Midland Main Line
Encyclopedia
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. Pancras International to in northern England via Luton
, Bedford, Kettering
, Leicester
, Derby
, Nottingham
and Chesterfield
.
Historically the line extended further north to Manchester
in the north-west and through Leeds
in the north-east to Carlisle
; trains also ran through to both Glasgow
and Edinburgh
in Scotland. The more direct East Coast Main Line
meant the demise of Midland trains to Leeds and ultimately Scotland due to the Midland's longer journey times. Later, electrification of the West Coast Main Line
(WCML) and the Beeching cuts
saw Manchester trains withdrawn from the Midland and transferred to the WCML.
Since the closure of the rival Great Central Main Line
in the 1960s, the Midland has been the only main-line rail link between London and the East Midlands
and South Yorkshire
.
January 2009 saw the opening of a brand-new station, East Midlands Parkway
between Loughborough and Trent Junction, to act as a parkway station for the major East Midlands
cities and serve East Midlands Airport.
Express passenger services on the line are operated by East Midlands Trains
. The section between St Pancras and Bedford is electrified and forms the northern half of the Thameslink
suburban service (operated by First Capital Connect
), which provides a through service from Bedford to Brighton
.
The northern part of the route between Derby and Sheffield also forms part of the Cross Country Route and is shared with CrossCountry
. The route from Nottingham to Leeds via Barnsley
and Sheffield is shared with Northern
. TransPennine Express
operate through Sheffield. East Midlands Local
also operates regional and local services between Nottingham and Leicester / Derby / Sheffield / Manchester.
The Midland Main Line was built in stages between the 1830s and the 1870s, originating in three lines which met at the Tri Junct Station in Derby
, which became the Midland Railway
.
First to arrive was the line built by the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
(B&DJR) from Hampton-in-Arden
, Warwickshire
(on the London and Birmingham Railway
) to Derby
, which opened on 12 August 1839. This section is now known as the Cross-Country Route
through Birmingham to Bristol
.
This was followed on 1 July 1840 by the North Midland Railway
, which ran from Derby to Leeds Hunslet Lane
via Chesterfield
, Swinton
, Masborough near Rotherham
(from where the Sheffield and Rotherham Railway ran a branch to Sheffield Wicker Station
) and Normanton
. This avoided Sheffield
, Barnsley
, and Wakefield
in order to reduce gradients.
On the same day the Midland Counties Railway
, which ran from Derby and Nottingham
to Leicester Campbell Street
, was extended from Leicester
to a temporary station on the northern outskirts of Rugby
. A few months later, the Rugby viaduct was finished and the Midland Counties Railway reached the London and Birmingham Railway
's Rugby Station
. This cut 11 miles off the B&DJR route via Hampton-in-Arden.
When these three companies merged to form the Midland Railway
on 10 May 1844, the Midland did not have its own route to London, and relied upon a junction at Rugby
with the London and Birmingham's line (which became part of the London and North Western Railway
on 1 January 1846) to London Euston
for access to the capital.
By the 1850s the junction at Rugby had become severely congested, and so the Midland Railway constructed a route from Leicester to Hitchin
on the Great Northern Railway
, via Bedford
. The line avoids Northampton
, a medium town south of Leicester
, instead going via Kettering
and Wellingborough
in the east of Northamptonshire
. This line met with similar problems at Hitchin as the former alignment had at Rugby, so in 1868 a line was opened from Bedford via Luton
to London St Pancras.
The final stretch of what is considered to be the modern Midland Main Line was a short cut-off from Chesterfield through Sheffield, which opened in 1870.
The mid-1870s saw the Midland line extended northwards through the Yorkshire Dales
via the Settle-Carlisle route
, now considered a secondary route and not part of the present-day Midland Main Line.
Before the cuts of the Beeching
era, the lines to Buxton
and via Millers Dale
were considered the 'main lines'
from London to Manchester, carrying named expresses such as The Palatine
. Express trains to Leeds and Scotland such as the Thames-Clyde Express
mainly used the Erewash Valley Line
then on to the Settle and Carlisle Line
. Expresses to Edinburgh
, such as The Waverley travelled through Corby and Nottingham.
Also part of the line, as defined by Network Rail
, is the Erewash Valley Line
, the Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line
, the Oakham to Kettering Line
and sections of the Nottingham to Lincoln Line
(as far east as Newark) and the Birmingham to Peterborough Line
(between Nuneaton and Oakham).
Partly to appease the concerns and opposition of landowners along the route, in places some of it was built to avoid large estates and rural towns, and to reduce construction costs the railways followed natural contours, resulting in many curves and bends. This has also resulted in the MML passing through some relatively hilly areas, such as Sharnbrook (where there is a 1 in 119 gradient from the south taking the line to 340 feet above sea level). This has left a legacy of lower maximum speeds on the line compared with other main lines. The response to a similar situation on the West Coast Main Line
has been the adoption of tilting train
s, but there has been no proposal for such a solution on the Midland line.
By 1983, the line had undergone electrification
from Moorgate as far north as Bedford. The introduction of the High Speed Train (HST
) in May 1983 following the Leicester area resignalling brought about an increase of the ruling line speed on the fast lines from 90 mph to 110 mph.
Between 2001 and 2003 the line between Derby
and Sheffield
was upgraded from 100 mph to 110 mph as part of Operation Princess, the Virgin Cross Country route upgrade.
Many proposals have been put forward to improve speed and journey times, only later to be dropped. Most recently there are plans for 125 mph running on extended stretches, improved signalling, increased number of tracks and possible electrification further north (see Future section, below).
158856 working a service from Nottingham railway station to Norwich railway station
was involved in an incident at Barrow upon Soar
. The train hit a footbridge that was in its path, after a road vehicle had struck and damaged the bridge, causing the bridge to be foul of the running line. Six passengers were on board the service and the driver had to be cut free from his driving cab. The footbridge itself, of Midland Railway heritage, has since been replaced.
, which replaced Midland Mainline
on 11 November 2007. Other operators include:
The cities, towns and villages currently served by the MML are listed below. Those in bold are served most of the day by the East Midlands Trains London
or other InterCity services. Be aware this section details the original line to Manchester (where it linked to the West Coast Main Line) and Carlisle (via Leeds where it meets with the 'modern' East Coast Main Line).
Network Rail group all lines in the East Midlands and the route north as far as Chesterfield and south to London as route 19. The actual line extends beyond this into routes 10 and 11.
Tunnels
The line was once the Midland Railway's route from London St Pancras to Manchester
, branching at Ambergate Junction along the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
, now known as the Derwent Valley Line
.
In days gone by, it featured named expresses such as The Palatine
. Much later in the twentieth century, it carried the Midland Pullman.
This line was closed in the 1960s between and , severing an important link between Manchester and the East Midlands
, which has never been satisfactorily replaced by any mode of transport. A section of the route remains in the hands of the Peak Rail
preservation group, operating between Matlock and Rowsley
to the north.
.
World War I
prevented the Midland Railway
from finishing its direct route through the West Riding
to join the Settle and Carlisle
(which would have cut six miles from the journey and avoided the need for reversal at Leeds
).
The first part of the Midland's West Riding extension from the main line at Royston (Yorks.)
to Dewsbury
was opened before the war. However, the second part of the extension was not completed.
This involved a viaduct at Dewsbury over the River Calder
, a tunnel under Dewsbury Moor and a new approach railway into Bradford
from the south at a lower level than the existing railway (a good part of which was to be in tunnel) leading into Bradford Midland (or Bradford Forster Square
) station.
The 500-yard gap between the stations at Bradford still exists. Closing it today would also need to take into account the different levels between the two Bradford stations, a task made easier in the days of electric rather than steam traction, allowing for steeper gradients than possible at the time of the Midland's proposed extension.
Two impressive viaducts remain on the completed part of the line between Royston Junction and Dewsbury as a testament to the Midland's ambition to complete a third direct Anglo-Scottish route. The line served two goods stations and provided a route for occasional express passenger trains before its eventual closure in 1968.
The failure to complete this section ended the Midland's hopes of being a serious competitor on routes to Scotland and finally put beyond all doubt that Leeds, not Bradford, would be the West Riding's principal city. Midland trains to Scotland therefore continued to call at Leeds before travelling along the Aire Valley to the Settle and Carlisle
. From Carlisle they then travelled onwards via either the Glasgow and South Western or Waverley route. In days gone by the line enjoyed named expresses such as the Thames-Clyde Express
and The Waverley.
}
}
The following on the original North Midland Railway
line
produced a Route Utilisation Strategy for the Midland Main Line in 2006 to propose ways of meeting this demand; Network Rail
started a new study in February 2008 and this was published in February 2010.
. Highlights include:
. Highlights include:
, increasing capacity through Leicester, and remodelling Syston
and Wigston
junctions.
Extra services from north Northamptonshire to Derby/Nottingham
options:
Extra freight capacity between Corby and Bedford
options:
Extra capacity on InterCity services
options:
Other included:
Also proposed on the Midland Main Line
Rail transport in Great Britain
The railway system in Great Britain is the oldest in the world, with the world's first locomotive-hauled public railway opening in 1825. As of 2010, it consists of of standard gauge lines , of which are electrified. These lines range from single to double, triple, quadruple track and up to twelve...
.
The present-day line links London St. Pancras International to in northern England via Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
, Bedford, Kettering
Kettering
Kettering is a market town in the Borough of Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. It is situated about from London. Kettering is mainly situated on the west side of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene which meets at Wellingborough...
, 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...
, Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
, Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
and Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
.
Historically the line extended further north to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
in the north-west and through Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
in the north-east to Carlisle
City of Carlisle
The City of Carlisle is a local government district of Cumbria, England, with the status of a city and non-metropolitan district. It is named after its largest settlement, Carlisle, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Brampton and Longtown, as well as outlying villages...
; trains also ran through to both Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
in Scotland. The more direct East Coast Main Line
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
meant the demise of Midland trains to Leeds and ultimately Scotland due to the Midland's longer journey times. Later, electrification of 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...
(WCML) and the Beeching cuts
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...
saw Manchester trains withdrawn from the Midland and transferred to the WCML.
Since the closure of the rival Great Central Main Line
Great Central Main Line
The Great Central Main Line , also known as the London Extension of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway , is a former railway line which opened in 1899 linking Sheffield with Marylebone Station in London via Nottingham and Leicester.The GCML was the last main line railway built in...
in the 1960s, the Midland has been the only main-line rail link between London and the East Midlands
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
and South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
.
January 2009 saw the opening of a brand-new station, East Midlands Parkway
East Midlands Parkway railway station
East Midlands Parkway is a railway station located north of Ratcliffe-on-Soar on the Midland Main Line in the East Midlands of England. It provides park and ride facilities for rail passengers on the routes from Leicester to Derby and Nottingham...
between Loughborough and Trent Junction, to act as a parkway station for the major East Midlands
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
cities and serve East Midlands Airport.
Express passenger services on the line are operated by East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
. The section between St Pancras and Bedford is electrified and forms the northern half of the Thameslink
Thameslink
Thameslink is a fifty-station main-line route in the British railway system running north to south through London from Bedford to Brighton, serving both London Gatwick Airport and London Luton Airport. It opened as a through service in 1988 and by 1998 was severely overcrowded, carrying more than...
suburban service (operated by First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006...
), which provides a through service from Bedford to Brighton
Brighton railway station
Brighton railway station is the principal railway station in the city of Brighton and Hove, on the south coast of England. The station master is Mark Epsom...
.
The northern part of the route between Derby and Sheffield also forms part of the Cross Country Route and is shared with CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
. The route from Nottingham to Leeds via Barnsley
Barnsley
Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
and Sheffield is shared with Northern
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
. TransPennine Express
First TransPennine Express
First TransPennine Express is a British train operating company. It is a joint operation between First Group and Keolis . It operates regular passenger services in northern England, including services linking the west and east coasts across the Pennines...
operate through Sheffield. East Midlands Local
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
also operates regional and local services between Nottingham and Leicester / Derby / Sheffield / Manchester.
History
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
, which became 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....
.
First to arrive was the line built by the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway
The Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway was a British railway company. From Birmingham it connected at Derby with the North Midland Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station...
(B&DJR) from Hampton-in-Arden
Hampton-in-Arden
Hampton-in-Arden is a village and civil parish located within the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, in the West Midlands of England. The village was previously located within the county of Warwickshire, until the 1974 county boundary changes. It lies in the countryside between Birmingham and Coventry...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
(on the London and Birmingham Railway
London and Birmingham Railway
The London and Birmingham Railway was an early railway company in the United Kingdom from 1833 to 1846, when it became part of the London and North Western Railway ....
) to Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
, which opened on 12 August 1839. This section is now known as the Cross-Country Route
Cross Country Route (MR)
The North-East/South-West route is the major British rail route running from South West England via Bristol, Birmingham, Sheffield and Leeds to North-East England. It facilitates some of the longest inter-city rail journeys in the UK such as Penzance to Aberdeen...
through Birmingham to Bristol
Bristol Temple Meads railway station
Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the oldest and largest railway station in Bristol, England. It is an important transport hub for public transport in Bristol, with bus services to various parts of the city and surrounding districts, and a ferry service to the city centre in addition to the...
.
This was followed on 1 July 1840 by the North Midland Railway
North Midland Railway
The North Midland Railway was a British railway company, which opened its line from Derby to Rotherham and Leeds in 1840.At Derby it connected with the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station...
, which ran from Derby to Leeds Hunslet Lane
Leeds Hunslet Lane railway station
Leeds Hunslet Lane railway station was opened by the North Midland Railway in Leeds in 1840 in what was, at the time a middle class area, south of the city....
via Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
, Swinton
Swinton, South Yorkshire
Swinton is a suburban town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, in South Yorkshire, England on part of the west bank of the River Don...
, Masborough near Rotherham
Rotherham Masborough railway station
Rotherham Masborough railway station was the main railway station for Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England from the 1840s, until most of its trains were rerouted via Rotherham Central in 1987...
(from where the Sheffield and Rotherham Railway ran a branch to Sheffield Wicker Station
Sheffield Wicker Station
Wicker railway station was the first railway station to be built in Sheffield, England. It was to the north of the city centre, at the northern end of the Wicker, in the fork formed by Spital Hill and Savile Street...
) and Normanton
Normanton railway station
Normanton railway station serves the town of Normanton in West Yorkshire, England. It lies south-east of Leeds railway station on the Hallam Line, which is operated by Northern Rail.-History:...
. This avoided Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, Barnsley
Barnsley
Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
, and Wakefield
Wakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
in order to reduce gradients.
On the same day the Midland Counties Railway
Midland Counties Railway
The Midland Counties Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom which existed between 1832 and 1844, connecting Nottingham, Leicester and Derby with Rugby and thence, via the London and Birmingham Railway, to London. The MCR system connected with the North Midland Railway and the...
, which ran from Derby and Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
to Leicester Campbell Street
Leicester Campbell Street railway station
Leicester Campbell Street railway station was the first proper railway station in Leicester, opened in 1840 by the Midland Counties Railway. As was normal in those days with a through station, the original plan was to build it to the side of...
, was extended from 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...
to a temporary station on the northern outskirts of Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
. A few months later, the Rugby viaduct was finished and the Midland Counties Railway reached the London and Birmingham Railway
London and Birmingham Railway
The London and Birmingham Railway was an early railway company in the United Kingdom from 1833 to 1846, when it became part of the London and North Western Railway ....
's Rugby Station
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...
. This cut 11 miles off the B&DJR route via Hampton-in-Arden.
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....
on 10 May 1844, the Midland did not have its own route to London, and relied upon a junction at Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
with the London and Birmingham's line (which became part of the London and North Western Railway
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...
on 1 January 1846) to London Euston
Euston railway station
Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line...
for access to the capital.
By the 1850s the junction at Rugby had become severely congested, and so the Midland Railway constructed a route from Leicester to Hitchin
Hitchin
Hitchin is a town in Hertfordshire, England, with an estimated population of 30,360.-History:Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce people mentioned in a 7th century document, the Tribal Hidage. The tribal name is Brittonic rather than Old English and derives from *siccā, meaning...
on the Great Northern Railway
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
, via Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
. The line avoids Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, a medium town south of 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...
, instead going via Kettering
Kettering
Kettering is a market town in the Borough of Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. It is situated about from London. Kettering is mainly situated on the west side of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene which meets at Wellingborough...
and Wellingborough
Wellingborough
Wellingborough is a market town and borough in Northamptonshire, England, situated some from the county town of Northampton. The town is situated on the north side of the River Nene, most of the older town is sited on the flanks of the hills above the river's current flood plain...
in the east of Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
. This line met with similar problems at Hitchin as the former alignment had at Rugby, so in 1868 a line was opened from Bedford via Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
to London St Pancras.
The final stretch of what is considered to be the modern Midland Main Line was a short cut-off from Chesterfield through Sheffield, which opened in 1870.
The mid-1870s saw the Midland line extended northwards through the Yorkshire Dales
Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales is the name given to an upland area in Northern England.The area lies within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire, though it spans the ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Cumbria...
via the Settle-Carlisle route
Settle-Carlisle Railway
The Settle–Carlisle Line is a long main railway line in northern England. It is also known as the Settle and Carlisle. It is a part of the National Rail network and was constructed in the 1870s...
, now considered a secondary route and not part of the present-day Midland Main Line.
Before the cuts of the Beeching
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...
era, the lines to Buxton
Buxton railway station
Buxton railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Buxton in Derbyshire. It is managed and served by Northern Rail. The station is 25¾ miles south east of Manchester Piccadilly and is the terminus of the Buxton Line.-History:...
and via Millers Dale
Millers Dale railway station
Millers Dale railway station was a station situated in Millers Dale in the Peak District. It was built in 1863 by the Midland Railway on its extension of the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway from Rowsley....
were considered the 'main lines'
Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
The Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway ran from a junction with the Midland Railway at Ambergate to Rowsley north of Matlock and thence to Buxton....
from London to Manchester, carrying named expresses such as The Palatine
The Palatine
The Palatine was the name given to an express passenger train, introduced by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in 1938: the 10.00 from Manchester Central to London St Pancras and the return working, the 16.30 from St Pancras to Manchester Central....
. Express trains to Leeds and Scotland such as the Thames-Clyde Express
Thames-Clyde Express
The Thames–Clyde Express was a named express passenger train operating on the Midland Main Line, Settle-Carlisle Railway and the Glasgow South Western Line between London St Pancras and Glasgow St Enoch....
mainly used the Erewash Valley Line
Erewash Valley Line
The Erewash Valley Line is a railway line in Britain running from south of Chesterfield along the Erewash Valley to Trent Junction at Long Eaton, joining the Midland Main Line at each end.- History :...
then on to the Settle and Carlisle Line
Settle-Carlisle Railway
The Settle–Carlisle Line is a long main railway line in northern England. It is also known as the Settle and Carlisle. It is a part of the National Rail network and was constructed in the 1870s...
. Expresses to Edinburgh
Edinburgh Waverley railway station
Edinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
, such as The Waverley travelled through Corby and Nottingham.
Also part of the line, as defined by Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
, is the Erewash Valley Line
Erewash Valley Line
The Erewash Valley Line is a railway line in Britain running from south of Chesterfield along the Erewash Valley to Trent Junction at Long Eaton, joining the Midland Main Line at each end.- History :...
, the Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line
Leicester 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:...
, the Oakham to Kettering Line
Oakham to Kettering Line
The Oakham to Kettering Railway Line is a railway line in the East Midlands of England. For many years it was used for mainly for freight traffic, and as an important diversionary route for passenger trains travelling the Midland Main Line as well as for the occasional excursion.Recently, however,...
and sections of the Nottingham to Lincoln Line
Nottingham to Lincoln Line
The Nottingham to Lincoln Line is a railway line in central England, running from Nottingham north east to Lincoln.The line between Newark and Lincoln is currently only cleared for speeds, Nottinghamshire County Council have paid for a study into running....
(as far east as Newark) and the Birmingham to Peterborough Line
Birmingham to Peterborough Line
The Birmingham to Peterborough Line is a cross-country railway line in the United Kingdom, linking Birmingham to Peterborough, via Nuneaton and Leicester....
(between Nuneaton and Oakham).
Partly to appease the concerns and opposition of landowners along the route, in places some of it was built to avoid large estates and rural towns, and to reduce construction costs the railways followed natural contours, resulting in many curves and bends. This has also resulted in the MML passing through some relatively hilly areas, such as Sharnbrook (where there is a 1 in 119 gradient from the south taking the line to 340 feet above sea level). This has left a legacy of lower maximum speeds on the line compared with other main lines. The response to a similar situation on 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...
has been the adoption of tilting train
Tilting train
A tilting train is a train that has a mechanism enabling increased speed on regular rail tracks. As a train rounds a curve at speed, objects inside the train experience centrifugal force. This can cause packages to slide about or seated passengers to feel squashed by the outboard armrest due to...
s, but there has been no proposal for such a solution on the Midland line.
By 1983, the line had undergone electrification
Railway electrification in Great Britain
Railway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...
from Moorgate as far north as Bedford. The introduction of the High Speed Train (HST
InterCity 125
The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...
) in May 1983 following the Leicester area resignalling brought about an increase of the ruling line speed on the fast lines from 90 mph to 110 mph.
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
and Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
was upgraded from 100 mph to 110 mph as part of Operation Princess, the Virgin Cross Country route upgrade.
Many proposals have been put forward to improve speed and journey times, only later to be dropped. Most recently there are plans for 125 mph running on extended stretches, improved signalling, increased number of tracks and possible electrification further north (see Future section, below).
Accidents
- 1845/1882/1886/1887/1897/1916/1927 Penistone rail accidents
- 26 September 1860 Bull bridge accidentBull bridge accidentThe Bull bridge accident was a failure of a cast-iron bridge at Bullbridge, near Ambergate in Derbyshire on 26 September 1860. As a goods train was passing over the bridge at Bullbridge, the structure failed suddenly, causing the derailment of the majority of the wagons...
; bridge collapse - 2 September 1861 Kentish Town rail accidentKentish Town rail accidentOn 2 September 1861, near Kentish Town station in London, 16 people were killed and 317 injured, when an excursion train operated by the North London Railway collided with a freight train operated by the London and North Western Railway....
; collision - 24 December 1910 Hawes Junction rail crashHawes Junction rail crashThe Hawes Junction rail crash occurred on 24 December 1910, on the Midland Railway's Settle and Carlisle mainline at the junction with the Wensleydale Railway in Westmorland , England. It was caused when a busy signalman forgot about a pair of light engines waiting at his down starting signal to...
; signalman forgot about train - 2 September 1913 Ais Gill rail accident; collision
- 3 December 1923 Nunnery CollieryNunnery CollieryNunnery Colliery was a coal mine close to the city centre of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The mining company, known as The Waverley Coal Company, also worked High Hazels Colliery about 3 miles further east.- History :...
- 13 December 1926 Orgreave Paddy Mail accidentOrgreave Paddy Mail accidentThe Orgreave Train Collision occurred on 13 December 1926 near Orgreaves Colliery signal box on the Great Central Railway line about 4½ miles east of Sheffield...
- 22 March 2005 Market Harborough rail accidentMarket Harborough rail accidentThe accident occurred when a vehicle driven by Simon Handy plunged off the A6 near Market Harborough, Leicestershire on the morning of 22 March 2005....
- 1 February 2008 Barrow upon Soar rail accident
Barrow upon Soar rail accident
On 1 February 2008, an East Midlands Connect Class 158British Rail Class 158
British Rail Class 158 Express Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train, built for British Rail between 1989 and 1992 by BREL at its Derby Works. They were built to replace many locomotive-hauled passenger trains, and allowed cascading of existing Sprinter units to replace elderly 'heritage' DMUs...
158856 working a service from Nottingham railway station to Norwich railway station
Norwich railway station
Norwich is a railway station serving the city of Norwich in the English county of Norfolk. The station is the northern terminus of the Great Eastern Main Line from London Liverpool Street. It is also the terminus of railway lines from Ely, Sheringham, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.-History:At one...
was involved in an incident at Barrow upon Soar
Barrow upon Soar
Barrow upon Soar is a large village in northern Leicestershire, in the Soar Valley between Leicester and Loughborough. It has a population of around 5,000 and is part of the Charnwood local government district....
. The train hit a footbridge that was in its path, after a road vehicle had struck and damaged the bridge, causing the bridge to be foul of the running line. Six passengers were on board the service and the driver had to be cut free from his driving cab. The footbridge itself, of Midland Railway heritage, has since been replaced.
Operators
The principal operator is East Midlands TrainsEast Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
, which replaced Midland Mainline
Midland Mainline
Midland Mainline was a British train operating company owned by the National Express Group and based in Derby. It was created after the privatisation of British Rail. Midland Mainline services operated from April 1996 to November 2007....
on 11 November 2007. Other operators include:
- First Capital ConnectFirst Capital ConnectFirst Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006...
between London and Bedford; - London MidlandLondon MidlandLondon 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....
in the Bedford area; - First TransPennine ExpressFirst TransPennine ExpressFirst TransPennine Express is a British train operating company. It is a joint operation between First Group and Keolis . It operates regular passenger services in northern England, including services linking the west and east coasts across the Pennines...
in the Sheffield area; - CrossCountryCrossCountryCrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
in the Leicester and Nottingham areas and between Derby and Sheffield; - Northern RailNorthern RailNorthern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
between Nottingham and Sheffield;
Route definition and description
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
or other InterCity services. Be aware this section details the original line to Manchester (where it linked to the West Coast Main Line) and Carlisle (via Leeds where it meets with the 'modern' East Coast Main Line).
Network Rail group all lines in the East Midlands and the route north as far as Chesterfield and south to London as route 19. The actual line extends beyond this into routes 10 and 11.
London to Nottingham and Sheffield (Network Rail Route 19)
| Town Town A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while... /City City A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S... |
Station | Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with... grid reference British national grid reference system The Ordnance Survey National Grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references used in Great Britain, different from using latitude and longitude.... |
Branches and loops |
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| London | London St Pancras St Pancras railway station St Pancras railway station, also known as London St Pancras and since 2007 as St Pancras International, is a central London railway terminus celebrated for its Victorian architecture. The Grade I listed building stands on Euston Road in St Pancras, London Borough of Camden, between the... |
High Speed 1 diverges north of St Pancras | |
| Kentish Town Kentish Town Kentish Town is an area of north west London, England in the London Borough of Camden.-History:The most widely accepted explanation of the name of Kentish Town is that it derived from 'Ken-ditch' meaning the 'bed of a waterway'... , London |
Kentish Town Kentish Town station Kentish Town station is a London Underground and National Rail station in Kentish Town in the London Borough of Camden. It is at the junction of Kentish Town Road and Leighton Road... |
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| West Hampstead West Hampstead West Hampstead is an area in northwest London, England, situated between Childs Hill to the north, Frognal and Hampstead to the north-east, Swiss Cottage to the east, and South Hampstead to the south. Until the late 19th century, the locale was a small village called West End... , London |
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| Cricklewood Cricklewood Cricklewood is a district of North London, England whose northeastern part is in the London Borough of Barnet, western part is the London Borough of Brent and southeastern part is in London Borough of Camden.-History:... , London |
Dudding Hill Line Dudding Hill Line The Dudding Hill Line is a railway line in north-west London running from Acton to Cricklewood. The line has no scheduled passenger service, no stations, no electrification, and a 30 mph speed limit with semaphore signalling, and is lightly used by freight and very occasional passenger charter... diverges north of Cricklewood |
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| Hendon Hendon Hendon is a London suburb situated northwest of Charing Cross.-History:Hendon was historically a civil parish in the county of Middlesex. The manor is described in Domesday , but the name, 'Hendun' meaning 'at the highest hill', is earlier... , London |
Dudding Hill Line Dudding Hill Line The Dudding Hill Line is a railway line in north-west London running from Acton to Cricklewood. The line has no scheduled passenger service, no stations, no electrification, and a 30 mph speed limit with semaphore signalling, and is lightly used by freight and very occasional passenger charter... diverges south of Hendon |
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| Mill Hill Mill Hill Mill Hill is a place in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a suburb situated 9 miles north west of Charing Cross. Mill Hill was in the historic county of Middlesex until it was absorbed by London... , London |
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| Borehamwood Borehamwood -Film industry:Since the 1920s, the town has been home to several film studios and many shots of its streets are included in final cuts of 20th century British films. This earned it the nickname of the "British Hollywood"... |
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| Radlett Radlett Radlett is a small town in the county of Hertfordshire between St Albans and Borehamwood on Watling Street with a population of approximately 8,000. It is located in the council district of Hertsmere and is covered by two wards, Aldenham East and Aldenham West... |
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| St Albans St Albans St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt... |
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| Harpenden Harpenden Harpenden is a town in Hertfordshire, England.The town's total population is just under 30,000.-Geography and administration:There are two civil parishes: Harpenden and Harpenden Rural.... |
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| Luton Luton Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000.... |
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| Luton Luton Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000.... |
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| Leagrave Leagrave For other uses see Leagrave Leagrave is a former village and now a suburb of Luton in Bedfordshire in the northwest of the town. Connected by train from Leagrave station into London and Bedford by First Capital Connect... , Luton Luton Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000.... |
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| Harlington Harlington, Bedfordshire Harlington is a village and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England, near the M1 motorway. The nearest town is Flitwick about three miles to the north... |
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| Flitwick Flitwick Flitwick, pronounced , is a small town and civil parish in Central Bedfordshire, England. The nearby River Flit runs through Flitwick Moor, a nature reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.-Location:... |
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| Bedford Bedford Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town... |
Midland | Marston Vale Line Marston Vale Line The Marston Vale Line is the railway line from Bletchley to Bedford in England. It is one of two surviving passenger-carrying sections of the "Varsity Line" between Oxford and Cambridge.... diverges south of Bedford |
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| Wellingborough Wellingborough Wellingborough is a market town and borough in Northamptonshire, England, situated some from the county town of Northampton. The town is situated on the north side of the River Nene, most of the older town is sited on the flanks of the hills above the river's current flood plain... |
Midland Road | ||
| Kettering Kettering Kettering is a market town in the Borough of Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. It is situated about from London. Kettering is mainly situated on the west side of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene which meets at Wellingborough... |
Oakham to Kettering Line Oakham to Kettering Line The Oakham to Kettering Railway Line is a railway line in the East Midlands of England. For many years it was used for mainly for freight traffic, and as an important diversionary route for passenger trains travelling the Midland Main Line as well as for the occasional excursion.Recently, however,... diverges north of Kettering at Glendon Jun |
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| **Corby Corby Corby Town is a town and borough located in the county of Northamptonshire. Corby Town is 23 miles north-east of the county town, Northampton. The borough had a population of 53,174 at the 2001 Census; the town on its own accounted for 49,222 of this figure... |
** | Oakham to Kettering Line | |
| Market Harborough Market Harborough Market Harborough is a market town within the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.It has a population of 20,785 and is the administrative headquarters of Harborough District Council. It sits on the Northamptonshire-Leicestershire border... |
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| 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... |
London Road | Birmingham to Peterborough Line Birmingham to Peterborough Line The Birmingham to Peterborough Line is a cross-country railway line in the United Kingdom, linking Birmingham to Peterborough, via Nuneaton and Leicester.... diverges south of Leicester at Wigston Junction |
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| Syston Syston Syston is a town and civil parish in the district of Charnwood in Leicestershire, England. The population is 11,508 as of the 2001 Census.-Overview:... |
Birmingham to Peterborough Line Birmingham to Peterborough Line The Birmingham to Peterborough Line is a cross-country railway line in the United Kingdom, linking Birmingham to Peterborough, via Nuneaton and Leicester.... diverges north of Syston |
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| Sileby Sileby Sileby is a former industrial village and civil parish in the Soar Valley in Leicestershire, between Leicester and Loughborough. Nearby villages include Barrow upon Soar, Mountsorrel, Ratcliffe-on-the-Wreake, Seagrave and Cossington.... |
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| Barrow-upon-Soar | |||
| Loughborough Loughborough Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University... |
Midland | ||
| Ratcliffe-on-Soar Ratcliffe-on-Soar Ratcliffe-on-Soar is a village and civil parish in Nottinghamshire on the River Soar. It is part of the Rushcliffe district, and is the site of Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station. Nearby places are Kingston on Soar and Trentlock. With a population of around 100, the parish is too small to have a... (East Midlands Airport) |
Trent Junction to Clay Cross Junction via Derby (the original line), the Nottingham branch, and the Erewash Valley Line Erewash Valley Line The Erewash Valley Line is a railway line in Britain running from south of Chesterfield along the Erewash Valley to Trent Junction at Long Eaton, joining the Midland Main Line at each end.- History :... each diverge north of East Midlands Parkway |
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| Via Derby | |||
| Long Eaton Long Eaton Long Eaton is a town in Derbyshire, England. It lies just north of the River Trent about southwest of Nottingham and is part of the Nottingham Urban Area... |
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| Spondon Spondon Spondon is a ward within the city of Derby. Prior to this, Spondon was a separate village which dated from before the Domesday Book of 1086.-Description:The name Spondon is Anglo-Saxon and describes a gravelly hill.... |
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| Derby Derby Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407... |
Cross Country Route and Crewe to Derby Line Crewe to Derby Line The Crewe to Derby Line is a railway line in central England, running from Crewe south east to Derby. Services on the line are provided by East Midlands Trains.... diverges south of Derby |
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| Duffield | |||
| Belper Belper Belper is a town and civil parish in the local government district of Amber Valley in Derbyshire, England.-Geography:Belper is situated eight miles north of Derby and is centred in the valley of the River Derwent... |
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| Ambergate Junction | (old platforms) | Derwent Valley Line Derwent Valley Line The Derwent Valley Line is a railway line from Derby to Matlock in Derbyshire.The line follows the Midland Main Line as far as Ambergate Junction, which is just south of Ambergate railway station, continuing to Matlock, following the course of the River Derwent.*Derby*Duffield**Former branch line... diverges at Ambergate Junction |
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| Via Nottingham | |||
| Attenborough Attenborough, Nottinghamshire Attenborough is a village and a suburb in the Broxtowe borough of Nottinghamshire. It forms part of Greater Nottingham, and is to the southwest of Nottingham, between Long Eaton and Beeston... |
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| Beeston Beeston, Nottinghamshire Beeston is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is southwest of Nottingham city centre. Although typically regarded as a suburb of the City of Nottingham, and officially designated as part of the Nottingham Urban Area, for local government purposes it is in the borough of Broxtowe, lying outside... |
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| Nottingham Nottingham Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group... |
Northbound trains for the north reverse towards Langley Mill. Other continue onto the Robin Hood Line Robin Hood Line The Robin Hood Line is a railway line running from Nottingham to Worksop, Nottinghamshire. The stations between Shirebrook and Whitwell are in Derbyshire.The towns and villages served by the route are listed below:*Nottingham*Bulwell*Hucknall... , Nottingham to Grantham Nottingham to Grantham Line The Nottingham to Grantham Line is a branch line between the towns of Nottingham and Grantham in the East Midlands of England. It follows the A52.The following places are served by the line.* Nottingham* Netherfield* Radcliffe on Trent* Bingham... or Lincoln Nottingham to Lincoln Line The Nottingham to Lincoln Line is a railway line in central England, running from Nottingham north east to Lincoln.The line between Newark and Lincoln is currently only cleared for speeds, Nottinghamshire County Council have paid for a study into running.... Lines |
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| Via Erewash Valley | (bypassing or calling at Nottingham) | ||
| Langley Mill Langley Mill Langley Mill is a small town in the Amber Valley district of Derbyshire, England. It is on the border of Nottinghamshire, and runs into the towns of Aldercar and Heanor . Across the River Erewash is the Nottinghamshire town of Eastwood. It is part of the Aldercar and Langley Mill parish.... |
Erewash Valley and Trent Nottingham Lines rejoin together south of Langley Mill. | ||
| Alfreton Alfreton Alfreton is a town and civil parish in Amber Valley, Derbyshire, England, adjoining the Bolsover and North East Derbyshire districts. It was formerly a Norman Manor and later an Urban District. The population of the Alfreton Ward was 7,928 at the 2001 Census... |
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| Clay Cross Junction to Leeds | |||
| Chesterfield Chesterfield Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town... |
Trent Junction to Clay Cross via Derby and Erewash Valley Lines rejoin together south of Chesterfield. | ||
| Dronfield Dronfield Dronfield is a town in North East Derbyshire in the North Midlands region of England. It comprises the three communities of Dronfield, Dronfield Woodhouse and Coal Aston. It is sited in the valley of the small River Drone, and lies between the town of Chesterfield and the city of Sheffield. The... |
Hope Valley Line Hope Valley Line The Hope Valley Line is a railway line in England linking Sheffield with Manchester. It was completed in 1894.From Sheffield, trains head down the Midland Main Line to Dore, where the Hope Valley Line branches off to run through the Totley Tunnel .It emerges in the stunning scenery of the Hope... diverges north of Dronfield |
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| Sheffield Sheffield Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely... |
Midland | Hope Valley Line Hope Valley Line The Hope Valley Line is a railway line in England linking Sheffield with Manchester. It was completed in 1894.From Sheffield, trains head down the Midland Main Line to Dore, where the Hope Valley Line branches off to run through the Totley Tunnel .It emerges in the stunning scenery of the Hope... diverges south of Sheffield Sheffield to Lincoln Line Sheffield to Lincoln Line The Sheffield to Lincoln line is a railway line in England. It runs from Sheffield east to Lincoln via Worksop, Retford and Gainsborough Lea Road. The route comprises the main line of the former Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, to Gainsborough, Trent Junction, where it then follows... diverges north of Sheffield |
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| Sheffield Sheffield Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely... |
Hallam Hallam Line The Hallam Line is the name given to rail services operated by Northern Rail, in the West Yorkshire Metro/ Travel South Yorkshire area of northern England which connect Leeds and Sheffield via Barnsley. It is the slower of the two routes between Leeds and Sheffield, with faster services provided... and Penistone Penistone Line The Penistone Line is operated by Northern Rail in the West Yorkshire Metro/ Travel South Yorkshire area of northern England. It connects Huddersfield and Sheffield via Penistone and Barnsley, serving many rural communities... Lines diverges at Meadowhall |
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| Via Doncaster | |||
| Doncaster Doncaster Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"... |
Connects to the East Coast Main Line East Coast Main Line The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh... south of Doncaster |
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| Bypassing Doncaster | |||
| Wakefield Wakefield Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001.... |
Connects with the East Coast Main Line East Coast Main Line The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh... south of Wakefield Westgate |
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| Leeds Leeds Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial... |
City | Leeds City Lines Northern Rail Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems... |
Tunnels
| Tunnel Tunnel A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers... |
Stations Between |
|---|---|
| Camden Road Tunnel | St Pancras and Kentish Town |
| Hampstead Tunnel | Kentish Town and West Hampstead |
| Lismore Circus Tunnel | Kentish Town and West Hampstead |
| Belsize Tunnel | Kentish Town and West Hampstead |
| Elstree Tunnel | Mill Hill Broadway and Elstree & Borehamwood |
| Ampthill Tunnel Ampthill Tunnel Ampthill tunnel is a railway tunnel on the London Midland region between Bedford and Flitwick. There are two bores; one carrying a pair of fast lines, the other a pair of slow lines. Both are 715 yards long.... |
Flitwick and Bedford |
| Sharnbrook Tunnel (Freight Line only) | Bedford and Wellingborough |
| Knighton Tunnel | Market Harborough and Leicester |
| Red Hill Tunnel | East Midlands Parkway and Long Eaton / Trent Junction |
| Milford Tunnel Milford Tunnel Milford Tunnel in Derbyshire is a twin track railway tunnel on the Midland Main Line which runs under a hill called the Chevin between Duffield and Belper... |
Duffield and Belper |
| Toadmoor Tunnel | Belper and Chesterfield |
| Wingfield Tunnel | Belper and Chesterfield |
| Alfreton Tunnel | Langley Mill and Alfreton |
| Clay Cross Tunnel Clay Cross Tunnel Clay Cross Tunnel is a 1,784-yard tunnel on the former North Midland Railway line near Clay Cross in Derbyshire, England now part of the Midland Main Line.... |
Belper and Clay Cross |
| Broomhouse Tunnel Broomhouse Tunnel Broomhouse Tunnel was on the Midland Main Line between Chesterfield and Sheffield. It was built by the Midland Railway in 1870 on what is known to railwaymen as the "New Road" to Sheffield... (Opened out to cutting 1969) |
Sheepbridge and Unstone |
| Bradway Tunnel Bradway Tunnel Bradway Tunnel, long, was built in 1870 about north of Dronfield, Derbyshire, in South Yorkshire, England.It is at the summit of the Midland Main Line between Chesterfield and Sheffield, on what is known to railwaymen as the "New Road" built by the Midland Railway to serve Sheffield, which was... |
Dronfield and Dore |
Ambergate Junction to Manchester
For marketing and franchising, this is no longer considered part of the Midland Main Line: see Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction RailwayManchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
The Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway ran from a junction with the Midland Railway at Ambergate to Rowsley north of Matlock and thence to Buxton....
The line was once the Midland Railway's route from London St Pancras to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, branching at Ambergate Junction along the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
The Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway ran from a junction with the Midland Railway at Ambergate to Rowsley north of Matlock and thence to Buxton....
, now known as the Derwent Valley Line
Derwent Valley Line
The Derwent Valley Line is a railway line from Derby to Matlock in Derbyshire.The line follows the Midland Main Line as far as Ambergate Junction, which is just south of Ambergate railway station, continuing to Matlock, following the course of the River Derwent.*Derby*Duffield**Former branch line...
.
In days gone by, it featured named expresses such as The Palatine
The Palatine
The Palatine was the name given to an express passenger train, introduced by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in 1938: the 10.00 from Manchester Central to London St Pancras and the return working, the 16.30 from St Pancras to Manchester Central....
. Much later in the twentieth century, it carried the Midland Pullman.
| Town Town A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while... /City City A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S... |
Station | Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with... grid reference British national grid reference system The Ordnance Survey National Grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references used in Great Britain, different from using latitude and longitude.... |
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| Ambergate Ambergate Ambergate is a village in Derbyshire, England, where the River Amber joins the River Derwent.Until the early nineteenth century it was known as Toadmoor, with no more than a few artisans' cottages. The southerly half of the village was still shown as such on the Ordnance Survey's maps.It is about ... |
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| Whatstandwell Whatstandwell Whatstandwell is a village on the River Derwent in Derbyshire, England.It is about five miles south of Matlock and about four miles north of Belper... |
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| Cromford Cromford Cromford is a village, two miles to the south of Matlock in the Derbyshire Dales district in Derbyshire, England. It is principally known for its historical connection with Richard Arkwright, and the Cromford Mill which he built here in 1771... |
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| Matlock Bath Matlock Bath Matlock Bath is a village south of Matlock in Derbyshire, England. Built along the River Derwent, it developed, in the 19th century, as a spa town and still thrives on tourism.-History:In 1698 warm springs were discovered and a Bath House was built... |
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| Matlock | ||
| Closed Section Stations | ||
| Darley Dale Darley Dale Darley Dale, also known simply as Darley, is a town in Derbyshire, England, with a population of around 6,000 people. It lies north of Matlock, on the River Derwent and the A6 road.- History :... |
Darley Dale Darley Dale railway station -History:Lying at the bottom of Station Road in the settlement of Darley Dale, Darley Dale in its current form is not the first station to have existed upon the site. That halt was built in 1849, by the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway, and existed on the other side of the... |
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| Rowsley Rowsley Rowsley is a village on the A6 road in the English county of Derbyshire.It is at the point where the River Wye flows into the River Derwent and prospered from mills on both.-Overview:... |
Rowsley Rowsley railway station Rowsley railway station was opened in 1849 by the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway to serve the village of Rowsley in Derbyshire.-Opening:... |
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| Bakewell Bakewell Bakewell is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England, deriving its name from 'Beadeca's Well'. It is the only town included in the Peak District National Park, and is well known for the local confection Bakewell Pudding... |
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| Hassop Hassop Hassop is a village in the local government district of Derbyshire Dales in Derbyshire, England.It developed around a number of lead mines, with such names as "The Brightside", "Backdale", "Harry Bruce", "Waterhole" and "Whitecoe", which lasted until the mid-nineteenth century.The local landowners... |
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| Great Longstone Great Longstone Great Longstone with Little Longstone is one of two villages in the local government district of Derbyshire Dales in Derbyshire, England.-History:... |
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| Monsal Dale Monsal Dale Monsal Dale is a valley in the Peak District of Derbyshire in England.In geological history this area of Derbyshire was long ago under water, and is formed from a subsequent uplift of resultant sedimentary deposits, known as the Derbyshire Dome... |
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| Millers Dale Millers Dale Millers Dale is a valley on the River Wye in Derbyshire.It is a popular beauty spot in the Peak District of England, much of the area being preserved as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Nearby is Ravenstor and Cheedale, both popular with rock-climbers... |
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| Blackwell Mill Blackwell Mill Blackwell Mill is a location in Derbyshire, near to the village of Blackwell near Buxton, but not part of it.There was once a corn mill on the River Wye which may have dated from 1066. Most of it has disappeared, apart from the weir. What is left is marked as an Ancient Monument.It stands at the... |
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| Buxton Buxton Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Located close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park"... |
Buxton Buxton (Midland) railway station Buxton railway station served the town of Buxton, Derbyshire, England between 1863 and 1967.-History:The station was opened by the Midland Railway on 1 June 1863. It was adjacent to, and to the south-east of, the Buxton railway station of the Stockport, Disley and Whaley Bridge Railway, which... |
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| Peak Forest Peak Forest Peak Forest is a small village on the main road the from Chapel-en-le-Frith to Chesterfield in England.The village grew from the earlier settlement of Dam at the conjunction of Perrydale and Damdale. There is an inn, a village shop and a Primary School... |
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| Chapel-en-le-Frith Chapel-en-le-Frith Chapel-en-le-Frith is a small town in Derbyshire, England, on the edge of the Peak District near the border with Cheshire, from Manchester. Dubbed "The Capital of the Peak District", the settlement was established by the Normans in the 12th century, originally as a hunting lodge within the Forest... |
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| Now part of the Hope Valley Line Hope Valley Line The Hope Valley Line is a railway line in England linking Sheffield with Manchester. It was completed in 1894.From Sheffield, trains head down the Midland Main Line to Dore, where the Hope Valley Line branches off to run through the Totley Tunnel .It emerges in the stunning scenery of the Hope... or other lines |
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| Chinley Chinley Chinley is a rural village in High Peak Borough, situated on the western edge of the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire, England, with a population of around 2000. Before the railway, the area was economically dominated by agriculture and quarrying. Three textile mills were established in... |
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| Bugsworth | (Now Closed) | |
| New Mills New Mills New Mills is a town in Derbyshire, England approximately south-east of Stockport and from Manchester. It is sited at the confluence of the rivers Goyt and Sett, on the border of Cheshire. The town stands above the Torrs, a deep gorge, cut through Woodhead Hill Sandstone of the Carboniferous period... |
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| Strines Strines Strines is a village in Greater Manchester, located in the valley of the River Goyt midway between Marple and New Mills and about six miles southeast of Stockport. The village falls mainly within Marple parish and Stockport metropolitan borough, though a small part falls within the boundaries of... |
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| Marple Marple, Greater Manchester Marple is a small town within the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Goyt southeast of Stockport.Historically part of Cheshire, Marple has a population of 23,480 .-Toponymy:... |
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| Romiley Romiley Romiley is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. It borders Marple, Bredbury and Woodley. In Roman times there is thought to have been a settlement along Sandy Lane... |
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| Bredbury Bredbury Bredbury is a suburban town within the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England, located south east of Manchester, east of Stockport and south west of Hyde... |
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| Brinnington Brinnington Brinnington is a north-eastern suburb of Stockport, Greater Manchester. It is known locally as "Brinny".It is situated on a bluff above a bend in the Tame Valley and is an area of vast regeneration, including the demolition of the Top Shops in 2007, which were replaced by new shops, 53 shared... |
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| Reddish Reddish Reddish is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It is north of Stockport and southeast of Manchester... |
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| Gorton Gorton Gorton is an area of the city of Manchester, in North West England. It is located to the southeast of Manchester city centre. Neighbouring areas include Longsight and Levenshulme.... |
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| Belle Vue/Gorton Gorton Gorton is an area of the city of Manchester, in North West England. It is located to the southeast of Manchester city centre. Neighbouring areas include Longsight and Levenshulme.... |
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| Stockport Stockport Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name... |
Stockport (Teviot Dale) Stockport railway station Stockport railway station is in Greater Manchester, England, 8 miles south-east of Manchester Piccadilly station on the West Coast Main Line from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston. It was opened on 15 February 1843 by the Manchester and Birmingham Railway, following completion of the large... |
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| Manchester Manchester Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater... |
(Now Closed) |
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
, which has never been satisfactorily replaced by any mode of transport. A section of the route remains in the hands of the Peak Rail
Peak Rail
Peak Rail is a preserved railway in Derbyshire, England, which operates a steam service for tourists and visitors to both the Peak District and the Derbyshire Dales....
preservation group, operating between Matlock and Rowsley
Rowsley
Rowsley is a village on the A6 road in the English county of Derbyshire.It is at the point where the River Wye flows into the River Derwent and prospered from mills on both.-Overview:...
to the north.
Leeds to Carlisle
For marketing and franchising, this is no longer considered part of the Midland Main Line: see Settle-Carlisle RailwaySettle-Carlisle Railway
The Settle–Carlisle Line is a long main railway line in northern England. It is also known as the Settle and Carlisle. It is a part of the National Rail network and was constructed in the 1870s...
.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
prevented 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....
from finishing its direct route through the West Riding
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
to join the Settle and Carlisle
Settle-Carlisle Railway
The Settle–Carlisle Line is a long main railway line in northern England. It is also known as the Settle and Carlisle. It is a part of the National Rail network and was constructed in the 1870s...
(which would have cut six miles from the journey and avoided the need for reversal at Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
).
The first part of the Midland's West Riding extension from the main line at Royston (Yorks.)
Royston, South Yorkshire
Royston is a suburban village within the Metropolitan borough of Barnsley, in South Yorkshire, England. Historically it was in the West Riding of Yorkshire, but was incorporated in to the Metropolitan borough of Barnsley in 1974 and is now on the border with West Yorkshire...
to Dewsbury
Dewsbury
Dewsbury is a minster town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Huddersfield and south of Leeds...
was opened before the war. However, the second part of the extension was not completed.
This involved a viaduct at Dewsbury over the River Calder
River Calder, West Yorkshire
The River Calder is a river in West Yorkshire, in Northern England.The Calder rises on the green eastern slopes of the Pennines flows through alternating green countryside, former woollen-mill villages, and large and small towns before joining the River Aire near Castleford.The river's valley is...
, a tunnel under Dewsbury Moor and a new approach railway into Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
from the south at a lower level than the existing railway (a good part of which was to be in tunnel) leading into Bradford Midland (or Bradford Forster Square
Bradford Forster Square railway station
Bradford Forster Square station is a railway station in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The majority of services to/from the station use Class 333 electrified trains operated by Northern Rail, on the Airedale Line to Skipton, the Wharfedale Line to Ilkley and the Leeds-Bradford Line to Leeds.The...
) station.
The 500-yard gap between the stations at Bradford still exists. Closing it today would also need to take into account the different levels between the two Bradford stations, a task made easier in the days of electric rather than steam traction, allowing for steeper gradients than possible at the time of the Midland's proposed extension.
Two impressive viaducts remain on the completed part of the line between Royston Junction and Dewsbury as a testament to the Midland's ambition to complete a third direct Anglo-Scottish route. The line served two goods stations and provided a route for occasional express passenger trains before its eventual closure in 1968.
The failure to complete this section ended the Midland's hopes of being a serious competitor on routes to Scotland and finally put beyond all doubt that Leeds, not Bradford, would be the West Riding's principal city. Midland trains to Scotland therefore continued to call at Leeds before travelling along the Aire Valley to the Settle and Carlisle
Settle-Carlisle Railway
The Settle–Carlisle Line is a long main railway line in northern England. It is also known as the Settle and Carlisle. It is a part of the National Rail network and was constructed in the 1870s...
. From Carlisle they then travelled onwards via either the Glasgow and South Western or Waverley route. In days gone by the line enjoyed named expresses such as the Thames-Clyde Express
Thames-Clyde Express
The Thames–Clyde Express was a named express passenger train operating on the Midland Main Line, Settle-Carlisle Railway and the Glasgow South Western Line between London St Pancras and Glasgow St Enoch....
and The Waverley.
- along the Airedale LineAiredale LineThe Airedale Line is the name given to one of the rail services in the Metro area of northern England. The service is operated by Northern Rail, on the route connecting Leeds and Bradford with Skipton in the North of England. Some services along the line continue to Morecambe or Carlisle...
- Here is Apperley Junction for the Wharfedale lineWharfedale LineThe Wharfedale Line is the name given to one of the rail services in the West Yorkshire Metro area of northern England. The service connects Ilkley with Leeds and Bradford, and is operated by Northern Rail. West Yorkshire Metrocards are available for use on the line, covering Zones 3 - 5...
- Here is Apperley Junction for the Wharfedale line
- : here is the triangular junction for the branch line serving
-
- Here is the Worth ValleyKeighley and Worth Valley RailwayThe Keighley and Worth Valley Railway is a long branch line that served mills and villages in the Worth Valley and is now a heritage railway line in West Yorkshire, England. It runs from Keighley to Oxenhope. It connects to the national rail network line at Keighley railway station...
Branch junction to .
- Here is the Worth Valley
-
- Here is Settle Junction for the line to Morecambe
}
}
-
-
-
- Here was the junction for IngletonIngleton, North YorkshireIngleton is a village and civil parish in the Yorkshire Dales in North Yorkshire, England. It is famous for walking, hiking and caving. Favourite walks are the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail and the climb up Ingleborough which is one of the famous Three Peaks. Directly from the village visitors can...
and an end-on junction via SedberghSedberghSedbergh is a small town in Cumbria, England. It lies about east of Kendal and about north of Kirkby Lonsdale. The town sits just within the Yorkshire Dales National Park...
to Low Gill on the London and North Western RailwayLondon and North Western RailwayThe 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...
(LNW) West Coast Main LineWest Coast Main LineThe 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...
- Here was the junction for Ingleton
-
- At this point the line divided: a triangular junction for the two lines:
-
- }
- }, including a station for Middleton Road HeyshamHeyshamHeysham is a large coastal village near Lancaster in the county of Lancashire, England. Overlooking Morecambe Bay, it is a ferry port with services to the Isle of Man and Ireland. Heysham is the site of two nuclear power stations which are landmarks visible from hills in the surrounding area...
- At Hawes stationHawes railway stationHawes railway station is a disused railway station that served the town of Hawes in North Yorkshire, England. It was closed in 1959 and now forms part of the Dales Countryside Museum.-History:...
, on the branch to the east of the main line, there was an end-on junction with the North Eastern RailwayNorth Eastern Railway (UK)The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923...
(NER) line across the PenninesPenninesThe Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
to
-
Former stations
As with most railway lines in Britain, the route used to serve far more stations than it currently does (and consequently passes close to settlements that it no longer serves). Places that the current mainline used to serve include- London to Leicester
- Camden RoadCamden Road (Midland) railway stationCamden Road railway station was a station in Camden, North London opened by the Midland Railway in 1868. It was immediately to the north of the 205 yard Camden Tunnels on the Midland Main Line....
- Welsh HarpWelsh Harp railway stationWelsh Harp railway station was built by the Midland Railway in 1870 on its extension to St. Pancras station.-History:The station opened on 2 May 1870. With a single island platform between the slow lines, it was important for people escaping from the City for a day out, fishing or boating on the...
- NapsburyNapsbury railway stationNapsbury railway station was built by the Midland Railway in 1905 on its line to St Pancras station.It was never more than an island platform between the slow lines, with a siding serving the Middlesex County Asylum at Napsbury, and closed in 1959....
- Chiltern GreenChiltern Green railway stationChiltern Green railway station was built by the Midland Railway in 1868 on its extension to St. Pancras.The station was located in New Mill End but took its name from the small hamlet of Chiltern Green about a mile away. Adjacent to it was the GNR station of Luton Hoo also located in New Mill End...
- AmpthillAmpthill railway stationThis article is about the former Midland Railway station in Bedfordshire. For the similarly named Ampthill station see the article on Millbrook railway station...
- OakleyOakley railway station (Bedford)Oakley railway station was built by the Midland Railway in 1857 on its extension from Leicester to Bedford and Hitchin.It was closed to passengers in 1958 closing completely in 1963...
- SharnbrookSharnbrook railway stationSharnbrook railway station was opened in 1857 by the Midland Railway to serve the village of Sharnbrook in Bedfordshire, England. It was on the Midland's extension from Leicester to Bedford and Hitchin....
- RushtonGlendon and Rushton railway stationGlendon and Rushton railway station is a former railway station in Rushton, Northamptonshire. Originally known as Rushton it was opened in 1857 by the Midland Railway on what is now the Midland Main Line....
- DesboroughDesborough railway stationDesborough railway station was built by the Midland Railway in 1857 on its extension from Leicester to Bedford and Hitchin.Later called Desborough and Rothwell it closed in 1968.-References: ...
- East Langton
- KibworthKibworth railway stationKibworth railway station was opened in 1857 by the Midland Railway in 1857 on what is now the Midland Main Line.Plans had been made earlier in 1847 for a line from Leicester to Bedford, but had lapsed. However the Midland, running to Rugby at that time and dependent on the LNWR for its path into...
- Great GlenGreat Glen railway stationGreat Glen railway station was built by the Midland Railway in 1857 on its extension from Leicester to Bedford and Hitchin.Originally simply Glen, it was later renamed Glen Magna before receiving its final name. Passengers services finished in 1951, while goods services continued it was unstaffed...
- Wigston MagnaSouth Wigston railway stationSouth Wigston railway station is a railway station serving the suburb of South Wigston, Leicester, England. The station is on the Birmingham to Peterborough Line about south of . South Wigston station is owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Trains Train Operating Company...
- Leicester to Trent Junction
- Leicester Humberstone Road
- Cossington GateCossington Gate railway stationCossington Gate railway station was a small station serving Cossington village in Leicestershire.It served the Midland Counties Railway, built in 1840, which shortly joined the North Midland Railway and the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway to form the Midland Railway.The station was associated...
- HathernHathern railway stationHathern Railway Station was a station serving the village of Hathern in Leicestershire, England.It was built by the Midland Railway on the line originally opened in 1839 by the Midland Counties Railway...
- KegworthKegworth railway stationKegworth Railway Station was a station serving the village of Kegworth in Leicestershire, England. It was located nearer to the smaller village of Sutton Bonington however, and situated in Nottinghamshire....
- TrentTrent railway stationTrent railway station was situated near Long Eaton in Derbyshire at the junction of the Midland Railway line from London to Derby and Nottingham...
- Derwent Valley
- Breaston (later Sawley - see Long EatonLong Eaton railway stationLong Eaton railway station serves the town of Long Eaton in Derbyshire, in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Midland Main Line and the Derby - Nottingham line south east of Derby...
) - Draycott
- BorrowashBorrowash railway stationBorrowash railway station was a station at Borrowash in Derbyshire.It was built in 1839 for the Midland Counties Railway, which shortly joined the North Midland Railway and the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway to form the Midland Railway...
- Derby Nottingham RoadDerby Nottingham Road railway stationDerby 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....
- WingfieldWingfield railway stationWingfield railway station was a railway station built by the North Midland Railway which no longer exists.From Ambergate the line passes Wingfield with a station which closed in 1967 although the buildings, by Francis Thompson, remain, at least until 1987...
- Stretton
- Clay CrossClay Cross railway stationClay Cross railway station was a railway station built by the North Midland Railway in 1840. It served the town of Clay Cross in Derbyshire.It was originally planned to have been built within the Clay Cross Tunnel, however it was clear that it would be impossible to ventilate it effectively, so...
- Erewash Valley
- Long EatonLong Eaton (MCR) railway stationThe original Long Eaton railway station was built in 1839 for the Midland Counties Railway, which shortly joined the North Midland Railway and the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway to form the Midland Railway....
(Original Midland Counties RailwayMidland Counties RailwayThe Midland Counties Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom which existed between 1832 and 1844, connecting Nottingham, Leicester and Derby with Rugby and thence, via the London and Birmingham Railway, to London. The MCR system connected with the North Midland Railway and the...
station not the present one) - Stapleford and Sandiacre
- Stanton Gate
- Trowell
- Ilkeston and Cossal
- Shipley Gate
- Codnor Park and Ironville
- Pye Bridge
- Westhouses and Blackwell
- Doe Hill
- Chesterfield to Leeds
- StaveleyStaveley railway stationStaveley railway station is a railway station in Staveley in Cumbria, England. The station is situated on the Windermere Branch Line from Oxenholme to Windermere. Staveley is a request stop.-Services:...
- EckingtonEckington railway stationEckington railway station was a railway station to serve Eckington, Derbyshire.The station was opened by the North Midland Railway on the "old road" between Chesterfield and Masborough....
- Killamarsh
- BeightonBeighton railway stationBeighton railway station lies where the line of the Sheffield and Lincolnshire Junction Railway crosses Rotherham Road. It was built to serve the village of Beighton, at the time within Derbyshire but following changes in boundaries now within the City of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.The...
- Woodhouse MillWoodhouse Mill railway stationWoodhouse Mill railway station was a station opened in 1840 by the North Midland Railway on its line between Rotherham Masborough and Chesterfield....
- TreetonTreeton railway stationTreeton railway station was a railway station situated on the North Midland Railway's line between Rotherham Masborough and Chesterfield. It was situated in the centre of the coal mining village of Treeton, in the Rother Valley near Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England.The original Treeton railway...
- SheepbridgeSheepbridge railway stationSheepbridge railway station was a station in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England.It was built by the Midland Railway in 1870 on what is known to railwaymen as the "New Road" to Sheffield...
- UnstoneUnstone railway stationUnstone railway station was a station in Derbyshire, England.It was built by the Midland Railway in 1870 on what is known to railwaymen as the "New Road" to Sheffield...
- Beauchief
- Millhouses
- Heeley
- Attercliffe Road
- Brightside
- Holmes
- Rotherham MasboroughRotherham Masborough railway stationRotherham Masborough railway station was the main railway station for Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England from the 1840s, until most of its trains were rerouted via Rotherham Central in 1987...
- Parkgate and RawmarshParkgate and Rawmarsh railway stationParkgate and Rawmarsh railway station, originally named Park Gate and Rawmarsh was situated in Parkgate, adjacent to the Park Gate Iron and Steel Company's works...
- Kilnhurst
- Swinton West (reopened SwintonSwinton (South Yorkshire) railway stationSwinton railway station is a railway station in Swinton, South Yorkshire, England. It has three platforms and a small bus station, and lies at the junction of the former North Midland Railway main line between Rotherham Masborough and Leeds via Cudworth and the former South Yorkshire Railway line...
)
North Midland Railway
The North Midland Railway was a British railway company, which opened its line from Derby to Rotherham and Leeds in 1840.At Derby it connected with the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway and the Midland Counties Railway at what became known as the Tri Junct Station...
line
- WathWath North railway stationWath North railway station was on the Midland Railway's Sheffield - Cudworth - Normanton - Leeds main line, serving the South Yorkshire town of Wath-upon-Dearne...
- DarfieldDarfield railway stationDarfield railway station was opened in 1840 by the North Midland Railway, serving the village of Darfield in South Yorkshire, England.The original station building was of typical Francis Thompson Italianate design...
- Royston and NottonRoyston and Notton railway stationRoyston and Notton railway station was opened in 1841 by the North Midland Railway, near the Yorkshire summit of the line.The original station was rebuilt, about a mile further south, in 1900 when the lines were quadrupled...
- Oakenshaw (originally for Wakefield)Oakenshaw railway stationOakenshaw railway station was located about two miles south-east of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. It was opened in 1840 by the North Midland Railway on its line from Derby to Leeds....
- Methley
Future
Traffic levels on the Midland Main Line are rising faster than the national average, with continued increases predicted. The now-defunct Strategic Rail AuthorityStrategic Rail Authority
In existence from 2001 to 2006, the Strategic Rail Authority was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom set up under the Transport Act 2000 to provide strategic direction for the railway industry....
produced a Route Utilisation Strategy for the Midland Main Line in 2006 to propose ways of meeting this demand; Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
started a new study in February 2008 and this was published in February 2010.
Network Rail's plans
The Midland Main line has for many years been thought of as a 'Cinderella' line but, with the increasing capacity constraints on other lines, the route looks set to benefit from investment and enhancement. Plans for the line include:- Re-signalling of the entire route, expected to be complete by 2016 when all signalling will be controlled by the East Midlands signalling centre in Derby.
- Rebuilding Bedford, LeicesterLeicester railway stationLeicester 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:...
and Nottingham stations, which would also involve an enhanced approach layout during re-signalling works. - Accessibility enhancements at LoughboroughLoughborough railway stationLoughborough railway station serves the town of Loughborough in Leicestershire, England. Situated on the Midland Main Line, 20 km north of Leicester, the station lies to the north-east of the town centre....
, , , , and by 2015. - Upgraded approach signallingUK railway signallingThe railway signalling systems used across the majority of the United Kingdom rail network use lineside signals to advise the driver of the status of the section of track ahead...
(flashing yellow aspects) added at key junctions - Radlett, Harpenden and Leagrave allowing trains to traverse them at higher speeds. - Lengthening of platforms at Wellingborough, Kettering, Market Harborough, Loughborough, Long Eaton and Beeston stations as well as work related to the Thameslink Programme (see below).
- Realignment (slewing) of the line to allow faster speeds through Market HarboroughMarket HarboroughMarket Harborough is a market town within the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.It has a population of 20,785 and is the administrative headquarters of Harborough District Council. It sits on the Northamptonshire-Leicestershire border...
station. - Electrification.
- Speeds of up to 125 mph between Elstree & Borehamwood and Ratcliffe Junction on the fast lines (December 2013 onwards) at a cost of £69.4m leading to an 8-minute reduction in London - Sheffield journey times and a 6-minute reduction in London - Nottingham journey times (London St Pancras - Sheffield LSI) on services operated by Class 222 DMUs.
2007 Business plan
Network Rail's 2007 business plan for the Midland Main Line mentioned line speed increases for the first time in recent years - bringing journey times to Sheffield to under two hours, making them more commensurable with those of other north-south routes over equivalent distances. Highlights include:- Kettering south - Harowden junction (Wellingborough) third bi-directional slow line (2009)
- Syston - Trent south slow line linespeed increases (2009)
- Erewash Valley line resignalling
- Removal of Clay Cross junction (2008) replaced by a new high-speed junction south of Chesterfield (May 2008)
- Trent junction resignalling (April 2009 - January 2010)
- Proposals for Bedford and Nottingham stations remodelling
2009 Business plan
The focus of Network Rail's 2009 business plan for the Midland Main Line was on improving infrastructure to allow more and longer trains to operate in the future as more houses are built in NorthamptonshireNorthamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
. Highlights include:
- Peterborough - Nuneaton gauge-clearance work for the cross-country freight route (2010)
- Improve Corby signalling to allow a better timetable (2010)
- Improvements to Etches ParkEtches ParkDerby Etches Park is a railway Traction & Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot operated by East Midlands Trains, and is situated in Derby, England. InterCity and Diesel Multiple Unit trains are serviced and maintained here...
depot in Derby (2010) - New footbridge and lifts at Wellingborough station (2010)
- Redevelopment of Luton station (2011)
- Improved line speed between Nottingham and Sheffield (2012)
2010 Route plan
Network Rail's 2010 route plan for the Midland Main Line stressed improving infrastructure to allow more and longer trains to operate in the future as more houses are built in NorthamptonshireNorthamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
. Highlights include:
- Work related to line speed increases, removing foot crossings and replacing with footbridges
- Various capacity enhancements for freight
- Upgrade of the Leicester - Burton freight route for potential passenger use (2012)
Freight utilisation strategy
Network Rail published a Route Utilisation Strategy for freight in 2007; over the coming years a cross-country freight route will be developed enhancing the Birmingham to Peterborough LineBirmingham to Peterborough Line
The Birmingham to Peterborough Line is a cross-country railway line in the United Kingdom, linking Birmingham to Peterborough, via Nuneaton and Leicester....
, increasing capacity through Leicester, and remodelling Syston
Syston railway station
Syston railway station is a railway station serving the town of Syston in Leicestershire, England. The station is located on the Midland Main Line between Leicester to Loughborough, 103¾ miles from London St Pancras....
and Wigston
South Wigston railway station
South Wigston railway station is a railway station serving the suburb of South Wigston, Leicester, England. The station is on the Birmingham to Peterborough Line about south of . South Wigston station is owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Trains Train Operating Company...
junctions.
Draft Route Utilisation Strategy
Proposed on the Midland Main Line:Extra services from north Northamptonshire to Derby/Nottingham
options:
- One extra semi-fast train per hour between BedfordBedfordBedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
and DerbyDerbyDerby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
which would call at WellingboroughWellingboroughWellingborough is a market town and borough in Northamptonshire, England, situated some from the county town of Northampton. The town is situated on the north side of the River Nene, most of the older town is sited on the flanks of the hills above the river's current flood plain...
and KetteringKetteringKettering is a market town in the Borough of Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. It is situated about from London. Kettering is mainly situated on the west side of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene which meets at Wellingborough...
, with other station calls possible - Extra call at Bedford, Wellingborough or Kettering for Sheffield semi-fast trains.
Extra freight capacity between Corby and Bedford
options:
- New passing loops on slow lines
- 4-tracking between Bedford to Kettering North Junction and double-tracking on the Oakham to Kettering LineOakham to Kettering LineThe Oakham to Kettering Railway Line is a railway line in the East Midlands of England. For many years it was used for mainly for freight traffic, and as an important diversionary route for passenger trains travelling the Midland Main Line as well as for the occasional excursion.Recently, however,...
Extra capacity on InterCity services
options:
- New Inter City Express Programme trains (up to 11 carriages)
Other included:
- Faster line speeds
- Faster junction speeds
- Electrification
- Longer loop lengths
- Longer platform lengths
- More capacity for rolling-stock depots and stabling
- Larger loading gauge (up to W12)
Also proposed on the Midland Main Line
- An Open accessOpen Access (Infrastructure)In the context of infrastructure, open access involves physical infrastructure such as railways and physical telecommunications network plant being made available to clients other than the owners, for a fee....
service from OakhamOakham-Oakham's horseshoes:Traditionally, members of royalty and peers of the realm who visited or passed through the town had to pay a forfeit in the form of a horseshoe...
to London St Pancras. - New stations: at Clay CrossClay CrossClay Cross is a former mining town and civil parish in the North East Derbyshire district of Derbyshire, England, about six miles south of Chesterfield. It is directly on the A61, the former Roman road Ryknield Street...
, IrchesterIrchesterIrchester is a civil parish and village in the county of Northamptonshire, England. It is about 2 miles south-east of the town of Wellingborough and 2 miles south-west of Rushden, and equidistant from London, south, and Birmingham, to the north-west...
, IlkestonIlkestonIlkeston is a town within the Borough of Erewash, in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the River Erewash, from which the local borough takes its name. Its population at the 2001 census was 37,550...
, Brent CrossBrent CrossBrent Cross is an area of north London, in the London Borough of Barnet. It is located near the A41 Brent Cross Flyover over the A406 North Circular Road. Brent Cross is best known for its shopping centre and the proposed Brent Cross Cricklewood development....
, AmpthillAmpthillAmpthill is a small town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, between Bedford and Luton, with a population of about 6,000. It is administered by Central Bedfordshire Council. A regular market has taken place on Thursdays for centuries.-History:...
. and WixamsWixams railway stationWixams railway station is a proposed railway station on the Midland Main Line for the Wixams new town development in Bedfordshire. The station will be between Bedford and Flitwick.-References:...
.