Alfreton to Clay Cross Junction

30th October 2007

After the Trent resignalling in 1969 the freight lines north of Pye Bridge Junction were lifted and the Erewash became two tracks until it joins the Derby-Sheffield line at Clay Cross.
Just south of Alfreton the line runs through it's only tunnel, Alfreton tunnel. Only the fast line bore is is in use but the slow line bore is still extant and I walked through it a few times before it was fenced off.

The station at Alfreton was closed along with the rest of the Erewash Valley's from 2/1/67 but was reopened in May 1973 as 'Alfreton and Mansfield parkway' probably because it isn't very convenient for either.

The old steam depot at Westhouses was used to stable locos (usually pairs of 20s) at weekends until final closure in 1986. I visited a few times but it has the distinction of being probably the only location in the UK I have never made a single cop at.
Nor did I ever take a photo here which is something I deeply regret now as the place had immense character.

Because most of the freight that ran along the southern Erewash originated from the Kirkby line and left/joined the line at Pye Bridge, this section was noticeably less busy than further south and so I took few shots here in the 70s and 80s, much to my regret.

158852 pauses at Alfreton on the 0857 Norwich to Liverpool 30/10/07 1024x683	45019 at Alfreton 11 September 1979. Note lack of undergrowth compared to the 2007 shots. 1024x1271	45116 pauses at Alfreton with the 1500Sheffield-St Pancras 11 Sept 1979 1024x681	66103 heading empty ballast south through Alfreton 30/10/07 768x1022