Derby and Derby RTC

[221129]

Hi guys, I have several hours of layover in Derby tomorrow afternoon and was wondering how much Freight etc is likely to run and is it worth hanging around for the 8 or so hours or to go off and do other stuff in town?

Also is there anywhere you can get any photos of stuff in the RTC?

Thanks In Advance.

 

[Mugby]

Virtually all freight passing through Derby will be North to West. Freight on the South line, towards Long Eaton, is negligible, perhaps non existent. The only real vantage point for the RTC is just past London Road bridge, the bridge will also give you a good view of the West Main and Goods. Just go straight ahead out of the station, up Midland Road and turn left at the top, the bridge is about a ten minute walk.

There's still a reasonable amount of freight going to and from Birmingham, although you'd undoubtably see more passing through Burton-on-Trent (also ten minutes away)

However, if you fancy doing something else and if it's your sort of thing, take a walk into town, past the railway cottages and take a look at vehicles entering and leaving Derby bus station. The regular chaos there has to be seen to be believed! The bus drivers who use it daily regard it as hell on earth and there's an excellent vantage point from inside the indoor market opposite. It's well worth a look to see the gridlock several times per hour!

 

[RichmondCommu]

Do you like pubs, or more to the point are you old enough to enter pubs? If so check out the Brunswick and the Alexandra Hotel which can be found by leaving the station via the main entrance, turning right and heading along the main road with the station car park then on your right. You will soon come across both pubs which will be on your left hand side. The Alexandra Hotel has (or did have) a loco cab in its car park. Both pubs serve a great pint and there are plenty of railway photo's in each pub.

Make your way over to platform 6 and to your left will be what is left of the Derby Locomotive Works. Contained within that complex (its now part of Derby College) is the world's first ever railway Roundhouse (think Camden etc). If you want to see what treasures Etches Park and the RTC hold a trip out to Long Eaton would be your best bet. And on the way back into Derby, on the same side as Etches Park do take time out to admire the pride of the East Midlands!

Joking aside, have a good time in the Motherland

 

[Mugby]

I'm happy to second everything RichmondCommu says, except the bit about pride of the East Midlands!

And yes, the Alex does have the cab of a 37 in it's back yard!

 

[DarloRich]

forget watching the buses get to the pubs Richmondcommu suggests!

 

[Jonfun]

Had a job interview in Derby a couple of weeks back. Didn't get the job, but did get a couple of ace local pints and a stilton pork pie from the Alex. Makes up for the rest of Derby, just about

 

[nottinghamcity]

I remember vividly the hype when riverlights bus station was proposed. The rather likable 30s bus station (where the buses just drove through, and could accommodate multiple arrivals and departures simultaneously, and room for more than one bus on stand, would be replaced by "an airport style bus station" and would release land for redevelopment. Had any of these planners ever suffered "an airport style bus station" I wonder! Rant over
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The Alexandra Hotel has (or did have) a loco cab in its car park.

It did last time I was there. A 37 IIRC. There is plenty of other memorabilia there too, and signs and notices from long past TOCs.

 

[Comstock]

V
However, if you fancy doing something else and if it's your sort of thing, take a walk into town, past the railway cottages and take a look at vehicles entering and leaving Derby bus station. The regular chaos there has to be seen to be believed!

Considering it is a modern bus station, the chaos is indeed awful, and far worse than with the old station. Obviously the new station is a more pleasant environment, but I'd rather have free flowing buses!!