Coventry to Nuneaton Line
Encyclopedia
The Coventry to Nuneaton Line is a short branch line
linking Coventry
and Nuneaton
in the West Midlands
of England
. All of the lines' Absolute Block
Signal Boxes have been replaced, as of May 2009, by a new signalling centre in Saltley
, Birmingham, controlling Coventry to Three Spires and Rugby
Signalling Control Centre (SCC) controlling Three Spires Junction to Nuneaton.
The route currently serves Nuneaton, Bedworth
, Bedworth Murco Oil Terminal, Prologis Park Industrial Estate and Coventry. However, the line used to also serve many smaller stations and now closed goods yards. The branch from Three Spires Junction to the former Humber Road Junction (on the WCML
to Rugby
via Bell Green has been totally lifted and almost nothing remains, part of the track bed has been turned into the Sky Blue Way road. There are plans in the pipe line for two new stations on the route.
who run an hourly service in each direction, provided by a Class 153
diesel unit.
Freight trains also use the line, travelling from the Chiltern Main Line
via Leamington Spa
, heading towards the West Coast Main Line
.
The line was built by the London and North Western Railway
and was opened on the 2 September 1850.
On 26 January 1857, 23 of the 28 arches of the Spon End
viaduct collapsed. This meant trains travelling south terminated at Coundon Road railway station while the viaduct was rebuilt. This took 3½ years to complete and services to Coventry were restored on 1 October 1860.
The line was closed to passenger traffic on 18 January 1965 under the Beeching Axe
. The line was re-opened under the Speller Act on 11 May 1987 although Nuneaton Abbey Street has now been permanently closed and replaced with Nuneaton Trent Valley, now just Nuneaton
. Initially there were no intermediate stations on the re-opened line until 16 May 1988 when the rebuilt Bedworth station was opened.
football stadium on the northern edge of Coventry. While there have been several proposals to build a new station to serve the stadium, the project is still in early stages.
New plans will also see a station being built at Bermuda Park in Nuneaton, to extend the number of carriages from 1 to 3, a new platform built at Coventry station and also future extensions of the line to Kenilworth and Leamington Spa.
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
linking Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
and Nuneaton
Nuneaton
Nuneaton is the largest town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth and in the English county of Warwickshire.Nuneaton is most famous for its associations with the 19th century author George Eliot, who was born on a farm on the Arbury Estate just outside Nuneaton in 1819 and lived in the town for...
in the West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. All of the lines' Absolute Block
British absolute block signalling
The principle of the British absolute block system of railway signalling is to ensure the safe operation of a railway by allowing only one train to occupy a defined section of track at a time...
Signal Boxes have been replaced, as of May 2009, by a new signalling centre in Saltley
Saltley
Saltley is an inner-city area of Birmingham, east of the city centre. The area is currently part of the Washwood Heath ward, although formerly a feature of the Nechells ward...
, Birmingham, controlling Coventry to Three Spires and Rugby
Rugby railway station
Rugby railway station serves the town of Rugby in Warwickshire, England. It opened during the Victorian era, in 1885, replacing earlier stations situated a little further west...
Signalling Control Centre (SCC) controlling Three Spires Junction to Nuneaton.
The route currently serves Nuneaton, Bedworth
Bedworth
Bedworth is a market town in the Nuneaton and Bedworth district of Warwickshire, England. It lies northwest of London, east of Birmingham, and north northeast of the county town of Warwick. It is situated between Coventry, to the south, and Nuneaton, to the north.In the 2001 census the town...
, Bedworth Murco Oil Terminal, Prologis Park Industrial Estate and Coventry. However, the line used to also serve many smaller stations and now closed goods yards. The branch from Three Spires Junction to the former Humber Road Junction (on the WCML
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
to Rugby
Rugby railway station
Rugby railway station serves the town of Rugby in Warwickshire, England. It opened during the Victorian era, in 1885, replacing earlier stations situated a little further west...
via Bell Green has been totally lifted and almost nothing remains, part of the track bed has been turned into the Sky Blue Way road. There are plans in the pipe line for two new stations on the route.
Services
All passenger services on the line are operated by London MidlandLondon Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
who run an hourly service in each direction, provided by a Class 153
British Rail Class 153
The British Rail Class 153 Super Sprinter is a single car diesel multiple unit converted from British Rail Class 155s.-Description:These units were originally built as two-car Class 155 units by British Leyland from 1987–88, but were converted by Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock from 1991-92...
diesel unit.
Freight trains also use the line, travelling from the Chiltern Main Line
Chiltern Main Line
The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa...
via Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa railway station
Leamington Spa railway station serves the town of Leamington Spa, in Warwickshire, England. It is situated on Old Warwick Road towards the southern edge of the town centre.-History:...
, heading towards the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
.
History
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
and was opened on the 2 September 1850.
On 26 January 1857, 23 of the 28 arches of the Spon End
Spon End
Spon End is a suburb of Coventry, England. It is situated west of Coventry City Centre. The Butts Park Arena and the Butts Centre are situated on the main road through Spon End. The Butts Park Arena, which was opened in 2004, is the home of Coventry Rugby Football club...
viaduct collapsed. This meant trains travelling south terminated at Coundon Road railway station while the viaduct was rebuilt. This took 3½ years to complete and services to Coventry were restored on 1 October 1860.
The line was closed to passenger traffic on 18 January 1965 under the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
. The line was re-opened under the Speller Act on 11 May 1987 although Nuneaton Abbey Street has now been permanently closed and replaced with Nuneaton Trent Valley, now just Nuneaton
Nuneaton railway station
Nuneaton railway station serves the large town of Nuneaton in Warwickshire, England. The station is managed by London Midland.It is situated at the point where the Birmingham - Leicester route crosses the Trent Valley Line section of the West Coast Main Line north of London Euston, with a branch...
. Initially there were no intermediate stations on the re-opened line until 16 May 1988 when the rebuilt Bedworth station was opened.
Future
The line runs near to the Ricoh ArenaRicoh Arena
The Ricoh Arena , home to Coventry City F.C., is a stadium complex situated in the Rowleys Green district of the city of Coventry, England containing a 32,609 seater football stadium, a 6,000 square-metre exhibition hall, a hotel, a leisure club, and a casino...
football stadium on the northern edge of Coventry. While there have been several proposals to build a new station to serve the stadium, the project is still in early stages.
New plans will also see a station being built at Bermuda Park in Nuneaton, to extend the number of carriages from 1 to 3, a new platform built at Coventry station and also future extensions of the line to Kenilworth and Leamington Spa.