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| Azzabuv Quote | Reply | | Castle Farm Tramway posted on: 9/17/2004 2:03:26 PM The tramway began/ended? approximately to the North East of the Castle and adjacent farm, mid-way between the Foxholes Plantations and the farm. It ran to the back of the farm area. Does anyone know its history or what it was used for? There were three coal-mine shafts near the farm yard area. Was it used for coal hauling, farm work, or both, or something entirely different? It was there in the late 1800s, but on modern maps there isn't a sign of it. Azzabuv.  |
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RMMee
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Castle Farm Tramway
replied on: 9/20/2004 6:58:06 AM The whole of the area used to be littered with tramways, exclusively built for transporting coal to the canal or to Butterley or Codnor Park Ironworks. The oldest tramways in the area (and I don't think this will have included any of those around Codnor Castle) dated back to pre 1800, and were very simple affairs, with wooden rails. Later iron rails were used. The land around Codnor Park was bought in the early 1800's by the Butterley Company, and, as iron producers, it is not really surprising that they made a lot of use of tramways. The old pit, on what is now Ormonde Fields golf course had a tramway along which coal was hauled up the hill, and then the loaded wagons were sent down the hill the other side, just free-wheeling. This was fairly common too, and explains why tramways did not always follow the most direct route, but rather followed the land contours to allow a controlled descent. When going up hill or on the flat, different techniques were used in different places and at different times. The commonest means of supplying horsepower was with horses!!! But mechanical means, such as winding engines, etc., were also in use. |
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Azzabuv
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Castle Farm Tramway
replied on: 9/20/2004 10:45:34 AM Thanks Robert, for the informative information. Explicit details dispel all doubts. I'd just wondered why it ran to the back of the farmyard? Azzabuv. |
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JMax
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Castle Farm Tramway
replied on: 2/1/2006 10:30:20 PM Relics of the tramway were still littering the fields which drop down to the east of the castle as recently as ten years ago. When straying off the footpaths I came across (tripped over) some iron rails which were still in place. Not sure if these have survived the opencast activities. |
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