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Alfreton Station - a short history
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Coal was the motivation for the Erewash Valley line. The advantage gained by the collieries of the Leicester coal field as a result of the building of the Leicester and Swannington Railway precipitated the meeting of local coal owners in the Sun public house at Eastwood. At that meeting, the roots of the Midland Railway Company, it was decided to build a railway from the Erewash Valley to Leicester in order to give access to Leicester for the Eastwood area collieries. At that meeting it was decided to construct a line from Leicester via Trent to Pinxton. The Bill came before Parliament in 1837 but was killed due to the opposition of the canal companies and George Stephenson. A second attempt was made by the presentation of a second Bill in 1845 which proposed a line from Trent through the Erewash valley to Pye Bridge where one branch would go to Pinxton to connect with the Pinxton and Mansfield Railway and the other would continue through Alfreton to Clay Cross to Join the North Midland Railway. This Bill was supported by Stephenson and an Act was obtained in 1845. The after effects of the “Railway Mania” resulted in the Company not being able to raise sufficient capital and the line was terminated at Birchwood Sidings some 71/2 miles short of Clay Cross. A passenger service was run from Derby and Nottingham to Mansfield with Pye Bridge (for Alfreton) appearing in the timetable. (see below) As public confidence in railways increased and the smaller railways consolidated, capital became available and the Midland Railway initiated the boring of Cotes Park Tunnel, half a mile south of what is Alfreton station. In January 1862 the tunnel was open to traffic and the Erewash Valley Line became part of the Midland Main Line to Leeds. The passenger service commenced on the 12th May 1862 with one train in each direction.
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The Derby & Chesterfield Reporter of the 9th May 1862 also advised passengers that the old station at Long Eaton was closed and replaced by another a quarter of a mile nearer Red Hill Tunnel "--a handsome and commodious structure, and was chiefly build to accommodate travellers taking the route via Pye Bridge and Clay Cross--".
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| Over a period of years a line was built connecting Westhouses, a mile north of Alfreton, with Pleasley and providing a route between Alfreton and Mansfield. On the 1st May 1886 a passenger service of four trains per day commenced between Alfreton and Mansfield calling at Westhouses & Blackwell, Tibshelf & Newton, Woodend, Teversal, Pleasley and Mansfield Woodhouse. Increasing competition from buses caused the LMS to review this service and passenger services over this route ceased on 28th July 1930. | |||
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The station in the early 20th century. From an old newspaper cutting of unknown origin. |
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Coal traffic on the Erewash Valley Line was very heavy and Cotes Park Tunnel, now known as Alfreton Tunnel, was a severe bottle neck. The Midland Railway decided, therefore, to spend £216993 on widening the approaches and a new tunnel. Work started in1899 and was completed in 1901. |
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Alfreton Tunnel South Portal 2006 |
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