Rugby Central Railway Station
Encyclopedia
Rugby Central was a railway station serving Rugby
in Warwickshire
on the former Great Central Main Line
which opened in 1899
and closed in 1969
.
It competed with the existing West Coast Main Line
route for traffic to London which had served Rugby since the 1830s at Rugby Midland Station
, which still exists, but since the closure of Rugby Central has reverted to its original name of "Rugby".
and Hull
.
The station was run by the Great Central Railway
from 1899 until it was grouped
into the London and North Eastern Railway
in 1923. It then came under the management of British Railways in 1948.
Rugby Central was roughly midway along the Great Central Main Line (GCML) and was a stopping point for express services as well as a changeover point for local services. Until the early 1960s the station was served by about six London – Manchester expresses daily, and was the terminus for local services from or to the south, and Leicester Central or Nottingham Victoria from the north.. The line was then run down and the express services were removed, leaving only the local services and an infrequent semi-fast service to London.
Most of the GCML was closed on 5 September 1966
under Reshaping of British Railways
. On this date, the line south of Rugby Central and north of Nottingham Victoria was closed. The section between Rugby Central and Nottingham (initially Nottingham Victoria, later cut back to ) remained open as self-contained branch carrying a DMU
operated local passenger service until 3 May 1969; the station formally closed on 5 May.
which was 600 feet (182.9 m) long.
The booking office was at street level, built onto the side of the road bridge over the railway with the platform below. The platform was accessed by a covered staircase from the booking office. On the platform there were three waiting rooms and a toilet block, which was the only building not covered by the canopy.
On the preserved Great Central Railway
in Leicestershire
, the preserved station is a similar design to the former Rugby Central.
The station buildings were demolished after closure, although the platform still exists. Rugby Borough Council bought the whole of the former Great Central Railway trackbed through Rugby in 1970, and it is now a nature walk called the Great Central Way.
The former goods yard was west of the station, and was used as a timber yard until the mid 1990s when houses were built on it.
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...
in 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 former 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...
which opened in 1899
1899 in rail transport
- February events :* February 9 – Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway purchases the Minneapolis, New Ulm and Southern.- March events :* March 12 – Southern Railway in the United States inaugurates the Piedmont Limited passenger train service....
and closed in 1969
1969 in rail transport
-January events:* January – The PATCO Hi-Speedline, in southeastern Pennsylvania, opens.* January 5 – Last trains over the Waverley Route from Edinburgh in Scotland to Carlisle in England.- February events :...
.
It competed with the existing 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...
route for traffic to London which had served Rugby since the 1830s at Rugby Midland 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...
, which still exists, but since the closure of Rugby Central has reverted to its original name of "Rugby".
History
The station was opened on 15 March 1899. It had services between and via , and . As well as various cross country services to places such as SouthamptonSouthampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
and Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
.
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
from 1899 until it was grouped
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
into the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
in 1923. It then came under the management of British Railways in 1948.
Rugby Central was roughly midway along the Great Central Main Line (GCML) and was a stopping point for express services as well as a changeover point for local services. Until the early 1960s the station was served by about six London – Manchester expresses daily, and was the terminus for local services from or to the south, and Leicester Central or Nottingham Victoria from the north.. The line was then run down and the express services were removed, leaving only the local services and an infrequent semi-fast service to London.
Most of the GCML was closed on 5 September 1966
1966 in rail transport
-January events:* January - GM introduces the EMD SD40.* January - GE introduces the GE U28B.* January 3 - British Rail begins full electric passenger services over the West Coast Main Line from Euston to Manchester and Liverpool with 100 mph operation from London to Rugby...
under Reshaping of British Railways
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...
. On this date, the line south of Rugby Central and north of Nottingham Victoria was closed. The section between Rugby Central and Nottingham (initially Nottingham Victoria, later cut back to ) remained open as self-contained branch carrying a DMU
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
operated local passenger service until 3 May 1969; the station formally closed on 5 May.
Buildings and situation
Rugby Central was situated on Hillmorton Road roughly half a mile east of the town centre. It was much smaller and less important than Midland Station. Rugby Central was built to the standard Great Central design with a single island platformIsland platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
which was 600 feet (182.9 m) long.
The booking office was at street level, built onto the side of the road bridge over the railway with the platform below. The platform was accessed by a covered staircase from the booking office. On the platform there were three waiting rooms and a toilet block, which was the only building not covered by the canopy.
On the preserved Great Central Railway
Great Central Railway (preserved)
The Great Central Railway is a heritage railway split into two adjacent sections, one in Leicestershire and the other Nottinghamshire.The Leicestershire section is currently Britain's only double track mainline heritage railway, with of working double track, period signalling, locomotives and...
in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, the preserved station is a similar design to the former Rugby Central.
The site today
The former goods yard was west of the station, and was used as a timber yard until the mid 1990s when houses were built on it.
External links
- London to Warwickshire railways - Includes old photographs of Rugby Central.
- Rugby Central railway station on Subterranea Britannica.