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Rugby–Leamington line

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girder bridge to carry the lane over the railway. At the time it was built (1851) this was the longest such bridge ever constructed. In later years, four lattice columns and cross-ties were added to reinforce the original structure. Known locally as 'the high bridge', this impressive example of
1530:, titled 'Offchurch Greenway' and also part of Route 41, is well surfaced and maintained, this is planned to be extended up to Birdingbury with construction originally scheduled to begin in summer 2021. West of the canal, the trackbed is on private land as far as the 1304:. When this finished the line was closed as a through route on 4 April 1966, and the line closed between Marton Junction and Leamington, with the remainder of the track singled. The only remaining traffic was goods trains serving the 1518:
The station houses at Dunchurch and Birdingbury are now private residences (even the platforms are still in place at Birdingbury) but there is little trace of Marton station itself and a small industrial estate occupies the site.
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in June 1959, and the local goods sidings were closed in the early 1960s, however the line continued to see use as a diversionary route by both passenger and freight trains until 1965, during the electrification of the
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At Leamington, the LNWR used a single track connection facing Rugby to exchange goods trains with the adjacent Great Western Railway. This connection was doubled in 1908 in order to cope with the increased traffic.
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on a series of brick viaducts that remain in situ. However some metal bridges over roads have been removed. There is no access to the viaducts, however the archways underneath are used by small businesses.
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was extended westward to join the Rugby to Leamington line at Marton Junction, which was two miles southwest of Marton station in a deep cutting through a ridge of high ground.
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An Act for making a Railway from the London and Birmingham Railway in the Parish oi Rugby in the County of Warwick to Leamington in the County of Warwick.
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is mostly clear of undergrowth and is regularly used by walkers; however, there is no legal right of way and this section can be very muddy in winter.
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at Rugby. At the other end of the line, services from Rugby ran through to Warwick (Milverton) and this practice continued until closure because the
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The cutting, approximately 60 ft (18 m) deep, took the line through a north–south ridge of high ground south of Hunningham. An ancient
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on 13 August 1846. The line was to be built and operated by the London and Birmingham Railway, which became part of the LNWR the following year.
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Much of the dismantled trackbed is intact but only a few sections are public rights of way. The trackbed from
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after which it swung west for the last five miles into Leamington. Most of the route was straight and lightly
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opened which was closer to the town centre than the original Milverton station, and was alongside the rival
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was opened twenty years after the opening of the line on 2 October 1871. The line was originally built as
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The line from Rugby to Leamington opened throughout on 1 March 1851. The first intermediate station at
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1946 Ordnance Survey map: The route of the Rugby-Leamington and Weedon-Leamington lines can be seen
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is a useful resource but some of the dates given are incorrect; treat this resource with caution)
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At the Rugby end of the line the first half-mile of track is still in use as a
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and servicing depot for the Rugby-Leamington-Coventry lines was at Milverton.
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to Leamington, where it was joined end-on to the LNWR's existing branch line
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works and Southam was replaced with road transport in 1985 and then lifted.
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and adjacent low ground: the arch above the canal itself was built with
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At Rugby, the branch diverged from the main line at a junction west of
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in stages from Rugby between 1882 and 1884. The lines were designated
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Further west, a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) stretch of trackbed from the
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From Rugby, the general course of the line was southwest as far as
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road and beyond that most of the old railway has been built over.
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article, Railway Bylines magazine volume 11, issue 9, August 2006
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bridge spanning the cutting; and the viaduct over the canal near
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In 1895, a new junction was created when the LNWR's single track
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LNWR Branch Lines of West Leicestershire & East Warwickshire
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Rugby to Birmingham including connections to Leamington Spa
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Two miles further west, the handsome five-arch brick-built
1580:(First ed.). Milepost Publications. pp. 60–68. 1507:
Route 41. The long straight stretch of trackbed from the
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is all that remains of the Rugby–Leamington railway line.
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The original proposal for the line were promoted by the
1624:"Country Parks - Offchurch Greenway - Warwickshire Web" 1273:
Local trains for Leamington used the down (north) end
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station opened on 1 February 1853. In February 1854,
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in 2010 showing the station buildings and platforms.
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An historical survey of selected LMS stations Vol 1
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Unsourced material may be challenged and 402: 394: 1227:, which had been on the edge of the town. 1215:and ran south-west for 15 miles and eight 1100: 261: 210: 196: 1683:Richard Coleman and Joe Rajczonek, 1988, 1374:Learn how and when to remove this message 345: 337: 71:Learn how and when to remove this message 242:The orange section of track between the 34:This article includes a list of general 16:Disused railway in Warwickshire, England 1559: 1511:across Marton Moor to the cutting near 1046:ran straight ahead, whilst the line to 966: 958: 891: 883: 363: 355: 193: 773: 513: 505: 82: 1196:Rugby and Leamington Railway Act 1846 1169:Text of statute as originally enacted 1105:Rugby and Leamington Railway Act 1846 941: 933: 690: 7: 1652:Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith, 2008, 1352:adding citations to reliable sources 1190:Rugby and Leamington Railway Company 812: 780: 766: 683: 654: 647: 1452:Viaduct carried the route over the 1258:, but as traffic grew the line was 586: 489: 615: 536: 450: 219:Leamington Spa former branch lines 40:it lacks sufficient corresponding 14: 550: 285: 1713:Pre-Grouping Atlas and Gazetteer 1541:itself, the route parallels the 1324: 1123:Parliament of the United Kingdom 1116: 1072:London and North Western Railway 1066:. It was a 15-mile (24 km) 1058:was a railway line running from 992: 965: 957: 948: 940: 932: 923: 898: 890: 882: 873: 866: 828: 820: 811: 804: 779: 772: 765: 758: 713: 705: 698: 689: 682: 660: 653: 646: 621: 614: 592: 585: 557: 556: 549: 542: 535: 512: 504: 496: 495: 488: 463: 457: 456: 449: 423: 416: 409: 401: 393: 362: 354: 344: 336: 327: 320: 314: 313: 284: 277: 237: 91: 25: 1726:Last Day on the Daventry Branch 993: 949: 899: 874: 759: 543: 410: 1783:1851 establishments in England 1778:Rail transport in Warwickshire 1735:1:50000 scale map, Sheet 151, 1687:, Northamptonshire Libraries, 1685:Steaming into Northamptonshire 1547:Leamington Spa railway station 1425:at Marton Junction; the lofty 1234:was opened on 1 January 1852, 1042:Junction in 2009: The line to 924: 867: 328: 321: 1: 1746:Warwickshire Railways website 1701:, Oxford Publishing Company, 1671:Lost Railways of Warwickshire 1240:Leamington Spa Avenue station 1088:London and Birmingham Railway 661: 622: 593: 464: 424: 417: 278: 1773:Railway lines opened in 1851 1286:line from Weedon to Daventry 805: 1421:features of note: the deep 1221:from Coventry to Leamington 671:Southam and Long Itchington 233:Weedon–Marton Junction line 1804: 1098:United Kingdom legislation 101:Junction, this pioneering 1697:Hendry and Hendry, 1982, 1115: 1110: 1001: 979: 975: 914: 907: 860: 838: 795: 788: 730: 723: 676: 669: 637: 630: 608: 601: 576: 565: 529: 522: 479: 472: 443: 432: 379: 372: 304: 293: 264: 90: 1576:Hurst, Geoffrey (1993). 1308:works at both Rugby and 1056:Rugby to Leamington Line 97:Spanning the cutting at 1204:c. ccclxviii) received 909:Leamington Spa (Avenue) 569:Great Central Main Line 297:Great Central Main Line 231:is on the left and the 152:15 mi (24 km) 55:more precise citations. 1788:Rail trails in England 1505:National Cycle Network 1481: 1391: 1185: 1180:The former station at 1051: 1050:diverged to the right. 229:Rugby–Leamington line‎ 1751:Warwickshire Railways 1673:, Countryside Books, 1602:"Route 41 | Sustrans" 1499:has been surfaced by 1471: 1389: 1244:Great Western Railway 1213:Rugby railway station 1179: 1037: 86:Rugby–Leamington line 1711:W P Connolly, 1976, 1539:Royal Leamington Spa 1417:The route had three 1348:improve this section 1302:West Coast Main Line 1084:West Coast Main Line 725:Southam cement works 436:West Coast Main Line 268:West Coast Main Line 1656:, Middleton Press, 1606:www.sustrans.org.uk 797:Warwick (Milverton) 632:Napton and Stockton 1667:Geoffrey Kingscott 1543:Chiltern Main Line 1482: 1392: 1248:Leamington station 1186: 1052: 1005:Chiltern Main Line 983:Chiltern Main Line 1741:978-0-319-23178-4 1731:Ordnance Survey, 1715:, Ian Allan Ltd, 1679:978-1-84674-174-6 1662:978-1-906008-37-6 1528:Grand Union Canal 1454:Grand Union Canal 1419:civil engineering 1384: 1383: 1376: 1250:. The station at 1225:Milverton station 1174: 1173: 1111:Act of Parliament 1032: 1031: 1028: 1027: 854: 853: 750: 749: 187: 186: 81: 80: 73: 1795: 1749:(Editor's note: 1640: 1639: 1637: 1635: 1630:on 27 April 2010 1626:. Archived from 1620: 1614: 1613: 1612:on 15 June 2009. 1608:. Archived from 1598: 1592: 1591: 1573: 1379: 1372: 1368: 1365: 1359: 1328: 1320: 1297:British Railways 1202:9 & 10 Vict. 1198: 1197: 1146:9 & 10 Vict. 1120: 1119: 1106: 1101: 996: 995: 969: 968: 961: 960: 952: 951: 944: 943: 936: 935: 927: 926: 902: 901: 894: 893: 886: 885: 877: 876: 870: 869: 842: 832: 831: 824: 823: 815: 814: 808: 807: 783: 782: 776: 775: 769: 768: 762: 761: 734: 717: 716: 709: 708: 702: 701: 693: 692: 686: 685: 664: 663: 657: 656: 650: 649: 625: 624: 618: 617: 596: 595: 589: 588: 560: 559: 553: 552: 546: 545: 539: 538: 516: 515: 508: 507: 499: 498: 492: 491: 467: 466: 460: 459: 453: 452: 427: 426: 420: 419: 413: 412: 405: 404: 397: 396: 366: 365: 358: 357: 348: 347: 340: 339: 331: 330: 324: 323: 317: 316: 288: 287: 281: 280: 262: 241: 212: 205: 198: 189: 182: 178: 176: 175: 171: 168: 95: 83: 76: 69: 65: 62: 56: 51:this article by 42:inline citations 29: 28: 21: 1803: 1802: 1798: 1797: 1796: 1794: 1793: 1792: 1758: 1757: 1649: 1644: 1643: 1633: 1631: 1622: 1621: 1617: 1600: 1599: 1595: 1588: 1575: 1574: 1561: 1556: 1466: 1406:it crossed the 1380: 1369: 1363: 1360: 1345: 1329: 1318: 1270:to Leamington. 1195: 1194: 1125: 1117: 1104: 1099: 1096: 1008: 997: 986: 971: 970: 963: 962: 953: 946: 945: 938: 937: 928: 903: 896: 895: 888: 887: 878: 871: 856: 850:reversing point 834: 833: 826: 825: 816: 809: 791: 790:Marton Junction 784: 777: 770: 763: 752: 745:Leamington line 726: 719: 718: 711: 710: 703: 694: 687: 665: 658: 651: 626: 619: 597: 590: 572: 561: 554: 547: 540: 518: 517: 510: 509: 500: 493: 468: 461: 454: 439: 428: 421: 414: 407: 406: 399: 398: 385: 368: 367: 360: 359: 350: 349: 342: 341: 332: 325: 318: 300: 289: 282: 271: 256: 247: 236: 221: 220: 216: 180: 173: 169: 166: 164: 163:4 ft  162: 113: 77: 66: 60: 57: 47:Please help to 46: 30: 26: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1801: 1799: 1791: 1790: 1785: 1780: 1775: 1770: 1760: 1759: 1756: 1755: 1743: 1729: 1723: 1709: 1695: 1681: 1664: 1648: 1645: 1642: 1641: 1615: 1593: 1586: 1558: 1557: 1555: 1552: 1465: 1462: 1458:skewed courses 1431:Radford Semele 1382: 1381: 1332: 1330: 1323: 1317: 1314: 1172: 1171: 1165: 1164: 1163:13 August 1846 1161: 1155: 1154: 1150: 1149: 1143: 1137: 1136: 1133: 1127: 1126: 1121: 1113: 1112: 1108: 1107: 1097: 1095: 1092: 1064:Leamington Spa 1030: 1029: 1026: 1025: 1023: 1021: 1019: 1017: 1015: 1013: 1010: 1009: 1002: 1000: 998: 991: 989: 987: 980: 977: 976: 974: 972: 964: 956: 955: 954: 947: 939: 931: 930: 929: 922: 920: 918: 916:Leamington Spa 912: 911: 906: 904: 897: 889: 881: 880: 879: 872: 865: 863: 861: 858: 857: 852: 851: 847: 846: 839: 837: 835: 827: 819: 818: 817: 810: 803: 801: 799: 793: 792: 789: 787: 785: 778: 771: 764: 757: 755: 753: 748: 747: 741: 740: 731: 728: 727: 724: 722: 720: 712: 704: 697: 696: 695: 688: 681: 679: 677: 674: 673: 668: 666: 659: 652: 645: 643: 641: 635: 634: 629: 627: 620: 613: 611: 609: 606: 605: 600: 598: 591: 584: 582: 580: 574: 573: 566: 564: 562: 555: 548: 541: 534: 532: 530: 527: 526: 521: 519: 511: 503: 502: 501: 494: 487: 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754: 746: 743: 742: 739: 736: 735: 729: 721: 680: 678: 675: 672: 667: 644: 642: 640: 636: 633: 628: 612: 610: 607: 604: 599: 583: 581: 579: 575: 571: 570: 563: 533: 531: 528: 525: 520: 486: 484: 482: 478: 475: 470: 447: 445: 442: 438: 437: 430: 389: 387: 383: 378: 375: 370: 311: 309: 307: 303: 299: 298: 291: 275: 273: 270: 269: 263: 260: 259: 255: 251: 250: 245: 240: 235:on the right. 234: 230: 225: 224: 213: 208: 206: 201: 199: 194: 191: 190: 181:1,435 mm 161: 159: 155: 151: 147: 142: 138: 134: 129: 125: 121: 116: 111: 108: 105:bridge is of 104: 100: 94: 89: 84: 75: 72: 64: 54: 50: 44: 43: 37: 32: 23: 22: 19: 1748: 1732: 1725: 1712: 1698: 1684: 1670: 1653: 1632:. Retrieved 1628:the original 1618: 1610:the original 1605: 1596: 1577: 1536: 1521: 1517: 1490: 1483: 1447: 1435: 1427:wrought-iron 1416: 1393: 1370: 1364:October 2023 1361: 1346:Please help 1334: 1306:Rugby Cement 1294: 1290: 1283: 1272: 1256:single track 1229: 1210: 1206:royal assent 1193: 1189: 1187: 1159:Royal assent 1148:c. ccclxviii 1090:(L&BR). 1055: 1053: 1038:The site of 1003: 981: 567: 434: 382:Rugby Cement 295: 266: 244:Rugby Cement 228: 112:construction 103:wrought-iron 67: 61:January 2021 58: 39: 18: 1503:as part of 1497:Birdingbury 1404:Birdingbury 1236:Birdingbury 1182:Birdingbury 1068:branch line 578:Birdingbury 158:Track gauge 149:Line length 53:introducing 1762:Categories 1733:Landranger 1554:References 1513:Hunningham 1408:River Leam 1396:Hunningham 1131:Long title 1080:Birmingham 126:Heavy rail 36:references 1524:Fosse Way 1450:Offchurch 1410:on a low 1335:does not 1279:loco shed 1252:Dunchurch 1246:'s (GWR) 1082:(now the 738:Coventry– 524:Braunston 481:Dunchurch 144:Technical 1669:, 2009, 1501:Sustrans 1493:Draycote 1141:Citation 603:Flecknoe 474:Daventry 177: in 1647:Sources 1634:3 March 1537:Within 1526:to the 1464:Remains 1442:lattice 1423:cutting 1412:viaduct 1356:removed 1341:sources 1310:Southam 1260:doubled 1094:History 172:⁄ 131:History 118:Service 107:trussed 49:improve 1739:  1719:  1705:  1691:  1677:  1660:  1584:  1486:siding 1474:siding 1400:graded 1232:Marton 1217:chains 1192:. The 1076:London 1048:Weedon 1040:Marton 639:Marton 374:Weedon 254:Legend 136:Opened 99:Marton 38:, but 1478:Rugby 1476:near 1472:This 1438:track 1316:Route 1153:Dates 1060:Rugby 1044:Rugby 855: 840: 751: 732: 384:works 306:Rugby 1737:ISBN 1717:ISBN 1703:ISBN 1689:ISBN 1675:ISBN 1658:ISBN 1636:2010 1582:ISBN 1532:A425 1509:A423 1339:any 1337:cite 1268:Down 1054:The 227:The 139:1851 123:Type 1350:by 1078:to 1062:to 1764:: 1604:. 1562:^ 1433:. 1264:Up 1638:. 1590:. 1377:) 1371:( 1366:) 1362:( 1358:. 1344:. 1200:( 211:e 204:t 197:v 183:) 179:( 174:2 170:1 167:+ 165:8 74:) 68:( 63:) 59:( 45:.

Index

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A lattice-girder wrought iron bridge, spanning a snow-covered railway cutting
Marton
wrought-iron
trussed
lattice girder
Track gauge
v
t
e
Rugby–Leamington line‎
Weedon–Marton Junction line

Rugby Cement
Legend
West Coast Main Line
Great Central Main Line
Rugby
Weedon
Rugby Cement
West Coast Main Line
Daventry
Dunchurch
Braunston
Great Central Main Line
Birdingbury

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