Leicester & Swannington Railway

A walk up the line from WestBridge, Leicester covering what was left of the L&SR up to Desford Junction in 1964 just before the track was lifted.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• West Bridge Leicester
• Glenfield Tunnel
• Ratby Station
• Desford Junction

[LancastrianScot]

I'm writing an update of the history of the Leic & Swannington Rwy, including a long chapter on the Glenfield Tunnel. I photo'd the Tunnel reinforcement works 2007-8 for Leics Industrial History Society. Please would you let this Society link to your film from its website AND hold a copy on its files for use by members.

I was in the Tunnel ~40 times 2007-8, and can email you pics of any part you like. Just advise email address.

Keith Drury

Leicestershire Industrial History Society

[kezbell]

On reviewing past comments I can't see a record of ever having replied to this comment.

I would be delighted if your Society linked to the film and you have permission to hold a copy for your members.

Pics of the tunnel 2007-8 would be interesting

Malcolm Bell thepump@sky.com

[kezbell]

Further to last message, if you are looking for Leics industrial archaeology have you viewed "Power for a Nation"? The old power station in Rawdykes Road with fireless steam shunting and automatic wagon traverser in action.

[mdarey]

Amazing to see this. I lived in Glenfield at Loxley Road from 1965 to 1980. (I was 3 years old in 1965). We used to play on the embankments outside the tunnel (I never dared to go inside). Various local gangs built "dens" in the undergrowth. I did my CSE history project on Snibston Colliery which was founded by George Stephenson about the same time he built the Leicester Swannington railway. Later, in 1988 I worked as a barman in the Railway Inn whilst I was writing up my PhD thesis.

[kezbell]

Interesting to hear from someone who was three when the film was made. When I was three my Dad took me to Gelfild Station to see the "Fifty Two Steps" which took a footpath down the cutting to he left of the tunnel mouth. He also took me to Swannington and we walked the track up the incline and I can remember the cable pulleys in the centre of the sleepers and the donkey engine house was still standing at the top.

[LancastrianScot]

It's published and available! A new update on the history of the Leicester to Swannington line is available as an e-publication (PDF format on CD). 630 pages; hundreds of photographs, most not previously published. More details and how to get hold of a copy on the Leicestershire Industrial History Society (LIHS) website - just google on LIHS: should be towards top of results. Then go to News page and follow link from there.

Enjoy it!

Keith Drury

Leicestershire Industrial History Society

[LancastrianScot]

@PGD5051 It would be superb to see those photos - in whatever form - and include them if suitable in the e-Book on Leicester - Swannington Line history, which I've just finished, and am hoping to issuein February 2011, as a Leicestershire Industrial History Society (LIHS) publication. Pl. contact me at keith@drurys.org.uk so we can fix details. Greatly appreciate your offer.

I'll post details of this e-Book (a VERY BIG PDF on a CD) here when it's available.

Keith

[PGD5051]

@LancastrianScot - My great-great-grandfather (Thomas Dumelow) was a Leicester & Swannington driver. I've photos of him on his locomotive @ West Bridge & of the Glenfield portal & crossing keeper's house. If you think these would be useful, please contact me - tho' I've no idea how you do that via YouTube...

[boppingelf]

brilliant

[beeman37]

Thanks for respond kezbell, the period would be around 1947/1950 as i had great fun in climbing over two old steam traction engines parked up somewhere near the turnouts to pumping station, the main track carrying on over Jeffcoats Lane to the tunnel under St.Georges Hill and Loughborough Rd. where the footpath went out to Main St. recollect crawling the derelict boilers flues looking up the chimney as an inquisitive boy, area and old trackbed easily identifiable on Google Earth beeman

[kezbell]

Thanks for that, really interesting. I only wish I'd seen the Swannington end at work. I can only remember walking up the incline with my father when the tracks and pulleys were still in place but overgrown. I must have been only five or six at the time.

By the time of filming in 1964 the stretch to Desford was the only original bit left which is why we only went that far.

[beeman37]

He sat on this as the wagons hurtled down the incline.My parents often took me & walked the incline to the Fountain Pub on summer eves. I have stood on the engine on its raised bed and looked down onto the lower part of the engine flywheel thinks this was the 4th largest ever cast, Believe this is in Manchester science Museum ?.ironically in latter years in my employment a an Coal Board Electrician I visited the site to maintain the switchgear for the modernised electric pumpgear.

[beeman37]

I lived close by the L.&S. railway as a child. My parents taking a walk across fields to the road junction of Church Lane and Foan Hill where a bridge still exists over the cutting of the incline trackbed. I remember as a boy seeing the wagons of coal hurtling down the incline en route to the Swannington Pumping Station to feed the four Lancashire boilers for the single cylinder engine which drove the beam driven pump. The "shunter' had his pole anchored between the wagon coupling and buffer.