Leamington to Rugby line

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Leamington Spa former branch lines

Legend The dotted section of track on this diagram shows the line used for traffic between the Rugby and Southam plants of Rugby Cement. This was replaced with road transport in 1985 and the line was then lifted. West Coast Main Line Great Central Railway Rugby Weedon Rugby Cement Works West Coast Main Line Daventry Braunston Dunchurch Flecknoe Napton & Stockton Birdingbury Great Central Railway Southam & Long Itchington Marton Southam Cement Works Marton Junction Cement trains reversing point Chiltern Main Line Milverton Leamington Spa (Avenue) Leamington Spa Chiltern Main Line Leamington to Stratford Line

The Leamington to Rugby line and Leamington to Weedon line are former railway lines constructed between the town of Leamington Spa and what is now the West Coast Main Line.

Both lines served jointly the station at Leamington, built by the LNWR in 1854.

Contents 1 Leamington to Rugby line 2 Leamington to Weedon line 3 Continued use 4 References

[edit] Leamington to Rugby line

This line was completed in 1851, and suffered closure during the Beeching cuts in 1965. The line had remained opened since 1958 when passenger services were removed, due to the electrification of the West Coast Main Line.

Most of the track bed remains, especially at the Rugby end, where some track remains as a siding.

[edit] Leamington to Weedon line

This line was opened on 1 August 1895 as an extension to the line from Weedon to Daventry. A new junction at Marton was constructed for the connection of the line to the Leamington to Rugby line.

Passenger services were withdrawn in 1958.

[edit] Continued use

After closure to passengers, the lines were used to transport material between the Southam and Rugby plants of Rugby Cement. As the line south of Marton Junction had been lifted the trains would reverse here. This practice ceased in 1985 when it was replaced with road transport.

[edit] References

• Warwickshire's Railways
  
• Leamington Spa railway station
• Southam & Long Itchington Station