Closure of LMR lines and Stations.
 

In 1959, the London Midland region of BR had under consideration for closure,certain lines and stations, listed below:

Lines to be closed for all traffic
Bedford - Northampton
Bedford - Hitchin
Rugby - Wigston
Derby (Friargate) - Egginton
Rhydymyn - Denbigh
Ruthin - Corwen
Whitchurch - Waverton
Crossens - Preston
Harrington - Moresby Park
Ulverston - Lake side
Workington(William pit) - Penrith
Kirkby Stephen - Tebay
Kikby Stephen - Penrith
and
Hooton - West Kirby


Stations to be closed:
Aber, Abbey Town, Adlington, Alrewas, Albion, Althorpe Park, Arkholme, Armitage.
Baford Verney, Bay horse, Bickershaw&Abram, Blaby, Black Dyke, Borrowash, Bromley cross, Brooksby, Brandon &Wolston, Burgh- by - Sands.
Cadishead, Calveley, Castlethorpe, Catle Ashby, Caton, Charwelton,Clayton Bridge,Codnor Park, Cross Lane.
Does Hill, Dolgarrog, East Langton, Ellenbrook, Elmsthorpe, Entwhistle, Eskmeals,Farington, Four Ashes, Frisby,Gargrave,Garstang & Catterall, Glendon & Rushton,Great Bridge North, Gretton, Hammerwich, Haslingden,Hathern, Hawksbury Lane, Halton (Lancs), Heaton Mersey.
There are quite a lot more including Long Buckby.
This was quite a while before Dr Beeching came along and I know that Long Buckby is open today.
Are any of those off that list that survived, or repoened either to the national network or on a preserved line ?

Another one above that was in the Nuneaton area on the Nuneaton to Coventry branch is Hawksbury Lane, I remember that very well.

Anyone remember any of the above names when they were open ?

48111

Bromley Cross is alive and well, it was never closed.

Part of the Ruthin-Corwen Line is now the Llangollen Railway and a Group are working on reopening part of the Kirby Stephen- Penrith Line.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

Crossens - Preston is still open

Workington - Penrith didn't close (completely) until about 1970

Derby Friargate - Egginton closed to passengers in 1939 !! [ Though I rode it on Sunday diversions in the mid 60s ] Surely this would have been in the Eaqstern Region prior to 1963 ?

Stations still open

Adlington (both Lancs and Cheshire ones !)
Cadishead
Dolgarrog
Gargrave

Very good chaps. As I said Long Buckby is still open and the class 2 locals from Rugby to Northampton stop there.

48111

I called in at Kirkby Stephen in May of this year, and had a look round.
It appeared to me that this restoration must cost the earth to do.
They have a nice NE brake van which has been refurbished, and a DMU set which is having problems with one of its power units.
This railway is set in a lovely area of the UK.

Certainly it was operated by the LNER in contrast to the rest of Derby, but a certain amount of rationalisation occurred at nationalisation. The line itself was used by the Research Division for a number of years.

I know the ex GWR lines around Birmingham and Southern west of Exeter transferred regions (to LMR / WR respectively) in 1963, so I was assuming that the ex LNER lines in the East Midlands trasnferred at the same time. I'll see what Wikipedia has to say on the subject ...

Ok, good "on yer".

Well Wikipedia wasn't much help ! All it says about regional transfers affecting the LMR is

"During the time of the LMR's existence there were a number of transfers of territory to and from other regions. The major changes were:

In 1949 the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway, which was wholly surrounded by Eastern lines and almost completely cut off from the rest of the LMR network, was transferred to the Eastern.
In 1958 a major re-drawing of the regional boundaries took place. LMR lines in South Wales and south-west of Birmingham were transferred to the Western; lines in Lincolnshire and the present-day South Yorkshire went to the Eastern Region and in the present-day West and North Yorkshire to the North Eastern Region. In return the London Midland gained the lines of the former Great Central Railway that lay outside Yorkshire and Lincolnshire."

Doesn't even mention the transfer of ex GWR lines in the West Midlands, which I am sure was 1963. Derby Friargate was ex GNR, but maybe they are lumping it in with ex GCR lines ?

"Owdo", I think it was 1963 as well, I will have a look through my paperwork see what I can find.

48111

[QUOTE= lay outside Yorkshire and Lincolnshire."

Doesn't even mention the transfer of ex GWR lines in the West Midlands, which I am sure was 1963. Derby Friargate was ex GNR, but maybe they are lumping it in with ex GCR lines ?[/QUOTE]

All the Ex GNR lines west of the Mapperley tunnel(on line that missed Victotia)& The Hall station were "transferred" to the Midland region at the same time,
Colwick yard & area suffered the same fate in 1965/6

Morning mate, thanks for that.

48111

Once the midland got it's grubbys on the GNR &GCR they were doomed one major problem was the collapse of the Mapperley tunnel in March 1960 which meant all Ex GNR freights had to go to Colwick yard via Victoria station &Weekday Cross.
The trains then entered Colwick yard via Netherfield Junction.
When reaching Colwick North Junction they "set" back into the yard.
The line from the North junction to Gedling colliery remained open till the mine closed in 1992 long after Colwick yard closed.

Closure of LMR lines and stations
 

The LMR took control of the Western lines from Banbury northwards in September 1963.