Mickleover

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Mickleover is located 2 miles west of the city centre and is the most westerly village of the City of Derby in the United Kingdom. The oldest parts of the village are located along Uttoxeter Road (B5020). The resident population of Mickleover ward in 2003 was 13,528.[1]

Although described as a village, Mickleover is now one of the largest suburbs in Derby and is still expanding due to ongoing housing developments. House prices in areas of Mickleover are amongst the highest in Derby.

[edit] Railway history

The railway line which passed through Mickleover (the station was about 1 mile from the centre of the village, entitled Mickleover for Radbourne) originally formed part of the Great Northern Railway's cross country route from Grantham to Stafford and was opened in April 1878. It ran from Grantham on the East Coast Main Line via Nottingham Victoria, over the famous Bennerley Viaduct (which still stands today) and Derby Friargate Station. This section of the Great Northern Railway, also known as the Friargate Line, (for further history about this now closed railway see Derby Friargate Line), was built as a rival to the already established Midland Railway which at the time had a monopoly over Derby, Nottingham and the surrounding areas.

At Egginton Jcn. it joined the Derby to Crewe line of the North Staffordshire Railway which it left at Uttoxeter to journey on to Stafford.

Mickleover station lay on the Derby - Egginton section.

Although most of the line was closed to passenger traffic in December 1939, Egginton station didn't officially close until 3rd March 1962 and Mickleover station remained open until 3rd February 1964. The final passenger train left Friargate on 5th September 1964 and the line then closed throughout to passenger traffic on 7th September 1964.

Freight remained as did the through excursion traffic but eventually Friargate Goods closed on 4th September 1967. There used to be a dairy at Egginton from where milk was transported to London.

The section between Egginton Jcn. and Friargate was then acquired by the Train Control Group of the BR Research Division, as a suitable test track. It was singled between Friargate and Mickleover, but in 1973 the line was cut back to Mickleover since the eastern end of the track bed had been earmarked for the new A38 trunk road. Thereafter the line was used as a test track until 1990 when the A50 by-pass was built over the trackbed and the line was closed and lifted.

Today Mickleover and Egginton stations survive, Mickleover is a private residence and Egginton is the HQ of the National Federation of Anglers. The route of the line is now a cycle track and nature path with little to indicate its former status.

For more information about the test track look here http://www.old-dalby.com/Mickleover.htm

Mickleover itself now houses a small campus of the University of Derby which in 2007-2008 will make way for nearly 700 new homes.