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Former Trent station (near Long Eaton)

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Tryfan

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Has anyone mentioned Trent?

As in, Stoke-on?
That would definitely count as a place that loses out. It's a weird one due to it being really just a collection of towns, and whilst the station is located in the city centre, the city centre isn't really the actual city centre. There aren't heaps of opportunity for railway expansion, either, what Stoke could really do with is a light rail/metro system working in combination with urban railway where possible.

Or are you referring to Trent, as in Trent (Long Eaton)?

Sadly long gone. Now only a number of cottages and the Signal Box remain.

Definitely used to punch above its weight with regular services to Derby, London, Leicester, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield.

The station was right on the edge of Long Eaton which back then had a population of circa 25k.

I read somewhere that trains on either platform, heading in opposite directions, could both have St Pancras as their destination.
 
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edwin_m

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Or are you referring to Trent, as in Trent (Long Eaton)?

Sadly long gone. Now only a number of cottages and the Signal Box remain. Definitely used to punch above its weight with regular services to Derby, London, Leicester, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield. The station was right on the edge of Long Eaton which back then had a population of circa 25k. I read somewhere that trains on either platform, heading in opposite directions, could both have St Pancras as their destination.

So a winner.

As someone else has already said, Chesterfield a winner with its MML and NE/SW services. Mansfield an absolute loser. Even with the introduction of the Robin Hood Line it’s poorly served. Reputed to have been one of the largest towns in England without passenger railway services. So it had Alfreton & Mansfield Parkway “given” to it, only 8 miles away
Even the signal box is out of use now, though still standing when I last passed by (over a year ago now...). HS2 eastern leg, if built as planned, will pass over on a viaduct.

I don't think you could ever get to St Pancras from either end, unless by a very roundabout route, but there was a curve to the west from the north end of the station to join the original Derby-Nottingham line following what is now Fields Farm Road. So a train for Derby could depart in either direction. Long Eaton lost not only Trent but also its own station right next to the town centre, due to the minor problem of the passenger train service on that line being withdrawn. Sawley Junction station was re-named to become the present Long Eaton station, also very much on the edge of the town.
 

NoRoute

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Or are you referring to Trent, as in Trent (Long Eaton)?

Sadly long gone. Now only a number of cottages and the Signal Box remain. Definitely used to punch above its weight with regular services to Derby, London, Leicester, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield. The station was right on the edge of Long Eaton which back then had a population of circa 25k. I read somewhere that trains on either platform, heading in opposite directions, could both have St Pancras as their destination.

So a winner.

I thought Trent was an Interchange station, for passengers to change between East-West services running between Nottingham and Derby and the North-South services along the Erewash valley, so while it was useful for Long Eaton it was really to serve Derby and Notts. Seemed a very good idea.
 

edwin_m

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I thought Trent was an Interchange station, for passengers to change between East-West services running between Nottingham and Derby and the North-South services along the Erewash valley, so while it was useful for Long Eaton it was really to serve Derby and Notts. Seemed a very good idea.
I just found this site:
Home - Trent Station
It says:
Trent Station was opened by the Midland Railway in May 1862 solely as an interchange station. It was not designed to serve any local community, and for this reason it is the only station in England named after a river, rather than after a town or village.
This is I think somewhat misleading, as one of the photos on the bottom of the page shows what is clearly a public entrance! I think the second part of the sentence is also incorrect, as Dovey Junction would also appear to be named after a river.
 

contrex

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At Christmas my grandmother in Castle Donington used to take a freshly killed local chicken in a cardboard box, labelled and tied with string, to Trent station, pay to have it carried in the guard's accommodation of a passenger train, then ring my dad at work, who would be on the platform at St Pancras to meet the train, bring it home, and get it ready for roasting.
 

pdeaves

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I don't think you could ever get to St Pancras from either end, unless by a very roundabout route
I suspect without checking any timetables that the options were Trent-London departing south (today's direct route), and Trent-London departing north(ish) and running via Nottingham and what is now the 'Old Dalby' test track.
 

Welshman

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I just found this site:
Home - Trent Station
It says:

This is I think somewhat misleading, as one of the photos on the bottom of the page shows what is clearly a public entrance! I think the second part of the sentence is also incorrect, as Dovey Junction would also appear to be named after a river.
Thank you for the website re Trent station.

But will you allow the pedant in me to say it speaks of Trent as being "the only station in England to be named after a river"
Dovey Junction, of course, is west of Offa's Dyke.;)
 

Tryfan

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Well I didn’t expect that this would end up as a thread on its own.

I’ve been trying to find the book where I thought that I’d read it was possible to get to London from Trent with a train departing in opposite directions, so far without success. I’ll keep looking.

I can certainly see that a Derby bound train could head in both directions. Nottingham to Derby leaving Trent southbound. With London to Derby via Trent heading northbound towards Nottingham and then turning west via the loop as edwin_m suggests.

I spent many a happy hour down at Trent Junction (after the station had gone) or at Toton mpd in my youth. Although I’m from London originally I grew up in Long Eaton, went to school there before moving away in my early 20’s. I still remember the noise of the hump shunting at Toton that I could hear in summer at night time with the windows open, it drowned out the M1!
 

Merle Haggard

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When Trent was open, trains to/from the Yorkshire direction were more frequently routed via the Erewash Valley rather than via Derby. Trains from the latter called by turning left just south of Sawley Junction station (now, as already mentioned, called Long Eaton) and joining the line from Nottingham at a junction just East of the station and facing West.

My first photo may indicate the character of the station not long before closure - it's facing West with the high level goods lines in the background. The whole area, as far South as Loughborough, retained Midland lower quadrant signals to the 1968 resingnalling; the second photo is looking east and shows those for the routes towards the Erewash valley and Nottingham.

In connection with the resignalling, I remember travelling on trains diverted because of the work; this included late evening Derby - Leicester trains often diverted out of Derby towards Birmingham, left at Melbourne J (so through what became Sinfin) left again at Chellaton E to emerge at Sheet Stores. My most convoluted journey - on a Sunday - was on a train that initially passed Trent on the high level goods lines but after circling around used the Sawley Junction - Trent connection previously mentioned arrive at the platform. This latter connection was tightly curved, a lot of flange squeal from a Peak and Mk1s. (somewhere I have the list of junctions used - it was an entertaining railtour for the price of a day return). It started my interest in 'passenger services over unusual lines', and assisted by Richard Maund's publications.

Trent2.jpg


Trent 1.jpg
 

Senex

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Even the signal box is out of use now, though still standing when I last passed by (over a year ago now...). HS2 eastern leg, if built as planned, will pass over on a viaduct.

I don't think you could ever get to St Pancras from either end, unless by a very roundabout route, but there was a curve to the west from the north end of the station to join the original Derby-Nottingham line following what is now Fields Farm Road. So a train for Derby could depart in either direction. Long Eaton lost not only Trent but also its own station right next to the town centre, due to the minor problem of the passenger train service on that line being withdrawn. Sawley Junction station was re-named to become the present Long Eaton station, also very much on the edge of the town.
I haven't got the details to hand, but there was at one time a London-Manchester service that used the Manton route to run via both Nottingham and Derby, so northbound this ran southwards through Trent before turning off towards Derby and southbound it ran northwards through Trent before turning off towards Nottingham.
 

WesternLancer

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I just found this site:
Home - Trent Station
It says:

This is I think somewhat misleading, as one of the photos on the bottom of the page shows what is clearly a public entrance! I think the second part of the sentence is also incorrect, as Dovey Junction would also appear to be named after a river.
I have the book detailed on that web page - I can recommend it.

As I was once told some locals used to say, when saying their prayers: "Lead us not into Trent Station"

The large signal box is indeed still there, or was the other day, but I think it's nameplate has been removed. I think some of the houses (or maybe all of them) which are in a fine Midland Railway style, beside it, will be demolished to make way for the proposed HS2 viaduct mentioned up thread.

This is I think somewhat misleading, as one of the photos on the bottom of the page shows what is clearly a public entrance!

Not sure which bridge that is with the large enamel name board on it, and not sure how clear that it is a public entrance - although old maps show a footpath or track nearby, leading up to the railway station areas, but no sign of a public road. May have been only a route intended for railway use.
 
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Arglwydd Golau

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Interesting...I have a fleeting memory of Trent station and it is exactly comparable to @Merle Haggard's first picture. Travelling to Scotland on the Thames-Clyde Express in October 1965 and I remember my father pointing it out, pretty certain that the train didn't stop but must have been going slowly enough for it to imprint on my memory.
I have tried to spot the site on the rare occasions that I have passed by, I hope to be going that way again shortly...what should I look out for?
 

Tryfan

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The bridge with the large enamel sign is under the high level freight only line. It connects Trent Lane to Trent Cottages.

I think the view is looking towards the Station as the chimney pots would be one of the cottages
 

WesternLancer

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Interesting...I have a fleeting memory of Trent station and it is exactly comparable to @Merle Haggard's first picture. Travelling to Scotland on the Thames-Clyde Express in October 1965 and I remember my father pointing it out, pretty certain that the train didn't stop but must have been going slowly enough for it to imprint on my memory.
I have tried to spot the site on the rare occasions that I have passed by, I hope to be going that way again shortly...what should I look out for?
If you are on Leicester or Derby to Nottm service you can not miss it as you pass by the large former Power Signal Box which is on the south side of the tracks
weirdly I can not good a good picture link but it's v similar in style, size and colour to the image here of Derby PSB - half way down page

The MR cottages, I assume for staff at Trent station etc - are beside the PSB in a row and also can not be missed as your train passes.

Trent station was about 300 meters west of the current PSB building. I don't think you can see any trace of the former station - at least not from a passing train.

If you are heading north from Leicester after East Mids Parkway station (to Derby) you go through Redhill Tunnel then almost immediately over the Trent. You would have to look east towards Nottm as the Nottm tracks curve away towards where Trent would have been and you can probably still see the PSB from there, you then soon pass Sheet Stores Jct where on the west of the line you can see the former MR wagon sheet stores buddings, in private industrial use but good condition with distinctive railway style cast metal window frames in the walls.

If you look at an online Ord Survey map you can see the area quite easily. Even better if you c an access the Nat Lib Scotland OS maps of the area and overlay the old maps from that to see the complexity of lines in the area south of Toton Yards.

There are also occasional trains (IIRC a Sunday morning Nottm Leeds service) that is routed for driver knowledge through some of the part of Trent Jct that lead north towards Long Eaton town and Toton Yards that are not used by many passenger trains these days

A trip to Nottm by train is the best way to see the remaining infrastructure of tracks and junctions that are still there at Trent - which is quite a bit of it.
 
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WesternLancer

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Cheers - I just edited my post to add a bit more as I got distracted from completing the info!

The bridge with the large enamel sign is under the high level freight only line. It connects Trent Lane to Trent Cottages.

I think the view is looking towards the Station as the chimney pots would be one of the cottages
Thanks - so under the southern most running lines at that point?

I guess that is the route to the current site of the MR houses and the PSB? so some distance from the former station but perhaps the only way a vehicle of any sort could get close to the station buildings / platforms back in the day?
 

Merle Haggard

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I guess that is the route to the current site of the MR houses and the PSB? so some distance from the former station but perhaps the only way a vehicle of any sort could get close to the station buildings / platforms back in the day?

I think the access to the station was pedestrian/cyclist only.

On a visit to the manual boxes in the area just before they closed, we were met by the Area Ops Asst and walked to Long Eaton box (and then Attenborough) so it was definitely available - just wish I could remember how.

The station was a single island platform (with faces for each direction). It was very wide, with lavish facilities in a central including, I think I recall, an enormous gents'. I think that, after closure and demolition, tracks were re-aligned to pass over the its site rather than divert around it,
 

WesternLancer

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I think the access to the station was pedestrian/cyclist only.

On a visit to the manual boxes in the area just before they closed, we were met by the Area Ops Asst and walked to Long Eaton box (and then Attenborough) so it was definitely available - just wish I could remember how.

The station was a single island platform (with faces for each direction). It was very wide, with lavish facilities in a central including, I think I recall, an enormous gents'. I think that, after closure and demolition, tracks were re-aligned to pass over the its site rather than divert around it,
Thanks - that would help explain also why no trace visible from passing trains now. It would make sense to re-align no doubt.

I think there are some interior shots in the buildings in that book linked. I'll have to try and find my copy.

I once worked for a chap whose family home was in Bedford and he moved to live and work in Nottm from c1958. He recalled to me many occasions, or so it seemed to him, needing to change trains there, often in cold weather or late at night.

It seems to me that it would have been an excellent place for a few hours spotting?

Famous enough for Hornby to use it as the name / LMS name in their tinplate model
 

Tryfan

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I may have been a little hasty on the comment re the bridge with the enamel sign.

Trent Lane runs parallel to the high level line. It runs down to a farm beyond the southern tip of the triangle, so where the lines cross the Trent and split for either Derby (to the West) or Nottingham (to the East). There is a second access bridge several hundred yards beyond the first which takes you to the row of cottages and the now defunct signal box.

As I said in a previous post I spent a lot of time down there in the early 70’s. I used to either go all the way down to the southern tip or go by the cottages, past the signal box and sit beyond a large propane cylinder, so out of view of the signal box staff. There were no fences in those days and the high level line was descending to the main line level.

There was no sign that the station had ever been there. I do remember there was a lot of track still in existence and empty track beds. You could clearly see where the curve at the north east end used to be, this would be the return to Derby via Sheet Stores Junction. It was overgrown but still very evident. On the main lines, because the curves were quite tight and the high number of points, there was a speed restriction on all lines heading to Nottingham and The Erewash Valley line. So although the station was gone they hadn’t significantly altered the track layout.

They eventually did streamline it all and raise the speed I think in the late 70’s / early 80’s and I wouldn’t be surprised if it has been done again since. You certainly pass a lot quicker now than you used to.

Obviously security is a lot tighter nowadays but it’s not a bad place to while away a few hours.

Back in the day a mate and I did go over the bridges across the Trent and up on top of Redhill Tunnels. We found an old WW2 pill box up there.
 

Dr Hoo

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On the point about stations in England fundamentally named with reference to rivers rather than 'towns' or 'villages' there were/are several others, such as Thameshaven, Severn Beach, Wyre Dock, Tyne Commission Quay, Lea Bridge and Ribblehead.
 

Bevan Price

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I haven't got the details to hand, but there was at one time a London-Manchester service that used the Manton route to run via both Nottingham and Derby, so northbound this ran southwards through Trent before turning off towards Derby and southbound it ran northwards through Trent before turning off towards Nottingham.
Yes. I rode on such a train one Sunday in the 1960s. To add to the interest, due to engineering work, it also ran to Derby via Castle Donington / Chellaston and the future site of Sinfin.
 

Roger1973

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On the 'stations named after rivers' front, Ravensbourne (London, Chatham and Dover Railway) is named for the River Ravensbourne in SE London
 

70014IronDuke

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Interesting...I have a fleeting memory of Trent station and it is exactly comparable to @Merle Haggard's first picture. Travelling to Scotland on the Thames-Clyde Express in October 1965 and I remember my father pointing it out, pretty certain that the train didn't stop but must have been going slowly enough for it to imprint on my memory.
I have tried to spot the site on the rare occasions that I have passed by, I hope to be going that way again shortly...what should I look out for?
I never travelled on the down Thames Clyde in that year, but the up working most surely did stop at Trent - and not at Nottingham. I'm pretty sure this was true in 65 and 66.
 

edwin_m

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On a visit to the manual boxes in the area just before they closed, we were met by the Area Ops Asst and walked to Long Eaton box (and then Attenborough) so it was definitely available - just wish I could remember how.
In a later era as a BR graduate trainee in 1988 I had a day with the S&T who were wiring up a new relay room to convert one of the level crossings at Long Eaton to remote control. I also went into the box, which still existed at the time as the gate box, and walked down the line to Trent and blagged my way in for a look round.
There was no sign that the station had ever been there. I do remember there was a lot of track still in existence and empty track beds. You could clearly see where the curve at the north east end used to be, this would be the return to Derby via Sheet Stores Junction. It was overgrown but still very evident. On the main lines, because the curves were quite tight and the high number of points, there was a speed restriction on all lines heading to Nottingham and The Erewash Valley line. So although the station was gone they hadn’t significantly altered the track layout.

They eventually did streamline it all and raise the speed I think in the late 70’s / early 80’s and I wouldn’t be surprised if it has been done again since. You certainly pass a lot quicker now than you used to.
By the time I moved to the area in 1987 there was a single ladder of crossovers both ways, all 30mph I think to match the curve towards Derby, across the site of the old station. I imagine the old layout was much slower with a tight junction each end of the platform, but almost all passenger trains taking the curves would have stopped there anyway. It was upgraded around 2010 to a double ladder with trains from Derby having the option of running through the former Down Loop under the High Level lines to join the main line towards Nottingham just before the level crossing. Without checking I think its 80mph through between Trent South and the Nottingham line.

The old north curve towards Derby is still visible on aerial mapping. This joined the original Nottingham-Derby route, using the part that is now Fields Farm Road. To the east its original course is also discernable, joining the Nottingham line about where the High Level lines now pass over. This closed very early - NLS also has a 25-inch map from 1912 which shows it out of use before the high level lines were built. There is however a field boundary following the eastern edge of what is now their embankment, so (unless it's one of the partial updates the OS sometimes did) the Midland must have bought the land before that date but not yet built them.

I suspect Trent Junction was named after the nearby Trent Lock, the end of the canal from Derby. There's another Trent Junction in Gainsborough.
 

John Webb

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There's quite a lot about Trent Station in "Last Days of Steam on the LMS & BR - A Railwayman's Memories" by Roderick H. Fowkes, published by Halsgrove in 2009, ISBN 978 1 84114 976 9. It includes diagrams and many photos of the area.
 

Taunton

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In the 1960s it was noted that the Down Thames-Clyde routed via Manton, Nottingham, Trent (stopping there) and Derby, continuing northwards, while the Up service came via the Erewash valley and then direct to Leicester, stopping at the same platform at Trent, facing the same way, a while later.
 

Arglwydd Golau

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@70014IronDuke and @Taunton.....thanks for the information, that must be why I have a clear memory of the station. Incidentally, we caught the Thames-Clyde at Kettering, perhaps again not a stop that one might consider to have been important enough for a prestigious train....but of course by 1965 perhaps it wasn't!
 

70014IronDuke

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@70014IronDuke and @Taunton.....thanks for the information, that must be why I have a clear memory of the station. Incidentally, we caught the Thames-Clyde at Kettering, perhaps again not a stop that one might consider to have been important enough for a prestigious train....but of course by 1965 perhaps it wasn't!
The Thames-Clyde stopped at Kettering (in some timetables, and, I think, sometimes in one direction only) for the exiled Scots living in Corby.

In the 1960s it was noted that the Down Thames-Clyde routed via Manton, Nottingham, Trent (stopping there) and Derby, continuing northwards, while the Up service came via the Erewash valley and then direct to Leicester, stopping at the same platform at Trent, facing the same way, a while later.
Are you sure the T-C went via the Back Road as a scheduled service? The Waverley was usually routed that way, but I can't ever remember the TC going that way. But it may have done in some timetables, I wouldn't want to say never.
 
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