Derby Nottingham Road railway station was a railway station about half a mile north of Derby station on the Midland Railway line from Derby to Leeds and the line from Derby to Ripley in England (see timetable below). One effect of the railways was that racing became a national sport with owners being able to transport their horses over much larger distances. Most racecourses had a nearby railway station with suitable facilities. Derby Racecourse opened in 1848 right next to the Midland line beside the Nottingham Road. It is now the County Cricket Ground.