Colliery | Development > Transport
Transport
Prior to the arrival of the railway, all transport would have been by road. In 1741 the main alternative to the Great North road running via Nottingham to Rotherham and Barnsley passed through Pleasley. The 19th century Pleasley to Rotherham turnpike branched off the Mansfield to Chesterfield road a few hundred yards to the north-east of the colliery which suggests that the main roads were of a good standard.
Map showing roads before 1875 here
At the start of the sinking, the Back Lane access road from Newboundmill Lane was created to supplement the pre-existing Windmill Lane occupation road running past the eastern side of the site which formed the main entrance to the colliery from the nearby Mansfield to Chesterfield Road. Subsequently, a landsale wharfe with house was constructed at the end of Windmill Lane to serve the local area.
Maps showing Back Lane and Windmill Lane etc here
By 1875 the colliery had been reached by the Midland Railway Company’s excavations for the Tibshelf to Pleasley extension from the Erewash Valley main line at Westhouses.
Map showing Midland Railway works in 1875 here
It was April 1877 when the line officially opened for mineral traffic ready to carry Pleasley coal up the 21/4 mile steady climb from 450 ft past Teversal at 500ft to the watershed at 600 ft ready for the 41/4 mile downhill run to Westhouses on the main line at 350 ft followed by 13.5 mile of easy going down the Erewash valley to the blast furnaces at 125 ft just South of Ilkeston.
By 1882 the line had been extended via Pleasley Vale for 23/4 mile to link up with the Midland Railway line at Mansfield Woodhouse giving Pleasley coal direct access to Mansfield itself and many new markets further towards the East coast.
In 1890 a further 23/4 mile branch line had been constructed linking Pleasley Colliery with the Midland Railway’s Doe Lea extension line at Glapwell Colliery requiring the driving of a 3/4 mile tunnel at a 1 in 50 gradient.
In March 1898 the Great Northern Railway’s Lean Valley Extension to Pleasley Colliery opened for mineral traffic providing a second route to Stanton Ironworks along the easy gradients through Skegby, Newstead and Hucknall to Basford and then Kimberly.
Maps showing Great Northern Railway works in 1897 here
Section under reconstruction
Page updated on:
30 Dec, 2025
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