Railway
Terrace is opposite Derby train station. The houses were Railway cottages,
probably the earliest such development in the country.
They were built by the North Midland Railway Company between 1841 and 1843
for its employees at the same time as the Station and the Midland Hotel,
to designs of the architect Francis Thompson.
In 1979 Derby Civic Society campaigned strongly against the proposed demolition
for road works of this large block of terraced housing which formed a triangle
bordered by a main road and factories, with the listed Brunswick Inn at
its apex. The Derby Historic Buildings Trust was approached by the Civic
Society and together after eight months effort Derby City Council was persuaded
to abandon its proposed road scheme, sell the buildings to the Trust, set
up Conservation and General Improvement Areas, and list the cottages. Over
the next three years seventeen different house types varying from two bedroomed
cottages to substantial four bed roomed houses were restored and modernised.
Not only were all the perimeter houses given front gardens with iron railings,
but landscaped areas were introduced, some garages, well designed car parking,
and gardens at the rear of the houses. New street lamps were of the original
pattern, and all the front doors painted maroon, the house colour of the
North Midland Railway. The project received a Civic Trust Award. The Railway
Terrace houses were sold in small batches as they were completed, so although
the scheme was costly, cash flow never became too difficult. Eventually
the Brunswick Inn was also restored and sold, see next photo... |
