Roade railway station
Encyclopedia
Roade was a railway station serving the Northamptonshire
village of the same name
on the West Coast Main Line
. Roade Station opened in 1838 as the principal station for Northampton
(which the main line had bypassed), but its importance diminished upon the opening of the Northampton and Peterborough Railway
in 1845. The construction of the Northampton Loop Line in 1875 made Roade a junction station, and it survived until 1964.
(L&B) opened Roade station in 1838 as part of its line from London to Birmingham. Hostility to the railway in Northampton
and steep gradients in the suggested route prevented the line from running through the town and so Roade was announced as its nearest station even though the county town
is some 6 miles (9.7 km) away. It lost this status in 1845 when the L&B opened a branch
linking Northampton and Peterborough
allowing services to run directly into Northampton from Blisworth
. This had an immediate effect on Roade: the refreshment room was removed by 1865, while the daily stopping services fell to seven.
(LNWR) (which had acquired the L&B in 1846) increased the main line to four tracks as far as Roade and then onwards from . The direct route to Rugby was increased to two tracks and a two-track direct main line link to Rugby via Northampton (known as the Northampton Loop Line) was added. This deviates from the L&B line at Roade, running through Northampton to rejoin the main line at Rugby
, where four track running resumed. Roade, by then a junction for fast trains north as well as services through Northampton, saw its facilities considerably enlarged to include three platforms. In 1881, the station was resited 200m to the south of a bridge carrying the Northampton to London road
over the line.
and minerals with the LNWR which was charging as much as £50 per half year for its use. Although the LNWR had refused a request to allow passenger services on the spur, the line did run into a bay platform
at Roade. Sidings
were installed at Roade in 1909 to handle the E&WJR's limestone
traffic. The spur became less important with the formation of the Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway
and the strengthening of the connection with the main line at Blisworth. The spur was eventually closed in May 1917, the southern part being retained as a siding.
, remaining open until 1964. The West Coast Main Line
and Northampton Loop Line were rebuilt as a 25 kV.
overhead electrified route.. Although the platforms have been demolished the ticket office building still survives adjacent to the former station approach.
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,...
village of the same name
Roade
Roade is a village in Northamptonshire, England and in the area of the South Northamptonshire District Council where it is in the two-member Blisworth and Roade ward.-Location:...
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...
. Roade Station opened in 1838 as the principal station for 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...
(which the main line had bypassed), but its importance diminished upon the opening of the Northampton and Peterborough Railway
Northampton and Peterborough Railway
The Northampton and Peterborough Railway was an early railway promoted by the London and Birmingham Railway to run from a junction at Blisworth to Northampton and Peterborough.-Origin:...
in 1845. The construction of the Northampton Loop Line in 1875 made Roade a junction station, and it survived until 1964.
The station for Northampton
The London and Birmingham RailwayLondon 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 ....
(L&B) opened Roade station in 1838 as part of its line from London to Birmingham. Hostility to the railway in 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...
and steep gradients in the suggested route prevented the line from running through the town and so Roade was announced as its nearest station even though the county town
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
is some 6 miles (9.7 km) away. It lost this status in 1845 when the L&B opened a branch
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
linking Northampton and Peterborough
Northampton and Peterborough Railway
The Northampton and Peterborough Railway was an early railway promoted by the London and Birmingham Railway to run from a junction at Blisworth to Northampton and Peterborough.-Origin:...
allowing services to run directly into Northampton from Blisworth
Blisworth railway station
Blisworth railway station was opened by the London and Birmingham Railway in Blisworth, Northamptonshire in 1838.-History:The station was opened on 17 September 1838. In 1845 the L&BR opened their Northampton and Peterborough Railway a line which connected Peterborough and Northampton from a...
. This had an immediate effect on Roade: the refreshment room was removed by 1865, while the daily stopping services fell to seven.
Northampton Loop Line
In 1875, the London and North Western RailwayLondon 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...
(LNWR) (which had acquired the L&B in 1846) increased the main line to four tracks as far as Roade and then onwards from . The direct route to Rugby was increased to two tracks and a two-track direct main line link to Rugby via Northampton (known as the Northampton Loop Line) was added. This deviates from the L&B line at Roade, running through Northampton to rejoin the main line 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...
, where four track running resumed. Roade, by then a junction for fast trains north as well as services through Northampton, saw its facilities considerably enlarged to include three platforms. In 1881, the station was resited 200m to the south of a bridge carrying the Northampton to London road
A508 road
The A508 is a short A-class road for north/south journeys in south central England, forming the route from Market Harborough in Leicestershire, via Northampton, to Old Stratford, north-west of Milton Keynes....
over the line.
East and West Junction Railway
In 1890-91 a new east-west single-track line - the East and West Junction Railway (E&WJR) - was built across Roade and, although there was initially no connection between the two lines, the LNWR agreed to the construction of a single line connecting spur (660 yards (603.5 m) long) which made a junction with its main line on the down side just to the south of Roade station. The spur saw its first use on 13 April 1891 with a goods working. The spur soon became an important means of exchanging coalCoal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
and minerals with the LNWR which was charging as much as £50 per half year for its use. Although the LNWR had refused a request to allow passenger services on the spur, the line did run into a bay platform
Bay platform
Bay platform is a railway-related term commonly used in the UK and Australia to describe a dead-end platform at a railway station that has through lines...
at Roade. Sidings
Rail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
were installed at Roade in 1909 to handle the E&WJR's limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
traffic. The spur became less important with the formation of the Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway
Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway
The Stratford Upon Avon & Midland Junction Railway was a small independent railway company which ran a line across the empty, untouched centre of England. It visited the counties of Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and a little of Buckinghamshire, only existing as the SMJR from 1909 to...
and the strengthening of the connection with the main line at Blisworth. The spur was eventually closed in May 1917, the southern part being retained as a siding.
Closure
Roade station was reprieved from closure in 1959 due to the efforts of local MP Sir Frank MarkhamFrank Markham
Sir Sydney Frank Markham was a British politician, who represented three parties in Parliament.He was elected as a Labour MP at the 1929 general election as MP for Chatham, and defected with Ramsay MacDonald to become a National Labour MP just before standing down at the 1931 general election...
, remaining open until 1964. 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...
and Northampton Loop Line were rebuilt as a 25 kV.
25 kV AC
The 25 kV Alternating current railway electrification system is commonly used in railways worldwide, especially for high-speed rail.-Overview:This electrification system is ideal for railways that cover long distances and/or carry heavy traffic...
overhead electrified route.. Although the platforms have been demolished the ticket office building still survives adjacent to the former station approach.