Mansfield & Pinxton Railway - Founded 1819 Mansfield Station Portland Portland Mansfield Park Lane 1996 Kirkby Kirkby Hardwick Hermitage Pinxton Park (Kings Mill) Engine Level Station (1819 & Sutton Mill Wharf, Crossing (Quarries) Wharf on the Parkway Station Viaduct Shed’s Cromford original line) Hermitage Canal & the Pinxton & 1995 Junction to Summit & Sutton Mansfield Mill Lane Viaduct & later Sheepbridge Boat Inn New Selston Nottingham (Robin 1848 junction Junction Wharf & Lodge embankment Lane Station Hood Line) to Nottingham Station Station Summit: Portland Viaduct: Pinxton Wharf: 163 metres above Mansfield Station: 1848 Extension East Kirkby 130 metres above 90 metres above 1995 line to sea level 110 metres above line to Station sea level sea level Nottingham (535 feet) sea level Nottingham (1848-1964) (427 feet) (295 feet) (Robin Hood Line) (361 feet) Timeline of the Mansfield & Pinxton Railway The first terminus, known as Portland Wharf, was initially a warehouse This major landmark in the centre of Mansfield is Grade 2 listed. A 15 arch, 200-metre long railway with loading bays and stables, located at the end of White Bear Lane viaduct built in stone and brick for the Midland Railway Company, standing up to 18 metres above Year What happened? (now Station Street). With the introduction of passenger traffic, a Passenger the street level, and bisecting the town centre. It was opened to passenger traffic on 1 June 1875 1817 Parliamentary approval given to construct the Mansfield & Terminus was built in 1849, which became Mansfield Station. This building and is still in use today, taking the Robin Pinxton Railway. was superseded by a ‘through’ station in 1872, which is Grade 2 Hood Line from Nottingham to Worksop. Work commenced on the railway. listed and still in use today. 1819 The line opened for commercial business on 13th April (Easter Tuesday) with horse drawn trucks. 1832 First known passenger service along the line. 1847 Midland Railway Company bought the line. 1848 Extension opened to Nottingham from a junction at The Summit Steam engines were introduced along the extension line, while horses were still used on the original line. Kirkby Station Opened on the new extension line to Nottingham. 1849 The original line between the Summit and Mansfield upgraded Aerial view of Mansfield showing the to use steam locomotives. station yard & the 1872 viaduct. Mansfield viaduct just The first Mansfield station was opened. Photo by permission of Smug Mug Inc after completion in 1872 1850 Sutton-in-Ashfield Station opened, known as the Sutton Junction Station from 1892. Schematic layout of the different 1819 M&P warehouse Midland Hotel circa 1880 Original line between The Summit and Pinxton upgraded to phases of the Mansfield Station & yard steam locomotives. Pinxton & New Selston Station opened. 1872 The Portland viaduct, and sharp bend, was taken out of commission and replaced with the Hermitage viaduct, originally made from wood. The older viaduct was still used as a siding. Adjacent to Mansfield Station, The current Mansfield station was built. with extensive views over 1892 A deviation was made to the line running through Kirkby to the town, the Midland Hotel reduce the number of level-crossings along the main road. was built in 1805 as a private 1924 The Hermitage viaduct was replaced with an embankment. house. From 1850 to 1863 it The Portland viaduct was brought back into commission during was used as a lunatic asylum; construction work. the estate later being 1948 Nationalisation of the railways. purchased by the Midland 1960 Mansfield engine sheds were closed although still standing. Railway Company, to accommodate their railway 1964 Passenger services were stopped along this route (both Nottingham & Pinxton) and the Railway stations were construction workers. In 1872 closed for business. part of the extensive grounds Diesel engines started to replace steam locomotives. were utilised for the new Accident at the Mansfield Mansfield engine sheds, station and its approach road. 1966 Kirkby engine sheds were closed. off Bradder Street engine sheds 1932 1970 The sidings over the original Portland viaduct were closed and Half a mile southwest of the station, adjacent to the line, stood Mansfield locomotive sheds, with extensive sidings and the rails removed. loading yards stretching between the two. They covered some 12 acres in total. The sheds were built in 1882 and saw 1995 Passenger services were re-introduced between Nottingham service until 1959, when they were superseded by enlarged facilities at Kirkby. The sheds still exist today, used as and Mansfield, along what we now know as the Robin Hood Line. industrial units. Midland Hotel 1998 Passenger services were re-introduced to Worksop. 2002 The Mill Lane, Kirkby, bridge was heavily modernised, but the original core remains, making it the oldest railway bridge in Nottinghamshire. England’s oldest continuosly running railway For Further information visit: www.mansfieldandpinxton200.btck.co.uk. There are also several videos relating to the line and our project on Youtube. 2019 Celebrated the 200th anniversary of what is the oldest Thanks to a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund these boards were produced as part of a wider project to celebrate the 200th anniversary continuously running commercial railway. of the Mansfield & Pinxton Railway (1819-2019), England’s oldest continuously running commercial railway, by a partnership consisting of the The Portland viaduct still stands as the oldest railway Kirkby & District Archaeological Group, Old Mansfield Society, Sutton Heritage Society and the Pinxton & South Normanton History Society. viaduct in England. Mansfield & Pinxton Railway - Founded 1819 Sutton Parkway Station Portland Portland Mansfield Park Lane 1996 Kirkby Kirkby Hardwick Hermitage Pinxton Park (Kings Mill) Engine Level Station (1819 & Sutton Mill Wharf, Crossing (Quarries) Wharf on the Parkway Station Viaduct Shed’s Cromford original line) Hermitage Canal & the Pinxton & 1995 Junction to Summit & Sutton Mansfield Mill Lane Viaduct & later Sheepbridge Boat Inn New Selston Nottingham (Robin 1848 junction Junction Wharf & Lodge embankment Lane Station Hood Line) to Nottingham Station Station Summit: Portland Viaduct: Pinxton Wharf: 163 metres above Mansfield Station: 1848 Extension East Kirkby 130 metres above 90 metres above 1995 line to sea level 110 metres above line to Station sea level sea level Nottingham (535 feet) sea level Nottingham (1848-1964) (427 feet) (295 feet) (Robin Hood Line) (361 feet) Timeline of the Mansfield & Pinxton Railway Sutton Parkway Station was built Year What happened? in 1995 for the Robin Hood Line. 1817 Parliamentary approval given to construct the Mansfield & Previously, the only station Pinxton Railway. serving Sutton-in-Ashfield on the Work commenced on the railway. Midland Line was at Sutton 1819 The line opened for commercial business on 13th April Junction, half a mile to the north. (Easter Tuesday) with horse drawn trucks. In 1892 Sutton Town Station 1832 First known passenger service along the line. opened and a ¾ mile branch 1847 Midland Railway Company bought the line. line linked the town centre to this Line. This service became 1848 Extension opened to Nottingham from a junction at The Summit popularly known as the “Penny Steam engines were introduced along the extension line, while horses were still used on the original line. Emma” train: a penny was the Kirkby Station Opened on the new extension line to Nottingham. fare and “Emma” came from the Sketch of Kirkby Hardwick initials of the Midland Railway. The River Maun at Kirkby 1849 The original line between the Summit and Mansfield upgraded house, drawn in the 1940s to use steam locomotives. Hardwick and close to its source On the Penny Emma line The first Mansfield station was opened. A hundred metres to the west of the station lies the site of the ancient 1850 Sutton-in-Ashfield Station opened, known as the Sutton As a result of Bess of Hardwick’s marriage to the 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, manor house of Kirkby Hardwick – just outside the boundary of Sherwood Junction Station from 1892. Forest and close to the source of the River Maun (about 400 metres south Original line between The Summit and Pinxton upgraded to Kirkby Hardwick became one of many properties owned by her descendants – steam locomotives. ultimately, the Dukes of Portland. The 4th Duke of Portland was a prime mover of this station). An archaeological excavation in 2012 proved that the site Pinxton & New Selston Station opened. in the creation of the Mansfield & Pinxton Railway, investing £5,000 in the project had been occupied since the 13th century. A small siding once ran into a 1872 The Portland viaduct, and sharp bend, was taken out of which ran mainly through his land. sand quarry on the other side of Low Moor Road. commission and replaced with the Hermitage viaduct, originally made from wood. The older viaduct was still used as a siding. The current Mansfield station was built. Kirkby Hardwick Manor was 1892 A deviation was made to the line running through Kirkby to bought by the 4th Earl of reduce the number of level-crossings along the main road. Shrewsbury in 1517. In 1530 1924 The Hermitage viaduct was replaced with an embankment. it provided a night’s lodging The Portland viaduct was brought back into commission during for a mortally sick Cardinal construction work. Wolsey on his way south to 1948 Nationalisation of the railways. face trial in London. He died 1960 Mansfield engine sheds were closed although still standing. at Leicester Abbey four days later. In 1536 the Earl used it 1964 Passenger services were stopped along this route (both Nottingham & Pinxton) and the Railway stations were as his base against the rebels closed for business. of the Pilgrimage of Grace. Diesel engines started to replace steam locomotives. The Manor House was 1966 Kirkby engine sheds were closed. demolished in 1966, after being nearly overwhelmed by 1970 The sidings over the original Portland viaduct were closed and the rails removed.