Everything about The Midland Main Line totally explained
The
Midland Main Line is a major railway line in the
United Kingdom, part of the
British railway system.
The 'Modern' line links
London St. Pancras International to
Sheffield Midland station in northern
England via
Luton,
Bedford,
Kettering,
Leicester,
Derby,
Nottingham and
Chesterfield.
Historically the line has extended further north to
Manchester in the north west,
Leeds in the north east and trains through to both
Glasgow and
Edinburgh in
Scotland. The straighter east coast main line initially saw the demise of midland trains to Leeds and ultimately Scotland due to the longer journey times. Later, electrification of the west coast mainline and the Beeching cuts, saw Manchester trains withdrawn from the midland and transferred to the west coast.
Network Rail engineers started work to build a new station,
East Midlands Parkway between Loughborough and Trent Junction, to serve
East Midlands Airport in
December 2007.
Express passenger services on the line are operated by the
East Midlands Mainline train operating company (toc). The section between St Pancras and Bedford is electrified and forms the northern half of the
Thameslink suburban service (operated by
First Capital Connect), which provides a through service from Bedford to
Brighton.
The northern part of the route between Derby and Sheffield is shared with
CrossCountry, whilst the route between Sheffield and Leeds is shared with, Northern, Transpenine Express and National Express East Coast.
East Midlands Connect also operates regional and local services between Nottingham and Leicester / Derby / Sheffield.
History
The Midland Main Line was built in stages between the
1830s and the
1860s, as three lines which met at the
Tri Junct Station in
Derby.
First to arrive was the line built by the
Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway from
Hampton-in-Arden,
Warwickshire (on the
London and Birmingham Railway) to
Derby, which opened on the
12 August 1839. This section is now known as the
Cross-Country Route through
Birmingham to
Bristol.
This was followed on
1 July,
1840 by the
North Midland Railway, which ran from Derby to
Leeds Hunslet Lane Station via
Chesterfield,
Swinton,
Masborough, near Rotherham (from where the
Sheffield and Rotherham Railway ran a branch to
Sheffield Wicker Station), and
Normanton. This avoided
Sheffield,
Barnsley, and
Wakefield in order to reduce gradients.
On the same day the
Midland Counties Railway, which ran from Derby and
Nottingham to
Leicester Campbell Street, was extended from
Leicester to a temporary station on the northern outskirts of
Rugby. A few months later, the Rugby viaduct was finished and the Midland Counties Railway reached the London and Birmingham's
Rugby Station. This cut 11 miles off the B&DJR route via Hampton-in-Arden.
When these three companies merged to form the
Midland Railway on
10 May 1844, the Midland didn't have its own route to London, and relied upon a junction at
Rugby with the London and Birmingham's line (which became part of the
London and North Western Railway on
1 January,
1846) to
London Euston for access to the capital.
By the 1850s the junction at Rugby had become severely congested, and so the Midland Railway constructed a route from Leicester to
Hitchin on the
Great Northern Railway, via
Bedford. The line avoids
Northampton, a medium town south of
Leicester, instead going via
Kettering and
Wellingborough in the east of
Northamptonshire. This line met with similar problems at Hitchin as the former alignment had at Rugby, so in 1868 a line was opened from Bedford via Luton to
London St Pancras.
The final stretch of what is considered to be the modern Midland Main Line was a short cut-off from Chesterfield through Sheffield, which opened in 1870.
Also part of the line as defined by
Network Rail, is the
Erewash Valley Line,
Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line,
Oakham to Kettering Line and sections of the
Nottingham to Lincoln Line (as far east as Newark) and
Birmingham to Peterborough Line (between Nuneaton and Oakham).
Partly to appease the concerns and opposition of landowners along the route, in places some of it was built to avoid large estates and rural towns, and to reduce construction costs the railways followed natural contours, resulting in many curves and bends. This has also resulted in the MML passing through some of the hillier areas of the British mainland, such as Sharnbrook (where there's a 1 in 119 gradient from the south taking the line to 340 feet above sea level). This has left a legacy of lower maximum speeds on the line compared to the other main lines. The solution to similar problems on the
West Coast Main Line has been the adoption of
tilting trains,
Class 390 Pendolino trains introduced by
Virgin in 2003.
By 1982, the line had undergone
electrification from Moorgate as far north as Bedford. The introduction of the High Speed Train
HST during the 1980s brought about an increase of the ruling linespeed on the fast lines from 90mph to 110mph.
Between 2001 and 2003 the section of the Midland Main Line between
Derby and
Sheffield was upgraded from 100mph to 110mph as part of
Operation Princess, the Virgin Cross Country route upgrade.
Many plans have been drawn up only later to be dropped in a bid to improve speed and journey times, although more recently with investment easier to come by the line looks set to benefit from 125mph running on extended stretches, improved signalling, increased number of tracks and possible electrification further north .
Operators
The principal operator is
East Midlands Trains, which replaced
Midland Mainline on
11 November 2007. Other operators include:
Route definition and description
The cities, towns and villages served by the MML are listed below. Those in bold are served by fast
InterCity services. Be aware this section details the original line to Manchester (where it linked to the West Coast Main Line) and Carlisle (via Leeds where it meets with the 'modern' East Coast Main Line).
Network Rail group all lines in the East Midlands and the route north as far as Chesterfield and south to London as route 19. The actual line extends beyond this into routes 10 and 11.
London to Trent Junction
London St Pancras
Kentish Town
West Hampstead
Cricklewood
- Cricklewood Depot sidings
Hendon
Mill Hill Broadway
Elstree & Borehamwood
Radlett
St Albans City
Harpenden
Luton Airport Parkway
Luton Midland Road
Leagrave
Harlington
Flitwick
Bedford Midland
Sharnbrook Tunnel (slow line only)
Wellingborough Midland Road
Kettering
Market Harborough
Leicester London Road
Syston
Sileby
Barrow-upon-Soar
- Loughborough South Junction for non Network Rail line to Ruddington
Loughborough Midland
(East Midlands Parkway - under construction)
At Trent South Junction, the line splits into three, with lines to Derby, Nottingham and Erewash Valley
Trent Junction to Clay Cross Junction via Derby
Sheet Stores Junction
Long Eaton
Spondon
- London Road Junction for Derby to Birmingham line
Derby
Duffield
Belper
- Toadmoor Tunnel
- Wingfield Tunnel
Ambergate Junction to Manchester
This is no longer considered part of the Midland Main Line: see Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
The line was once the Midland Railway's route from London St Pancras to Manchester, branching at Ambergate Junction along the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway, now known as the Derwent Valley Line.
In days gone by, it featured named expresses such as The Palatine. Much later in the twentieth century, it carried the Midland Pullman.
Amber Gate
Watstandwell
- Whatstandwell Tunnel
- Lea Wood Tunnel
Cromford
Matlock Bath
- High Tor No.1 Tunnel
- High Tor No.1A Tunnel
- High Tor No.2 Tunnel
- Holt Lane Tunnel
Matlock
Darley
Rowsley
Bakewell
Hassop
Longstone
Monsal Dale
Millers Dale
(Blackwell Mill)
(Buxton)
Peak Forest
Chapel-en-le-Frith
Chinley
Bugsworth
New Mills
Strines
Marple
Romiley
Bredbury
Brinnington
Reddish North
Ryder Brow
Belle Vue
Stockport (Teviot Dale)
Manchester Central
This line was closed in the 1960s between Matlock and Buxton, severing an important link between Manchester and the East Midlands, which has never been satisfactorily replaced by any mode of transport. A section of the route remains in the hands of the Peak Rail preservation group, operating between Matlock and Rowsley to the north.
Trent Junction to Clay Cross Junction via Erewash Valley Line
Langley Mill
Alfreton
Trent Junction to Nottingham
Attenborough
Beeston
Nottingham
- trains often reverse to join the Erewash Valley Line at Trowell Junction
Clay Cross Junction to Leeds
Clay Cross Tunnel
Chesterfield
Dronfield
Sheffield
Wakefield Westgate
Leeds
Leeds to Carlisle
This is no longer considered part of the Midland Main Line: see Settle-Carlisle Railway.
World War I prevented the Midland Railway from finishing its direct route (avoiding reversal at Leeds) to join the Settle and Carlisle.
The first part of the Midlands West Riding extension from the main line at Royston (Yorks.) to Dewsbury was opened before the war. However the second part of the extension wasn't completed.
This involved a viaduct at Dewsbury over the River Calder, a tunnel under Dewsbury Moor and a new approach railway into Bradford from the south at a lower level than the existing railway (a good part of which was to be in tunnel) leading into Bradford Midland (or Bradford Forster Square) station.
The 500 yard gap between the stations at Bradford continues to exist - closing it today would also need to take into account the different levels between the two Bradford stations, a task made easier in the days of electric rather than steam traction, allowing for steeper gradients than possible at the time of the Midlands proposed extension.
The failure to complete this section ended the Midland's hopes of being a serious competitor on routes to Scotland and finally put beyond all doubt that Leeds, not Bradford, would be the West Riding's principal town. Midland trains to Scotland continued onwards from Carlisle via either the Glasgow and South Western or Waverley route. In days gone by the line enjoyed named expresses such as the Thames-Clyde Express and The Waverley.
Leeds allong the Airedale Line.
Shipley
Saltaire
Bingley
Crossflatts
Keighley
- Here is the Worth Valley Branch junction to Oxenhope.
Steeton & Silsden
Cononley
Skipton.
Giggleswick
Clapham
Settle
Horton in Ribblesdale
Ribblehead -
Dent
Garsdale
Kirkby Stephen-
Appleby
Langwathby
Armathwaite
Cumwhinton
Carlisle:
Former stations
As with most railway lines in Britain, the route used to serve far more stations than it currently does (and consequently passes close to settlements that it no longer serves). Places that the current mainline used to serve include
London to Leicester
Camden Road
Haverstock Hill
Finchley Road
Welsh Harp
Napsbury
Chiltern Green
Ampthill
Oakley
Sharnbrook
Irchester
Finedon
Isham and Burton Latimer
Rushton
Desborough
East Langton
Kibworth
Great Glen
Wigston Magna
Leicester to Trent Junction
Leicester Humberstone Road
Cossington Gate
Hathern
Kegworth
Trent
Derwent Valley
Breaston (later Sawley - see Long Eaton)
Draycott
Borrowash
Derby Nottingham Road
Wingfield
Stretton
Clay Cross
Erewash Valley
Long Eaton (Original Midland Counties Railway station not the present one)
Stapleford and Sandiacre
Stanton Gate
Trowell
Ilkeston and Cossal
Shipley Gate
Codnor Park and Ironville
Pye Bridge
Westhouses and Blackwell
Doe Hill
Chesterfield to Leeds
Staveley
Eckington
Killamarsh
Beighton
Woodhouse Mill
Treeton
Sheepbridge
Unstone
Beauchief
Millhouses
Heeley
Attercliffe Road
Brightside
Holmes
Rotherham Masborough
Parkgate and Rawmarsh
Kilnhurst
Swinton West (reopened Swinton)
The following on the original North Midland Railway line
Wath
Darfield
Royston and Notton
Oakenshaw (originally for Wakefield)
Normanton
Methley
Woodlesford
Future
Traffic levels on the Midland Main Line are rising faster than national average, with continued increases predicted. The now defunct Strategic Rail Authority produced a Route Utilisation Strategy for the Midland Main Line in 2005 to propose ways of meeting this demand; Network Rail plan to start work on a new study in 2008.
The Midland Main line has for many years been thought of as a 'Cinderella' line and, with the increasing capacity constraints on other lines, it's inevitable that this route will be upgraded in the not-too-distant future. Plans for the line include:
Re-signalling of the entire route is expected to be complete by 2016 when all signalling will be controlled by the new East Midlands Signalling centre currently being built at Derby.
Straightening the line at Market Harborough.
Additional relief lines around Leicester.
Rebuilding stations at Nottingham, Derby, Loughborough, Leicester, Wellingborough and Luton.
Re-newing major junctions at Trent and Clay Cross.
Additional relief lines around Corby.
New bi-directional line between Kettering and Wellingborough.
Upgraded signalling on approaches to junctions allowing trains to travel at higher speeds.
Thameslink Programme.
Route Utilisation Strategy
Thameslink Programme
2007 Business Plan
Network Rail's 2007 business plan for the Midland Main Line talks for the first time in recent years of line speed increases - bringing journey times to Sheffield to under two hours, meaning that journey times would become more competitive to other north-south routes. Highlights include:
Kettering south - Harowden Junction (Wellingborough) third bi-directional slow line
Syston - Trent south linespeed increases
Syston Junction - Wigston Junction slow line
Erewash Valley line resignalling
Trent Junction resignalling
Bedford & Nottingham stations remodelling
Flashing yellow signal aspects added at key junctions - Radlett, Harpenden and Leagrave
Chesterfield new Platform
Freight utilisation Strategy
Network Rail have recently released their freight utilisation strategy, over the coming years a cross country freight route will be developed enhancing the Birmingham to Peterborough Line and the railway through Leicester, with additional slow lines and platforms at Leicester.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Midland Main Line'.
|
External Link Exchanges
Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:
<a href="http://midland_main_line.totallyexplained.com">Midland Main Line Totally Explained</a>
Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned. |
