Indietracks takes place at the Midland Railway Centre, near Ripley in Derbyshire. It’s about 12 miles from Derby, 15 miles from Nottingham and 25 miles from Sheffield.
The entrance is at Butterley Station, Butterley Hill, Ripley DE5 3QZ. From here you can catch regular trains (including steam trains!) to the festival site. There is an ample car park for visitors at this entrance.
By car or taxi
The Midland Railway Centre (Butterley Station) is on the B6179, one mile north of Ripley, signposted from Ripley town centre, and from the A38, M1 junction 28.
For sat navs, enter the address Butterley Station, Butterley Hill, Ripley DE5 3QZ. There is ample free parking at Butterley Station.
By train or bus
The nearest train stations are Derby, Nottingham and Alfreton. Details of bus connections from train stations to the festival are below under Local Transport. Please visit www.nationalrail.co.uk for train information.
By air
The nearest airport is East Midlands (code EMA) which is served by budget airlines BMI Baby, Easyjet and Ryanair. The airport has dedicated bus links to Derby and Nottingham, from where local services can be taken. Alternatively, you can fly to London airports and travel by train to Derby, Nottingham or Alfreton.
Local transport
We’ve described a few popular routes below, but please check your journey with www.trentbarton.co.uk or www.travelineeastmidlands.co.uk in case there’s a better option for you.
From Derby train station
Bus services numbers 1, 1A, 6, the Skylink or the F1 link the Derby train and bus stations. Or it’s a 10 minute walk from the train station to the bus station and 15 minutes walk to Corporation Street.
From Derby Corporation Street (outside the Quad), bus services 9.1 and 9.3 go to Midland Railway-Butterley. The Comet from Derby bus station to Chesterfield also stops at the Midland Railway- Butterley.
The H1 bus service links Derby bus station to the Golden Valley campsite, which is a 10-15 minute walk from the festival site.
From Nottingham train station
Trent Barton Rainbow 1 goes from Nottingham to Ripley town centre, which is a 15 minute walk or a quick bus ride (9.1 or 9.3) to Butterley Station.
Alternatively (but slightly longer), you can catch the Red Arrow or Citylink bus to Derby, and follow the Derby journey above.
From Alfreton train station
Bus services 9.1 and 9.3 link Alfreton station to Butterley Station. The bus stop is on the main road across from the station.
The H1 bus service links Alfreton bus station to the Golden Valley campsite. Alfreton bus station is a 20 minute walk from the train station, or catch the 9.1 or 9.3.
Taxi services
You could take a taxi from any of the train stations. For sat navs, ask your driver to enter the postcode DE5 3QZ for the main entrance at Butterley Station.
Local taxi companies include: Amber Taxis (Alfreton) 01773 836100, Eagle City Cars (Derby) 01332 200100, Get Me To The Event (Ripley) 07875 468504, Smart Cars 01773 748718, Trent Cars (Nottingham) 01159 505050
Mini bus hire
Many people stay in surrounding towns like Derby and Nottingham and share a mini bus fare to the Midland Railway Centre. Journey time is about 30 minutes, and pre-booking is essential. We can suggest the following mini bus hire companies:
Gus the Bus 0800 678 5067 www.gusthebus.co.uk
Derby Mini Coaches 01332 757680 www.derbyminicoaches.com
Car sharing
Car sharing will allow you to find people to travel with, while sharing the cost of the journey and hopefully making a difference to the environment.
One option is to post a message on the Anorak messageboard, saying where and when you’re travelling from and whether you’re offering or looking for a lift.
Alternatively, visit www.gocarshare.com and log on via Facebook. If you are planning to drive, just post a car share request to the Indietracks Festival. In the message box you can outline any specifics such as the contribution you need for petrol, then wait for someone to contact you about sharing a lift. If you are a passenger wanting a lift, just type in Indietracks Festival and see which drivers are going there.
Indietracks Festival 