Burton - Leicester Freight Line

[Otep]

Hello everyone. This is my first ever thread / posting.

I live on the Burton - Leicester line right at the Burton end. I occasionally wander down to the line trying to imagine what it used to be like when Drakelow Power Station was there and coal trains were drifting in and out (with 20s, 47s and 56s).

In the last few years when out walking both tracks on the 'mainline' have been rusty and unused. To my surprise when down there this evening I noted how shiny and used the tracks look.

Does anyone know what traffic is running down there, what motive power it is and when it can be seen? I would be extremely grateful for any insight in to this apparent activity.

Thanks, Otep
East Staffordshire

 

[miked]

not 100% sure but i think the london underground stock get delivered that way, and maybe the 172's aswell.

 

[Rugd1022]

One afternoon last week EWS / DBS ran a train of aggregates from Bardon Quarry towards Burton.

And just a thought and a bit of friendly advise.... I know the rails are often rusty at that end of the branch, but you really shouldn't be trespassing.... it's still an operational line

NR do have the occasional patrol down there too, so 'beware'

If you do want to see traffic on the move, most of it comes South from Bardon Hill and Stud Farm during late the night, with the empties being worked back in the afternoons. It's all stone traffic, bound for Bow (Olympic site), Angerstein Wharf, Thorney Mill etc, with FLHH 66s throughout. A good place for viewing and photographing is the road overbridge at Bagworth Junction, which has a steep incline leading up to it on either side.

 

[Darandio]

It doesn't say in his post he is trespassing? It's fairly easy to see the track condition from a bridge/fence.

 

[Rugd1022]

It doesn't say in his post he is trespassing? It's fairly easy to see the track condition from a bridge/fence.

He does say he occasionally wanders down the line...

Not wishing to be funny, but if I see anyone tresspassing I'll report them, we have enough problems with local kids as it is!

 

[Darandio]

No he doesn't. He says "wanders down to the line". That could mean anything, most likely visiting the boundary fence, it certainly doesn't mention he physically goes onto the track.

 

[Rugd1022]

No he doesn't. He says "wanders down to the line". That could mean anything, most likely visiting the boundary fence, it certainly doesn't mention he physically goes onto the track.

Apologies then, I didn't see the 'to' in the OP

Hold on a mo... further on in his OP he says "In the last few years when out walking both tracks..."

 

[Darandio]

I think he has missed a comma between "walking" & "both". It certainly makes the sentence make more, well, sense.

 

[Rugd1022]

I think he has missed a comma between "walking" & "both". It certainly makes the sentence make more, well, sense.

Perhaps a slip of the old firing digit, yes

Didn't mean to come as across as heavy handed, it's just that certain parts of the line are very bad for trespass, vandalism etc and it makes you extremely wary - I've had more incidents between Knighton Junction and Kirby Muxloe in the last five years of signing the route, than the previous two decades anywhere else!

 

[Ferret]

Hello everyone. This is my first ever thread / posting.

I live on the Burton - Leicester line right at the Burton end. I occasionally wander down to the line trying to imagine what it used to be like when Drakelow Power Station was there and coal trains were drifting in and out (with 20s, 47s and 56s).

In the last few years when out walking both tracks on the 'mainline' have been rusty and unused. To my surprise when down there this evening I noted how shiny and used the tracks look.

Does anyone know what traffic is running down there, what motive power it is and when it can be seen? I would be extremely grateful for any insight in to this apparent activity.

Thanks, Otep
East Staffordshire

Some engineers workings from Bardon Hill have been running via Moira recently - in fact yesterday I saw a Bardon Hill-Hinksey had run that way. Aside from that there's been an MPV scuttling up and down. Nice to see that line get a bit of traffic at last!

 

[Wyvern]

Part of it is the oldest line in the East Midlands.

Nice to see it still going even if only intermittently.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicester_and_Swannington_Railway

 

[Otep]

Thank you for the information everyone.

For the record there is a rusty old footbridge which crosses the line where one can look down on the tracks. I walk across the bridge to the fields over the other side.

When visiting this website I did not expect to be interrogated / warned about my activities or have my punctuation examined under a microscope.

I think I shall retire from this website with immediate effect.

 

[Darandio]

Well, hello and goodbye I guess.

However, before you accuse of having your punctuation examined, please take the time to read that I made the suggestion about the comma in defence of yourself, to try and show that you weren't "walking down the tracks".

Next time, I'll think twice about even bothering.

 

[Rugd1022]

Thank you for the information everyone.

For the record there is a rusty old footbridge which crosses the line where one can look down on the tracks. I walk across the bridge to the fields over the other side.

When visiting this website I did not expect to be interrogated / warned about my activities or have my punctuation examined under a microscope.

I think I shall retire from this website with immediate effect.

As I said a bit further up the thread, I certainly didn't mean to come over as heavy handed - when I first read your initial post it 'scanned' to me as if you'd already been walking along the line, perhaps I just read it too quickly and responded accordingly!

 

[Old Timer]

There are sporadic movements of the new Met Line LUL stock from Old Dalby to Derby Litchurch Lane via the line as well. These tend to move at night unfortunately.

 

[222007]

A line close to my heart as i used to live at Desford. Back there we'd often have to stop at the crossing there. Would be great for the line to be re-opened to passengers as well but i dont ever see that happening. As a side note to this didnt EMT send some 222's that way a couple of years ago when the lorry hit the bridge at Barrow on soar?

 

[Dreadnought]

UKRailtours are running a charter over the Coalville line on June 4th.

http://www.ukrailtours.com/tourshow...=110604_THE_MIDLAND_AND_GREAT_CENTRAL_No2.txt

 

[Rugd1022]

A line close to my heart as i used to live at Desford. Back there we'd often have to stop at the crossing there. Would be great for the line to be re-opened to passengers as well but i dont ever see that happening. As a side note to this didnt EMT send some 222's that way a couple of years ago when the lorry hit the bridge at Barrow on soar?

We keep hearing rumours about what will or won't be happening with the line, but nothing ever seems to come of it! To make a Leicester to Burton passenger service viable it would need the northern chord at Knighton Junction re-instating, which would be a bit difficult as a large warehouse / industrial unit has been built on the track bed. Some of the local S&T bods have mentioned Bardon Hill, Mantle Lane and Moira 'boxes being done away with within a couple of years too, we'll just have to see...