RAIL TOURS AND OPEN DAYS
OPEN DAY - COALVILLE FREIGHT DEPOT, 1985 (1) - Family Ticket for the Open Day at Mantle Lane Sidings, Coalville, Sunday September 1st, 1985. The line from Leicester to Coalville and Burton opened in 1833 and was closed to passengers in 1964, remaining open for busy coal and aggregates traffic thereafter, the small depot at Mantle Lane closing in 1990, although the line is still well used by aggregates traffic. Being off the beaten track, it was difficult to get to and the Open Days were always very popular, especially as they allowed passenger travel over an otherwise freight only route. Open Day 1985 was the third to be held. 33033/33052 had brought the F&W 'Coalville Slug' Rail Tour from Penzance(!), which was taken on to Matlock by 58018. Most of the other locos had come from nearby, either Derby or Toton, or were preserved.
Present were:-
20104
25283
26003
31200
33033, 33052
47050
50007 SIR EDWARD ELGAR
55015 TULYAR
58016, 58018, 58020
97201 (24061)
97403 (46035)
D4 GREAT GABLE