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Banned canvas becomes the star exhibit, P3
where sold
New era for Toll Bar House, P6

Bloomin’ fabulous! P11
Police plea for help after man is attacked, P12
The Fair is back! P13

Anthony Opiah meets Revd Christine French, P20
Ilkeston Town match reports, P23 and 24
October 2021 Written by the community for the community plus your letters, poems, family announcements,

Where people tell their stories No. 74 www.ilkestonlife.com 50p where sold crossword and regular columns
Cheering our readers in Ilkeston and surrounding districts
Iron to Iron: Friends of Bennerley

Viaduct complete 330-mile bike ride

By Jeff Wynch stretch through Breadsall to Lime Lane. The
Seventeen tired but triumphant cyclists ended route from Derby to Nottingham was desig-
nated the Great Northern Greenway many
a six day, 330 mile trip on Sunday 19th years ago but still only exists in bits and piec-
September under the Bennerley Viaduct. The es. The Friends hope that the opening of the
group (average age sixty) of two women and viaduct might focus attention on the need to
fifteen men had just completed the inaugu- fill in the gaps to provide a traffic free route
ral ride of the “Iron to Iron”, a Cycling UK between the two East Midlands cities.
recognised long distance route devised by Radio Stars
Kieran Lee of the Friends of Bennerley Via- The trip was followed every mile of the way
duct. The tour was part of a cultural heritage by the Erewash Sound radio car, and listeners
project sponsored by American Express were updated with progress and interviews
through the Friends’ association with the with riders every day. Many of these broad-
World Monuments Fund. casts were shared with other independent
New Route radio stations along the route. Paul Atherley
The new route links the country’s two drove the support vehicle – known as the
remaining Victorian wrought iron railway “broom wagon” in cycling circles. Fortunate-
bridges – the Meldon in Devon and our ly none of the riders needed to be swept up Back to Bennerley. The cyclists celebrate the end of the ride. Two more pics: P2
own Bennerley Viaduct. The itinerary was and Paul could concentrate on filming some
designed to take in a number of other historic fantastic drone footage of the sights and the
bridges along the way. riders. Getting ahead of the riders on some
Starting at the Meldon Viaduct – similar stages he could also display the “Iron to Iron”
construction to Bennerley, but as the Friends banner. From Devon to Derbyshire there can-
never tire of saying, “Ours is longer” – the not be many people now who have not heard
riders headed for Taunton. Next day it was of the Bennerley Viaduct.
off to Bristol via the spectacular but demand- Welcome back
ing climb through the Cheddar Gorge. No In bright sunshine on Sunday afternoon
prizes for guessing that the Clifton Suspen- the riders rolled down the last few hundred
sion Bridge was the centre of interest. The metres to the cheers of family, friends and
group also met John Grimshaw, who came up supporters. The iron trestles of the viaduct
with ideas about using the Bennerley Viaduct were festooned with banners and bunting and
as a bike and walking route in the 1980s there was a plentiful supply of cake. Every
long before he founded Sustrans, the cycling rider received a commemorative poster de-
charity. signed for the ride by Stephen Millership, the
Thursday saw the peloton crossing the Ilkeston born artist whose “artist’s impres-
Severn Bridge and calling in at Chepstow to sion” of the finished viaduct adorns some of
see Brunel’s “other bridge”. The journey to the Friends’ merchandise. Emma Sweeney
Welsh Bicknor was made easier by a ride on of the World Monuments Fund made the
the Forest of Dean heritage railway, where presentations which included a special WMF
Kieran Lee was delighted to pick up his copy musette (that’s the bag for your snap!).
of Ilkeston Life. The following day some of Kieran Lee thanked all those who had helped
the party (they shall remain nameless) rested to organise the ride and the seventeen who
their legs again on the Severn Valley Railway had completed it. “This week has been a
between Bewdley and Bridgnorth. The group wonderful experience with a great bunch of
was reunited at the Coalport Youth Hostel people. Many of us hadn’t met each other
where next morning they had the pleasure of before last Tuesday and we are a very diverse
meeting Sir Neil Cossons OBE, patron of the collection of folks, but now we are firm
Friends of Bennerley Viaduct. Sir Neil’s evi- friends. Anyone who was having a tough time
dence at the 1980 public enquiry into British could rely on support. I had one particularly
Rail’s bid to demolish the viaduct was crucial hard day and was good for nothing at the
in obtaining a stay of execution. The main end. I’m supposed to be the organiser but
attraction in this area is of course the world’s the others just lifted me off the bike, carried
first iron bridge. me inside and sorted everything. We are so
Saturday’s route was west via Cannock Chase euphoric about this ride that we are already
to Moira in the National Forest. On the final planning the next one – Iron to Iron North - a
day there were iron bridges aplenty: the Fer- trip south from the Borders via some iconic
rybridge linking Stapenhill and Burton, Friar- bridges to Bennerley.”
gate Bridge and the Derwent Bridge in Derby,
before finishing underneath the Bennerley www.bennerleyviaduct.org.uk
Email info@bennerleyviaduct.org.uk
Viaduct. Parts of the route from Egginton to Twitter @TheironGiant
Bennerley followed the former Great North- Facebook Bennerley Viaduct Friends Group
ern Railway line including the very pleasant Instagram@bennerleyviaduct