, cool and grey, but mercifully not raining. I spent the entire journey from Sheffield to Nottingham hanging out of door windows catching familiar locations from a vantage point likely to vanish forever. I was out of the windows again through subsequent stations.
At a virtually deserted Rugby Central I wandered the station and the site. After a while a pleasant voice called me from the signalbox and invited me up. I didn't need asking twice.
A magical day.