New Bilton (Rugby) spur - what's it for ?

[Chris Butler]

I noticed a spur on Rail Map Online and my Track Atlas in Rugby that appears to go nowhere, but appears to have track in-situ. Is it still used ? if so, for what ?

The map below shows it. Rugby station is just off the map to the right. the WCML heads north off the top of the map and the main Rugby - Coventry line heads east off the left side of the map. The spur ends in a suburb call New Bilton, and looks like it may have served the cement plant (now Cemex) or maybe the quarry/gravel pit that it is alongside. It does look like if was severed by the new road junction just past its end. Although the track is visible on Google Maps, there is no evidence of any other infrastructure and the line appears quite overgrown.

Would be grateful for info on what it is/was and whether it is actually in service at all.

 

[pdeaves]

The line is the former route to Leamington Spa. This bit was retained to serve the Cemex plant. I don't know what use it has now (if any).

 

[The Planner]

I noticed a spur on Rail Map Online and my Track Atlas in Rugby that appears to go nowhere, but appears to have track in-situ. Is it still used ? if so, for what ?

The map below shows it. Rugby station is just off the map to the right. the WCML heads north off the top of the map and the main Rugby - Coventry line heads east off the left side of the map. The spur ends in a suburb call New Bilton, and looks like it may have served the cement plant (now Cemex) or maybe the quarry/gravel pit that it is alongside. It does look like if was severed by the new road junction just past its end. Although the track is visible on Google Maps, there is no evidence of any other infrastructure and the line appears quite overgrown.

Would be grateful for info on what it is/was and whether it is actually in service at all.

It has no use at the moment, but will in the next year or so as it will be used for HS2 spoil trains. The Q paths are already in the timetable and RealtimeTrains.

 

[matt]

It has no use at the moment, but will in the next year or so as it will be used for HS2 spoil trains. The Q paths are already in the timetable and RealtimeTrains.

I'd spotted the paths and wondered what they were for. I'd assumed the opposite and was thinking it was for cement for HS2 coming out if the works.

 

[59CosG95]

I'd spotted the paths and wondered what they were for. I'd assumed the opposite and was thinking it was for cement for HS2 coming out if the works.

I don't know about much else of the project, but certainly the Chiltern Tunnel S Portal/Colne Valley Viaduct worksite has its own concrete plant on site, allowing for the tunnel rings, viaduct piers, viaduct deck etc. to be be built in situ, minimising the amount of HGV use and almost completely removing the risk factor.

 

[RT4038]

The line is the former route to Leamington Spa. This bit was retained to serve the Cemex plant. I don't know what use it has now (if any).

The line was rehabilitated for an abortive plan to serve the cement works with incoming material to power the kilns. However, a new estate of houses was built next to the proposed terminal (on the east side) and planning permission was never going to be granted.

As explained above, the line is now to be used for HS2 spoil trains - the disused quarry (owned by the cement company) , is going to be filled by this spoil, hopefully eliminating this danger point.
Maybe the cement company could use this in the future for a loading/unloading point, away from the houses?

 

[Chris Butler]

It has no use at the moment, but will in the next year or so as it will be used for HS2 spoil trains. The Q paths are already in the timetable and RealtimeTrains.

Thanks.

 

[Elecman]

It was used by Jarvis during the WCML improvementbworks, the Track Renewal Train was stabled there

 

[MarkyT]

The line is the former route to Leamington Spa. This bit was retained to serve the Cemex plant. I don't know what use it has now (if any).

Much of the Rugby - Leamington route survived as far as a siding connection to Southam Cement Works and it's associated quarry (sometimes known as Long Itchington Works) until 1985. The cement plant was demolished in 2011/12 while the Quarry is still active supplying material to the facility at Rugby (by road).

Southam Cement Works

 

[Bald Rick]

It was used by Jarvis during the WCML improvementbworks, the Track Renewal Train was stabled there

Is the right answer.

 

[DarloRich]

Was it also used for coal supplies to the cement works?

 

[RT4038]

Was it also used for coal supplies to the cement works?

No. That was the plan, but failed to get planning permission for the unloading facility, due to the new estate of housing built on the east side of the line. IIRC the planning application was withdrawn when it was obvious there was no chance of it being granted.

 

[DarloRich]

No. That was the plan, but failed to get planning permission for the unloading facility, due to the new estate of housing built on the east side of the line. IIRC the planning application was withdrawn when it was obvious there was no chance of it being granted.

thanks - I didn't know that. Hardy a surprise it wasn't pushed forward as that development backs onto the line!

 

[Grich]

There used to be a rail connection from the spur directly into the cement works via a level crossing across Parkfield Road. That was last used in the early-1990s when the cement works stopped using rail transport. The track connection was removed when the cement works was rebuilt in the late-90s, but the track on the level crossing was still present until about ten years ago when the road layout was rebuilt to accommodate the Western Relief Road.

As stated before, the spur is the only remaining part of the Rugby to Leamington Spa route, there's a wiki article about it here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby–Leamington_line. I think they renewed the track about 15-20 years ago in anticipation that it might see further use for the cement plant, but that never materialised. It's quite daft really that there's a massive cement works with a railway line next to it but no connection between the two!

 

[CrispyUK]

There is a footpath crossing the line at the south eastern corner of the disused quarry. These photos are from around 18 months ago. The line is pretty clear between this point and the mainline, so I imagine this is the section that was (still is?) used as a siding. The section alongside the southern edge of the quarry was somewhat more overgrown!