The Midland Railway Society Library - titles available to researchers at the Study Centre.
The Journal Index - a fully searchable index to the Midland Railway Society Journal.
Midland Railway Society Members - resources available exclusively to MRS members.
Some random images from our catalogue for you to enjoy...
Hover your mouse over the Item Number (or 'long press' on a mobile device) for more information
Item No. 94177
Nailsworth station forecourt, entrance and station house, 1900s, probably. The stationmaster and two other station staff were posed for the picture with a boy in the middle. A woman was standing outside the station house door.
Item No. 65041
A passenger train from Cromer M&GN to Leicester is entering the loop at Edmonthorpe and Wymondham. The train is double headed with the pilot being a Belpaire 3F 0-6-0 number 3326 and the train engine LNER 6040. In the foreground is a an Whitaker tablet machine.
Item No. 09937
Luggage Label Type: M105/1
Form No: P. F. 70. Print Ref: R 2-10,000-12/08.
Destination: STAVELEY TOWN
Item No. 32821
Letter dated December 22nd 1846 and posted in Derby addressed to The Battery Company, Digbeth Works, Birmingham.
"Midland Railway, Derby. Sir, I beg to inform you that the foremen of the Locomotive and Carriage Dept. will have their annual dinner together on Saturday evening, the 26th inst. and that Mr. Ellis is the Treasurer. I am sir, your obt. servant, Jno. Holmes."
Item No. 62982
Ex-Midland Railway Lenton South Junction signal box.
Item No. 30804
COPY POSTCARD / PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE JOHN ALSOP COLLECTION
CLC - Hartford & Greenbank - Cheshire - Greenbank Station Northwich - by 09/1905 - Perfection Series 1217
John Alsop collection A 02139
Item No. 99-0081
No. 63674 in steam outside Colwick shed (40E) in April 1965.
Item No. 06951
Official Postcard. Set 7- PALACE OF THE PEAK. MR-039-2. Chatsworth House, Corner of Tapestry Room. Type 2. Brown divided back. Anon. Description on back. Introduced by July, 1907. Postally used, July 18th, 1907.
Item No. 64585
Midland Railway 0-6-0 locomotive number 1357, built by Dübs & Co. in 1878. Photographed on 24 June 1905 at Bradford Forster Square.
Item No. 91353
Burton, around 1900. A view across the Derby-Birmingham main line towards the malthouses owned by the English Grain Co. Ltd. A broadside view of Johnson-rebuilt Kirtley DF 0-6-0 No. 343 shunting two wagons on an internal line. The unidentified photographer was, apparently, standing by the MR engine shed.
Item No. 02910-01
Form no: E.F.42 Print ref: Nil PPdate: 189
Inspector's Report for bridges 55 to 58 and 72 to 77 July 1st and Oct 1st 1898
Item No. 69380
A Johnson 4-4-0 locomotive number 2590 in original conditon.
Item No. 99-0015
Saxby Station Jcn signal box - looking south showing detail of the tablet catcher for the single line Saxby & Bourne line to the M&GN.
Item No. 16644
Guard's Way Bill No 51 for Passenger's Excess Luggage and for Merchandise from Rowsley to Derby.
Form No: P. B. 115. Print Ref: 500 B., 400 L., 2 patts. [bottom r.h. corner].
Item No. 70639
Nigel Hadlow photograph: Bedford 10
Item No. 30024-069
Burton-on-Trent Station Master’s Order Book:
Order No 162: Old books, Forms, Correspondence and other Papers which are not
needed for reference are to be carefully wrapped up, and labelled
then stored in a dry and safe place in date order. They are to be
checked periodically to check that they are not damaged. They are
not to be sent away from the station without the authority of Mr.
Allport.
JAMES ALLPORT, General Manager
Item No. 92893
LT&SR. A broadside view of 4-4-2T No. 45, 'Burdett Road' (became 'Shoeburyness', 16.6.1911, and later, MR No. 2154) alongside the turntable at an unidentified station, possibly Shoeburyness. The enginemen in the cab had adopted dynamic poses for the photograph.
Item No. 66172
Lincoln St Marks - ground level view showing the level crossing gates and a LMS poster board, behind which the over roof can be seen in some detail
Item No. 16783
General Order No. 316/N.S. 1 NOBLE
Date:- FEBRUARY 24TH, 1881.
Title:- ACCIDENTS, IRREGULARITIES, &c.
Summary:-
Item No. 66222
Wixford - platform level view of the station showing the single through platfrom with overbridge at the end of the platform with sidings beyond. Is the small structure under the overbridge a groundframe?
Item No. 15367
Luggage Label Type: M102
Form No: None Print Ref: None
Destination: TYTHERINGTON
Item No. 15525
Luggage Label Type: M107/1
Form No: P. F. 70. Print Ref: R 2a.
Destination: YARMOUTH
Item No. 22502
Station (Location) of Origin: Redditch
Station Department:
Document Type: Parcels Waybill
Item No. 15017
Wagon Label LIVE STOCK Red 3 (full) Type: T
Form No: G.F.161. Print Ref: O 10a-2 Cols.-3/23/ PP date: 192
From (Purfleet) To: (Fairford) Route: VIA (Bromley and Acton)
Item No. 65707
Monsal Dale - elevated view of the station looking south from the signal box, showing both platforms, station building and track layout through the station. Also shows part of MR lamp hut and MR Lamp posts. Derby Official DY36. [See also 88-2015-0588]
Item No. 22163
Station (Location) of Origin: Hathern
Station Department:
Document Type: Parcels Waybill
Item No. 91387
Buxton shed yard, later 1890s. A semi-broadside view of Johnson 1798 class 0-6-0 No. 1879.
Item No. 88-C0288
Standard Types of Road Vehicles for Country Use. Scale ¼in. MR Drawing 2489.
Item No. 88-1996-135_04
B&W photograph of Kings Norton station likely taken from Middleton Hall Road close to Station Road, looking SE across the valley of the River Rea. St. Nicholas’s Church of Northfield stands prominently on the opposite hillside, half a mile away. The dominant feature of King’s Norton station building is the proliferation of advertising.
Image copied from a commercial postcard.
Item No. 13571
Midland Railway: Letter from Secretary to Messrs Challinor & Co of Leek re allotment of £750 of 4% Debenture Stock.2 January 1872
THE MIDLAND RAILWAY STUDY CENTRE
Two Chains to the Inch Land Plans Collection
When Peter Service McCallum took over as the Midland Railway's Estate Agent in 1888 (the post being alternatively known also as Land Agent), he brought in a number of innovations which proved crucial to the Company, and just as importantly, to us in the present day. The decision from which the rest really stemmed, was to “remile” the network. Thus a fragmented system based on a given line's original construction coalesced into Zero Miles at the buffer stops of St. Pancras and a logical system working out therefrom. Of course, the Mile Posts that came with the new system were uniquely Midland and continue to form the basis of route measurement this day. Integral with the mileage of the line are the Distance Diagrams that will be so very familiar to anyone who has even briefly studied Midland Railway geography. Arguably the jewel-in-the-crown of all this, however, was the introduction of the Two Chains to the Inch Land Plans.
An example Two Chain Plan — Pye Bridge — that as a standalone sheet, is not included in the below collection, but can be downloaded here by clicking on the image.
Taking most of the first decade of the 20th century to complete, a legion of surveyors, draughtsmen and tracers* created these stunningly detailed records of every square inch of land the Company owned or accessed, to include every single rail that the Company had thus far laid-down. Buildings, infrastructure, signals and the surrounding topography is intricately captured by these plans, each one covering a uniform distance of 60 Chains (equal to three-quarters of a mile). In addition to the physical detail, the plans record the land ownership at the time of parliamentary powers were obtained, along with the appropriate entry number in the associated book of reference. This information is completed by the relevant Deed Number, for ease of reference by the Land Agent.
* — Not forgetting the printers and the part they played; read more about that side of it on our John McInnes Millar page.
The Midland Railway Study Centre's collection — gained both through the Roy F. Burrows Collection as well as Derby Museums — provides good coverage of the Midland Railway's network, but inevitably falls short in many areas. As a rule of thumb, the more important a line was (or indeed remains today), the more likely a gap will be found in our coverage, or the substitution of photocopies — though these tend to be more-than-adequate substitutes.
The below list is not quite exhaustive. There remain examples in the collections which don't lend themselves to digitising or otherwise exist in a format which makes it impractical to share here. In each case below, you will find the Item Number with a short title for reference, with two download links. Both links lead to a PDF copy of the volume concerned with the first being a low-resolution copy for quick reference and the next being to a full resolution download. Most full downloads are 300dpi scans, though some that are unsuited to scanning have been photographed instead.
In the case of all downloads from this website, the linked file is provided to you on the basis of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Licence. Where a residual copyright may exist, our supply of a copy image to you is strictly limited to your personal research purposes or otherwise as permitted by copyright legislation.
In the event your intended use is outside the scope of these conditions, please contact us — if it is within our legal powers to consent, it is unlikely your request will be refused!
Kindly credit The Midland Railway Study Centre, Derby, along with the relevant Item Number if possible, when using any document or image obtained from us.
⚪️ RFB00798 Chesterfield to Sheffield
(preview file — 3mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (85.1Mb).
⚪️ RFB00799 Pilsley Branch
(preview file — 2.5mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (27.1Mb).
⚪️ RFB00800 Higham Ferrers branch
(preview file — 718 KB ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (19.9Mb).
⚪️ RFB00801 Burton Ashby Light Railway land plans
(preview file — 4.6Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (101.7Mb).
⚪️ RFB00804 Chapeltown Branch and Extension
(preview file — 56.1Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (56.1Mb).
⚪️ RFB00806 Saxby & Bourne (to Little Bytham)
(preview file — 2.2Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (65Mb).
⚪️ RFB00807 Staveley Railway
(preview file — 3.6Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (63.6Mb).
⚪️ RFB00808 Otley & Ilkley Extension Branch
(preview file — 1.6Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (28.2Mb).
⚪️ RFB00809 Bretby branch
(preview file — 506 KB ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (13.1Mb).
⚪️ RFB00811 New Mills, Heaton Mersey and Manchester South District
(preview file — 2.6Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (47.6Mb).
⚪️ RFB00814 Settle and Carlisle Line (Settle to Hawes) Plans 1912
(preview file — 3.5Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (59.9Mb).
⚪️ RFB00815 Settle and Carlisle Line (Hawes to Culgaith) Plans 1911
(preview file — 4.3Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (76.8Mb).
⚪️ RFB00816 Settle and Carlisle Line (Culgaith to Carlisle) Plans 1912
(preview file — 3.8Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (62.6Mb).
⚪️ RFB00821 Darfield to Sandal and Walton
(preview file — 1.6Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (46Mb).
⚪️ RFB11028 Pye Bridge & Mansfield and Langton & Bentinck Colliery Branches
(preview file — 4.2Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (37Mb).
⚪️ RFB20248 to 20257 Camp Hill Line
(preview file — 1.4Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (38.9Mb).
⚪️ RFB20529 Hemel Hempstead branch
(preview file — 2Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (32.6Mb).
⚪️ RFB28278 Radford and Trowell
(preview file — 918 KB ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (18Mb).
⚪️ RFB28279 Nottingham to Melton (second copy)
(preview file — 2.8Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (56Mb).
⚪️ RFB28611 Hotwells to Avonmouth
(preview file — 2.4Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (65.7Mb).
⚪️ RFB30111 Bath to Mangotsfield (this copy has been used by the Property Board)
(preview file — 3.3Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (95.9Mb).
⚪️ RFB30118 Bristol to (not quite) Gloucester — only to MP110 south of Berkeley
(preview file — 5.6Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (171.8Mb).
⚪️ RFB30170 Wichnor to Derby
(preview file — 6.2Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (145.8Mb).
⚪️ RFB30174 Kettering, Thrapston and Huntingdon
(preview file — 3.8Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (110.7Mb).
⚪️ RFB30733 Syston & Peterborough sheets 41 to 65
(preview file — 4.5Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (137.6Mb).
⚪️ RFB30974 Syston & Peterborough sheets 01 to 23
(preview file — 4.2Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (84.3Mb).
⚪️ RFB31738 Clifton Extension Railway
(preview file — 3.7Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (34.6Mb).
⚪️ RFB32833 Trent to Clay Cross (Erewash Valley)
(preview file — 6.9Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (105.1Mb).
⚪️ RFB32834 Ambergate to Buxton
(preview file — 6Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (92.8Mb).
⚪️ RFB32835 Peak Forest to New Mills
(preview file — 2.7Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (40.6Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_230 Duffield (actually Ambergate) and Selston (Pye Bridge) Branch, Buckland Hollow and Swanwick Colliery Branches
(preview file — 1.7Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (1.7Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_231 Acton Branch
(preview file — 1.1Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (36Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_232 Hotwells to Avonmouth
(preview file — 1.8Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (43.4Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_233 Nuneaton Whitacre and Stockingford
(preview file — 145.7Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (145.7Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_234 Tewkesbury and Malvern branch
(preview file — 72.2Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (72.2Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_235 Holwell Branch
(preview file — 2.4Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (54.2Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_236 Walsall Wolverhampton
(preview file — 2Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (97.5Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_237 Shirland Brampton Beighton Killamarsh
(preview file — 1.7Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (74.5Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_297 Stenson to Weston to Sawley
(preview file — 2.1Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (66Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_334 Derby and Chaddesden to Nottingham
(preview file — 4.7Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (98.7Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_338 Birmingham West Suburban
(preview file — 2Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (52.6Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_360 Irchester, Raunds and Cransley
(preview file — 2.4Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (64.7Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_363 Hereford, Hay & Brecon
(preview file — 4.5Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (116.1Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_508 Trowell and Radford
(preview file — 1.2Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (68.2Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_509 Netherseal Branch
(preview file — 510 KB ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (13.2Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_555 Bedford to Northampton
(preview file — 5.3Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (229.1Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_560 Kingsbury to Water Orton
(preview file — 1Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (32.3Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-389-573 Bretby Branch
(preview file — 689 KB ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (21.2Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_576 Walsall Wood Branch
(preview file — 1.3Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (20.6Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_583 Rugby to Trent (excl.)
(preview file — 7.4Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (124.9Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_584 Ashchurch and Evesham Branch
(preview file — 1.9Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (76.4Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_601 Walsall to Water Orton Branch
(preview file — 2.5Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (95.8Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_602 West Bridge branch
(preview file — 1.1Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (26Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_603 Melbourne Ashby
(preview file — 2.9Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (160.4Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_612 Whitacre and Hampton branch
(preview file — 1.3Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (70.8Mb).
⚪️ 88-1971-384_624 Barnt Green to Evesham
(preview file — 3.3Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (65.6Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5-84 Mansfield Worksop
(preview file — 2.7Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (81.6Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5-838 Hendon to Bedford
(preview file — 9.1Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (287.5Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5-399 New Mills Heaton Mersey and South Manchester District
(preview file — 2.8Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (134.8Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5_656 Sheffield & Rotherham
(preview file — 1.8Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (44.7Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5_839 Mangotsfield to Bath
(preview file — 1.9Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (77.2Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5-1046 Darfield to Royston
(preview file — 2.5Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (46.8Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5-1170 Wigston to Wellingborough
(preview file — 8.4Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (365Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5-1171 Coalville to Knighton Jn
(preview file — 3Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (98Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5-1172 Dore & Chinley
(preview file — 4Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (99.8Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5-1173 Nottingham to Melton
(preview file — 3Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (171.9Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5-1174 Blackwell Branches
(preview file — 808 KB ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (40.2Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5-1175 Tibshelf and Teversall
(preview file — 2.1Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (107.3Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5-1177 Swadlincote and Woodville
(preview file — 1.6Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (80.2Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5-1178 Wirksworth Branch
(preview file — 1.9Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (67.3Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5-1179 Kettering to Manton
(preview file — 3.2Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (165.7Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5-1180 Luton to Bedford
(preview file — 3.7Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (191.6Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5-1181 London Depots
(preview file — 2.8Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (27Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5-1184 Whitacre & Hampton
(preview file — 1.4Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (23.3Mb).
⚪️ 88-1997-5-1186 Nottingham and Lincoln
(preview file — 6.3Mb ).
🟡 Full Resolution Download — (40.4Mb).
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Page last updated: Monday, 19 August 2024