Excursions from Bolsover Castle c1977-1981

Haulage Highlights - top page

Bolsover Castle station in Derbyshire lost its regular passenger service as early as 1930, prior to gaining the Castle suffix to its name. It though remained open for goods until 1962, gaining the Castle suffix in 1950. Occasional excursions apparently still operated in the 1930's and the years immediately after the Second World War but had seemingly ceased by 1950.

Although Bolsover Castle station was on the through route between Barrow Hill and Pleasley the line was severed by the closure of Rowthorn Tunnel in the 1930's. Thus, all subsequent excursion trains departed in a northerly direction towards Staveley. Beyond Hall Lane Junction being either routed to Barrow Hill Junction if heading towards Chesterfield or Foxlow Junction if heading towards Sheffield / Rotherham.

Whether any excursions operated from Bolsover Castle station between 1950 and 1976 isn't clear. Please make contact if you are aware of any.

This brings us to 1977 and the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations which included a Royal visit by Her Majesty The Queen to Chesterfield. For this, a special train operated from Bolsover Castle to Chesterfield in order to convey school children into Chesterfield. Possibly the first passenger train from the station for nearly thirty years.

Subsequently, published references suggest that an excursion to Scarborough ran each Summer from 1978 until 1981 organised by the Bolsover Miners' Welfare, although so far only details for the 1978 and 1980 trains have emerged. It is also possible some other excursion trains ran during this period but no details of these have been located.

One other train known to have run in this period was a School Excursion to London in November 1980. This was routed via Barrow Hill and used Liverpool Street as its London terminal.

Whilst it is the c1977 - c1981 period which is the particular focus of this Highlight, details of any earlier excusions originating at Bolsover Castle would be welcomed. Please contact Peter Hall with any additional information. Below are the few details that have so far emerged.

Several 'track-bashing' enthusiast excursions visited Bolsover Castle over the years but it is the excursions that originated there which are being focused on here.

Thursday 28th July 1977 - Silver Jubilee Royal Visit to Chesterfield by Her Majesty the Queen

37170 - 1G20 10:05 Bolsover Castle - Chesterfield / xx:xx Chesterfield - Bolsover Castle

Sunday 13th August 1978 - Bolsover Miners' Welfare Excursion

37095 - 1Gxx 0x:xx Bolsover Castle - Scarborough / xx:xx Scarborough - Bolsover Castle

Sunday 3rd August 1980 - Bolsover Miners' Welfare Excursion

47371 - 1Gxx 0x:xx Bolsover Castle - Scarborough / xx:xx Scarborough - Bolsover Castle

Saturday 15th November 1980 - School Excursion

47165 - 1Z31 08:00 Bolsover Castle - London Liverpool Street / xx:xx London Liverpool Street - Bolsover Castle

Page maintained by Peter Hall.