IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
North Street, NOTTINGHAM, NG17 9AN

Derby Road, just north of the Shoulder of Mutton junction. The gap in between the terraces has since been filled with more houses. The plaque between the upper windows of the closest house reads "AD 1904 - Highest Point in Notts - 609 feet above sea level". The road clearly rises between this house and the corner, though, which is a clue that this plaque is not in its original location. Its story has received attention in the local "The Ad" paper (May 2009): a letter from John Harris of Langley Mill states that the plaque was affixed, in the year noted on it (1904) to the Castle Houses (originally the Imperial Cafe & Restaurant) further up the hill. The plaque is made of slate, and was fixed in its present position in or after the 1980s. Mr Harris helped remove it from the Castle Houses, researched its history, and refurbished it, and so this seems like a fairly definitive account! The current contender is Image, but landscaping is also going on at Silverhill Colliery, in Image - see the discussion thread associated with this square.

Whilst waiting at the traffic lights, I glanced across Derby Road at this house because the plaque caught my eye. It reads "AD 1904 Highest Point in Notts 609 feet above sea level". Having come down this road and had to apply quite a lot of braking to stop, I pondered the sign for a whole minute before the penny dropped - there was something wrong! Luckily, a fellow Geographer had been here before - Image Fortunately, I'm going to stop worrying about this inconsistency, because in about a year's time, the growth will have covered the plaque and all will be well again.

Less than 200 yards long, it runs under the steep but narrow ridge forming Robin Hood's Hills. It was built in 1848 by the Midland Railway as part of its route from Nottingham to Mansfield. The line closed in 1964, and the tunnel was later filled in. The Robin Hood Line project to restore passenger train services between Nottingham and Mansfield required the provision of a tunnel under Robin Hood's Hill, and studies showed that this tunnel was still in good condition. It was therefore reopened and passenger service resumed in 1995.

View SE from the B6021 bridge. This had been the ex-Midland Nottingham - Mansfield - Worksop line until closed north of Newstead 12/10/70 (passenger services had ceased from 12/10/64). The new Robin Hood Line (Nottingham - Mansfield - Worksop) was diverted over the route through this tunnel because it was shorter than the ex-GCR one. The line was restored to Mansfield Woodhouse later in 1995 and to Worksop in 1998.

A sharp rise up to the ridge forming Robin Hood's Hills

Pictured from a spot close to one of Nottinghamshire's points. An electrical substation can be seen in the middle distance.

A sharp rise up to the ridge forming Robin Hood's Hills. Behind the camera the land falls away again even more steeply.

Older houses relating to the earlier mining industry mixed with later 20th century commuter-style development.

Notts C C octagonal concrete post with slotted arms and octagonal cast-iron finial. An unusual survivor at a junction of classified roads, still standing alongside its modern counterpart.