Midland Railway Ripley Branch

[1][page needed] George Stephenson reported on the idea but recommended that a completely new line should be built with the original continuing to operate.

The Midland Railway (Ripley Branches) Act was passed on 22 July 1848 and, by August, a spur from the main line reached the quarries at Little Eaton.

However Board of Trade approval was still needed for passenger traffic, and a report was submitted by its inspector, Captain Tyler, in December.

The Midland was clearly aiming to provide the minimum of infrastructure, and the Colonel reported in April, twice in May, in June and July.

Around Little Eaton there were a number of manufacturers, such as potteries, Dowding's paper mill and small quarries.

This area of Derbyshire had been important for ironworking since Norman times, and the use of charcoal for smelting was being superseded by coal.

Coal traffic was such that, in 1903, Kilburn Colliery siding was extended to form a double track as far as Denby.

The line remained in use to serve a coal washing plant at Denby into the late twentieth century - traffic finally ceasing in 1999.

[5] The section from Holbrook level crossing to just short of the mainline connection near Little Eaton was lifted by contractor Trackwork of Doncaster during the first week of March 2012.