The remains
Unfortunately there are not many tangible remains of the test track today.
At the Mickleover end the station buildings survive as a private residence but the cutting which leads
east from the station under Station Road and up to the western portal of Mickleover
Tunnel has now been completely filled in Click on the pictures for a bigger image - all
pictures are the author's unless otherwise credited Author's collection
Nick Wheat collection
Google The area of the original Research sidings remains and there is evidence of
its former use. The track bed from this point has been converted into a cycle way connecting
Derby with Burton and Ashbourne. The line ran across country and generally away from any road access but did
cross the road from Etwall to Radbourne near Etwall Google Etwall Station yard was used for many years by a farm machinery supplier and the station buildings survived as offices.
However a recent visit showed that the firm had built offices on the site but
that they had also re-located . The area is much overgrown and the view from the
road bridge reveals nothing but heavy undergrowth. The line is now severed by the A516 dual carriageway, built to join up with
the A50 road between the M1 and the Potteries. This is just to the east of
Etwall station.
The station building at Egginton is still in existence, it was used as the
headquarters of the National Federation of Anglers (NFA), but is now a payroll
company's offices. The building
has had extensive alterations carried out to accommodate the change of use from
its origins. The dairy buildings are still there and the
junction signal box still survives in operation on the Derby-Crewe line today
(2015).
'The Great Northern' public house still stands on Station Road next to the road overbridge which used to cross the line near the station at Mickleover.
It did have a nice picture of a steam locomotive on the sign board but has
recently been made over and is now as bland as the next pub. There are a couple of pictures of what it looked like in 1975,
2004 and 2008
on the 'stations' page.
The western portal of Mickleover tunnel in
1982 - prior to its being filled in.
The eastern portal of Mickleover tunnel
The view today looking towards the tunnel
A recent aerial photograph showing the
original tunnel mouth on the right and the station buildings on the left
Station Road bridge in 2004 - entrance to
former station on left. A new footpath has now been built on the outside of
the LH parapet
The bridge over Heage Lane from Etwall to Radbourne
The bridge from the opposite side
A recent aerial photograph showing the bridge
and the road