The Midland Railway Trust holds a significant number of documents and maps, a few of which pre-date the formation of the Midland Railway company in 1844. Many were in use for a considerable period and record the developments that took place during the life of the company.
Land Plan of the Midland Railway’s Teversal Branch
This line connected Teversal Colliery in North Nottinghamshire to the main line. Transporting coal was one of the driving forces for developing railways in the region. (Cover inset to photograph).
[RPYMR:2018.11.43]
Enginemen and Firemen’s Memorial Address for Matthew Kirtley, 1873
This Memorial Address to Mattew Kirtley’s widow is a tooled, colour leather bound document with painted scenes from Midland Railway Co. loctaions well know to Matthew Kirtley.
On the first page it is possible to read the name of W. Bemrose, Derby the printing company used by the Midland Railway Co. This probably indicates that this was a facsimile of the original for which there was much demand at the time.
There is also a similar memorial address from the Officers of the Locomotive Department.
[RPYMR:2024.211.2]
Salaries Ledger for the Midland Railway Locomotive and Carriage Department, showing pages for March 1859
During this time the department was headed by Matthew Kirtley, Superintendent, who was responsible for both Locomotives and Carriages. For this month he was paid £83 6s 8d *, with travelling expenses of £4 10s *. Typical salaries for other staff were in the range from £5 to £15.
*The equivalent values in 2020 were £10,700 and £578, respectively.
[RPRYR:1988.23]
Collection of Specifications for Carriages & Wagons for the Midland Railway and Early LM&SR
For each new build of a single or batch of carriages or wagons (Lot) a specification was issued, or often re-used. This collection runs to over 880 Specifactions and Special Works Orders dating from 1877, when the system of Lot Numbers was introduced, until 1932.
These specifications are incredibly detailed listing all the components and materials required to build a particular vehicle. The full list can be downloaded as a PDF file here.
[RPRYR:2024.195]
Map of the Midland Railway system, 1885
A convenient to use folded pocket map with hard cover, showing the lines operated by the Midland Railway.
[RPYMR:2003.2]
The Parliamentary Act for the formation of the Midland Railway Company
Part of the Beale Collection. Beale & Co. were the solicitors for the Midland Railway and many of their papers relating to the company are in the collection. This Act consolidated the three merging companies of the North Midland Railway, Midland Counties Railway and Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway.
[RPYMR:1988.8.2.2]
Register of Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway Locomotives, 1888
The Midland Railway jointly owned the Somerset & Dorset Railway with London & South West Railway. The Midland Railway built many Locomotives and items of rolling stock for the joint company. These three Registers records the details of the locomotive stock and condition of key components, including the boilers and fireboxes, along with the mileage travelled.
[RPYMR:2022.74.1 to 3]
Distance Diagram Book, January 1910
This page is from Book No. 71 and lists the amendments that should be made to the original copy. Each book showed maps of the lines owned by the Midland Railway including stations, signal boxes and key sidings. The distance (in miles & chains) between features was also recorded and in many cases the distance from London. The maps also showed connecting lines from other railways and private lines, such as collieries.
This book has the name of Mr. R. M Deeley who was the Midland Railway’s Cheif Mechanical Engineer from 1904 to 1909.
[RPYMR:2022.72]