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Loughborough LNW & GC link

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MisterSheeps

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There is an intriguing comment in Forgotten Railways : The East Midlands (P Howard Anderson, David & Charles, 1973) " ... a scheme mooted at the turn of the century [1900] would, if carried out, have led to considerable activity. A link between Shepshed [LNW] and the Great Central line north of Loughborough might have resulted in some interesting cross country train workings." My comments in [ ] for clarity!

It is difficult to see why this would be of advantage, the LNW line to Coalville was sinuously built on an old canal, the LNW had access to the South Yorkshire, Notts & Derbyshire coalfield via traffic agreements with the GC, GN & the GN / LNW joint line to Welham, the GC had the Woodford Halse - Banbury link, more use could have been made of the GN link from Basford to Burton on Trent, a link could have been made south of Leicester to the LNW Wigston - Nuneaton line

Does anyone know more?
 
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Stathern Jc

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There is an intriguing comment in Forgotten Railways : The East Midlands (P Howard Anderson, David & Charles, 1973) " ... a scheme mooted at the turn of the century [1900] would, if carried out, have led to considerable activity. A link between Shepshed [LNW] and the Great Central line north of Loughborough might have resulted in some interesting cross country train workings." My comments in [ ] for clarity!

It is difficult to see why this would be of advantage,

An interesting thought.
"East Midlands Branch Line Album" (Anthony J Lambert, Ian Allan,1978), has a photo of the LNWR shed at Loughborough with the caption:
"The LNW saw their Loughborough branch as a feeder to the joint lint to Nuneaton [M & LNW]. They evidently saw good prospects for goods traffic and tourist excursions (Grace Dieu Priory) as this four road shed was provided at Loughborough. Photographed in 1936, five years after passenger serviced ceased.

No reference to an extension to connect to the GC, but a four road shed at the end of a relatively short branch does seem very generous.
When the GC reached Loughborough the possibility of a link to the Nottinghamshire coal traffic would no doubt have been attractive to the LNWR. I wonder whether this might have been seen as perhaps replacing much of its' use of the GN & LNWR Joint which would have seemed a long way round to get from Northampton to Colwick and the Nottingham area.

As regards cross country traffic. I'm not aware of there ever having been a significant amount from Newark and beyond via Bottesford South and Melton to get to the LNWR's own territory, and as you say, once the Woodford Halse to Banbury link opened it's not clear how much would have turned off at Loughborough. Maybe a link at Rugby would have been more useful. Definitey simpler?
Also, spare capacity on the line could have been a factor if the GC thought they would able to make full use of it themselves.
 
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Western Sunset

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The LNW branch to Loughborough really was a backwater. Heavy re-engineering and realignment would've been needed to make it fit for any sort of through traffic. Any noises from the various railway companies of that period were probably more about stacking out their own territory.
 

MisterSheeps

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I had given up on getting any reply to this, thanks both. :D In the meantime I bought George Dow's history of the GC, in which he mentions (vol 3, p111) the interest of the LNW (1906 parliamentary session) for a connection; the GC were not averse but wanted a flying junction for up trains to the branch, which the LNW didn't want to pay for!

Interestingly, there was a connection to the Leicester - Nuneaton line put in for construction materials, but was disconnected on completion. Also that the MR offered their Lecester - Rugby branch (little used after their London extension) to the GC, who weren't keen because of it's level crossings, but would have made Rugby connections much simpler.

I'm not aware of there ever having been a significant amount from Newark and beyond via Bottesford South and Melton to get to the LNWR's own territory,
I have the RCTS history of the GN lines in the East Midlands, collectively one of the best railways books I have read. The GN/LNW Jt line seemed to have been partly coal & beer for London, and to open up the Jurassic ironstone around Waltham ... it is quiet lonely country even now. The quoted WTT has a few through services (NER to LNW), but agreed, the N-S leg of the Bottesford junctions seems to have been underused. As with many places the heyday seems to have been WW2 traffic.
 
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Helvellyn

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Also that the MR offered their Lecester - Rugby branch (little used after their London extension) to the GC, who weren't keen because of it's level crossings, but would have made Rugby connections much simpler.
You'd have thought replacing level crossings with road over/under bridges would have been cheaper than building a whole new line. Wonder if the MR wanted an extortionate price?
 

Bevan Price

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I'm in San Francisco until next w/e, can't look at Dow, but i believe the MR were keen to get rid of it; maybe it didn't suit the GC alignment south of Leicester, but agreed it would have been easier.
I can find no mention in Dow's GCR History of about GCR taking over the MR Rugby - Leicester line. However, Volume 2 does show a proposed (but never built) connection from the LNWR Rugby - Market Harborough / Peterborough line to the GCR line North East of Rugby.
 

MisterSheeps

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I can find no mention in Dow's GCR History of about GCR taking over the MR Rugby - Leicester line
quote from Dow vol 2 p244 talking about the parliamentary opposition to the proposed London Extension : "Even the Midland, with whose Chairman Watkin continued to exchange sarcastic correspondence, offered to withdraw its opposition if the MS & L cared to run over its little-used Leicester-Rugby line instead of building a new road between these places."
 
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