Sunday 2 October was Harvest Sunday at St Edmund’s, Allestree. The flowers were lovely, with sunflowers grown by Ella, Saturday’s bride. There were 99 at the main service, though I sacked my churchwardens for failing to find an extra 1.
It was a beautiful afternoon, so I went off chasing trains. East Midlands Parkway is in the shadow of the old power station. Due to engineering work trains are heading north via the High Level Goods Line – Toton South Junction to Meadow Lane Junction was new track for me – then through Toton Centre and Toton North to Trowell Junction. We reversed there and went south through Radford Junction and Mansfield Junction to Nottingham.
The original Nottingham Midland station dates from 1848. It was rebuilt in 1904 and the architect was a local man, Albert Edward Lambert, who was also the architect for the Great Central’s Nottingham Victoria station. The first contract for the station buildings was awarded to Edward Wood & Sons of Derby on 23 January 1903, and they were also awarded the contract for the buildings on platforms 1 and 2. The contract for the buildings on platforms 4 and 5 was awarded to Kirk, Knight & Co of Sleaford on 18 June 1903.
The structural steelwork and cast-ironwork was done by Handyside & Co and the Phoenix Foundry, both of Derby. This is milepost 123 1/2. Look at the lovely ironwork on the down pipe.
I wonder who did the wonderful plasterwork now in the Pumpkin coffee shop. You can see why I chose to blog this station. Imagine the fireplace with a proper fire in it.
There are other photos and more about the restoration at this website. There is also a film of the reconstruction on youtube – thanks Jay.
I caught the train home and the whole day almost went pear-shaped when the doors in coaches A and B do not open at East Midlands Parkway … they do not tell you this – fortunately I got out in time. Otherwise the evening Songs of Praise could have been missing a Vicar!
Next Saturday (15 October) I have an evening of Railway Films at St Matthew’s Darley Abbey – 7.30 pm, all welcome. Admission free, doughnuts in the interval, donations for the British Heart Foundation.