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Chesterfield Central

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euryalus

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I was looking at a map of Chesterfield the other day and was quite surprised to find that there is a substantial tunnel beneath the town, which once connected the Chesterfield Central branch to the GCR main line, thereby creating the "Chesterfield Loop" between Staveley, Chesterfield and Heath. I think Chesterfield Central was used by a number of main line or semi-fast passenger workings, but I was wondering if there were any locomotive restrictions on this circuitous loop - in other words, was it used by the largest GCR/LNER locomotives?
 
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Bevan Price

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I was looking at a map of Chesterfield the other day and was quite surprised to find that there is a substantial tunnel beneath the town, which once connected the Chesterfield Central branch to the GCR main line, thereby creating the "Chesterfield Loop" between Staveley, Chesterfield and Heath. I think Chesterfield Central was used by a number of main line or semi-fast passenger workings, but I was wondering if there were any locomotive restrictions on this circuitous loop - in other words, was it used by the largest GCR/LNER locomotives?
I went through there once with a Britannia (piloting a L1 2-6-4T), so I think that anything up to Gresley Pacifics must have been allowed.
 

talltim

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AFAIK it was built to the GCs normal loading gauge (not Berne gauge or anything but plenty big enough for large UK stock)
There’s a photo of FS at the station on the Disused stations website page http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/c/chesterfield_central/
I’ve also seen a photo of it coming out of the south portal of the tunnel, but it think that was in a book rather than on line.
 

talltim

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Also found a video of an urbex trip into the tunnel:
I’ve not watched it all
 

alistairlees

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AFAIK it was built to the GCs normal loading gauge (not Berne gauge or anything but plenty big enough for large UK stock)
There’s a photo of FS at the station on the Disused stations website page http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/c/chesterfield_central/
I’ve also seen a photo of it coming out of the south portal of the tunnel, but it think that was in a book rather than on line.
Even the normally-authoritative Disused Stations website erroneously states that the GC was built to “Berne loading gauge” on that page!
 

Rockhopper

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Yes, Pat is a legend!
My rifle club did enquire about using the tunnel as a full bore rifle range but the powers that be decreed that the fumes from the powder might damage the brickwork.....
 

euryalus

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The 'Flying Scotsman' excursion was said to have been the last passenger train to call at Chesterfield Central - I think it ran southwards over the loop, although there was no corresponding northwards trip!
 
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