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THE MIDLAND RAILWAY STUDY CENTRE
Chaddesden Sidings

Ordnance Survey map extract of Chaddesden Sidings

Click the image to be taken to the superb National Library of Scotland web site for this particular map of Chaddesden Sidings.
This extract reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) licence.

Chaddesden Sidings once played a hugely important role in the operation of the railways around Derby. Goods trains converged on Derby from local stations and the collieries around Ambergate and Ripley, as well as from other marshalling yards further afield such as Rowsley or Gowhole. At Chaddesden these incoming trains were split, their wagons marshalled and reformed for onward journeys to London, Birmingham and elsewhere. It was a hugely labour-intensive process and hundreds of men were employed here. And yet, so little has been recorded or photographed about this intense activity.

We are especially grateful therefore that Peter Cholerton and the Chaddesden History Group have so kindly provided us with not one, but two articles about Chaddesden Sidings for us to share with our visitors here.

Both are excellent pieces of work. The first • CHADDESDEN SIDINGS — TRACKS THROUGH TIME • provides a comprehensive insight into the history of the sidings. Detailed research takes us through the development of the yard, the traffic it handled and some of the people who worked there.

The second article • CHADDESDEN’S FIVE FORGOTTEN RAILWAY COTTAGES • combines Peter's personal reminiscences of the now long-lost homes with more detail research about their former occupants.

A compilation of three Midland Railway two chains to the inch land plans of Chaddesden Sidings - each sheet of which can be downloaded here

We are also delighted to share these three sheets of “Two Chains to the Inch Land Plans” of Chaddesden Sidings as prepared c.1900 by the Midland Railway's Estate Agent:-

Finally, if anyone has any memories or — if we should be so lucky! — photographs or ephemera that they would like to share with us and the Chaddesden History Group, we would of course be extremely grateful.

Brass circular pay check with cast letters and stamped number MIDLAND RAILWAY 114 CHADDESDEN SIDING Pay check - hexagonal, brass, L.M.&S.R. C&W Dept. Chaddesden stamped No.22

RFB12972 and RFB31393 a pair of pay checks from Chaddesden Sidings

Plan headed Midland Railway - Derby - Chaddesden Sidings Centre

99-1189: Plan prepared by the Midland Railway Engineer’s Department’ Central Divisional Engineers Office, Derby with a Plan. No. of 48/19 inferring a date of 1919, titled Proposed Conversion of Fourthrows to Threethrows. Coverage is the area of Chaddesden Sidings Centre and includes the pointsmen’s boxes of Chaddesden No.3 to No.6. Later photographic evidence suggests this work was not carried out.

Drawing on tissue paper showing land around Chaddesden to be purchased fo rthe construction of Chaddesden Sidings

88-1997-5_12: Tracing showing planned route of the Spondon Curve -- avoiding Chaddesden, Derby -- east end. 1 mile 29 chains. Landowners; W Cox, C Meakin, J Sant, Sir H S Wilmot, R Wilmot.