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Useful Links

Ashby-de-la-Zouch Museum

Sustrans: National Cycle Network

Trip Advisor: The Cloud Trail

The Guardian: Best Bike Rides

Derby to Ashby Rail Line

Ashby Railway Station

Two Wheels and a Camera

Newbold Heritage Group

Ashby to Ticknall Tramway

Ashby to Burton Light Railway

Chellaston

Derby Canal

Wikipedia: Derby Midland Railway

Local Railway and Canal Bridges

Derby and Sandiacre Canal

Derby Canal Restoration

Shelton Lock

The Midland Railway

Simulated trip on the Derby Canal

Walking/Cycling on the Cloud Trail

Worthington

Midland Railway Centre

Alvaston Park

Trent Railway Station

South Derbyshire Rambling Club



The Cloud Trail

Part of the Cloud Trail runs on the old Midland Railway line which used to connect Derby Midland with Ashby-de-la-Zouch. After leaving Derby Midland, the line had passed through Peartree, Chellaston, Melbourne, Tonge and Worthington before arriving at Ashby < Click here to read a brief description of the line>



 

 

Click on a title below to view photographs of the required section of the Cloud Trail or nearby location to the Cloud Trail

Worthington to Tonge

Tonge to Wilson

Wilson to Melbourne

Melbourne to the Trent and Mersey Canal

Trent and Mersey to Derby Canal

Swarkestone Road and Weston on Trent railway station

Swarkestone (Lowes) Lock to Shelton Lock

Shelton Lock to London Road, Derby

London Road to Riverside Gardens

Areas connected historically to the Cloud Trail

Departure from Ashby-de-la-Zouch railway station

Ashby to Worthington

Peartree Railway Station

Old Derby to Melbourne Train Timetables

Above is a facsimile of the announcement by the Midland Railway of the new return service that was to introduced from Derby to Melbourne via Chellaston. This was published in the Derby Mercury newspaper on 02/09/1868.

As can be seen, the total journey time was 25 minutes which given the technology of 1868, must have seemed incredibly quick to the passengers.

By 1899, the service had been increased from three to four trains each day and the single track extension to Ashby-de-la-Zouch via Tonge and Worthington added. As can be seen from the snippet of the 1899 timetable on the left, the journey time from Melbourne to Derby had been reduced to 21 minutes. With the arrival of the public bus service, however, passengers declined and in 1930, the service was discontinued.

For clarity a facsimiles has been used for the originals but these replicates the  capitalisation and punctuation.

Thanks to Chellaston History Group for providing the information which made the production of the facsimiles possible.

Above is a part of the 1899 timetable. To view this in full click on the above image.

Above is a copy of the plans to restore the Derby and Sandiacre Canal. To view these in full click on the above image.

Above is a photograph taken by Ron Buckley at Ashby de la Zouch on Saturday 28 June 1952. This day saw the running of the Stephenson Locomotive Society’s Derbyshire Area Rail Tour, starting at Derby Midland station the train went to Ashby via Chellaston, Melbourne and Worthington before returning to on the same route to Derby. This train is believed to be the last passenger train to leave Ashby railway station. Another rail tour went from Derby to Worthington in the summer of 1971 but this was a rail car not a steam train and by that date, it was no longer possible to reach Ashby.

Fly the Route

To view a fly through of the railway line’s route from Ashby to Derby click on the silhouette of the bird.