The Midland Railway, Butterley

The Train Ride

When you arrive at Butterley your train will probably be ready for you. If not you will have to time to visit the small buffet on the station. Or you could visit the model railway which is next to the buffet. Or you could spend some time browsing in the shop in the booking hall. Alternatively you could take a stroll up the yard to the garden railway.

From Butterley to Hammersmith

You will board your train, the guard will wave his flag, blow his whistle, the engine will reply and your journey will commence. The train will cross over Butterley Reservoir on a large stone embankment which replaced an older bridge in the 1930's. The reservoir was constructed to feed water to Cromford Canal and is now the haunt of wildfowl and well used by fishermen.

Once over the embankment you will see the former Kilby Bridge Signal box on the right hand side before entering our western terminus of Hammersmith Station. You may alight here to see the engine uncouple, run round and re-couple to the train. At Hammersmith you will see the Signal and Telegraph Department works as well as being able to see the progress being made in creating a small country station in the area which was formerly the junction of a branch line to Ripley and on to Derby.

The main line used to continue through to Ambergate, but the construction of the A38 prevented our preserved line continuing any further.

Hammersmith to Riddings

The locomotive leaves Hammersmith running non-stop through Butterley. It works hard to pull the train up a gradient through the long cutting towards Swanwick Junction. As you leave the station you pass, on the left hand side, the signal box which until 1985 was at Ais Gill on the Settle and Carlisle route.

After you have passed the top of the incline the cutting opens out and you will see the Historic Carriage and Wagon Repair Base with many items awaiting restoration outside. Approaching Swanwick Junction Station you will see the wide expanse of the main museum site and you will soon pass the huge former Kettering signal box which now controls the Swanwick Junction area. Behind the signal box is a connection to The Butterley Company's Works. The Company was founded in 1790 and constructed the train shed at St. Pancras Station in London with a span of 240 feet. We recommend that you remain on the train until you return to Swanwick Junction later in your journey.

On the left as you pass through the station you can see the Hayes Conference Centre which was a prisoner of war camp during World War II. One of the prisoners was Franz von Werra who was 'The One That Got Away'. Although recaptured twice locally he did eventually escape from Canada and into the USA (before they joined the war) and made his way back to Germany. He was later killed on the eastern front. As you pass through the station you will see an old colliery branch leading off on your left hand side. This is used for freight traffic only. Now look out on your right hand side to see the Centre's Country Park. This is a walking and picnic area which is reached on foot from the Swanwick site. At the end of the Country Park is an area of land set aside as a burial ground.

Beyond the Country Park the train passes under the recently improved Golden Valley road bridge and the valley opens out to reveal the canal side cottages (built for the Butterley Company's workers) of Golden Valley itself and on the opposite hillside is the unusual Jessops Monument. This stone built monument was erected to commemorate William Jessop, former works manager of Butterley Ironworks.

The next overbridge is a farm access bridge which still retains its original Midland Railway stone arch. The train soon enters Ironville Cutting. On the right is the Centre's connection to the main line network. The train stops on a high embankment overlooking Ironville and the Erewash Valley. You may see trains passing on the adjacent main line. A further extension is planned to take us into the former Pye Bridge Station.

Here the engine runs round the train, the guard tests the brakes and then we make our way back to Swanwick Junction.

At Swanwick

Now is the time to leave the train to explore and view the Museum Site, Country Park and Farm Park. On the island platform is a replica of the restored stsion building from Broom Junction whilst the main platform building is being reconstructed from the original Syston Ststion. Also on this site is the restored church, a demonstration signal box, a narrow gauge railway, a miniature railway and a model railway. The diesel depot is still under construction. Other attractions are the Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust West Shed (which houses their impressive collection when it is not running on the main line), the static power museum and the Historic Model Railway Society national headquarters. Finally there is Johnson's buffet where you can buy meals at reasonable prices and Allport's Emporium which contains our souvenir shop and further museum exhibits. The Swanwick site once housed three separate collieries and you can see (in the farm) the remains of the headgear of Western Pit. Brand's Colliery was in the centre of the site and Brittain Pit was behind the museum buildings.

From Swanwick to Butterley

The train then makes its way back to your starting point at Butterley Station which is on the site of the only station on the original line between Pye Bridge and Ambergate. The original Butterley Station was demolished in 1967. The current station was rebuilt stone by stone from the station at Whitwell in 1981. Walk up the yard to see the Garden Railway display. Also in the former Butterley goods yard is the Trust's Carriage and Wagon department where our rolling stock is maintained. At the station there is another model railway as well as a small buffet, our book and video shop and a last chance to buy souvenirs. We hope that you have enjoyed this description and will come and visit us in the near future.

Note

The above description does not apply to the first train of the day which runs from Butterley to Riddings, missing out the short journey to Hammersmith. Similarly, the last train of the day from Swanwick travels non-stop to Hammersmith before terminating at Butterley.