Chesterfield and the Lost Great Central Railway

In the first part of this series on Chesterfield's Lost Railways we look at the Lost Great Central Railway that once ran through the historic Derbyshire town.

Famed for it's croocked spire, Chesterfield once had 3 railway comanies and 3 railway stations dotted around the town. Today only the former Midland Railway station remains as Chesterfield railway station. The other two were Chesterfield Market Place (LD&ECR) and Chesterfield Central (GCR).

The Midland Railway arrived in Chesterfield in 1840 and the town has had a station ever since this time. The second railway to arrive in the town came in 1892 when the Great Central opened their Chesterfield Loop line from the main GCR mainline at Staveley. Their station opened simply titled Chesterfield but later changed it's name to Chesterfield Central. The station closed in 1963 and the route of the line became the A61 Chesterfield Relief Road.
Just the south of the station was the Chesterfield Tunnel. A 410 yard long tunnel that cut under the east of the town centre. The tunnel still exists under the town, sealed off at one end, but the south portal can still be partially seen.

*****A full video of Chesterfield Tunnel can be found on Patrick Dickinson's youtube channel -    • Exploring Chesterfield  Abandoned Rail Tunnel   *******

The 1892 date stone that sat above the north portal of the tunnel can be seen at Hollingwood Hub on the Chesterfield Canal, which was built into the abutments of the former bridge where the GCR crossed the canal. Link to Chesterfield Canal Trust Website - https://chesterfield-canal-trust.org....

After leaving the disused railway tunnel, the route is once again consumed by the A61 dual carriageway and the Horns Bridge Island roundabout. Horns Bridge was once a point where the 3 railway companies crossed on three levels. Today only the Midland remains and the viaduct and bridges have been knocked down. - almost all, that is.

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