Part 1 was posted on 06/11/2023.
The village of South Wingfield lies to the West of the town of Alfreton on
B6179 linking Derby with Chesterfield and to the East of the village of Crich of ‘Tramway Village’ fame.
In 1840, it lay on the new ‘North Midland Railway’ line that linked Derby with Rotherham and eventually Leeds.
The station building, designed by Francis Thompson, is the only one of the thirteen original stations standing in the form in which it was built.
As such, it is a Grade ll listed building.
It should be made clear that the station is not rail connected nor from what I have seen will ever be.
It is currently available to rent to an outside organisation which will provide an income for the buildings upkeep.
I would think that if Francis Thompson were alive today, he would be pleased with the outcome nearly 200 years after he designed the building.
South Wingfield station /1
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
A number of railway artefacts provide a connection to the building’s history.
One of which is this barrow which, from its design, I would think would have been used for moving goods between the train and the goods shed.
Sensibly, in my view, it is chained to a substantial looking fence.
South Wingfield station /2
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Two artefacts located indoors are a porter’s trolley at the back of two very substantial benches.
I suspect that these offer a level of comfort greater than would be available on a train in the 1840s.
South Wingfield station /3
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
The porter’s room where, on a cold winters day a bit like today, a roaring coal fire would keep them warm whist waiting for the next train.
The mantlepiece displays two hand lamps of the time.
The poster to the right is worth a read.
South Wingfield station /4
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Coal fires will not be required by whoever takes the station on.
A modern heating system which supplies underfloor heating has been installed.
South Wingfield station /5
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Another mantlepiece holds a model of a train that would have been operated by the NMR in the 1840s.
Set in front of a background showing todays station, it is interesting to compare how things were with how that are today.
South Wingfield station /6
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
The conditions for the men crewing the 2-2-2 locomotive must have been appalling.
