Rugby - Stamford, Uppingham & Kingscliffe lines

[Bright Boy]

Hi, I am trying find out some info about these lines, they were all built by the LNWR but I do not have the authorisation dates, and the dates of some stations closing for goods, also the Kings Cliffe line had freight along it either some part or all the line but I don't know exactly when that finished.

Can anyone help me?, does anyone know about these lines ?

 

[Mvann]

Wikipedia has some information on that line. There are books about the uppingham branch and a number on the lines from seaton junction.

 

[Bright Boy]

Wikipedia has some information on that line. There are books about the uppingham branch and a number on the lines from seaton junction.

Thanks, I am looking for books and Wikipedia does have some info, but not that much and somethings are not accurate, I don't rely on Wikipedia, sometimes if someone with more accurate details updates Wikipedia it is ok, but usually not.

Thanks for the suggestion anyway.

 

[thewiltog]

Hi, I am trying find out some info about these lines, they were all built by the LNWR but I do not have the authorisation dates, and the dates of some stations closing for goods, also the Kings Cliffe line had freight along it either some part or all the line but I don't know exactly when that finished.

Can anyone help me?, does anyone know about these lines ?

Rugby and Stamford Railway authorised June 18, 1846 by the London and Birmingham - source Carter as previously.
The Uppingham branch opened to the public 1st October 1894 (school specials a few days earlier - source Quick).
Seaton and Uppingham was renamed Seaton in the LNWR timetable 1883 so this may be when the branch was authorised - source Quick as above.

 

[poshfan]

The Great Northern also used the line, for a Peterborough North to Leicester Belgrave Road service, but this was taken off in 1916 as a war economy.

 

[Bright Boy]

Thanks very much, that's very helpful

I still have not got that book by Ernest Carter, but I am looking. I have recently acquired a copy of LNWR Chronology 1900-1960 by C.R. Clinker but the information I am looking for is outside that books time period, I need a chronology from when the LNWR started
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The Great Northern also used the line, for a Peterborough North to Leicester Belgrave Road service, but this was taken off in 1916 as a war economy.

Yes on 1st April 1916 is the information I have, It left Peterborough GNR station along the Fletton curve and along the former Northampton & Peterborough line as far as Yarwell Jct then up the Kings Cliffe line to Seaton, then along the Rugby & Stamford line, then it went via Drayton Jct up the Medbourne spur then up part of the Newark & Leicester Joint Railway through Marefield Jcts to Leicester, when they took that service off it closed the Marefield South - West Jct spur and the Medbourne spur as the LNWR did not use those, although the Medbourne spur was used for storage until WW2, but I'm not sure who by, presumably the GNR ?

I don't suppose you have any info about the Kings Cliffe line in which that GNR service ran ? I am particularly looking for goods opening and closing to freight in the 1970's ?

 

[poshfan]

The Kings Cliffe line closed to passengers (Peterborough-Rugby service) in 1966, not sure exactly when it was dismantled but it was gone when I moved to the area in 1969, as I remember walking the trackbed from Fineshade to Kings Cliffe. You can't do that now as Fineshade woods have reclaimed it making it mostly impenetrable. The section from Nassington quarries to Peterborough remained in use into the 1970s, but I have no idea when it actually closed. It is now cut back to near Yarwell junction, and is now the Nene Valley heritage railway.

The Medbourne line was used by a LNWR pick-up goods as well as the GNR passenger service. It was originally double track, but was singled by 1905 when the Peterborough bound line was removed, the station building was on the Leicester bound line. It burned down shortly after closure in 1916. I have a photo taken from the B664 overbridge looking down at the station just after closure, there is a long line of wagons, all look like 5 plank opens, but due to the angle I can't make out any company markings.

 

[Bright Boy]

The Kings Cliffe line closed to passengers (Peterborough-Rugby service) in 1966, not sure exactly when it was dismantled but it was gone when I moved to the area in 1969, as I remember walking the trackbed from Fineshade to Kings Cliffe. You can't do that now as Fineshade woods have reclaimed it making it mostly impenetrable. The section from Nassington quarries to Peterborough remained in use into the 1970s, but I have no idea when it actually closed. It is now cut back to near Yarwell junction, and is now the Nene Valley heritage railway.

The Medbourne line was used by a LNWR pick-up goods as well as the GNR passenger service. It was originally double track, but was singled by 1905 when the Peterborough bound line was removed, the station building was on the Leicester bound line. It burned down shortly after closure in 1916. I have a photo taken from the B664 overbridge looking down at the station just after closure, there is a long line of wagons, all look like 5 plank opens, but due to the angle I can't make out any company markings.

Thanks for that, very detailed information, I think the line from the quarries closed 1976 but I'm not sure and don't know the month never mind the date !!

I like to explore the disused lines, looks like you do a bit also

 

[Mvann]

It was actually 6th November 1972. There was a rail tour down the remenants of the line the day before. (See six bells junction web page).

 

[Bright Boy]

It was actually 6th November 1972. There was a rail tour down the remenants of the line the day before. (See six bells junction web page).

Thanks

I Had a look at Six Bells but I could not find that railtour, I saw one on the 4th that went from Peterborough to Yarwell Jct and back ?

However I have read somewhere else that a Railtour did traverse the line in November 1972 and also went down the Northampton & Peterborough line to Northampton, amongst other places, possibly up the Northampton & Market Harborough line, and back on itself on the Rugby & Stamford line, but I am not certain, I understood that the Rugby & Stamford line closed in 1966 with the passenger closure and part way onto the Kings Cliffe line from Seaton Jct to Nassington or Kings Cliffe ?. I don't know the name of the Railtour or who operated it though, nothing definite anyway.

Whether this was the last train on these lines though I am not sure, freight in the shape of Iron Ore trains still ran on the N&P line and the Seaton -Yarwell Jct line in 1972, possibly on the R&S line as well? , but I do not know what date they finished ?

The Market Harborough to Northampton did not close to freight until 1981 I understand.

 

[poshfan]

I like to explore the disused lines, looks like you do a bit also

As a kid, 1970's, me and my mates would regularly walk the track bed of the Stamford & Essendine to do some trainspotting on the ECML at Essendine, about 3 miles away. The whole route was easily walkable apart from a stretch through Belmesthorpe. Looks very overgrown now and also built on in a couple of places.
The best railway walk I have done in recent times is Plymouth to Princetown. You can park at Coypool Park & Ride, then walk the old GWR Plymouth-Tavistock line and the Princetown branch. You can't "change" at Yelverton though, you have to cut across on some roads, but there's a nice pub at Meavy for lunch. Easily done in a day, return on 3 different buses.

 

[Mvann]

4th November RCTS/Peterborough Railway Circle railtour. Finsbury park-Peterborough North-Peterborough East-Wansford-Oundle return. Info from 6 Bells junction website.

 

[Bright Boy]

4th November RCTS/Peterborough Railway Circle railtour. Finsbury park-Peterborough North-Peterborough East-Wansford-Oundle return. Info from 6 Bells junction website.

Thanks Mvann
I couldn't find it
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As a kid, 1970's, me and my mates would regularly walk the track bed of the Stamford & Essendine to do some trainspotting on the ECML at Essendine, about 3 miles away. The whole route was easily walkable apart from a stretch through Belmesthorpe. Looks very overgrown now and also built on in a couple of places.
The best railway walk I have done in recent times is Plymouth to Princetown. You can park at Coypool Park & Ride, then walk the old GWR Plymouth-Tavistock line and the Princetown branch. You can't "change" at Yelverton though, you have to cut across on some roads, but there's a nice pub at Meavy for lunch. Easily done in a day, return on 3 different buses.

Nice, you are making me jealous now