The Birmingham to Derby Line

This important stretch of railway line through the Midlands connects England’s second city of Birmingham with the strategically important railway center of Derby. The area is served by local passenger services as well as forming part of the key cross-country route linking Scotland and the Northeast of England with Bristol and the Southwest. However, it is the variety of freight traffic that draws the rail enthusiast to this area. The frequent passing of coal trains may have ceased, but this significant line still has a lot to offer. From oil and steel to aggregates and container traffic, all the country’s main freight operators are regular visitors to the area. The rail-enthusiast popularity extends to the intermediate stations of Burton upon Trent and Tamworth. The latter’s split-level platforms are particularly busy as the town sits at the intersection of this cross-country route and the West Coast Main Line, which passes below. Less well known is the important junction at Water Orton, where services towards Leicester and the east of England leave the main Derby line. John Jackson’s selection of striking images traces this 40-mile journey in detail, while also providing a nostalgic look back at the now-closed diesel depot at Saltley, close to the heart of Birmingham, as well as highlighting the railway construction work that continues at Derby to the present day.