Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line
Encyclopedia
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
south of to the Cross Country Route at . The line closed to passengers in the 1960s, since when various proposals have been made to reopen it.
History
The first part of the line opened in 1832 as the Leicester and Swannington RailwayLeicester and Swannington Railway
The Leicester and Swannington Railway was one of England's first railways, being opened on 17 July 1832 to bring coal from collieries in west Leicestershire to Leicester.-Overview:...
, which carried the products of collieries and quarries along the route to Leicester and the River Soar
River Soar
The River Soar is a tributary of the River Trent in the English East Midlands.-Description:It rises near Hinckley in Leicestershire and is joined by the River Sence near Enderby before flowing through Leicester , Barrow-on-Soar, beside Loughborough and Kegworth, before joining the Trent near...
. The Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
took over the line in 1845 and opened an extension in 1848 from a junction west of to join the rest of the Midland's system at Leicester Junction just south of Burton-on-Trent. This bypassed the Swannington Incline, which had a steep 1 in 17 gradient and was worked by a stationary steam engine
Stationary steam engine
Stationary steam engines are fixed steam engines used for pumping or driving mills and factories, and for power generation. They are distinct from locomotive engines used on railways, traction engines for heavy steam haulage on roads, steam cars , agricultural engines used for ploughing or...
.
In 1849 the Midland opened a new line from a junction east of to Knighton Junction on the Midland Main Line
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
south of Leicester, thus bypassing the narrow Glenfield Tunnel and completing a route between Leicester and Burton that could carry trains built to the Midland's standard loading gauge
Loading gauge
A loading gauge defines the maximum height and width for railway vehicles and their loads to ensure safe passage through bridges, tunnels and other structures...
.
Incline
The Midland diverted another section of the line from its original Leicester and Swannington alignment, between and . The new alignment bypassed the 1 in 29 Bagworth incline that had been worked by a stationary engine, so that locomotives could now haul trains over the entire route between Leicester and Burton.Freight
Collieries at Ellistown, Nailstone, Ibstock, Moira, Gresley, Swadlincote, Woodville, Netherseal and Bardon provided mainly coal initially but more recently roadstone, gravel and granite have become the norm.Stations
was the busiest stop on the line and had collieries at Whitwick and Snibston. A less busy but more fashionable stop was , an historic spa town with connections to Lord Hastings.In 1851 the Midland built branches from the line to and Wooden Box. In 1868 Wooden Box was renamed Woodville and in 1883–84 the Midland built an extension to the Swadlincote branch to Woodville, which included digging the 307 yards (280.7 m) Woodville tunnel. The two branches thus became the Swadlincote Loop.
Future
As of 2010 the line is very little used as its freight traffic has disappeared or goes by road. At the Leicester end of the line, Knighton North Junction has been dismantled and the former course of the line to the junction has been sold and turned into an industrial estate. The line's remaining connection with the Midland Main LineMidland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
is Knighton South Junction, which faces southwards, away from Leicester railway station
Leicester railway station
Leicester railway station serves the City of Leicester in Leicestershire, England.As of late 2009 Leicester is a Penalty fare station, a valid ticket or Permit to travel must be shown when requested.-Background:...
. Trains between Leicester and would therefore have to reverse directions at the junction to use the line.
Nevertheless, in the 1990s BR planned to restore passenger services to the Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line as the second phase of its Ivanhoe Line project. However, after the privatisation of British Rail
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
in 1995 this phase of the project was discontinued. In 2009 the Association of Train Operating Companies
Association of Train Operating Companies
The Association of Train Operating Companies is a body which represents 24 train operating companies that provide passenger railway services on the privatised British railway system. It owns the National Rail brand. The Association is an unincorporated association owned by its members...
published a £49 million proposal to restore passenger services to the line that would include reopening stations at , , , , Moira
Moira railway station, Leicestershire
Moira railway station was a railway station at Moira, Leicestershire on the Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line. The line was built for the Midland Railway and opened in 1849. Moira station was closed in 1964 but the line remains open for freight traffic....
and (for Swadlincote
Swadlincote
Swadlincote is a town and unparished area in South Derbyshire, about southeast of Burton-upon-Trent and about south of Derby. It is the main town of South Derbyshire and the seat of South Derbyshire District Council....
). There is also some support in the Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
area for the line to have new stations to serve Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
's King Power Stadium and the suburb of Braunstone
Braunstone Park & Rowley Fields
Braunstone Park & Rowley Fields is an electoral ward and administrative division of the city of Leicester, England. It comprises the western Leicester suburbs of Braunstone Frith, Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields.-Geography:...
.