Midland Railway – Butterley

The Midland Railway – Butterley is a heritage railway at Butterley, near Ripley in Derbyshire.
==History==
===Overview===
The Midland Railway – Butterley lies on the Ambergate to Pye Bridge line of the old Midland Railway, a line once connecting the Derwent Valley branch of Midland Main Line to the Erewash Valley. A branch leading to the south to Ripley station was in use from 1889 until 1923. The sole historical station on the line is Butterley, which opened in 1875. The current line extends westwards from Codnor Park Junction on the Erewash Valley Line, although the present-day heritage line terminates at Hammersmith. The line currently runs for 3+1⁄2 miles (5.6 km) from Hammersmith via Butterley, Swanwick Junction and Riddings to Ironville. It is operated and maintained by the Midland Railway Trust.
===Use===
The Ambergate to Pye Bridge line, during its operation, was used to serve the collieries of Marehay, Hartshay, Pentrich, Swanwick and Britain Pit. The current Swanwick Junction station lies on the former site of Brand's Colliery. The line also provided rail access for the site of the Butterley Company.
The railway is also home to the 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge Golden Valley Light Railway, which opened in 1991. It partially lies on the trackbed of a former plateway built by the Butterley Company in 1813 to connect its iron works facilities in Butterley to nearby Codnor Park.
===Closure and restoration===
The line was closed in 1968 and the process of restoring the line started in 1973. Much of the former track bed was razed in 1976, when the nearby section of the A38 was constructed between Ripley and Alfreton; the route of the A610 between the Ripley roundabout and Buckland Hollow lies mostly on the route of the former line. The first preservation services started operating in 1981.
==Stations and attractions of the Midland Railway - Butterley==
===Hammersmith===
Hammersmith is the western terminus of the line; the station consists of two platforms and the secondary line is used as a run-around loop. A signal box is present at the eastern end of the station and the A38 is visible from the platform to the west.
===Butterley===
Butterley is the headquarters of the Midland Railway – Butterley. The station consists of a double platform and the station building; the original brick-built buildings were demolished after the line closed. The new station building, acquired from Whitwell railway station, is made of stone and contains a shop and booking office. A café and the Alfreton Model Railway Society are also present in adjacent buildings. The signal box at Butterley was formerly situated at Ais Gill on the Settle to Carlisle line; this is the working signal box at Butterley. It is technically a ground frame; a carriage shed also stands at the eastern end of the yard, but neither the signal box or carriage shed are open to the public.
In the yard is also the Garden Railway; an outdoor 16 mm scale model railway which runs on most Sundays and some Saturdays. In the yard is also the Star Tugs Trust carriage; this is owned by the Star Tugs trust and holds a permanent exhibition of some original models from TUGS - the sister show of Thomas & Friends. It is open on certain running days.
===Swanwick Junction===
Swanwick Junction site holds the main complex for the Midland Railway Centre.
*Station - the station itself has 4 platforms; the station building was originally located at Syston railway station and rebuilt on Swanwick platform 2. The building contains toilets, café, waiting room and booking office. Between platforms 3 & 4 is a waiting room; this is a replica of the original station building at Broom Junction. There is currently only public access on certain events. The original building was intended to be used, but it was destroyed by vandals before recovery.
*Signal box – the operational signal box at Swanwick Junction was moved from Kettering station in 1988. There is no public access.
*Matthew Kirtley Museum – the main museum on the Swanwick site houses various locomotives, coaches and wagons.
*Historical Model Railway Society – this was opened in 2005. It contains a large display area, study centre and small shop. Normally only open by appointment, it is sometimes open at special events.
*The West Shed – the home of the Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust, owners of 6233 Duchess of Sutherland and 46203 Princess Margaret Rose. BR Standard Class 4 Tanks 80080 & 80098 and a small collection of classic LMS saloons, including the famous Dynamometer car, are also stationed here.
*St. Saviour's Church – moved from Westhouses, this Railwayman's church also holds occasional services.
*Derby St Mary's Gatehouse – situated at the entrance to the site, this small building was moved to Swanwick from the goods yard at Derby St Mary's. This contains Swanwick Junction Model Railway Club.
*Static Power Museum – normally open at busy periods and at special events, the building houses a good number of working machines.
*Demonstration Signal Box – recovered from Linby railway station. Now in use at Brands Crossing as a demonstration signal box, with public access.
*Linby Colliery Sidings Signal Box – currently in use as a bookshop.
*Historic Carriage and Wagon Shed – a large number of coaches and wagons await restoration here, either in the sidings or the large shed in which the Society is based. On certain days, it is possible to see work being done inside the shed.
*National Fork Truck Heritage Centre and Road Transport Gallery – this recently completed building houses a collection of heritage buses, lorries and other forms of road transport and fork lift trucks. On certain special events, some of the vehicles are put on display out in the open
*Diesel Depot – currently housing some of the centre's diesel fleet.
====Butterley Park Miniature Railway====
Operating on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays, miniature replicas of classic steam and diesel engines of both 3+1⁄2 in (89 mm) and 5 in (127 mm) gauge operate on a raised circuit of track. The public are permitted to ride for a small charge. The line consists of about 1⁄6 mile (0.27 km) of track, a traverser, tunnel, decorative speed signs and signal box.
===Riddings===
There is no station platform located at Riddings, but there is a run-around loop on the northern branch of Codnor Park Junction from which the line would have run northbound towards Pye Bridge Station. Just before the run around loop is the split in the track, which connects to the main line. The River Erewash runs underneath the junction.
==Special events==
From 2007 to 2019, the MR:B hosted Indietracks, a music festival that was held at the Swanwick Junction site. The COVID-19 pandemic halted events in 2020 and 2021; in November 2021, it was announced that Indietracks festival would no longer be held.
==Steam locomotives==
===Operational or Needing Repair===
Number & Name 	Description 	History & Current Status 	Livery 	Owner(s) 	Date	Photograph
No. 1163 "Whitehead" 	Peckett 0-4-0ST 	Built in 1908, "Whitehead" was used in the major Welsh industries. On withdrawal, it was purchased by the Great Western Society and moved to the West Somerset Railway. Arrived at the Midland Railway – Butterley in July 1999. Returned to service in March 2011 after an overhaul and remained in service until 2019, needing a further overhaul.	Unlined Brunswick Green with the BR Crest.	Private Owner. 	1908	
No. 46203 "Princess Margaret Rose" 	LMS 4-6-2 Class 8P 	Currently on display in the West Shed, Stored, Out of use. Awaiting restoration. 	BR Maroon 	Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust	1935	
No. 3883 "Lord Phil" 	Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST	Originally built for use with the War Department at Donnington. Based at Butterley since 2019. Boiler ticket expired in December 2021 and undergoing ten-yearly overhaul. 	Lined Green 	Private Owner 	1943	
No. 7817 "Castle Donington Power Station No. 1"	RSH 0-4-0ST 	One of the last steam locomotives in regular industrial usage in Great Britain. 	Dark Blue. 	Midland Railway Trust. 	1954	
===Diesel and electric locomotives===
Number & Name 	Description 	Current Status 	Livery 	Owner 	Photograph
No. 47401 "North Eastern"	BR Co-Co Class 47	Under restoration	BR Blue	47401 Project	
==Matthew Kirtley Museum==
The Matthew Kirtley shed is the largest building on the Swanwick Junction site and holds all the exhibits of the museum. Below is a list of stock that can be found inside.
==Golden Valley Light Railway==
The Golden Valley Light Railway is a 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge line. Laid on the trackbed of a former ironworks railway, this line runs for just under one mile (1.6 km) from the Swanwick Junction site to the far end of the country park adjacent to the former site of Newlands Inn. The terminus is just above the eastern portal of the Butterley Tunnel, which forms part of the Cromford Canal. The Swanwick Terminus gained a new engine shed in 2007, which specifically houses GVLR stock.
===Golden Valley Light railway stock===
In addition to the standard gauge stock on the Midland Railway, The Golden Valley Light Railway, a separate organisation altogether, owns a collection of locomotives, ex colliery manriders, Ashover coach No.4 and ex industrial wagons, many of which are being restored to work on the line.
0 	Number & Name 	Description 	Current Status 	Train Brakes 	Livery 	Owner
1 	TDA CIVIL No.1 "JOAN" 	0-4-2IST 	Stored, awaiting overhaul 	Single Pipe Air 	SDJR Blue 	Private Owner
2 	O&K 7529 	0-4-0WT 	Undergoing restoration 	Single Pipe Air 	N/A 	Private Owner
3 	60SD364 "Campbells" 	4wDM Simplex 	Operational 	Single Pipe Air 	CBW Yellow 	GVLR
4 	101T020 "Ellison" 	4wDM Simplex "T" Class 	Operational 	Single Pipe Air 	Blue 	Private Owner
5 	"Hunslet Husky" HE7178/71	 	Stored, pending restoration 	None Fitted 	N/A 	GVLR
6 	222068 "Berry Hill" 	4wDM 20HP 	Operational 	None Fitted 	Brunswick Green 	GVLR
7 	3753 "Darcy" 	Baguley Drewry 70HP 	Operational 	Single Pipe Air 	Purple/pink 	Private Owner
8 	10249 	Deutz 11.8HP 	Operational 	None Fitted 	Blue 	Private Owner
9 	3742/31 	Lister/Blackstone petrol engine	Under restoration 	None Fitted 	N/A 	Private Owner
10	53726 	Lister/Blackstone 15HP 	Operational 	None Fitted 	Lister Green 	Private Owner
11	40SD 529 	4wDM "Simplex" 40HP 	Operational 	Single Pipe Air 	Simplex Yellow 	Private Owner
12	8739 "Pioneer" 	4wDM "Simplex" 40HP 	Operational 	None Fitted 	Green 	GVLR
13	11177 "Holwell Castle" 	4wDM Motor Rail 60HP 	Under Restoration – Dorman engine to be replaced	Twin Pipe Air – will be converted for GVLR use.	Blue 	GVLR
14	11246/63 	4wDM Motor Rail 	Stored 	None Fitted 	N/A 	GVLR
15	RH191646/38 "Lyddia" 	4wDM Ruston 	Out of traffic with major oil leak 	None Fitted 	Dark Green 	GVLR
16	MR8667/41 "Tubby" 	4wDM 28HP Simplex 	Operational 	Single Pipe Air 	Dark Green (with yellow warning stripes)	GVLR
17	3703 "NG24" 	Baguley Drewry battery loco 	Operational 	None Fitted 	MOD Green with wasp stripes 	GVLR
18	WR5 "Baby Jane" 	4wBE BEV 	Requires significant components 	None Fitted 	Yellow 	Private Owner
Category:United Kingdom
Category:Heritage Railroads
Category:Heritage Railways
Category:4 foot 8 1⁄2 inch gauge