Oddities around Leicester

[Leicester Thumper]

Hello everyone.

 

Been a while again since I was significantly around this group.

 

Seeing as I live in Leicester there are some famous railway lines and stations which are sadly no longer with us.

 

This particular thread deals with the oddities rather than whole entire lines, so this will include some disused stations.

 

There will be snippits from some closed lines in this thread but Hope to do an end to end route exploration as and when time allows.

 

The lines I hope to cover include the Leicester and Swannington Railway (in full length), The Great Central Railway London Extension (Leicestershire part only) and all being well, the Leicester to Rugby line (via Countesthorpe) and the Market Harborough to Northampton line (which may take longer, as I need to rely on public transport and my legs!)

 

So I will keep updating this thread, the weather has been dismal all day today and I had planned doing some of this today

 

EDIT: being the plonker I am, Forgot to say, also doing the GNR line from Leicester, which went to the east coast.

Edited August 4, 2012 by Leicester Thumper

[roundhouse]

Coincidentally we went to Loughborough today and took the Great Central to Leicester North. We walked from there into Leicester and there are the odd bit of line still left alongside the road. Look forward to your posts

 

Ian

[pete_mcfarlane]

EDIT: being the plonker I am, Forgot to say, also doing the GNR line from Leicester, which went to the east coast.

I'm not sure about the Leicester part of the line, but large chunks of it in the Vale of Belvoir are still walkable.

 

The GN &LNW joint railway is fascinating, if rather unsuccessful, railway system. Leicester Belgrave road itself seems to have ended up with just two trains a day to Grantham. Wikipedia have some of the timetables, which show just how slow the trains were on this line!

Edited August 4, 2012 by pete_mcfarlane

[Leicester Thumper]

Coincidentally we went to Loughborough today and took the Great Central to Leicester North. We walked from there into Leicester and there are the odd bit of line still left alongside the road. Look forward to your posts

 

Ian

 

Ah brilliant, yes, I know where you mean, that bit for me is mega easy to do as it isn't too far from where I live, it's just a 20 min gentle cycle ride.

 

I live nearer to Leicester shed (GCR) which later became Vic Berry's scrap yard, that area has gone under extensive remodelling over the last 15 years so I can't wait to document that bit.

 

I'm not sure about the Leicester part of the line, but large chunks of it in the Vale of Belvoir are still walkable.

 

The GN &LNW joint railway is fascinating, if rather unsuccessful, railway system. Leicester Belgrave road itself seems to have ended up with just two trains a day to Grantham. Wikipedia have some of the timetables, which show just how slow the trains were on this line!

 

That line is quite close to my heart actually. My darling grandma used to live at Ingarsby station. The family were relocated there during the war as their house in Coventry (two doors down from the cathedral) was subsequently bombed by the Nazi's.

 

a local photographer took lots of photo's of the line in the 1960's before the line closed, the photographer blew up the images onto a board, of which we own four of them. Two of them were taken at Ingarsby Station. One with the station name board and the second without, after some crafty devil took it! (It's someone we know but they won't reveal themselves to us, We just want to know the story behind it, sounds fun!)

[dagrizz]

Bruce,

 

I've been exploring much of the ex-MR Rugby-Wigston line in recent months and taking lots of photos. I intend to put them up on this forum when RMweb server issues are resolved.

 

Regards

 

Graham

[Leicester Thumper]

Bruce,

 

I've been exploring much of the ex-MR Rugby-Wigston line in recent months and taking lots of photos. I intend to put them up on this forum when RMweb server issues are resolved.

 

Regards

 

Graham

 

Hi Graham,

 

Brilliant, thank you very much and yes I can't wait for these server problems to be over either!

 

kudos to Andy though.

 

anyway, I look forward to your information and photos

[Leicester Thumper]

Now I'm bloody confused!

 

Planned everything out to explore the Leicester and Swannington (Hopefully) as far as Desford Junction. In the process my 10 year old OS map has come in extremely handy.

 

However, I am now severely confused. Whilst marking up the maps for days 2 and 3 I looked at Narborough station, Just south of the station (which is still in use on the Leicester - Birmingham line) there is a spur off which is now disused and the tracks taken up. the spur curves round to a north or north east direction, nips about a mile or two up then completely vanishes!

 

Can't find a single mention of it on the internet, which is something.

 

what do you think?

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps?q=52.568649,-1.211265&ll=52.568682,-1.210577&spn=0.00763,0.01929&num=1&t=h&z=16

[andyrush]

Now I'm bloody confused!

 

Planned everything out to explore the Leicester and Swannington (Hopefully) as far as Desford Junction. In the process my 10 year old OS map has come in extremely handy.

 

However, I am now severely confused. Whilst marking up the maps for days 2 and 3 I looked at Narborough station, Just south of the station (which is still in use on the Leicester - Birmingham line) there is a spur off which is now disused and the tracks taken up. the spur curves round to a north or north east direction, nips about a mile or two up then completely vanishes!

 

Can't find a single mention of it on the internet, which is something.

 

what do you think?

 

https://www.google.c...&num=1&t=h&z=16

 

Enderby branch, Joint LNW/MR, 2m 31ch long

 

Andy

[Leicester Thumper]

Enderby branch, Joint LNW/MR, 2m 31ch long

 

Andy

 

Ah that would explain it!

 

None of my small local books mention it... which does surprise me.

 

thanks!

[Campaman]

If doing Market Harborough to Nothampton bring your bike, its a nice ride along the Brampton Valley Way, you will need your lights though for the two tunnels.

 

Also some interesting disused stuff around Harborough as well as the Nothampton line, there was the Rugby line and the branch that went out down the Welland Valley to Peterborough.

 

Also at the end of the Enderby branch the Quarry Lane is a bit of a give away as the line also served Enderby Warren Quarry.

Edited September 7, 2012 by Campaman

[farren]

Have you given up on this thread as it's over 12 months since your last update?

[wilko]

Hello all,

Came across this thread via google and thought I would join your excellent forum.

 

I am researching a circular walk commencing at Glen Parva  and following the Great Central south to where it intersects with the Rugby line coming from South Wigston and returning by the Canal Towpath.

 

Is there anyone with information about the accessibility of the rugby line is it walkable ?

 

Any help welcome, 

 

Paul