▁present ▁form ▁opened ▁to ▁passengers ▁in ▁stages ▁between ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁Be ech ing ▁cut s ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁the ▁line ▁had ▁been ▁fre ight - only . ▁ ▁The ▁cut s ▁had ▁left ▁Mans field ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁towns ▁in ▁Britain ▁without ▁a ▁railway ▁station . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁current ▁Robin ▁H ood ▁Line ▁re - uses ▁the ▁former ▁Mid land ▁Railway ▁( MR ) ▁route ▁from ▁Not ting ham ▁to ▁Works op . ▁However , ▁due ▁to ▁rational isation ▁leading ▁to ▁track ▁removal ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁save ▁the ▁costs ▁of ▁maintain ing ▁the ▁tunnel ▁north ▁of ▁An nes ley ▁the ▁through ▁route ▁was ▁sever ed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁ ▁North wards ▁from ▁Not ting ham , ▁the ▁fre ight - only ▁line ▁remained ▁int act ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁New st ead , ▁where ▁it ▁had ▁served ▁the ▁now ▁closed ▁New st ead ▁Col li ery . ▁ ▁South wards ▁from ▁Works op , ▁the ▁line ▁followed ▁the ▁old ▁MR ▁route ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁S utton - in - A sh field . ▁Between ▁S utton - in - A sh field ▁and ▁Kirk by - in - A sh field , ▁the ▁line ▁was ▁di vert ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁former ▁Great ▁Northern ▁Railway ▁( G NR ) ▁route ▁through ▁the ▁area . ▁This ▁allowed ▁British