Memory Lane
The Paddy, the Jinny and the Dove
Another Rolleston is located 4 miles south west of Newark on Trent, Nottinghamshire and 3 miles from Southwell. (See “Rollestons of the World”, Rollestonian, Summer 2001).
The Midland Railway opened the line from Nottingham to Lincoln on Tuesday 4th August 1846 and the 33 mile long track was completed in less than a year!! A single-track line from Rolleston to Southwell was opened on 1st July 1847. The engine used to operate the line had no tender and carried its own coke and water. However the line was so unprofitable it was closed between 1849 and 1852 and then used horse traction between 1853 and 1860. A steam train was re-introduced in 1861 and the shuttle service from Southwell to Rolleston Junction became known, affectionately, as the Southwell Paddy. A new type of ‘push-pull’ was introduced in January 1931, this consisted of a Midland 044 tank engine and two carriages, the one at the rear being specially converted to allow the engine to be driven from that end. This passenger train was finally withdrawn in June 1959 and the line closed in 1965 after 118 years.
The North Stafford Railway or the Knotty (after the Staffordshire Knot) was formed by the fusion of three companies, the Potteries, the Harecastle & Sandbach, and the Churnet Valley Railways. The N.S.Railway between Tutbury and Burton was brought into use on 11th September1848. As far as Rolleston was concerned, the line had to pass through land owned by the then Sir Oswald Mosley, and it is not surprising that it was sited as far as possible from the Hall. Initially there was only a siding since coal was brought here for the use of Rolleston gas works and the forge at Claymills. There were two brick platforms, a goods yard, cattle pens and a yard crane. Rolleston station was opened on 1st November 1894. The following year the name was changed to Rolleston on Dove to avoid confusion with Rolleston Junction. The opening of the station encouraged people to build homes nearby and these people must have been some of the earliest rail commuters. The Tutbury Jinny provided a quick and popular service from Burton to Stoke and Crewe. Early records refer to it as the Jenny however the name has changed over the years to Jinny or Jinnie. Its name was probably derived from the word ‘engine’; the old horse gins were once referred to as ‘Jinny Rings’.
The train was for most of its life also ‘push- pull’ operated. The locomotive pulled the train from Burton to Tutbury, but to save time rather than the loco running round the train at Tutbury, the engine would push the coaches back. Similar to the Paddy, the rear carriage had a set of windows so the driver could see the road ahead. The fireman would stay on the engine looking after the fire, water and steam pressure. The stations at Rolleston, Stretton and Horninglow (Derby Rd) were closed on 1st January 1949 and the last run of the Jinny was on Saturday 11th June 1960.
The line was lifted in the early 1970’s and the track bed was ‘bought’ from British Rail for a nominal sum by the Parish Councils of Rolleston and Stretton and became the ‘Jinny Trail’. Both Rolleston and the hamlet of Rolleston on Dove expanded in the 60’s and 70’s and effectively merged. To avoid confusion the whole village was named Rolleston on Dove under the guidance of Alan Woodbine, the Parish Clerk.
(this article by Mike Jobson first appeared in the Winter 2003 issue of the Rollestonian)
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The Website reunion story in the Spring 2003 issue of “Rollestonian” took Sybil Limbert (nee Carter) by surprise and set her tracking long lost relatives-
Following the website story earlier this year I have been very excited to find that I have a relation in Australia. The Carter family who lived in Rolleston have traced a family tree back to 1759. The relative that I have found is Fred, father of Carol Carter-Edwards who is the granddaughter of Joe and Janet Carter. Joe was my father’s brother.
My father was Walter Carter, one of five brothers and two sisters born in Rolleston between 1893 and 1900. I am the eldest daughter – Sybil (now Limbert). My sister, Hilda, lives in Woodville, my brother, Tom, lives in Swansea and my brother John lives in Tunstall, Yorkshire. There is also a Bill, son of Joe who lives in Littleover.
Going through the family tree makes interesting reading;-
George, born 1811 – died 1874 was a shoemaker
Harriet, born in 1852 was a court dressmaker
Samuel, born 1837 – died 1898 was a master brewer of Carter and Scattergood, Burton on Trent
Emma, born 1862 - died 1927 was a teacher of music in Rolleston.
If anyone would like to see the family tree please contact Tom Martin – it spreads out to Yoxall, Church Broughton and the younger ones all over the country.
Sybil M Limbert.
I have received an email (9-Nov-03) from Carol Edwards in Australia to say her father Frederick Joseph Carter (son of Joseph and Janet Carter of Rosemary Farm, Rolleston) died November 8th 2003 at 12.40pm. He is survived by his daughters Carol, Janet and Jacqui. Her Uncle Bill (Carter) of Littleover is the last surviving member of her dads immediate family.
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The following letter, from Mrs James, was prompted by a copy of "Rollestonian" commenting on Wartime Scouting.
My husband - Eddie James - founded and ran the Scout Troop (24th Burton) until the outbreak of World War II when, as your article states, he joined the R.A.F. and initially flew Blenheim Fighter Bombers. He was ably assisted by his great friend Tony* (not Bob) who joined the Army and was taken prisoner at Tobruk, and who sadly died last July. *Tony Cherry whose family lived in part of Rolleston Hall.
My parents - Mr & Mrs R. Tweed - and I lived in Beech Mount, Rolleston from 1920 until 1950 when they retired to North Wales.
Before the War, and prior to my joining the W.A.A.F., I ran the Brownies and Guides in the village. Is there a company now? If there are any ex-Guides around I would love to hear from them.
My husband, Eddie, worked for Bass Brewery in Burton and eventually became a Brewer. Before we were married his family including three brothers, - Bruce, Derek and Don (all choirboys and Scouts) lived at a small farm - Firfields, Knowles Hill.
We were married on July 20th 1946 by the Rev. F. Abbott (who succeeded the Rev. W. Bagnall), at Rolleston Church and we went to live in Stretton, then moved to a brewery in Yorkshire and finally to Ireland in 1950 where my husband joined Guiness. I am godmother to David Bagnall - grandson of Rev. W. Bagnall and with whom we are closely in touch to the extent that David and his wife came over to stay with us on the occasion of my 90th birthday on Dec 4th.
During the 1930s we had a Badminton Club in the Commemoration Hall (known as "the Commem") and an Amateur Dramatic Society known as the Rolleston Village Players. Both my husband and I took part in various village activities - particularly connected with the Church. My husband was, at one time, Hon. Sec. and Treasurer to the Vestry. He would like to hear particularly from any old Scouts who may remember him, we do exchange Christmas greetings with an ex-patrol leader Jim Lowe who lives in Foster Avenue and got in touch with us after an announcement of our Golden Wedding in 1996 in the Burton Mail.
Mrs M.C. James
(nee Tweed)
Wenden, Leoville, Dunmore
Road, Waterford, Republic of Ireland.
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(An article in the Millennium issue of "Rollestonian" suggested that Rolleston Scout Group folded during the war years. This caused at least two senior citizens to burst their woggles. Here, they put the record straight!)
The day War broke out - September 3rd 1939-or very soon afterwards Rolleston scout Group (24th Burton) lost - The Skipper - Eddy James who joined the R.A.F. and flew Blenheim fighter bombers and the Bosun - Bob Cherry who also joined the R.A.F.
The Troop was then taken over by Mrs Bagnall, wife of the Rector of Rolleston, who ran the Scouts as Skipper during the war years. Scout H.Q. was the old school room alongside the "jitty" at the end of the Spread, and this also housed the Cub Pack jointly run by Miss Skellet of Knowles Hill and Mrs Brown of Station Road. Mrs Bagnall proved to be a superb "Skipper" - fit as a fiddle with eyes like a hawk - the four patrols were put through their paces and had to be at their best to earn the usual array of badges that all of us aimed for.
We enjoyed some memorable annual camps - Rangemore, Beaudesert on Cannock Chase, and best of all a week in Dovedale in the river valley just below Thorpe village, transport being an old bus with enough petrol for the return journey plus a day trip to Buxton.
(The Rector did not drive, but Mrs Bagnall ran an Austin 7 with a small trailer in which the Scouts collected waste paper and scrap every week, and the small petrol ration may well have helped to fuel the bus to Dovedale and Buxton!)
In Dovedale Mrs Bagnall plus a few helpers kept an eye on the Troop, but for most of the time we raced around like a pack of wild dogs - up and over Thorpe Cloud, scaring ourselves on the river side, climb up Bunster, diving into the river from an overhanging tree into a deep swimming hole just below Camp - and generally enjoying a great adventure. Thanks to the Scouts and all who worked so hard to keep it going throughout the war years.
(MEMORIES OF TWO OLD SCOUTERS)
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The history of Rolleston Hall and the events which led to its demolition in 1928 are well documented. In the circumstances it is surprising that its name should have been perpetuated by a Railway Company based in Wiltshire.
In 1928 the Swindon Works of the former Great Western Railway began the construction of the first of a new type of mixed traffic locomotive with the 4-6-0 wheel arrangement. They were intended for passenger and fast freight work and were named after Halls in the Western Region. As they grew in number eventually reaching a total of 329 it became necessary for Great Western to extend their search for suitable names into the North Midlands and beyond. This however was a legitimate ploy since the Company had engine sheds at Wolverhampton and as far north as Birkenhead. So it is not surprising to find locomotives named after Halls in our area.
"Rolleston Hall" No. 5973 was one of these, built in May 1937. It was first allocated to the Old Oak Common engine shed adjacent to Paddington Station and was later transferred to Reading where its service life was terminated. It was withdrawn in September 1962 and scrapped at the Swindon Works where it had been built.
Two other locomotives with local names have been preserved. They are "Foremark Hall" No.7903 and "Willington Hall" No. 7927 built in 1959 and 1960 respectively. Both these locomotives were built by British Rail which had absorbed the Great Western Company at the time of the nationalisation of the railways in 1948. "Foremark Hall" is currently being restored by the Swindon and Cricklade Railway and "Willington Hall" is stored at the Vale of Glamorgan Railway awaiting restoration.
During the mid 1960's when thousands of steam locomotives were being broken up in scrap yards the handsome brass nameplates could be purchased for a nominal sum. When a locomotive was scrapped at Swindon as was the case with "Rolleston Hall" the two nameplates would have been offered to employees as mementoes for the sum of £5 –5s each. Today, at Auction a single nameplate from an express loco can fetch in excess of £10,000 and occasionally £20,000. There can be few collectables that have appreciated in value as much as locomotive nameplates. It would be interesting to learn who currently owns either of the two "Rolleston Hall" nameplates.
Seventeen "Hall Class" locomotives survived the scrap years, six of which are now operational and can be seen in steam on preserved railways. The remainder are in various stages of restoration.
Alan Partington.
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Last updated: 20 June 2009