PINXTON & SOUTH NORMANTON: HISTORY GROUP THE PINXTON/MANSFIELD RAILWAY

Without any doubt, the Pinxton/Mansfield railway is one of Pinxton’s most notable achievements. Particularly as it is recognised as the oldest continuously used commercial railway track. The Boat Inn is believed to have been the first ever railway ticket office and waiting room.

The latter came about when Mr William Epperson, the then landlord of the Boat Inn, had a passenger carriage constructed. Every Thursday morning it took passengers from Pinxton to Mansfield Market, returning in the afternoon.

Evidence of trackways as they were known, had been recorded from much earlier, particularly in association with the early expansion of the coal mining activities, following the de-forestation of the country particularly surrounding growing urban communities. These trackways were made of wood and contained a raise piece (or flange) to ensure the wooden wheels remained on the track.

The wheels on the Pinxton track were cast iron made by Butterley Company and William Jessops one of the owners of the company, was also the engineer for the project of surveying the route for the line. He was also the man behind the first recognised railway in the world at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire. Incidentally, there is a close connection between the Cokes of Brookhill Hall and the Manvers family of Belvoir, but that is a story for another time.

Putting the flange on the cast iron wheel rather than on the rail means the cost of was considerable reduced as much smaller amounts of iron was required.

Interestingly, we have no evidence of the involvement of Reverend Coke in the family’s industrial or commercial activities after mid1795. His youngest son John assumed responsibility for this role. In the mid 1810’s John was busy negotiating the rights to the unexposed coal reserves to the east of the village. His main advisor was his older brother Sir William, who was The Chief Justice of Ceylon (modern day Sri Lanka). This was not the quickest communication process ever known, as according to the evidence in 1818, it took five months for news of the death of Sir William, due to fever, had to reach his mother. Sir William had previously advised John not to get involved in any negotiations for a railroad until he had secured an agreement on the mining rights as it would increase the price John would have to pay for the mining rights. Because of this the Pinxton line could have been the world’s oldest railway in the world. As it was, it became only the fifth oldest.

Pinxton has a long and proud association with the railways and is hoping passenger travel will return with the proposed extension to The Robin Hood Line.