Leaving Minninglow station site and heading northwards
.
(From a walk on Sunday 27th August 2012)
Minninglow To Friden via Gotham Curve
The weather really broke down between Minninglow and Parsley Hay and was really too wet to take photos most of the time. However I took a few where it was of interest. Thanfully
it was much nicer during the walk back, therefore the following photos are a mixture of both bleak conditions and in fine sunlight. The evening light during the latter part of the walk
was really very nice.
Approaching the southern end of Gotham curve, traveling towards Friden.
Almost the same spot as above, running towards Friden. 1960's. (John Neave).
Close to the photo above. 1960's (b). The telegraph post on the left, above the brake Vans, is still standing today.
The tightest part of the curve is emphasized in this picture. (Northwards). Same spot as above.
Reverse view to above. (southwards).
Gotham Curve 27th June 1953 (W.A. Marshall). Towards Friden. N..B. the check-rail on the left hand rail. This is what will have made the wheels
screech through the curve and the checkrail pushed the wheel back on the running rail.
The reverse view to above. (Northwards)
A farm crossing over the old C&HPR. Refreshments can be had at the farm. Without this service there would be a very long way between
the refreshments at Middleton Top and Parsley Hay.
The straight immediately after Gotham Curve (Northwards) Towards Friden.
From the straight north of Gotham curve, looking south. The south stone embankment is seen overlooking the farm where refreshments are available.
Another tight curve to the north of Gotham, towards Friden.
A long straight towards Friden.
Another crossing linking Biggin. For such a hamlet it has numerous tracks leading to it. Right: Bigging is to the left and Pikehall to the right.
Looking back along the track bed on the straight from Minninglow to Gotham Curve.
Another view with the cyclists giving scale to the scene. Minninglow Burial Mound can just be seen over the trees, far left.
From the same spot as above, looking back on Gotham curve.
Close to the spot above in the 1960's.
Two views on the straight leading up to Newhaven level crossing. Left; Southwards. Right: Northwards.
Newhaven Level crossing north of Gotham Curve on the A5012 north of Pikehall. Right: Towards Friden. Both road and track bed.
The busy A5012 from the north side of Newhaven crossing. Towards Pikehall.
The south side of Newhaven crossing, across the A5012.
North side of the level crossing, looking south.
Right: Newhaven crossing North Of Gotham Curve on the A5012, north of Pikehall. Left: Towards Gotham Curve. Right: Towards Friden.
Newhaven crossing was a potentially dangerous one in that it was on the very busy A5012 and considerable care had to be taken.
Both above: Newhaven Crossing. The old house has been demolished. (John Neave).
Beyond Newhaven crossing we come to the level crossing at the south end of Fiden station.
Crossing gate at the south end of Friden Goods Yard. Looking southwards.
Approaching Friden Goods Siding towards the Refractory works. (Northwards). This is where the goods yard points split from the main line.
Goods Siding with the loading platform edge showing. It's been back-filled on the right.
Looking Northwards.
Reverse view to above, with the loading bay platform visible in the grass. The ground to the left
has been gradually back-filled from the main line to the platform edge. Southwards.
Where the goods siding tracks split from the main running line. North end of the station (Looking south).
Left: Almost in line with the 1950 photo (below). The wall is just out of view left of the trees and the Crain and chimnies would have been seen just ahead of the cars. The mound of grass
separates the main line from the yard and the loco would be to the left of the tree to the right.
Friden Goods Yard. 5th. June 1950. (Author Unknown). Towards Parsley Hay. The loco is standing on the main line.
Left: The L&NWR boundary posts have been deliberately put here as this would have been the Goods Yard sidings.
Right: I was pleased to find this way post indicating that it as just two and a half miles to Parsley Hay.
Passing over the main road bridge, northwards, in the 60's. John Neave.
The factory is to the north of the Goods Yard and over the main road over bridge.
Reverse view (looking south) from Four hours later and in better conditions.
Views over the road bridge. Westwards. Left: going westwards. Right: Going eastwards.
Approaching the works (Northwards).
A goods line ran into the building to the left of the yellow notice. The main line was on the right with a goods siding on it's left.
Approaching the spot above, showing the siding into the works. (John Neave. 1960's).
There is a display of the work's history on the side of the building. The goods siding ran along the length of green by the side of the building.
DFS PRODUCTS
Friden Refractory (Looking south).
Chimney At Friden Refractory.
Looking southwards, this gives a good indication as to the size of the works.
Friden works and sidings. Date & Author Unknown . (From the history boards on side of the works).
At the north end of the factory is a level crossing where the Refractory ran it's own narrow guage railway with a branch that crossed here and after a short way to the east turned north, running for
some distance to just southeast of Parsley Hay.
Left: Friden Narrow Guage Rlwy 'Works' Sidings. Right: The Narrow Guage track crossed the C&HPR and onto a quarry, turning northwards just beyond the trees.
Ruston engine at Friden Works Siding 1970's. (FlickrGeoffPages)
Friden Refractory Narrow Guage Railway (Web Site)
Leaving Friden (Northwards towards Parsley Hay. From the north crossing gate where the narrow guage railway crossed the C&HPR.
Next we continue on to Parsley Hay, where the Tissington Trail from Ashbourne joins the High peak Trail.
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Plumb Loco (By Geoff Plum) Photograhs
My Thanks To.....
John Neave for his kind permission to use a number of his 1960's photographs when the railway was still in operation. Check out John's ''Going Loco'', which includes a C&HPR history. At....
http://goingloco.neave.com/Mark Norton for the use of 1940's photos by his late father Dennis J. D. Norton.
http://www.photobydjnorton.com/CHPR_Menu.html#LinksReading: The Cromford & High Peak Railiway by John Marshall. Published by Martin Bairstow. Printed by The Amedeus Press 2011.
Other Railway Walks....
The Dundee & Newtyle Railway The first passenger railway in Scotland opened in 1831, which had three inclines operated by stationary steam engines. The main source of income was from
the numerous stone quarries in the area and local farming produce. Passenger numbers were always sparse.
The inclines were abandoned in the mid 1800's by new deviations that allowed through locomotive running.
The line also included the Dundee Law (Hill) tunnel built at 300ft above the City. Both the north & south portals of the tunnel are buried below modern housing schemes.
Passenger services ended in 1955 and the line closed completely in the mid 60's.
Unlike the C&HPR none of the Engine houses were preserved. The inclines can still be followed but sections have been back-filled or ploughed over
This web site tries to cover as much as possible.Boddam To Ellon Branchline Built by the GNSR in the latter part of the 20th century. The passenger service only lasted until 1934 but goods remained up to total closure in 1949.
The GNSR built a large Golf course and Hotel at Cruden Bay, with an electric tramway between the station and hotel. All that remains today is the Golf course.Other web pages....
Kittybrewster Memories. Kittybrewster Loco Depot, Aberdeen.
Tivoli Memories The Tivoli Theatre, Aberdeen.
Hosted by www.theatreorgans.com