ON THE RIGHT TRACK

All aboard! Erewash Museum’s ever popular Model Railway weekend rolls into Ilkeston from Friday 10th January until Sunday 12th January  offering plenty of fascinating insights and fun for model enthusiasts of all ages. Davey Jones, from the Nottingham Model Railway Society, will be displaying his amazing model of a 1930s Ilkeston Town Railway Station in the Hayloft. Due to popularity, Davey’s model will also be on display at the museum on Thursday 9th January and Tuesday 14th January. Ilkeston Woodside Model Railway Club will be presenting their ‘drive it yourself’ Thomas the Tank engine layouts as well as a replica of the Old Station at Heanor and a model section of Bennerley Viaduct. Members of the Toton Sidings Remembered Project will be taking along their model of a hands-on hump shunting track design. Hump yards are the largest and most effective classification yards, allowing vehicles to roll down an incline or ‘hump’, pushing the cars into pre-set routes in the railway yard. Erewash Borough Council’s Lead Member for Culture and Leisure, Councillor Mike Wallis, said: “It’s fascinating to see just how much detail and devotion goes into creating these incredible model railways, and even more interesting to see how Ilkeston and the surrounding areas used to operate their rail infrastructures in bygone years.”

Erewash Museum is located in Ilkeston town centre, a short walk from the Market Place. Opening hours are Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10am-4pm, and Monday to Saturday during school holidays. Admission is free. Contact 0115 907 1141, email museum@erewash.gov.uk  or visit the Facebook page /erewashmuseum. You can also follow the museum on Twitter @Erewash_Museum, and Instagram @erewashmuseum

FLY TIPPER MADE TO PAY

A man who advertised waste removal services on Facebook and then fly-tipped the rubbish in Sawley has been made to pay more than £800 for blighting the borough. Darrell Leon Radford, 49, of Wheeldon Court, Nottingham, pleaded guilty to a charge of fly-tipping, and appeared at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 19th December.

Mr Radford left ten bags of domestic waste, three plastic boxes of waste, a washing basket, a paddling pool and cardboard boxes containing waste on private land off Lock Lane, Sawley.  A member of the public had paid him £35 to dispose of their waste. Amongst the waste was the name and address of the person who had paid Mr Radford. The council’s neighbourhood wardens were able to trace him from this. The wardens spoke to the resident and issued her with a formal caution for not checking Mr Radford held a waste carriers licence.

In mitigation the court heard that he had attempted to dispose of the waste at his local tip but was refused entry as it was believed he was disposing of waste as a business and did not have a waste carriers licence. He must pay a fine of £200, the council’s full costs of £582.46 and a victim surcharge of £30. A total of £812.46. Councillor Garry Hickton, Lead Member for Environment at Erewash Borough Council, says:

“Anyone who is advertising services to dispose of other people’s rubbish must have a waste carriers licence. It is equally as important that anyone who pays someone to take rubbish away checks that the person they are paying is a registered waste carrier. People can check this on the Environment Agency’s website. Fly-tipping in Erewash will not be tolerated and we will prosecute those responsible, as this case proves.”

Search for licenced waste carriers at https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/index

DANCER DIES IN M1 CRASH

A former Long Eaton girl has died in a crash on the M1 on Christmas Eve. ".  Aliesha James, 27, was a dancer who had spent five years at the Rollo Academy of Performing Arts in Sneinton before moving on to Laine Theatre Arts, in Epsom, where she graduated following a three-year scholarship. Aliesha danced around the world and performed for a season at the Moulin Rouge cabaret in Paris. She died from her injuries after being involved in a crash on the M1 motorway, northbound, near Junction 12, shortly after 11pm on Christmas Eve.

PETERSHAM MAN TOOK HIS OWN LIFE

Derby Coroner's Court heard that a Long Eaton man who suffered a debilitating skin condition took his own life. Stuart Bird, 32, suffered from Ichthyosiform Erythroderma. Police discovered Mr Birds body on August 6th, 2018, at his home where he lived alone. PC Abigail Keeling told Derby Coroner's Court that Mr Bird's body was found in a state of decomposition. She and a colleague were making separate enquiries at Petersham Court and whilst in the hallway noticed a smell which they recognised as decomposition and flies. Mr Bird was last seen alive at the local Co-op store. He paid for goods with a twenty pound note but told the member of staff he did not need the change where he was going. On 23rd December 2019 Louise Pinder, assistant coroner, confirmed the cause of death as asphyxiation due to inhalation of gas.

JUST THE TICKET

Eight contactless payment machines have been installed in some Erewash Borough Council car parks this week to make life easier for drivers. In Ilkeston town centre, contactless payment is now available at two of the three pay machines in the Albion Centre car park; both machines at Pimlico; and the pay machines at Queen Street and South Street car parks. Rail commuters have also had a boost at Long Eaton Train Station, where they can pay contactless at both machines. The council is also in the process of providing electric vehicle charging point in some car parks and will confirm the details shortly.