Opened in 1866, the line was opened to access the early collieries: Tommy Newnies Pit, the Dimminsdale Collieries and Teversal. In the years following, Whiteboro Colliery, the deep mines Tibshelf Top and Bottom Pits, Brierley and Pleasley were accessed by this line .
We thank Stuart Watson of Skegby for The Midland Railway timetable of 1869 which includes an interesting note that when returning from Teversal with their loaded wagons the trains ” must stop at Dimsdale between Skegby and Chambers Collieries and pin down Brakes before descending the incline”. The difference in sea level height or elevation is approx 75 metres between the Tibshelf Sidings at Westhouses to the highest point at the Woodend. For maximum efficiency and safety of the locomotives, the gradient needs to be as smooth and as gentle as possible, but even with the cuttings and embankments along the line, a fully loaded coal train needed to be braking over a considerable distance to prevent a “Runaway Train” incident.
A station was opened at the Woodend in 1886, and features on this Sunday School Excursion Event from 1890.The Station changed it’s name to Whiteboro, as shown on this photograph origianlly shared by Dr K Hill; the station closed in 1926.