Site of the former Rugby Central railway station (10)

Image: © Andy F Taken: 31 Jan 2010

The ramp at the up (south) end of the former platform at Rugby Central station. Rugby Central station was on the Great Central Railway (GCR) route from London Marylebone to Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield and Manchester. Originally entitled the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway, the company name was changed to the more impressive Great Central Railway when the London extension was opened in 1899. The extension was the last main line to reach London and was characterised by massive engineering works to aid fast running. It was also built with sufficient clearances to accommodate continental European rolling stock. In 1923 the GCR was merged into the newly-formed London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) which, in its turn, became part of the Eastern Region British Railways in 1948. Services on the GCR route were run down during the early 1960s and the London extension finally closed in 1966, the track being dismantled shortly after closure. Rugby Central was situated in a deep cutting about half-a-mile east of the town centre. Like other GCR stations, it featured a single island platform between the up and down lines. Access to the platforms was from the bridge carrying Hillmorton Road over the north end of the station. There were also passing loops, an extensive goods yard and a goods shed. For a view of Rugby Central during the last days of steam operation see http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/560243 . For other Geograph images of the station see http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/122878 , http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/914668 , http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1120259 , http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1120298 , http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1609608 , and http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1121355 . For more information and photographs of Rugby Central see the Warwickshire Railways website http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lner/rugbygr.htm .

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