Recently cleared trackbed of old line under Junction 19 M1 Catthorpe

[Jenny Emily]

I've noticed over the last few weeks that the old long disused trackbed of the line that used to pass under the M1 at junction 19 has been cleared. It does not appear to be connected with the junction improvements as it is away from where all the new slip roads are being constructed. From what I can tell the clearance does not extend as far back as where the line once crossed the A5.

 

Looking over the parapet of the M1 the clearance is quite neat and follows the line of where the northern of the tracks would have once gone. The steel girder bridge over the River Avon beneath the motorway has also been cleared of detritus and looks to have seen a lot of vehicles (tractors? Diggers?) passing over it as the ground is quite churned up.

 

Has anybody any idea what is actually going on here?

[PhilJ W]

I think we would have heard if the line was being reinstated, more likely it is to become a footpath or cycleway.

[jamie92208]

Looking at Streetmap I presume that this is the old Rugby to Market harborough line which I think was LNWR.   I've certainly not heard of any reopening scheme.  Perhaps the trackbed is being used for some sort of utility such as a pipeline.

 

Jamie

[chrisf]

There is much bucketing and spading going on at Junction 19.  The objective may be to make a better junction between A14, M1 and M6.  I've not been that way since returning home from Warley so I do not know how well or otherwise the work is progressing.

 

Chris

[Jenny Emily]

The work on improving the junction is all taking place north of the river Avon viaduct, under which the former rail line passed. The work is progressing with a while myriad of bridge supports for what promises to be a nice free-flowing junction. I still haven't worked out what designation the first few miles of the A14 will become. It is my understanding that it will no longer have any connection to the unclassified road that used to go under Catthorpe, and therefore logically must become a motorway designated road (as there will be no escape route for non-motorway vehicles). Whether this means that it will become a continuation of the M6 (to junction 0), the M14 or the A14(M) I really don't know.

['CHARD]

Well that line is categorically not being reinstated: this intact section is one of the few - it's obliterated by reclamation and the A14 on the level to the east, and cutting infilling, reclamation and bridge removal to the west of Lilbourne station, which sits in the shadow of the motorway viaduct.

 

On Google Maps, here:

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=52.3954,-1.176&q=52.3954,-1.176&hl=en&t=m&z=15

[CovDriver]

Slightly off topic but Lilbourne station is currently up for sale my best mates brother has totally refurbished the station and now he's selling it not sure on the price but I wish I had the money ?

 

Cheers 

 

Cov Guard

[Jenny Emily]

I noticed yesterday that something similar is happening near Oldham on the former line from Middleton junction where it passes under the A663 'Broadway'. All the trees and scrub have been cleared and the ground appears to have been graded. Certainly the next accomodation overbridge to the west is now very visible again. The clearance work passes under the A663 but then ends at the playing fields and there is a compound and access for earth moving vehicles.

 

Again, no idea why this is being done. There were calls at one point to reconnect Oldham to the heavy rail network via this branch, though I doubt it was ever a completely serious suggestion because of the building work that has gone on over the trackbed before it reached the Oldham loop line. Certainly though it might have been handy to reuse Oldham Mumps as a mainline station now the tram network has abandoned the route through the tunnels in favour of getting stuck in traffic at street level through the centre of Oldham. This route was also quite severely graded, though it did survive into the 1980s as a connection further west from the A663 into a household coal yard IIRC. The bridge over the canal at Middleton junction is gone though, presumably a very early casualty as soon as the connection to the coal yard was closed.