Derby Midland Station (often called
Derby Station) is a main line railway station serving the city of
DerbyDerby is a city in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
in
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Owned by
Network RailNetwork Rail owns and operates Britain’s rail infrastructure. It is a British "not for dividend" company limited by guarantee whose principal asset is Network Rail Infrastructure Limited, a company limited by shares....
and managed by
East Midlands TrainsEast Midlands Trains is a train operating company operating in the United Kingdom. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands and surrounding areas, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire...
, the station is also used by
CrossCountryCrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva. The company operates a network of express and long-distance train services between a variety of towns and cities outside London.- Formation :...
services and one
Northern RailNorthern Rail is a train operating company that has operated local passenger services in the north of England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-NedRailways, is a consortium formed of NedRailways and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
service. It is situated to the south-east of
DerbyDerby is a city in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
city centre, and is close to the west bank of the
River DerwentThe Derwent is a river in the county of Derbyshire, England. It is 50 miles long and is a tributary of the River Trent which it joins south of Derby. For most of its length, the river flows through the Peak District....
.
Overview
Derby's central location and former importance as a '
railway townA railway town is a settlement that originated or was greatly developed because of a railway station or junction at its site. Examples include:-Australia:* Peterborough, South Australia* Korong Vale, Victoria* Serviceton, Victoria* Seymour, Victoria...
' have made it an important node of the rail network. Until recently,
major carriage and locomotive workshopsThe Midland Railway Locomotive Works, known locally as "the loco" comprised a number of British manufacturing facilities in Derby building locomotives and, initially, rolling stock in Derby, UK.-Early days:...
as well as the
Research DivisionThe British Rail Research Division came into being in 1964 directly under the control of the British Railways Board, moving into purpose-built premises at the Railway Technical Centre in Derby. The intention was to improve railway reliability and efficiency, while reducing costs and improving revenue...
in the
Railway Technical CentreThe Railway Technical Centre in London Road, Derby, UK, was built by the British Railways Board in the early 1960s to be its technical headquarters....
were housed there.
The station is an interchange point between the
Midland Main LineThe Midland Main Line is a major railway line in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The 'Modern' line links London St. Pancras International to Sheffield station in northern England via Luton, Bedford, Kettering, Leicester, Derby, Nottingham and Chesterfield.Historically the...
from London St Pancras to
LeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. The historic core at the heart of Leeds in 2001 had an estimated subdivision population of 443,247, whilst the entire city, that includes the urban and suburban areas incorporated into the city in 1974, had an estimated...
and long-distance services on the
Cross-Country routeThe North-East/South-West route is the major British rail route running from South West England via Bristol, Birmingham, Sheffield and Leeds to North-East England. It facilitates some of the longest inter-city rail journeys in the UK, eg Penzance to Aberdeen...
from
AberdeenAberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city and one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. It has an official population estimate of .Nicknames include the Granite City, the Grey City and the Silver City with the Golden Sands...
through
BirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands county of England. Birmingham is the second-most populous British city, with a population of 1,006,500 ....
to
PenzancePenzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom.Granted various Royal Charters from 1512 onwards and incorporated in 1614, it has a population of 20,255....
(the zero milepost on the Birmingham-bound Cross-Country route is at the south end of platform 1, at the divergence of the two major routes), or
BournemouthBournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the Borough of Bournemouth, England. The town has a population of 163,444 according to the 2001 Census, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is the largest town on the south coast and the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
. Until the mid twentieth century, the station was host to through trains from
ManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. In 2007, the population of the city was estimated to be 458,100...
and
GlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
to
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
. It is still a busy station, the section to
SheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the city has grown from its largely industrial roots to encompass a wider economic base...
having the highest train frequency (passenger and freight) of any line in the
East MidlandsThe East Midlands is one of the regions of England and consists of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and most of Lincolnshire, although people often speak of...
.
Local services to Matlock along the
Derwent Valley LineThe Derwent Valley Line is a railway line from Derby to Matlock in Derbyshire.The line follows the Midland Main Line as far as Ambergate Junction, which is just south of Ambergate railway station, continuing to Matlock, following the course of the River Derwent.*Derby*Duffield**Former mineral...
originate from
NottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, England and is one of only eight members of the English Core Cities Group....
, and the station also sees local and semi-fast services to,
Stoke-on-TrentStoke-on-Trent is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme and Kidsgrove, Stoke forms the The Potteries Urban Area...
,
CreweCrewe is a town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
,
BirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands county of England. Birmingham is the second-most populous British city, with a population of 1,006,500 ....
, and
CardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for many national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for Wales. According to recent estimates, the...
.
Derby station today has six platforms (all but Platform 5 are through platforms), connected by a footbridge, used as an exit to
Pride ParkPride Park is a business park on the outskirts of the city centre of Derby, UK. It covers 80 hectares of former industrial land between the River Derwent and railway lines.-History:...
and a car park.
Early East Midlands railway schemes
After the building of the
Stockton and Darlington RailwayThe Stockton and Darlington Railway , which opened in 1825, was the world's first permanent steam locomotive hauled public railway. The line was 26 miles long, and was built between Darlington and Stockton-on-Tees and from Darlington to several collieries near Shildon in north-eastern England...
in 1825, a number of ambitious projects for long-distance lines between cities had been mooted. Among these was a line between
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
and
EdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland. It is the second largest Scottish city, after Glasgow, and the seventh-most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas....
, for both goods and passengers, via
BedfordBedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town of Kempston...
and
LeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. The historic core at the heart of Leeds in 2001 had an estimated subdivision population of 443,247, whilst the entire city, that includes the urban and suburban areas incorporated into the city in 1974, had an estimated...
, passing in between Carlisle and
NewcastleNewcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England...
.
Meanwhile a number of short lines were built for specific purposes. Among these were the
Mansfield and PinxtonThe Mansfield and Pinxton Railway was an early horse-drawn railway company in the United Kingdom, constructed in 1819 to transport coal between Mansfield and the head of the Pinxton branch of the Cromford Canal and thence by the Erewash Valley and the Trent to Leicester...
and the
Leicester and SwanningtonThe Leicester and Swannington Railway was one of England's first railways, being opened on July 17 1832 to bring coal from pits in west Leicestershire to Leicester.-Overview:...
. Both these were feeders for canals, the former a
wagonwayWagonways consisted of the horses, equipment and tracks used for hauling wagons, which preceded steam powered railways. The terms "plateway", "tramway" and in someplaces, "dramway" are also found.- Early developments :...
, but were pivotal in later events. Possibly the longest was the
Cromford and High Peak RailwayThe Cromford and High Peak Railway in Derbyshire, England, was completed in 1831, to carry minerals and goods between the Cromford Canal wharf at High Peak Junction and the Peak Forest Canal at Whaley Bridge.-Origins:...
, opened in 1833, to connect the
Cromford CanalThe Cromford Canal ran 14.5 miles from Cromford to the Erewash Canal in Derbyshire, England with a branch to Pinxton. Built by William Jessop with the assistance of Benjamin Outram, its alignment included four tunnels and 14 locks....
with the
Peak Forest CanalThe Peak Forest Canal, is a narrow locked artificial waterway in northern England. It is long and forms part of the connected English/Welsh inland waterway network.-General description:...
. It attracted interest because it provided access to
ManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. In 2007, the population of the city was estimated to be 458,100...
through the
Peak DistrictThe Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
of
DerbyshireDerbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains...
, even today an obstacle to transport.
In the 1830s, lines were already in progress between
BristolBristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London, and east of Cardiff.With an estimated population of 416,400 for the unitary authority in mid-2007, and a surrounding urban area with an estimated 561,500 residents, it is England's sixth, and...
and London and from each to
BirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands county of England. Birmingham is the second-most populous British city, with a population of 1,006,500 ....
and thence to
LiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and
ManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. In 2007, the population of the city was estimated to be 458,100...
, and their promoters were looking ahead. Three schemes came to the fore for the East Midlands. The
Grand Junction Railroad would connect Birmingham with
SheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the city has grown from its largely industrial roots to encompass a wider economic base...
and
DerbyDerby is a city in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
, with a branch to
NottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, England and is one of only eight members of the English Core Cities Group....
and another branch from Sheffield to Manchester. There would also be a line to the East Coast at Goole. In 1824 the
London Northern Railroad Company was formed to link Birmingham, Derby, Nottingham, Hull and Manchester with London. Two options were proposed. One would branch at
LoughboroughLoughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It had a population of 57,600 in 2004. It is the second largest settlement in Leicestershire after Leicester, is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council, and the home of Loughborough University.In 1841 Loughborough was...
, with branches for Nottingham and Derby, and proceeding to Manchester by the Cromford and High Peak Railway. The other option would pass through
NorthamptonNorthampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. It is about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, and lies on the River Nene...
, with a branch to Birmingham, go on to Derby, with a branch to Nottingham, and thence to the Cromford and High Peak. The
Grand Midland Railway was a proposal to branch from the London to Birmingham railway, already under consideration, at Northampton, and bring it through Leicester, Loughborough and Derby to the Cromford and High Peak.
Towards the end of the 1820s, however, the economic climate of the country had deteriorated, and many investors were waiting to see how the new
Liverpool and Manchester RailwayThe Liverpool and Manchester Railway was the world's first inter-city passenger railway in which all the trains were timetabled and were hauled for most of the distance solely by steam locomotives. The line opened on 15 September 1830 and ran between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester in North...
would succeed. Moreover, not everyone shared the dream. For most people the canals were adequate for the carriage of goods, while few travelled very far. Most people lived their lives within a few miles of their birthplace. The later story of the railways was a classic one of a product generating a demand, rather than the other way around. Thus, what investment that was forthcoming was for ventures for which a need could be clearly perceived, with a reasonable expectation of a good, and rapid, return. Although the surveys were useful in the planning of later lines, the three were never built.
Derby investors, naturally, favoured the scheme by the Grand Junction Railway to connect to the Cromford and High Peak Railway and Manchester, through Derby (at what was to be called the Grand Central Station), since the London and Northern would pass through
SandiacreSandiacre is a town in the Erewash district of Derbyshire, in England. The name Sandiacre is usually thought to refer to a sandy acre, though another interpretation, based on Saint Diacre, is sometimes advanced.-Geography:...
, some ten miles away. In the event, neither line was built. In addition, the Cromford and High Peak Railway was not ideally suited to passenger working, and an alternative via
BakewellBakewell is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England, deriving its name from 'Beadeca's Well'. It is the only town included in the Peak District National Park, and is well known for the local confection Bakewell Pudding...
and
Chapel-en-le-FrithChapel-en-le-Frith is a small town in Derbyshire, England, on the edge of the Peak District near the border with Cheshire, and within commuting distance of the city of Manchester. Dubbed "The Capital Of The Peak District", Chapel-en-le-Frith was established by the Normans in the 12th century,...
would encounter very difficult terrain. (Manchester was not, in fact, reached until later in the century by the
Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction RailwayThe Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway initially served neither Manchester nor the Midlands, since its connection with the North Midland Railway at Ambergate Junction was in a northerly direction...
and its extensions.)
Three railways
The
Midland Counties RailwayThe Midland Counties Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom which existed between 1832 and 1844, connecting Nottingham, Leicester and Derby with Rugby and thence, via the London and Birmingham Railway, to London. The MCR system connected with the North Midland Railway and the...
was originally proposed to connect the Mansfield and Pinxton Railway to
LeicesterLeicester is a city and unitary authority area in the East Midlands of England. It is the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
because of competition to supply
coalCoal is a readily combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock normally occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
. However, with the existing canal network, and the navigability of the
River TrentThe River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire between Biddulph and Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent is...
to Nottingham, there had been few people willing to invest.
On the other hand, although the
River DerwentThe Derwent is a river in the county of Derbyshire, England. It is 50 miles long and is a tributary of the River Trent which it joins south of Derby. For most of its length, the river flows through the Peak District....
flowed from Derby into the
TrentThe River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire between Biddulph and Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent is...
, navigation was not easy. The
Derby CanalThe Derby Canal ran from the Trent and Mersey Canal at Swarkestone to Derby and Little Eaton, and to the Erewash Canal at Sandiacre, Derbyshire, England. The canal gained its Act of Parliament in 1793 and was fully completed in 1796...
had been opened in 1793 but, due to financial restrictions placed on it by Parliament, and the complex local politics of the day it had not been a resounding success. Thus the financiers in Derby vigorously supported any scheme which would bring a railway to the town.
George HudsonGeorge Hudson , English railway financier, known as "The Railway King", was born in Howsham, in the parish of Scrayingham in the East Riding of Yorkshire, north of Stamford Bridge, east of York. He is buried in Scrayingham...
was chairman of the
York and North Midland RailwayThe York and North Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom which opened in 1839, connecting York, with the Leeds and Selby Railway and in 1840 with the North Midland Railway at Normanton near Leeds.-Origins:...
, a proposed line from York towards the industrial markets of
ManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. In 2007, the population of the city was estimated to be 458,100...
and
LiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. He was interested in a southwards route and encouraged the building of
North Midland RailwayThe North Midland Railway was a British railway company, which opened its line from Derby to Rotherham and Leeds in 1840.At Derby it connected with the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station...
, later becoming its chairman. Meanwhile financiers in Birmingham, including G.C.Glyn, a banker and chairman of the
London and Birmingham RailwayThe London and Birmingham Railway was an early railway company in the United Kingdom from 1833 to 1846 when it became part of the London and North Western Railway ....
, were looking to expand their system. Derby was in between. The
Birmingham and Derby Junction RailwayThe Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway was a British railway company. From Birmingham it connected at Derby with the North Midland Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station...
would it give a link from Yorkshire to London, and access to the coalfields, as well as other minerals.
Meanwhile the promoters of the Midland Counties Railway found investors further afield, who suggested a line linking Nottingham, Derby and Leicester, with an extension to
RugbyRugby is a market town in Warwickshire, in the West Midlands of England, on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
for
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
. Their original plan in 1833 had been to bring their line to Derby at Darby's Yard and Exeter Gardens, at the east side of the present Market Place, with a bridge over the Derwent. Following
Vignoles'sCharles Blacker Vignoles was an influential early railway engineer, and eponym of the Vignoles rail.- Early life :...
reassessment in 1835 a new route was proposed, either North or South of the Derby Canal to a terminus near St. Mary's Bridge with a branch to Full Street near to John Lombe's Silk Mill. Both options would cross the North Midland lines north of the other station.
The North Midland planned to build their station near Nottingham Road, avoiding a river bridge, while the Birmingham and Derby planned to build theirs nearby. Possibly with encouragement from the Derby financiers, they realised the value of a link with the North Midland, and decided to bridge the river and share its station. It was usual in those days for new railways to build their own termini, but, while Derby people were enthusiastic about railways, they were less so about a multiplicity of stations. In 1836 the Town Council suggested a single station for all three companies. The Midland Counties engineer pointed out to his financiers that a good deal of money would be saved by joining the other two railways on a single site.
An alternative that was considered was an island bounded by the River Derwent and the canal, called The Holmes, now Bass's Recreation Ground. Not only was the space restricted and susceptible to flooding, the necessary trackwork would be complicated. Eventually, the present site was chosen, further south on the west bank, Borough's Fields, in the neighbouring hamlet of
LitchurchLitchurch is an area of the city of Derby in Derbyshire, England. Originally an obscure locality on the edge of Derby, rapid urbanisation and population growth in the 19th century led to it briefly existing as a separately governed local authority between 1860 and 1888, prior to once again being...
, at the southern side of the Castlefields estate. It was a mile from the town, but the Council agreed to build a carriageway to the town centre, along Siddals Lane, now Siddals Road. The whole arrangement was confirmed by the North Midland Railway Act of 1839.
The Tri Junct Station
Although the intention of its builders seems to have been to call it the 'Great Central Station' (note that this has nothing to do with the later
Great Central RailwayThe Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
), it became known as the 'Tri Junct Station', though some literature refers to it as the 'Tripartite Station'. It was 1,050 feet long with one through platform plus a north and a south bay, the main platform and bays connected to seven stabling roads by a series of carriage turntables (rolling-stock was moved around the station by hand). These platform and stabling roads were all beneath a three-bay train shed.
Whishaw described it thus:
"The admirably contrived and elegant roofs, the spacious, the great length of the whole erection extending to upwards of a thousand feet. All unite in rendering it the most complete structure of the kind in the United Kingdom or perhaps the world."
Although the three lines would terminate there, by virtue of the lines meeting end-on it was in effect a through station. It was therefore built after the pattern of such stations with a single line for passengers to board and alight. This would remove the necessity for them to cross running lines when changing trains. The station was partitioned into three sections, each line having its own offices and maintenance facilities.
Fronting this was a magnificent two-storey stone building designed by
Francis ThompsonFrancis Thompson was an architect particularly well known for his railway work.He was born in 1808 in Woodbridge in Suffolk, England, to a family of builders. He married Anna Maria Watson in 1830 at Woodbridge church and emigrated to Montreal in British North America . Their son Francis Jacob...
. The North Midland also built a cluster of workers' houses of which the present Midland Terrace remains preserved as a
conservation areaA conservation area is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features, cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded...
.
At each end was a hotel. The Midland Hotel, for first class passengers, is said to be the first provincial railway hotel. The Brunswick Inn was for second class passengers and railway workers. The saying went that patrons of the first chatted about hunting and shooting, of the other, shunting and hooting.
The first departure from a temporary platform was on 4 June, 1839 when a Midland Counties train ran to Nottingham. The first train to Birmingham departed on 12 August in the same year, from another temporary platform further south. The Tri Junct Station finally opened when the North Midland line was completed to
Rotherham MasboroughRotherham Masborough railway station was the main railway station for Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England from the 1840s, until most of its trains were rerouted via Rotherham Central in 1987...
on 11 May 1840, reaching
LeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. The historic core at the heart of Leeds in 2001 had an estimated subdivision population of 443,247, whilst the entire city, that includes the urban and suburban areas incorporated into the city in 1974, had an estimated...
seven weeks later. The station's official name was Derby Station.
Midland Railway
In 1844 all three railways amalgamated to become the
Midland RailwayThe Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
, and Derby station became the new company's headquarters. The story goes that
Joseph PaxtonSir Joseph Paxton was an English gardener and architect, best known for designing the The Crystal Palace.-Early life:...
, a director of the railway, produced his first sketch for the
Crystal PalaceDesigned by Joseph Paxton, the Great Exhibition building was long, with an interior height of .After the exhibition, the building was moved to a new park in a high, healthy and affluent area of London called Sydenham Hill, an area not much changed today from the well-heeled suburb full of large...
during a board meeting there. The North Midland had built a repair shop, with the other two building locosheds. These were amalgamated to form the Midland's main
locomotive worksThe Midland Railway Locomotive Works, known locally as "the loco" comprised a number of British manufacturing facilities in Derby building locomotives and, initially, rolling stock in Derby, UK.-Early days:...
. Among a number of innovations was the use of
steelSteel is an alloy consisting mostly of iron, with a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most cost-effective alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
rail developed by
Robert Forester MushetRobert Forester Mushet , an English metallurgist, born April 8, 1811, in Coleford, in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England. The youngest son of Agnes Wilson and David Mushet, an ironmaster, formerly of the Clyde, Alfreton and Whitcliff Ironworks.In 1819 David Mushet built a foundry at...
.
In 1846 a north facing spur (Derby North Junction) was added from the Midland Counties line. In 1867 a loop was added to the south, allowing through running for trains from London. The original section remained in occasional use for passenger trains until it was closed in 1969. (What nowadays would be considered the major junction, to the south, is called London Road.)
In 1858 the station was extended with extra offices, improved facilities and a covered areas for carriages for arriving and departing passengers. Traffic increased such that an island platform, the present 2 and 3, was built with, in 1871, Platforms 4 to 6 (Platform 5 being a bay to the south). At this time the turntables were removed and replaced by scissors crossovers, the whole complex controlled by a
signal boxA signal box or signal cabin is a building from which railway signals and points are controlled. The term signal cabin is used in Ireland, parts of Scotland and in Australia while in North America, the term interlocking tower predominates.- History :Originally, all signalling was done by...
on the centre platform.
In 1878, the
Great Northern RailwayThe Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the London & York Railway Act of 1846.The main line ran from London via Hitchin, Peterborough, and Grantham, to York, with a loop line from Peterborough to Bawtry via Boston and Lincoln, and branch lines to Sheffield and...
opened its "Derbyshire and North Staffordshire Extension" with a station at Derby Friargate Station.
The station and the extensive complex of railway workshops adjoining it were of sufficient strategic importance for them to have been the target of a
ZeppelinFor the English rock group, please see Led Zeppelin. For other meanings please see Zeppelin .A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship pioneered by the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in the early 20th century. It was based on designs he had outlined in 1874 and detailed in 1893...
bombing raid during
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
, in 1916, though only slight damage was inflicted.
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
Until the
Manchester lineThe Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway initially served neither Manchester nor the Midlands, since its connection with the North Midland Railway at Ambergate Junction was in a northerly direction...
through
Millers DaleMillers Dale railway station was a station situated in Millers Dale in the Peak District. It was built in 1863 by the Midland Railway on its extension of the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway from Rowsley....
was closed in the
BeechingThe Beeching Axe is an informal name for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard Beeching...
era, the 'main line' was that from London to Manchester, carrying named expresses such as the 'Palatine' and the 'Peaks', while trains to Leeds and Scotland tended to use the
Erewash Valley LineThe Erewash Valley Line runs from south of Chesterfield along the Erewash Valley to Trent Junction at Long Eaton, joining the Midland Main Line at each end.- History :The Erewash Valley Line has historic, but troubled, origins...
and expresses to
EdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland. It is the second largest Scottish city, after Glasgow, and the seventh-most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas....
, such as the The Waverley travelled through Corby and Nottingham. The line from Leeds was nevertheless busy with trains to the south west and
CornwallCornwall is a county of England in the United Kingdom, forming the tip of the south-western peninsula of Great Britain. It is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Taken with the...
, and summer specials to
PaigntonPaignton is a coastal town in Devon in England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the unitary authority of Torbay which was created in 1998. The Torbay area is a holiday destination known as the English Riviera. Paignton's population in the United Kingdom Census of 2001 was 48,251.It has...
and
TorquayTorquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies miles south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998...
. It had a named express, the 'Devonian', which ran from
BradfordBradford is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
to
BristolBristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London, and east of Cardiff.With an estimated population of 416,400 for the unitary authority in mid-2007, and a surrounding urban area with an estimated 561,500 residents, it is England's sixth, and...
.
In
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the station was attacked again, becoming one of the few locations in Derby to suffer significant
bombA bomb is any of a range of explosive devices that typically rely on the exothermic chemical reaction of an explosive material to produce an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. The word comes from the Greek word βόμβος , an onomatopoetic term with approximately the same meaning as...
damage. The overall roof of the train shed and platform six were severely damaged, with the loss of most of the rest of the glass, although the
VictorianThe term Victorian architecture can refer to one of a number of architectural styles predominantly employed during the Victorian era. As with the latter, the period of building that it covers may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria after whom it is...
frontage of the station survived.
British Railways
The station was renamed Derby Midland Station on 25 September 1950.
Comparison of photographs taken of the street side of the station in the early 1900s and the 1970s show little outward change. On the track side, however, extensive rebuilding of the platform buildings, footbridge and awnings in 1952, using pre-stressed concrete, gave the station a very different appearance, with simple functional lines. The station signal box was also rebuilt, becoming known to the staff as 'the cupboard under the stairs'.
From 6 May 1968, the station became known as simply Derby on timetables and platforms, though the full name of Derby Midland Station was (and still is) retained on the station's main sign.
With the advent of power signalling in 1969, the signal box and the crossovers disappeared, and the tracks approaching the station were relaid to allow trains from any direction to enter or leave any platform.
Further work in 1985 saw the final replacement of the ageing Victorian station entrance and booking hall by a more modern design. The entrance's original
clockA clock is an instrument used to indicate, measure, keep, and co-ordinate time. The word clock is derived ultimately from the Celtic words clagan and clocca meaning "bell"...
was moved to the north end of the car park and the
coats of armsA coat of arms, more properly called an armorial achievement, armorial bearings or often just arms for short, in European tradition, is a design belonging to a particular person and used by them in a wide variety of ways. Historically, they were used by knights to identify them apart from enemy...
of the Midland Railway and of the City of Derby were affixed to the new frontage. The decision to demolish the old building was a controversial one at the time - even today opinion is divided on whether the demolition should have been allowed to take place or not.
Post-privatisation
Upon the
privatisation of British RailThe privatisation of British Rail was set in train when the government enacted, on the 19th January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
, the station became owned by
RailtrackRailtrack was a group of companies that owned the track, signalling, tunnels, bridges, level crossings and all but a handful of the stations of the British railway system from its formation in April 1994 until 2002...
and later Network Rail, though, in common with most British railway stations, the day-to-day operation is contracted out to the principal user of the station, in this case East Midlands Trains. Prior to November 2007, the station was managed by
Midland MainlineMidland Mainline was a British train operating company owned by the National Express Group and based in Derby. It was created after the privatisation of British Rail. Midland Mainline services operated from April 1996 to November 2007....
, who continued to refurbish the station with the installation of a large electronic departure board in the station entrance hall and smaller boards on all platforms.
In 2005, the footbridge connecting the platforms, which had been temporarily supported for about a decade, was replaced. Whilst doing this, engineers discovered that there were stresses in the concrete of the 1950s canopy. Work to demolish the canopies and erect new ones began in mid 2007 and is scheduled for completion by the late summer of 2009.
Through-fares were made available from Derby to Paris, Brussels and other destinations in France and Belgium in late 2007 which must be booked through
EurostarEurostar is a high-speed railway passenger service connecting London with Paris and Brussels. All its trains cross under the English Channel via the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France, owned and operated separately by Eurotunnel....
.
In May 2009, work was carried out to construct automatic ticket gates at Derby station, and these were 'switched on' during August 2009.
Facilities
- Cash points
- WH Smith
- Upper Crust
Upper Crust is a worldwide chain of baguette restaurants concentrated along commuter routes, their outlets are commonplace in stations and terminals. Branches are also present in some Universities in the UK, including City University, London. There are also branches at the central railway station...
- Dry cleaners
- Photo booths
- FastTicket machine
The Shere FASTticket system is a passenger-operated, self-service railway ticket issuing system, developed by the Guildford-based company Shere Ltd and first introduced on a trial basis in Britain in 1996, shortly after privatisation...
- The station has a PlusBus
PLUSBUS is an add-on ticket, which can be purchased with rail tickets in Great Britain. It allows unlimited travel on participating bus operators' services in the area around selected railway stations.-History:...
scheme where train and bus tickets can be bought together for a cheaper price.
Services
External links
in 1887