Prototype The Rugby-Market Harborough Branch - after closure.

[Roger Pound]

I am sure many WT followers can remember the film 'Robbery', which was based on the Great Train Robbery which occurred in 1963. The film makers came to South Leicestershire having found a site on the then recently closed line between between Market Harborough and Welford/North Kilworth stations which resembled the area of the actual robbery. A class 40 and a train of mocked up Royal Mail coaches were acquired and spent the day on the 'set', being parked at Market Harborough overnight whilst the shoot was under way. I was an extra for one day's shooting and appear on the screen for about three seconds, and well in the distance I hasten to add. I got a fiver for my time which wasn't bad money in those days! However, another result was a stirring of my interest in this former LNWR branch which had carried amongst other things the Birmingham-Harwich boat train services in its long career and hosted locos and stock from the former LNER. Regrettably that was before my time in the area. It also was used by the Rugby Shed for running in locos which had been subject to lighht repairs and the local train could be seen with such classes as Royal Scot trundling to Market Harborough and return with two or three suburban coaches.

In my own interests of research I returned to the line and took a few photos, particularly of Welford and Kilworth station with a view to perhaps one day doing a model of an LNWR branch - not particularly this one, but somthing less specific but of LNWR origin. Thus having a few details couldn't be a bad idea. I found these remaining pictures of that expedition the other day and hope they may be of interest in portraying not only part of the branch, but the general scene of deterioration which was increasingly more common at that time.


The above three show the general features and layout of Welford and Kilworth Station. The impressive signal box allowed the signalman a good view of traffic on the busy road that was cross by the line. The Ford Cortina parked in the station yard was my reliable family car at that time.


The first of these shows the details of the lights and the fittings. The second the neglect of the former goods yard, long lifted before closure of the line.
The final one of these shows Theddingworth station, if I remember rightly - I forgot to put any notes on this one . Another desolate lifted yard is obvious.


The first picture is view towards Rugby from Welford and Kilworth station. The second picture was taken from a car window on the M1 northbound lane and shows the halt at Lilbourne.

I hope these picture are of interest and even may be of some little help to anyone who is either considering or actually modelling an LNWR Branch line. The traffic on this line in its heyday would certainly give a wide scope to the acquisition of appropriate stock.......!

Thank you for looking,

Roger .

 

[Genghis]

What might have been........... IIRC there was a plan to close the Midland Main Line south of Market Harborough as far as Bedford (?) and divert East Midlands London services to Euston via this line. Those were the days of managing decline. In its latter years this line was used frequently by test trains from Derby DME and BRR. Following remodelling at MH there is no sign of the branch any longer.

 

[Roger Pound]

What might have been........... IIRC there was a plan to close the Midland Main Line south of Market Harborough as far as Bedford (?) and divert East Midlands London services to Euston via this line. Those were the days of managing decline. In its latter years this line was used frequently by test trains from Derby DME and BRR. Following remodelling at MH there is no sign of the branch any longer.

Genghis,
I was not aware of the proposed segmentation of the MML but indeed, Market Harborough is now a mere shadow of its former railway self when it was a junction of lines from Northampton and Rugby in the west and Peterborough in the East with the Midland Main Line. At least the delightful original, now listed, station building is there to be admired.

Roger