All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission of the author or the appropriate owner (e.g. photographs). The copyright of any of the original material in this book will be (and has been) defended. The text contains certain "unique factors" to identify unauthorised copying.

Copyright Colin Aldworth, 1990, 1991, 1999, 2003, 2004

First Edition, November 1990

Second Edition, September 1991

Third Edition, December 1999

Fourth Edition, March 2004

The Fourth Edition contains dozens of additions and corrections suggested by readers, and 12 years of further research at the Public Record Office, Kew. In particular this edition makes reference to the "Beeching" Papers for the line, which were closed until January 2003. These papers are controversial, and some details have not been repeated in this work to avoid any misunderstanding or litigation.

Whilst every care has been taken in researching this book and the statements therein, the author cannot be held responsible in any way whatsoever for any omissions or inaccuracies.

I would particularly like to thank the following people for their help with the original book:-

• Jim Lea was a retired relief signalman, who worked on the line for some 27 years. Jim was a major source of information for this project.
• Alan Rimmer was Line Superintendent for the Test Track until 1983 and was very helpful in covering the activities of the test track.
• Rod Sladen is a local railway enthusiast who has an interest in many aspects of both railway history and its current operation. Rod kept me pointed in the right direction and provided technical backup to the project.
• Eric Tonks was a major source of material for matters relating to the Holwell Branch and the associated fields.

The primary research for this book was conducted extensively at the Public Record Office at Kew as well as Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire Record Offices, the Transport Users Consultative Committee in Birmingham, the House of Lords Record Office, Nottingham City Library, Colindale and the British Museum Map Library. I would like to thank all the staff at those establishments, especially Mr Kendrick at the TUCC.

Thanks are extended to Nottinghamshire County Library Service, and Leicestershire County Council Museums, Art Galleries and Records Service, and the numerous other people who willingly gave me varied amounts of their own time:- Anonymous elderly contributors, Sean Anderson, John Atkins, Mr Burgon, William Clark, S.J.Cormack, Alan Dance, Bill Flewitt, Richard Greasley, the late Lord Gretton, John Heath, George Holmes, John Ingamells, Lawrence Knighton, Paul LeFevre, Sid Madeley, Mike McLaughlin, John Miller, Nora Newman, Mrs Nickolls, Eddie Orchard, Mr Orson, John Oxley, Tony & Wendy Perkins, Mrs Phimster, Bob Rowse, The Duke of Rutland's Agent, Fred Saunders, Derek Savoury, Paul Slater, Olive Sleath, Peter Smith, Kit Spackman, Mary Thompson, Mr J Towle, Hugh Williams, J.P.Wilson and Kitty Wyness. Special thanks to Roger Newman for the colour signal and signal box dates and Wilf Ward for his photographic support. Apologies to anyone inadvertently omitted.

This book is the first detailed history of the line ever published, and is a compilation of original research and interviews. Where possible statements have been checked against primary sources, but as time goes by memories fade and different versions of stories appear. Wherever an official source or another book has been used, there should be references to that work, but I do not claim to be infallible.

Page 2