A section of a 1913 map of the railways in the Nottingham area focussing on what was to be seen in the Lenton area.

Also published in 1913 this colour map of the railway network in Nottingham allows you to distinguish which railway company owned a particular line.

Royal Ordnance Factory Siding

A shot probably taken c.1950 showing the siding leading into the Royal Ordnance factory in the Meadows. This is one of a number of photographs taken by David Ford's father, John Ford, and comes courtesy of David's collection.
If you would like to see more of the railway photographs taken by both John and David Ford click here to take you through to David's Flickr gallery.

Nottingham main line to Derby - Looking East

We don't have a precise date as to when this particular photograph was taken but, given that this class of engine (London Midland & Scottish Railway - Class 2P-AC 4-4-0) had all been withdrawn by February 1961, the likelihood is that we are probably talking 1950s. The section of track visible on the left is the portion of the Lenton South Junction which provides east bound trains with access to the Mansfield line. On the right of the photograph you can clearly see the section of track leading down to Clifton Colliery and the North Wilford Power Station both to be found on the northern bank of the river Trent.

The view of Lenton South Junction a little bit further west than in the previous photograph. The date of the photograph is believed to be c. 1963 and shows a Fowler '4F-C' Class 0-6-0 No 44458 pulling a long mixed set of goods wagons.

This photograph shows 45069 pulling a parcels train, having left Nottingham station on its way to London St. Pancras. It was taken by Mike Kerry on 8 February 1986. It reproduced here with Mike's permission. We had previously come across the photograph on the Peak Locomotive Company Ltd website www.peakloco.com.

A 1987 shot of the main Nottingham to Derby line looking towards Nottingham from the Lenton Lane road bridge.  On the right is the walkway known as Bird Cage Walk which used to provide pedestrian access to the footpath running alongside the side of the Ordnance factory.

A train carrying balast passing by Birdcage Walk. Photograph taken in July 1969 by David Page.

David Page, also known as 'Railway Dave' has more photographs which can be accessed on Flickr by clicking here

A 1965 photograph showing a train emerging from the section of track which used to go under Bird Cage Walk. It is a B.R. type 2 loco coming on to the main line from Clifton pit. It has a number on the front which reads '8T26'. The '8' means it is a coal or mineral train. The 'T' indicates that it it 'trip working' meaning that it is only going to Beeston or Toton sidings where it will be attached to another train. The '26' is the number for that particular train. Photograph supplied by Gordon Jackson.

2 General Motors Class 66 locomotives, passing the Lenton South Junction on the 'Down Fast' toward Nottingham. The 2 locos in the photo are used on engineer's track renewal trains, which work overnight at weekends and are also used to haul coal, container, scrap metal and fuel oil trains throughout the week. Photograph taken on Saturday 30 May 2009 at 4.42 p.m.

Also taken on 30 May 2009 this was taken at 7.01 p.m. and shows a train heading out of Nottingham. The train is a Class 222 'Meridian' which is used on some of the Nottingham to London St. Pancras International services. It is on the up fast line which used to be the Down Goods line as featured on some of the older pictures also included on this page.

Eight minutes after the previous train was caught on film, Paul Bexon snapped this passenger train heading into Nottingham. The train shown here is a Super Sprinter class 156 and is working on a Leicester to Lincoln-Lincoln to Leicester service. It is an hourly service throughout the main part of the day and arrives in Nottingham from Leicester at about fifteen minutes past the hour.

The final train Paul Bexon photographed on 30 May 2009 was heading out of Nottingham at 7.11 p.m. This is an ex Midland MainLine/Central Trains Class 170, now operated by Arriva Cross-Country on a Nottingham- Birmingham New Street service.  When photographed it was just one of three trains still to have the Midland Mainline livery - all the others have been repainted in the Arriva livery of grey and maroon.

This London Midland & Scottish Railway - Class 2P-AC 4-4-0 Johnson steam locomotive is 40546 and was on the main Nottingham to Derby line, passing Lenton South Junction, when it was photographed on 3 May 1951. The locomotive had originally been built at Derby in 1901. It was only destined to survive for a further two months after this particular photograph was taken as it was removed from service and sent to Derby to be turned into scrap in July 1951.

This is much the same location as in the previous four 2009 shots but for this one we go back to 1955 when the premises belonging to Hattersley-Heaton can just be seen on the left.

The rebuilt Robinson '04/3' Class 2-8-0 No 63639 passing Lenton South Junction, Nottingham with a rake of mineral wagons, circa 1963.

Nottingham main line to Derby - Looking West

Taken the same year as the previous photograph we are now looking westwards from Lenton South Junction with some of the properties in Dunkirk just visible in the far distance.

David Page took this photograph in June 1969 while standing on the Birdcage Walk bridge. It shows the Lenton Lane road bridge over the main Nottingham to Derby line. Beyond the bridge can be seen the roof lines of the premises belonging to British Gas depot and Fitchett & Woolacott, timber merchants.

Mike Sheridan was on a Railway Enthusiasts Club outing on 9 July 1966 when he took this photograph of their means of transport - a rake of brake vans pulled by a Colwick Shed Black 5 number 44825 - taking the Lenton Curve. For more of Mike's photographs taken on the day plus his accompanying commentary click here.

On 16th December 1971 there was a head-on collision between two trains at Lenton South Junction. This photograph shows the aftermath of the crash as the emergency services start to remove the damaged rolling stock. This photograph from the Courtney Haydon Collection (G-075-04) can be found on a discussion page of the RCTS website. Click here to be taken to the relevant webpage.

This second image of the 1971 crash also comes from a discussion page of the RCTS website and is also credited to the Courtney Haydon Collection (G-075-07). Click here to be taken to the relevant page. In the distance is the bridge carrying Clifton Boulevard over the railway. A short Lenton Listener article recalling the crash can be accessed by clicking here.

The Blackpool to Nottingham train in May 1988 making its way into Nottingham. The train is passing what was then the British Gas depot on Willow Road and which currently houses part of Games Workshop's World of Warhammer.

Mike Sheridan was standing on the Lenton Lane road bridge looking towards Clifton Boulevard when he took this shot in May 1981. The train is a Class 45 45044 heading towards Nottingham via the Lenton South junction. For the train enthusiast this shot is unusual in that you don't often see double header Peaks and Mike assumes that the back one is a failure. In the background are the premises of Turpins Cash and Carry and next to the Clifton Boulevard road bridge Cripps Agricultural Machinery sales outlet. The latter's premises are now occupied by Bamford Packing.

Nottingham branch line to Mansfield

The Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Preservation Trust Ltd bought this steam locomotive and saved it from being scrapped. Our photograph taken on 28 February 2009 shows the locomotive and carriages passing through the Lenton South Junction as the train enters the main Nottingham to Derby line. The photograph was taken by Rob Terrace and is one of a number of train photographs included on Rob's flickr site which can be accessed by clicking on R82 Photography.
The last regular passenger train to use the Lenton Curve was the 6.00am SX Langwith to Chilwell Ordnance Depot workmans train. It picked up at all stations, consisted of quite often of 6/7 coaches and was steam hauled. It returned from Chilwell at 4.48pm and was unadvertised to the general public. It ceased on 14th June 1963.

John Woolley took this photograph on 3rd September 1980 and it shows 20170 and 20143 hauling a loaded class 9 unfitted coal train from one of the Leen Valley collieries round the curve from Lenton North Junction to join the main line at Lenton South Junction on its way to either one of the older Trent Valley power stations or Toton yard. Included on the left is a portion of the Hattersley Heaton factory, now consigned to history and replaced by the Easter Park Commercial Estate situated off Lenton Lane. More of John Woolley's photographs can be found on his website: pics-by-john.photoblog.org.uk

Photograph dated 5th March 1969, showing Lenton North Junction. Abbey Bridge can be seen beyond the electricity pylon (back right).

Taken in about 1913 this photograph shows the convergence of lines from Mansfield on the right and Lenton South junction on the left. On the right of the photograph are the properties that made up Petersham Street. The sand box on the left serves as the end point for a siding.

Photograph taken in 1966, shows locomotive 45647, a 'Jubilee' class 4-6-0 named 'Sturdee' (after the Admiral) which was taking the Saturday's only service from Poole up to Bradford. Here it can be seen heading north from Lenton Junction and about to pass under Abbey Bridge.

David Hayes thinks he was probably waiting to photograph the Harwich Boat Train when he took this particular shot around 5pm on the 6th April 1978. It shows a pair of class 20s, 20048 and 20142, hauling a coal train from the north Nottinghamshire coalfield heading for one of the many power stations that were working in the Trent Valley at that time. If you would like to see more of David's photographs click here to access his Flickr gallery.

Alan Wass took this photograph of the railway line as a Britannia class loco No.70013 known as 'Oliver Cromwell' was about to head under Abbey Bridge in June 1968. Two months later the steam locomotive in question was withdrawn from service. As it happens it can still be seen today as it has been preserved and currently resides at Bressington Gardens in Diss, Norfolk. It is instructive to compare this photograph with the following shot. In the latter shot we are down to two sections of track and all though the buildings on the right are still with us the house seemingly lying beyond them has gone to make way for an extension to the Lenton Primary School playground.

Mike Kerry took this photograph on 30th July 1984 and it shows 45038 heading towards Lenton North Junction on its way into Nottingham having come from Sheffield. The section of track is the one between Church Street and Abbey Bridge. More of Mike Kerry's photographs can be found on the website: Peak Locomotive Company Ltd website www.peakloco.com

Taken on 20 December 2008 at 2.27 p.m. from the Church Street bridge this photograph shows the view looking northwards towards the Derby Road bridge. On the left are some of the properties that make up the Lenton Manor housing estate while on the right, beyond the hedge, lies Lenton Recreation Ground. Beyond the Derby Road bridge on the left is the new student housing development seen at closer quarters in the next photograph.

This coloured lithograph of Lenton Railway Station produced by W.L. Walton was probably created soon after the railway line first opened in the 1840s. The image is reproduced courtesy of the Science & Society Picture Library. To find out how you can acquire a copy of this image and view other images held in the collection click here

This photograph of Lenton Station appeared in the local papers shortly before the station closed for passengers in 1911. Those wishing to get into Nottingham henceforth had to use the local trams. Although closed for passenger use the station buildings remained until the goods depot at Lenton was closed. The bridge in the background carries Derby Road over the railway line.

Taken in 2008 from the Derby Road bridge which crosses the railway this shows the view looking northwards along the railway line. The site of Lenton railway station, demolished in the 1950s, lies partly under the track on the left and partly under the new student housing development seen on the left.

This photograph from the Courtney Haydon Collection (66-76-26A) can be found on a discussion page of the RCTS website. Click here to access that page. The view shows a train coming from the Lenton North junction having just passed under the Derby Road bridge. In earlier times Lenton Station would have been visible on the other side of the line. In the foreground was a tipping dock accessed from Faraday Road which allowed the Raleigh factory to loading scrap metal into stationary wagons. The original photograph is undated but was probably taken in about 1965.

This is the Harwich PQ to Glasgow / Edinburgh train taken on 21 June 1986. The shot was taken by Chris Jackson from Faraday Road as the locomotive was about to pass under the Raleigh 'bridge'.