Institution of Mining Engineers - North Midland Tour - 26th November 1989

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Introduction and key to the railtour maps<br>[© Dave Mellor 1989]	Railtour map drawn by our member Dave Mellor.<br>[&copy; Dave Mellor 1989]	Railtour map drawn by our member Dave Mellor.<br>[&copy; Dave Mellor 1989]	Railtour map drawn by our member Dave Mellor.<br>[&copy; Dave Mellor 1989]	1:25,000 map 1950; like most collieries in this area, Mansfield was served by two railways. The ex-Midland/LMS/BR London Midland line south to Mansfield Colliery Jn (Midland) CG 17 Jul 1967 with its two curves shown south of the colliery. Running middle left to top right is the Great Central (GCR)/L&NER/BR Eastern Region line; Mansfield (Central) is off middle left and the Clipstone triangle top right. It CA 2 Oct 1967 west of the junction (top right) for the loaded wagon sidings (east end) but later reopened past the colliery to form a headshunt (bottom left) to access the empty wagon sidings at the west end. Mansfield Colliery was served from Rufford Jn (GCR) top right (CA 18 Jul 1990) at the end. For a while in BR days empty wagons arrived via the GCR access and loaded left via the Midland.	1:10,560 scale 1964 map. The main Avenue Works site west of the Erewash Valley line, with Avenue Sidings on the east side, south of Chesterfield.	1:10,560 scale 1964 map. To the south was the headshunt, access, sidings and bridge over the main line north of Clay Cross Jn. Both maps have overlap areas. Cottagehill Farm (lower left , left hand map) probably wasn't the healthiest place to live.
On a clear and frosty Sunday morning (quite a contrast from the previous attempt to cover this line) a pair of Class 20s have been attached for the Bentinck Colliery branch. The organiser of the tour, Chris Boyle, can be seen leaning out of the front droplight window, presumably making sure that the staff on the ground know what is required!.<br>[© Ian Mortimer 1989]	It couldn't have gone much further at Shirebrook Colliery; on the ex-Great Northern Railway branch, accessing the colliery from the west and once continuing under that distant footbridge.<br>[© Ian Mortimer 1989]	Ancient signals in Apr 1981, from the same location at Rufford Colliery Sidings as the picture in BLN 1355.1927, but looking in the other direction. Again, the lower quadrant Midland Railway signals are much in evidence. The right hand of the two was the single track Midland route to Mansfield South Jn, and the other was the headshunt for Rufford Colliery loaded and empty sidings branches. The 26 Nov 1989 tour would have used one of these lines to reverse.<br>[© Ian Mortimer 1981]	Apr 1988, just before Mansfield Colliery ceased production, during a Society railtour. An internal loco at its limit of working on the loaded wagon sidings branch. The line beyond curves round to join the empty wagon sidings branch, (heading off to the left). Clipstone Colliery headstocks are background top centre.<br>[© Ian Mortimer 1988]	The massive Clipstone Colliery headstocks from the tour near the end of line. Note the adjacent loaded merry-go-round coal wagon bottom right and internal colliery loco in the distance.<br>[© Ian Mortimer 1989]	The tour passes the Coalite plant on the Bolsover branch in fading light. This gained some notoriety in the 1960s as it produced chemicals used in Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. There is no such thing as 'smokeless fuel' really; you just get the smoke here rather than at people's homes!<br>[&copy; Ian Mortimer 1989]