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Transport Back the Future
Tracking Shipping Inroads
Mansfield & Pinxton Rails
Huthwaite to Pinxton Rails
Huthwaite Carrier Carters
Steam Trained Stations
Woodend for Huthwaite
Steam Bus Char-a-banc
District Trams Light Rails
Huthwaite Tram Terminus
1932 Omnibus Takeover
Huthwaite Coach Firms

A Hucknall History

Transport Back to the Future

Huthwaite Light Railway

Urban District Councillors experienced the opening ride to a Huthwaite terminus on 17th February 1906. Event marked completion for this third of an eventual five district lines all radiating from Mansfield Market Place. This extension of the December 1905 Sutton route measured the longest single stretch of line laid by the Mansfield & District Light Railway Company, following a total 5⅛ miles.

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Continuing journey from a Sutton Cemetery Loop identifies just a few passing places along Huthwaite Lane. Entering Sutton Road into a then 1907 renamed Huthwaite township was marked by this postcard scene taken from the Colliery Loop.   New Hucknall Colliery built housing on left named Boundary Terrace long before Sutton councillors reduced village extremities. That pits nearby land sale wharf may have further inspired M&DLR to propose hauling lucrative Hucknall Huthwaite coals. Doing that was opposed.

Colliery Circuit
Sutton Road circa 192003012509

Powers had been granted from a Mansfield and District Light Railway 1903 Order to convey goods, parcels, animals and minerals in addition to passengers. Giving April 1906 notice of intention to purchase an electric locomotive with six 10 ton trailers, actually did permit using four braked trailers. Idea seems to have been dismissed following objections ultimately refusing coal haulage.

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Sutton Road Gallery pages enlarge or juxtapose more tram line scenes from when stationary vehicles helped focus cameras. Back tracking here to the Portland Arms Loop sees doubled passing points were long enough to potentially hold goods wagon trains.

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Huthwaite Tram Terminus

The past Portland Arms landmark overlooked a final steep descent reaching lines end, terminating just beyond Newcastle Street. Posed scenes fronting the Wesleyan built Sutton Road Methodists Chapel thereafter identified location of the Huthwaite Terminus.

Terminus Terminus

Scenes displaying 1906 Hucknall Huthwaite destination can identify those Mansfield and District tramcar models from an initial fleet of twelve open top four wheeled cars purchased from Hurst Nelson and Company Ltd, of Motherwell, Scotland. Likewise needing roadside or 1906 depot assembly came another six top covered cars from a Loughborough Brush Electrical Engineering Company. Additional vehicles would also be capable of maintaining a fully loaded 10 mph. That ensured a reliable 6 mph operating speed.

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Bemused why lines should abruptly end at this point has learned an 1907 Order was next granted for a line extension. Reaching as far as Common Road is where M&D desired construction of a depot. Postponement might be attributed to losing any chance of profitable mineral haulage, although the companies financial difficulties abandoned most other proposed routes. Taking over that power was a Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Tramways Company. They'd already planned to connect Blackwell among many other 1902 proposed routes that were also never begun. Agreement for the Huthwaite extension therefore just ultimately lapsed.

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The Mansfield tramway was generally considered running frequently punctual, reliable services. There were obviously complaints, plus several notable accidents often through overcrowding causing runaway trams upon hillier sections. Huthwaite farmer Mr John Gilbert Wright claimed £24 17s 3d from loss of his recently purchased prize cow. Comical inquest argued why his son was walking it from auction along Sutton tracks that dark evening. The 18 year old tram motorman took blame for hitting and killing the animal.

Sighting a motor car indicates swifter future progression on roads. Charabanc trips were proving how the omnibus could achieve superior flexibility forwarding faster public transport. Competing bus companies pushed that demand to derail the 1932 tramway.


28 May 04     by Gary Elliott       Updated 18 Mar 23