Electric train staff equipment had been brought into use between Blisworth and Towcester by 9 August 1910 (date of SMJR minute 451 (TNA file RAIL 674/3)) and presumably the new signal box at Blisworth appeared at the same time. In that this was so…Continue
Started by Richard Maund Apr 20.
SMJ board minute 1474 of 13 April 1921 (TNA file RAIL 674/4) approved that “the following expenditure be charged to Capital” for year 1920: “Blisworth: Signalling and alterations to Permanent Way, Improvements and additional signalling: £800”. In…Continue
Started by Richard Maund Apr 20.
Did this railway (as opposed to the East & West Junction Railway) go into receivership - if so, when. And when did it come out of receivership?Continue
Started by Richard Maund. Last reply by Richard Maund Feb 11.
Shall we bring this discussion under the proper heading!So far as the OS plan surveyed 1885, published 1886, is concerned: the OS liked - wherever they could - to have text running parallel to the top and bottom borders. When they came to add the…Continue
Started by Richard Maund. Last reply by Richard Maund Feb 10.
The position here is that the branch to Gayton Wood Pit was, in its later stages at least, not really part of the SMJ line. The pit was run by Richard Thomas & Baldwin, who also owned the railway. It ran from the sidings at Blisworth round a sharp curve at the very commencement of the SMJ line, and then diverged south eastwards, passing under the Blisworth to Gayton road by means of a bridge about half way bewteen the SMJ bridge at OS 709541 and the cross roads at 713538. The line continued on a curve towards the south east into the pit, which lay between Gayton Wood Farm and Rectory Farm. This pit had a very large dragline that, if the wind were in the right direction, could be heard groaning from Stoke Bruerne. The railway closed about 1967 and the pit's machinery was gradually dismantled in the following years. There was an 0-6-0 tank called "Ettrick" that worked the line, taking loaded steel tubs to the BR sidings at Blisworth, and towards the end it was driven by my friend Tony Warwick. Your picture shows the farm as it is today, farmed by a family called Huckerby, who were there when the pit was working. The concrete building in the centre of the view was the engine shed, where I believe there was another spare engine kept. The square brick building on the left is also a relic of Richard Thomas & Baldwin's time at the pit.
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