Widmerpool

Some pictures of trains in the Widmerpool area over the years

Click on the picture for a bigger image - photos are the author's unless otherwise credited
Johnson 4-4-0

In 1908 a Johnson 4-4-0 approaches Widmerpool with a Nottingham express.

Rev T G Parley - D F Tee Collection

1956 south side

An unidentified Stanier Jubilee Class 4-6-0 heads up the 1 in 200 grade past the 115 MP, south of Widmerpool station, with a London express in the summer of 1956. The Down loop is on the left with the signal box obscured by the exhaust. Cars can be seen on the A606 Nottingham-Melton road in the background.

John Oxley

An L.M.S. 4F, 0-6-0 piloting an Austerity 2-8 -0  storms south through Widmerpool on 9th December 1957

 

Henry Priestley

1958

On a summer's evening in 1958 an unidentified Black Five coasts through the closed Widmerpool station with a Nottingham express. Note the Up starter signal is now on a bracket compared with the 1945 view on the 'Then & Now' pages and the station fittings have all been removed, although the yard looks busy.

T G Hepburn - Rail Archive Stephenson

1959 Only one year later on April 5th 1959 a class 2P 4-4-0 No:40421 pilots an unidentified Stanier 'Jubilee' 4-6-0 through the station on the Down 'Waverley' service. The yard is deserted save for a couple of coal wagons.

M Mitchell

1962

At 1.34pm on 15th August 1962, Class 8F No: 48156 is captured as it rumbles through Widmerpool Station with a train of empty mineral wagons bound for the Nottinghamshire coalfields. Note the extra coaches stored in the sidings awaiting the summer Saturday's extra trains.

The Down platform waiting room, on the right, was still in use as a laboratory/storeroom until quite recently and is the only original Midland Railway building left virtually untouched.

David Holmes

DMU In 1963 an unidentified DMU heads north through the station with a Melton- Nottingham local

Unknown

Dead loco An unidentified class 25 hauls a dead Stanier class 5 steam loco north past the signal box at Widmerpool on 11th July 1964

Milepost 92½

Not far now Looking south from the station overbridge in 1966 sees a Nottingham express approaching. Note the signal box in the background and the extension and improvements to the former station buildings which became 'The Schooner Inn'

Courtney Haydon Collection R.C.T.S.

Local A slightly different angle on Class 25-hauled 2D75 the 13.45 SO Melton-Nottingham local

Courtney Haydon Collection R.C.T.S.

Heading south Looking north from the station overbridge and a Stanier class 8F brings a loaded coal train up the grade from West Bridgford

Courtney Haydon Collection R.C.T.S.

Fancy a pint? Seconds later it is seen heading south through the former station

Courtney Haydon Collection R.C.T.S.

Up road On 27th February 1966 a London express approaches Widmerpool.

The embankments today are entirely obscured by tree growth

Courtney Haydon Collection R.C.T.S.

Freight The cameraman has moved further to the left to secure this view of an Up freight hauled by a class 25

Courtney Haydon Collection R.C.T.S.

1973

The POP train behind the R & D Clayton locomotive 8598 stands in the former Down platform at Widmerpool Station on a summer's day in 1973, prior to the erection of the dummy overhead equipment.

This replaced the original Clayton 8512

Alan Rimmer

91002 91002 is hauled back towards Old Dalby through the former station whilst conducting aerodynamic testing in 1988

Bob Osbourne

60011

60011 heads north from Widmerpool towards Stanton Tunnel on 8th February 1990.

Adrian Tibble

IVA special The special train for the IVA88 exhibition in Hamburg is pictured emerging from the south end of Stanton Tunnel on 28th May 1988 Class 89 leading A close up of the locos headed by the class 89 but propelled by a class 47
165135 Class 165 3 car Turbostar No:165135 in the Down platform at Widmerpool  in the early 1990s during sanding and wheelslip tests

Chris Ward

Leaf pick up A close up of one wheel pf 165135 showing the paper 'leaves' used for the tests and how they have adhered to the tread

Chris Ward

2000 In exactly the same spot as POP train was pictured above only 27 years later a RES class 47 No:47781 stands with Alstom's 180101 in tow. Note the fencing from 1973 is still standing and the Down platform has been tidied up 2000 In April 2000, 5-car unit 180101 stands under the wires on the Down line formation just south of Widmerpool Station, whilst engineers conducted horn audibility tests
2000 RES Class 47 No: 47781 hauls the Class 180 up the gradient between Widmerpool and Folly Hall whilst conducting an emergency rescue test in April 2000 NMT passes the station The NMT pictured speeding past the viewing platform at Widmerpool with wind speed monitoring kit in place in September 2005.

Andrew Royle  

Heading north Heading north the NMT is seen approaching the measured mile at Widmerpool on a proving run on September 9th 2005.

Andrew Royle

Heading south 43014 heading south pictured between Stanton Tunnel at Widmerpool at high speed with the NMT on 17th November 2005

Andrew Royle

TRC test train On 24th January 2007 Class 37 No:37601 powers the TRC test train north past the viewing platform 37609 37609 brings the train south on the same date
Northbound 31106 heads north approaching the viewing platform at Widmerpool on 17th August 2009

Neil Booton

Unusual 4-car class 172 formation passes Widmerpool in the sunshine of 10th March 2010

Neil Booton

172001 Heading south 172001 passes the site of the former station on 9th April 2010 172001 Looking north 172001 passes the site of the former station on 9th April 2010
66175 Track maintenance at Widmerpool with 66175 on 29th April 2010

Neil Booton

InterCity livery On 17th May 2010 class 31 No:31454 heads the TRC test train north through Widmerpool

Neil Booton

BR livery Bringing up the rear was 31601

Neil Booton

37610 37610 with a test train on 10th July 2010

Ben Wheeler

37610 passing Widmerpool on 19th July 2010

Neil Booton

Northbound NMT northbound through Widmerpool on 30th July 2010
NMT The NMT headed by 43014 rolls slowly into the former Up platform on 30th July 2010 Back to Dalby The NMT starts its journey back to Old Dalby on the former Up line. Photographed from the Widmerpool station bridge on 30th July 2010 at the same spot as the freight in the 1960s
172-3 On 10th January 2011 Class 172/3 unit 172331 powers through Widmerpool heading south

Neil Booton

LMT's finest On the same date Class 172/3 unit 172331 heads north through the former station area

Neil Booton

950001 The TRU 950001 at Widmerpool on 10th February 2011

Neil Booton

Javelin set 395010 passes Widmerpool during pantograph testing on 27th February 2014

Neil Booton

The overhead gets some attention Widmerpool during pantograph testing on 27th February 2014

Neil Booton

387104 near Widmerpool on 15th September 2014

Neil Booton

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