The Sun Inn, Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, birthplace of the Midland Counties Railway, 1832

The Midland Counties Railway (MCR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom which existed between 1832 and 1844, connecting Nottingham, Leicester and Derby with Rugby and thence, via the London and Birmingham Railway, to London. The MCR system connected with the North Midland Railway and the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway in Derby at what become known as the Tri Junct Station. The three later became the foundation of the Midland Railway. Year 1832 (MDCCCXXXII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Jan. ... For other uses, see Nottingham (disambiguation). ... Leicester city centre, looking towards the Clock Tower Leicester (pronounced ) is the largest city and unitary authority in the English East Midlands. ... Derby (pronounced dar-bee ) is a city in the East Midlands of England. ... Rugby is a market town in the county of Warwickshire in the West Midlands of England, on the River Avon. ... The London and Birmingham Railway (L&BR) was an early railway company in the United Kingdom from 1833 until 1846, at which date it became a constituent part of the London and North Western Railway. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The North Midland Railway was a British railway company, which opened its line from Derby to Rotherham (Masborough) and Leeds in 1840. ... The Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway was a British railway company. ... Derby Midland Station (often called Derby Station) is a main line railway station serving the city of Derby in England. ... This article is about the historical British railway company. ...

Origin

The East Midlands had for some years been at centre of plans to link the major cities throughout the country. However, the MCR came about as a result of competition to supply coal to Leicester, a town which was rapidly industrialising and was a valuable market for coal. The competition was between the Coalville area of Leicestershire, and the Erewash Valley area of Nottinghamshire. The East Midlands is one of the regions of England and consists of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. ... Derby Midland Station (often called Derby Station) is a main line railway station serving the city of Derby in England. ... Coal Coal (IPA: ) is a fossil fuel formed in swamp ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... Leicester city centre, looking towards the Clock Tower Leicester (pronounced ) is the largest city and unitary authority in the English East Midlands. ... Coalville is a town in North West Leicestershire, England, with a population of about 30,000. ... Leicestershire ( IPA: (RP), IPA: (locally)), abbreviation Leics. ... The Erewash Valley is the valley of the River Erewash on the border of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire as far as the River Trent. ... Nottinghamshire (abbreviated Notts) is an English county in the East Midlands, which borders South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire. ...

For many years, the Nottinghamshire coal miners had enjoyed a competitive advantage over their counterparts in Leicestershire, but in 1832 the latter opened the Leicester and Swannington Railway. Year 1832 (MDCCCXXXII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Leicester and Swannington Railway (L&S) was one of Englands first railways, being opened in July 1832 to bring coal from pits in west Leicestershire to Leicester. ...

In August of that year, at one of the Nottinghamshire miner's regular meetings at the Sun Inn, at Eastwood the idea was mooted to extend the Mansfield and Pinxton Railway to Leicester. The decision was taken to involve outside finance, and, on 27 August 1832, a public meeting to attract subscriptions was held at the George Inn at Alfreton and the following month the scheme was formally approved at Eastwood, though at that time the possibility of using steam locomotives had not been discussed. Arms of the former Eastwood Urban District Council Eastwood is a town in Nottinghamshire, England, six miles west of Nottingham. ... The Mansfield and Pinxton Railway was an early horse-drawn railway company in the United Kingdom, constructed in 1819 to transport coal between Mansfield and the head of the Pinxton branch of the Cromford Canal and thence by the Erewash Valley and the Trent to Leicester. ... Leicester city centre, looking towards the Clock Tower Leicester (pronounced ) is the largest city and unitary authority in the English East Midlands. ... Year 1832 (MDCCCXXXII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... , Alfreton is a town in the Amber Valley, Derbyshire, although some parts of the town are in the Bolsover district and North East Derbyshire district. ...

Josiah Jessop was retained as engineer, and reporting in 1833, noted that it would not be possible to put it before Parliament that year. Subscriptions had been obtained from Lancashire investors and with the imminent completion of the London and Birmingham Railway, they insisted that the line should continue to join it at Rugby, Warwickshire. George Rennie was brought in to assess the scheme and plan the southward extension. Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea. ... The London and Birmingham Railway (L&BR) was an early railway company in the United Kingdom from 1833 until 1846, at which date it became a constituent part of the London and North Western Railway. ... Rugby is a market town in the county of Warwickshire in the West Midlands of England, on the River Avon. ... George Rennie may refer to: The British engineer: George Rennie (engineer) The British sculptor and Member of Parliament: George Rennie (sculptor and politician) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Not surprisingly there had been opposition from Leicestershire to the proposal. In October an alternative plan was proposed of bringing in Nottingham and Derby, as well as Leicester, using a junction at Long Eaton, with the stated aim that it would reduce any differences in coal prices between them. For other uses, see Nottingham (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

At last the plans were ready to put before Parliament in its 1834 session. However investment fell far short of the expected cost of over £125,000. The scheme was delayed for yet another year, during which time Charles Vignoles was asked to review the plans and become the company's engineer. Charles Blacker Vignoles (1793-1875) was an influential early railway engineer, and eponym of the Vignoles rail. ...

For the first time, the new railway was referred to as the Midland Counties Railway.

At this point, the citizens of Northampton campaigned for the line to pass through their town rather than Rugby. Not surprisingly, at that late stage, it was refused. It has been suggested that, having opposed the London and Birmingham, they had seen the error of their ways. Such a line would have been longer and more expensive, shortening the journey to London by very little, but extending that to Birmingham excessively. Northampton is a large market town and a local government district in central England on the River Nene, and the county town of Northamptonshire, in the English East Midlands region. ...

By that time, the North Midland Railway and Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway had been formed with the intention of meeting at Derby. The line to Pinxton threatened it, particularly as, in 1834, the Midland Counties had mooted the possibility of an extension to Clay Cross. Year 1834 (MDCCCXXXIV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Clay Cross in Chesterfield is a former mining village and civil parish in the North East Derbyshire district of Derbyshire, England. ...

At the same time, the Birmingham and Derby link with the London and Birmingham Railway in a southwards direction at Hampton-in-Arden, threatened the Midland Counties. The two railways came to a private agreement to withdraw the competing lines from their Bills. The London and Birmingham Railway (L&BR) was an early railway company in the United Kingdom from 1833 until 1846, at which date it became a constituent part of the London and North Western Railway. ... Hampton-in-Arden is a small village in the metropolitan borough of Solihull, in the West Midlands of England, although previously it was in Warwickshire. ...

At last in 1836 the Midland Counties Railway Bill went before Parliament and survived its passage through the House of Commons. However there were still powerful interests ranged against it. Firstly there were the canal owners with which it was being built to compete. Secondly, the Bill still included the Pinxton line, to the extreme annoyance of the Birmingham and Derby line's directors. There was a distinct possibility that the Lords would insist that the North Midland was connected to it instead of proceeding to Derby, losing the NMR some twenty miles of line and its connection to Birmingham and the West Country. Accordingly it was dropped. Type Lower House Speaker of the House of Commons Leader of the House of Commons Michael Martin, (Non-affiliated) since October 23, 2000 Harriet Harman, QC, (Labour) since June 28, 2007 Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Theresa May, PC, (Conservative) since December 6, 2005 Members 646 Political groups...

The Bill was finally passed on 21 June 1836, without the connection to Pinxton. Since this was the original reason for building the railway, one can imagine the feelings of the Nottinghamshire miners. is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1836 (MDCCCXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... , Pinxton is a village on the eastern boundary of Derbyshire in the Bolsover district, England. ... Nottinghamshire (abbreviated Notts) is an English county in the East Midlands, which borders South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire. ...

Construction

Construction work on the whole line began immediately. Most easy was the section from Derby to Nottingham, which was proceeded with a quickly as possible, to gain some revenue. The only obstacle was the Derby Canal which would need to be diverted near Spondon, the canal owners asking £2 for every hour that it was closed. However quick action allowed the work to be completed, when a drought fortuitously occurred, closing the canal. Initially it ran into a temporary platform at Derby, but at Nottingham a magnificent terminus had been built in Carrington Street. The Derby Canal ran 14 miles from the Trent and Mersey Canal at Swarkestone to the Erewash Canal at Sandiacre, Derbyshire, England. ... Mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086[1], up until the modern era Spondon was a village separate from the city of Derby. ...

The section to Leicester had three main obstacles, the first being the crossing of the Trent. This was done by means of an elegant three arched bridge built by the Butterley Company. Immediately following this was Redhill Tunnel, provided with elegant castellated portals to placate the local landowner. The bridge was replaced with the present girder bridge in 1900 when the line was quadrupled, and a second bore was provided for the tunnel with identical portals. Finally a substantial cutting was needed at Sutton Bonington. The Butterley Engineering sign in 2006 The Butterley Company was an engineering works in the Ripley area of Derbyshire. ... Sutton Bonington is a village in the borough of Rushcliffe in South Nottinghamshire, England. ...

While the Derby-Nottingham tracks had been supported on stone blocks, the section to Rugby used kyanised timber sleepers. At Leicester there was another magnificent station in Campbell Street, originally planned as a terminus on a spur from the main line. However, it was built as a loop with a single long platform next to the through running lines. It was replaced by the present London Road station in 1892.

Progress to Rugby was hampered by wet weather and the need for several long cuttings and embankments. There were two tunnels, at Knighton and near Ullesthorpe and a bridge over the River Avon and the Oxford Canal at Rugby. This last was not completed in time for the opening and, for seven weeks, passengers had to alight at a temporary platform, to be taken by road into Rugby. Places in the United Kingdom: A town: Knighton, Wales A suburb: Knighton, Leicestershire, England A village: Knighton, Staffordshire England This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Ullesthorpe is a small village in south Leicestershire, England. ... Avon means river. River Avon in England therefore, literally means River River as does Afon Afan (River Afan) in Welsh. ...

The steepest gradient was 1 in 330, with the largest earthworks being on the Rugby line at the Leir cutting and embankment. There were 148 bridges in all, and three tunnels. The rails were double headed in 15 foot lengths at 77 lb. per yard at a gauge throughout of 4 foot 8½ inches. These were laid either on gritstone blocks from Cromford, laid diagonally, or on embankments, timber sleepers of oak or kyanised larch. For a length near Rugby, Evans's dove-tailed bridge rails of 57 lb per yard, were tried, mounted on longitudinal Memel fir timbers with pine cross sleepers. Cromford, in Derbyshire, England, is a village that is one of the significant sites in the development of the Industrial Revolution. ... Location Ethnographic region Lithuania minor County KlaipÄ—da County Municipality KlaipÄ—da city municipality Coordinates Number of elderates 1 General Information Capital of KlaipÄ—da County KlaipÄ—da city municipality Population 187,316 in 2006 (3rd) First mentioned 1252 Granted city rights 1254 or 1258 (Lübeck); 1475 (CheÅ‚mno...

History

The line was finally opened in three stages (1):

• Derby to Nottingham 4 June 1839
• Trent Junction to Leicester 4 May 1840
• Leicester to Rugby 1 July 1840

One notable event was the first large organised excursion by rail, got up by the Nottingham Mechanics' Institute. A week later the Leicester Mechanics' Institute returned the compliment to Nottingham. After Thomas Cook began the tourist business, the MCR began organising excursions on its own account, on one occasion conveying some 2,400 people in a single train of 65 four-wheeled carriages and wagons. The fact that MCR's locomotives were all either single driving-wheeled or 0-4-0s, and small at that meant that the heavier the train, the more were added. The excursion must have been a sight to behold. Derby (pronounced dar-bee ) is a city in the East Midlands of England. ... For other uses, see Nottingham (disambiguation). ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1839 (MDCCCXXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The growth and decline of a railway junction Trent railway station was situated near Long Eaton in Derbyshire at the junction of the Midland Railway line from London to Derby and Nottingham. ... Leicester city centre, looking towards the Clock Tower Leicester (pronounced ) is the largest city and unitary authority in the English East Midlands. ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Leicester city centre, looking towards the Clock Tower Leicester (pronounced ) is the largest city and unitary authority in the English East Midlands. ... Rugby is a market town in the county of Warwickshire in the West Midlands of England, on the River Avon. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... For other uses, see Thomas Cook (disambiguation). ...

Competition

Initially the Midland Counties Railway did not prosper due to competition from the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway which also transported coal from the East Midlands to London, via Hampton-in-Arden. An ensuing price war between the two companies almost drove both of them out of business. The Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway was a British railway company. ... The East Midlands is one of the regions of England and consists of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Hampton-in-Arden is a small village in the metropolitan borough of Solihull, in the West Midlands of England, although previously it was in Warwickshire. ...

The MCR made an agreement with with the North Midland for exclusive access to its passengers. In retaliation the Birmingham board opposed a bill that the MCR had submitted to Parliament. Both lines were in dire straits and paying minuscule dividends.

The North Midland was also suffering severe financial problems arising from the original cost of the line and its buiddings. At length George Hudson took control of the NMR and adopted Robert Stephenson's suggestion that the best outcome would be for the three lines to merge. George Hudson George Hudson (probably March 10, 1800 - December 14, 1871), English railway financier, known as the Railway King, was born in Howsham, in the parish of Scrayingham in the East Riding of Yorkshire, north of Stamford Bridge, east of York. ...

Hudson foresaw that the directors of the MCR world resist the idea and made a secret agreement with the B&BJR for the NMR to take it over. This would of course take away the MCR's customers from Derby and the North and, when news leaked out, shares in the B&DJR rose dramatically.

Hudson was able to give the MCR directors an ultimatum, and persuaded the line's shareholders to override their board and the stage was set for amalgamation.

Midland Railway

In 1844, the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway, the Midland Counties and the North Midland Railway merged to form the new Midland Railway. Jan. ... This article is about the historical British railway company. ...

The Mansfield and Pinxton Railway was finally connected in 1847, and the extension to Chesterfield was built in 1862. Now known as the Erewash Valley Line, it joined near where the three original lines met at Trent Junction, crossing to the up (London) line on the level at Platt's Crossing. This potentially dangerous arrangement was removed when Trent station was built in 1862 and the whole junction was remodelled. The Mansfield and Pinxton Railway was an early horse-drawn railway company in the United Kingdom, constructed in 1819 to transport coal between Mansfield and the head of the Pinxton branch of the Cromford Canal and thence by the Erewash Valley and the Trent to Leicester. ... 1847 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Chesterfield, see Chesterfield (disambiguation) Chesterfield is a historic market town and local government district in Derbyshire, a county in England. ... This article is about 1862 . ... The Erewash Valley Line runs from south of Chesterfield along the Erewash Valley to Trent Junction at Long Eaton, joining the Midland Main Line at each end. ... The growth and decline of a railway junction Trent railway station was situated near Long Eaton in Derbyshire at the junction of the Midland Railway line from London to Derby and Nottingham. ... This article is about 1862 . ...

This underwent many changes over the years, the station finally closing in 1968. Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Legacy

Most of the original Midland Counties line between Nottingham, Derby and Leicester is still operating today as part of the Midland Main Line. The original line into Derby, through what later became the site of Chaddesden Sidings, closed in 1969. Also part of the original route was abandoned when track alterations were put in with the opening of Trent Station in the 1860s. The stretch between Leicester and Rugby was closed in 1961. The line between Trent Junction and Chesterfield, known locally as the Erewash Valley Line, is still today the second most busy in the East Midlands, with freight to the south east of the country. The daily southbound Master Cutler travels along it directly from Sheffield to London, while a few expresses divert at Trowell just north of Trent, to call at Nottingham, before travelling to London. Although the old North Midlands through Derby is the main express line (since trains have to reverse at Nottingham), there is still a half-hourly service from Nottingham itself to London. For other uses, see Nottingham (disambiguation). ... Derby (pronounced dar-bee ) is a city in the East Midlands of England. ... Leicester city centre, looking towards the Clock Tower Leicester (pronounced ) is the largest city and unitary authority in the English East Midlands. ... The Midland Main Line is a main railway line in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system. ... Derby (pronounced dar-bee ) is a city in the East Midlands of England. ... Also: 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... The growth and decline of a railway junction Trent railway station was situated near Long Eaton in Derbyshire at the junction of the Midland Railway line from London to Derby and Nottingham. ... // The First Transcontinental Railroad in the USA was built in the six year period between 1863 and 1869. ... Leicester city centre, looking towards the Clock Tower Leicester (pronounced ) is the largest city and unitary authority in the English East Midlands. ... Rugby is a market town in the county of Warwickshire in the West Midlands of England, on the River Avon. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The growth and decline of a railway junction Trent railway station was situated near Long Eaton in Derbyshire at the junction of the Midland Railway line from London to Derby and Nottingham. ... Chesterfield, see Chesterfield (disambiguation) Chesterfield is a historic market town and local government district in Derbyshire, a county in England. ... The Erewash Valley Line runs from south of Chesterfield along the Erewash Valley to Trent Junction at Long Eaton, joining the Midland Main Line at each end. ... Trowell is a village and civil parish in Nottinghamshire, England. ... Derby (pronounced dar-bee ) is a city in the East Midlands of England. ... For other uses, see Nottingham (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Nottingham (disambiguation). ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

See also Midland Counties Railway Locomotives In its short life, the Midland Counties Railway bought nearly fifty locomotives from a number of manufacturers. ...

References

• Anon. (1979 [1839]) The Nottingham and Derby Railway Companion, Radford, J.B. (intro.), Occasional paper : Derbyshire Record Society, 3, [first publ.: Nottingham : R.Allen], ISBN 0-9505940-4-0
• Anon. (1989) The Midland Counties Railway : 1839-1989 a pictorial survey, Midland Railway Trust, ISBN 1-872194-00-1
• Billson, P. (1996) Derby and the Midland Railway, Derby : Breedon Books, ISBN 1-85983-021-8
• Ellis, C. Hamilton (1953) The Midland Railway, London : Ian Allan, 192 p.
• Williams, R. (1988) The Midland Railway : a new history, Newton Abbot : David and Charles, ISBN 0-7153-8750-2
• Whishaw, F. (1969 [1842]) Whishaw's railways of Great Britain and Ireland, (1842) [The railways of Great Britain and Ireland], 2nd ed. reprint with a new introduction by C.R. Clinker, Newton Abbot: David and Charles, ISBN 0-7153-4786-1

Further reading

• Williams, Frederick Smeeton (1876) The Midland railway: its rise and progress