Apologies if this has been posted before but does anyone know if this line is still in use,the rails look a bit rusty [technical I know] as if they have not had anthing running over them for a while and also has there ever been any discussion on reopening this line to passenger traffic,it does pass through a couple of large towns I suupose.Thank you.
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Leicester - Burton line.
- Thread starter L.E.Rover
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It most certainly is! I'm at Rugby with Freightliner (Heavyhaul) and the main part of our work is the aggregates traffic out of Bardon Hill and Cliffe Hill (aka Stud farm) quarries. Nearly all of it goes down the branch towards Leicester but occasionally diversions via Burton / Stenson Junction / Water Orton are neccessary.
There's been talk of running passengers along the branch for some time but the line will need some seriously expensive upgrading to allow it to happen, or even to make it worthwhile in the long run. The single line section from Knighton Junction to Bagworth Junction is a major fly in the ointment for starters, as is a local councillor who lives right next to Kirby Muxloe Crossing who doesn't want anything to run on the branch at all, let alone passenger trains (which his tax paying public transport loving neighbours do, so I'm led to believe...).
On a good night we usually have four or five booked trains out of the quarries, destined for Harlow Mill, Westbury, Angerstein Wharf, Bow and Thorney Mill. There's also some workings by EWS / DBS / whatever they're called this week!
Most nights, to run round at Bardon Hill before departing down the branch, we have to take the loco up to Coalville and Mantle Lane, crossover and come back.
Nidge
yes as far as I know. aggregate trains from Bardon use the line still saw one at Desford the other week, Also NWR were working on the line at Kirby Muxloe on tuesday
In regards to passenger trains. It has run specials in the past including the infamous shuttles to Coalville mantle lane in the 80s, one of which i managed to go on once, on an old multiple slam door DMU. I believe mining subsidence is one of the major hurdles on restoring it to decent line speed for passenger stock especially past Coalvill to Burton where one bit is known as the Alps due to the switchback nature, plus pathing issues around Leicester Knighton junction (the second tunnel bore is trackless under Freemans common)
It was championed to open as part of the new Ivanhoe line, but only the Nottingham to Leics section with intermediate stops at new stations of Barrow, Sileby and Syston was completed (effectively for now just new stations and some rolling stock and pathing)
True would make a good commuter line now NW leics has lost its traditional industry and relies on commutes to Leicester for work but cant see any money being put forward in todays climate
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It most certainly is! I'm at Rugby with Freightliner (Heavyhaul) and the main part of our work is the aggregates traffic out of Bardon Hill and Cliffe Hill (aka Stud farm) quarries. Nearly all of it goes down the branch towards Leicester but occasionally diversions via Burton / Stenson Junction / Water Orton are neccessary.
There's been talk of running passengers along the branch for some time but the line will need some seriously expensive upgrading to allow it to happen, or even to make it worthwhile in the long run. The single line section from Knighton Junction to Bagworth Junction is a major fly in the ointment for starters, as is a local councillor who lives right next to Kirby Muxloe Crossing who doesn't want anything to run on the branch at all, let alone passenger trains (which his tax paying public transport loving neighbours do, so I'm led to believe...).
On a good night we usually have four or five booked trains out of the quarries, destined for Harlow Mill, Westbury, Angerstein Wharf, Bow and Thorney Mill. There's also some workings by EWS / DBS / whatever they're called this week!
Most nights, to run round at Bardon Hill before departing down the branch, we have to take the loco up to Coalville and Mantle Lane, crossover and come back.
Nidge
sorry
must have been penning mine when you posted yours which was what i was saying LOL
was on the money
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Must have passed each other in the ether!
I should also have mentioned the other major obstacle in running passenger services from Leicester to Burton via the branch..... the northern chord of the 'Knighton triangle' was removed in the '80s when the colour light signalling replaced the seamphores in the Leicester area, and a bloody great warehouse has been built on the track bed......so there is now no direct access from onto the branch at that end without reversing at Knighton Junction which is impracticle as it's already a bottleneck.
Nidge
I should also have mentioned the other major obstacle in running passenger services from Leicester to Burton via the branch..... the northern chord of the 'Knighton triangle' was removed in the '80s when the colour light signalling replaced the seamphores in the Leicester area, and a bloody great warehouse has been built on the track bed......so there is now no direct access from onto the branch at that end without reversing at Knighton Junction which is impracticle as it's already a bottleneck.
Nidge
Kneedown
Established Member
I remember from my Toton days a lovely big dip in the line on a right hand bend at Moira. With a 56/8 and 36 Haa's you had to slow down to about 5 or 10mph just before it, and go through with a little power on to stretch your train out then give it some more to keep it stretched, otherwise you'd get one helluva snatch! Hard to do when the line speed was 20mph.
Thanks chaps,I knew could rely on someone to inform me,didn't realise there was no northern access onto the Leicester line or that subsidence cut the speed,I guess in todays economic reality its just a pipe dream to expect funding for this project but if the goverment are so keen on cutting down car journeys why don't they support projects like this?,I know,I know now I'm being naive.
Shrub Hill
Member
i live about 3 miles from coalville and the line would be a welcome boost if it ever came about, the last report in the local paper for it being sidelined was to do with the 20 + million it would take to upgrade the line and not the daily running costs which would pay for themselves, public transport around this area is not the best, my first bus to leicester leaves at 9 30 and last one back is about 3, it takes an hour to do a 20 min journey by car, if i want to leave earlier or come back later it is a trip into coalville where i can also catch a bus, pretty much means all journeys are by car, again i have only once seen a train north of coalville in the last 6 years and as far as i am aware there are no regular workings at all, although there was a rake of hoppers in mantle lane last week, no idea where they came from,
Those wagons at Mantle Lane would have been tripped up from Bardon Hill, we've been quite busy there this week and with only five roads in the 'exchange' sidings it can get a bit cramped, so we take one set up the line to get them out of the way for a bit. Trains still do occasionally go out northwards towards Burton but usually at night, which explains why you haven't seen any. As the speed is currently only 20mph up there it's doubtful you would have heard them passing either.
Hope that helps,
Nidge
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It looks like 'something' is happening but nobody seems to know what exactly..... a new footbridge was erected next to the old Midland one at Bagworth Junction recently and the P/Way guys have started clearing the vegatation from the banks all the way up the branch from the Leicester end. We'll have to see what transpires.....
Nidge
On Thursday afternoon I saw a Freightliner waiting at Wigston jct with what looked like 100 ton Bardon Aggregates tanks, I didn't know they had tanks for aggregates.
When passing Knighton jct I noticed a Freightliner van trackside, I'm not sure if it was for a crew change or maybe to help with a run round.
When passing Knighton jct I noticed a Freightliner van trackside, I'm not sure if it was for a crew change or maybe to help with a run round.
Are you sure they were tanks you saw at Wigston..... not all of our stone wagons have the same shaped hopper...... we certainly don't carry the stone in tanks anyway! As well as hoppers, we have the large green high sided open box wagons on a few jobs, such as the Mountsorrel - Luton and Stud Farm - Westbury runs.
The van you saw would have belonged to one of the Bardon Shunters, waiting to run round the 'Harlow Mill' most likely.
Nidge
Hmmm, 15.05 hrs..... not sure what that could be.... none of our regular jobs would be at Wiggy at that time of day unless it was a special. Doubtful it would be one of the regular jobs running early either, there's the 'Thorney Mill' which we relieve at Bedford around 14.30 and the 'Angerstein' which we relive at Acton around 14.35 so doubt it's either of those two.
I'm intruiged now!
Nidge
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I'm intruiged now!
Nidge
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