This is a hold-to-light tissue stereographic photo of Matlock
Bath's railway station (train station) and is amongst one
of the earliest photographic images of the station site.
Unlike the view
of the High Tor Tunnel, first published in 1857[1], this
structure has overhanging eaves.
There are nine passengers on the platform awaiting a train;
six are men and three are women, one of whom is wearing a crinoline.
Two railway workers are on the right. One of them is standing
on the ground but the other is on the signal itself. He has
climbed up the steps to a small platform but, as no arm is
visible, he was either maintaining the lamp at the top of the
post or was building the signal. The control cable is already
in place on the post. Further along, towards the High Tor Tunnel,
is a second signal (look above the head of the railwayman
who is standing on the ground).
What is curious is the "down" track as there
seems to be another track joining it. Neither the "down"
platform nor the passenger footbridge, seen in
the next image, were built when this photograph was
taken and the platform must have been built over this track.
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| Enlargement of the right hand side of the stereoview |
There is always an element of surprise with hold-to-light
tissue stereographic photos and this one is no exception.
The image below is what is seen when one holds the picture
up to the light. So instead of a daytime shot of the station
we see a train driving through Matlock Bath at night, bathed
in the orange and red glow from the engine's fire. What looks
like a tower will be the signal post.
View even more about the station by clicking on the images
below:
 Tourist
Tickets on the Midland Railway, advertisement in Bemroses'
Guide, 1869
Weekend
Fares on the Midland Railway, advertisement in Bemroses' Guide,
1869
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