Midland Railway - Butterley
A proposal to commemorate the role of the Midland Railway in the industrial history of Derby led to a decision in 1969 by Derby Corporation to create a working and static museum dedicated to the history and development of the Midland Railway, its predecessors and successors. This project was supported from its earliest days by the Midland Railway Project Group which was a voluntary labour force set up to collect and restore exhibits and operating equipment.
After this setback the volunteers decided to continue with the project and formed The Midland Railway Company Limited on 20th February 1973. The company changed its name to the Midland Railway Trust on 9th December 1976. Work started on the site in 1973 and it was a daunting prospect that faced the volunteers who could only see years of work before trains could actually carry passengers. It was decided to make Butterley (the site of the only station on the original line) the base of the project with the museum at the Swanwick site. The original station at Butterley had been demolished so an identical one was moved from Whitwell in North Derbyshire and rebuilt on the site of the original station. By 1975 sufficient progress had been made to run a steam open day when locomotives were steamed and interesting items were placed on display to the public.
Efforts were then made to restore and preserve items of historic interest to the Midland Railway as well as providing the basic facilities for train operation. A Light Railway Order was applied for in January 1980 with permission to run passenger services being granted in July 1981. The first passenger train to run along the 1 mile of track left Butterley at 11.30 a.m. on 22nd August 1981 - 81/2 years after the Trust started.
Up to the Present Day
Work continued on expanding the Centre with the line being extended firstly to Ironville and then almost to Pye Bridge in the east and to Hammersmith in the west. Stations were constructed at Swanwick and Hammersmith. Signal boxes were obtained from Ais Gill (on the famous Settle and Carlisle line), Kettering and Kilby Bridge and put into operating condition at Butterley, Swanwick and Hammersmith respectively. A locomotive shed was erected at Butterley (since changed to the Carriage and Wagon department) and the museum was erected at Swanwick. More recently Swanwick has seen the erection of a Static Power Museum, a transport museum and a diesel depot (the latter two only partly completed). Swanwick also has the Trust's demonstration signal box, the railway church from Westhouses and the gate house and coal merchant's office from St. Mary's Goods Yard at Derby . The narrow gauge railway has been extended to Golden Valley following the route of the original tramway from Butterley Engineering.
The Swanwick site is also the home of the Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust who have their own facilities at the West Shed. The Centre owns very little in the way of locomotives, most being owned by individuals or groups. The Trust is now open for passenger services most weekends of the year. Weekday services are run from April to October with trains being run everyday during the school holidays. Special interest weekends are run throughout the year.
VISITORS INFORMATION:
By Car
The Midland Railway Centre is on the B6179, one mile North of Ripley, sign posted from Ripley town centre and from the A38, M1 Junction 28.
From Alfreton Rail Station (on the Nottingham/Chesterfield route)
Bus services 91, 92 and 93 link Alfreton Station to Midland Railway - Butterley every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday and every hour on Sundays. Call 0870 608 2608 or go to www.derbysbus.net for details.
From Derby Rail Station (on the Birmingham/Sheffield route)
Bus services 91 and 92 link Derby Bus Station to Midland Railway - Butterley every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday and every hour on Sundays. Services 40, 41, 44 and 45 link the Derby rail and bus stations every 7 minutes Monday tto Saturday
SPECIAL OFFER:
Show your bus or train ticket at Butterley Station booking office
and two can travel for the price of one at the Midland Railway - Butterley
Address:
The Midland Railway - Butterley
Butterley Station
Ripley
Derbyshire
DE5 3QZ