Midland Railway




Dates

  /  /1836York and North Midland Railway
Company incorporated.
  /  /1839York and North Midland Railway
Line opened.
05/10/1840Manchester and Leeds Railway
Normanton to Hebden Bridge opened, worked by the North Midland Railway.
10/05/1844Midland Counties Railway Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway North Midland Railway Midland Railway
George Hudson encourages the Midland Counties Railway, Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway and North Midland Railway to merge to become the Midland Railway.
  /  /1845York and Scarborough Line (York and North Midland Railway)
Opened from York to Scarborough.
12/05/1845Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway (Great Western Railway)
Kemble to Gloucester (Standish Junction) opened. Stations on this section at: Tetbury Road, Brimscombe, Stroud and Stonehouse [Gloucestershire]. Standish Junction to Gloucester was owned by the Midland Railway.
21/07/1845York and North Midland Railway
Act for a branch from Church Fenton to Harrogate via Wetherby.
  /  /1847Harrogate Branch (York and North Midland Railway)
Opened from Church Fenton to Spofforth.
23/10/1847Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway (Great Western Railway)
Broad Gauge line from Gloucester, Tramway Junction, to Cheltenham, Lansdown Junction, opened. Stations on this section at: Churchdown and Cheltenham. Gloucester to Cheltenham owned by the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway later owned by the Midland Railway.
  /  /1848Harrogate Branch (York and North Midland Railway)
Line extended from Spofforth to Harrogate (Brunswick).
07/08/1850Great Northern Railway
Opened throughout. Route: London Kings Cross to Boston to Lincoln (not via Peterborough to Retford) to Knottingley on North Midland Railway and not York itself.
  /  /1851Donegall Quay [Belfast]
Served by Midland Railway steamers from Morecambe.
01/03/1852Midland Railway
Worcester Junction renamed Abbots Wood Junction.
  /06/1852North Western Railway
Line worked by Midland Railway.
04/06/1853West Midland Railway
Addlestrop and Stow Road opened.
  /  /1854York and North Midland Railway Malton and Driffield Junction Railway York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway Leeds and Thirsk Railway West Hartlepool Harbour and Railways North Eastern Railway
Companies merge to form the North Eastern Railway.
01/10/1855Midland Railway
Abbots Wood Junction closed.
  /  /1858Great Northern Railway
Midland Railway start to make use of the line from Hitchin to London Kings Cross.
  /  /1859North Western Railway
Line leased by Midland Railway.
  /  /1860West Midland Railway Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway Worcester and Hereford Railway
Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway, Oxford Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway and Worcester and Hereford Railway merge to form the West Midland Railway.
  /  /1861Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway West Midland Railway
Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway leased by the West Midland Railway.
  /  /1862Harrogate Branch (York and North Midland Railway)
Harrogate (Brunswick) closed.
01/03/1862West Midland Railway
Addlestrop and Stow Road renamed Addlestrop.
01/07/1862Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway
Leased jointly by the London and North Western Railway, West Midland Railway and Great Western Railway.
  /  /1863Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway
West Midland Railway builds platforms north of the south facing junction with the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway.
13/07/1863West Midland Railway, Great Western Railway
West Midland Railway merged with Great Western Railway.
  /  /1865Scottish Central Railway Caledonian Railway
Scottish Central Railway absorbed by Caledonian Railway. Running powers for the North British Railway, London and North Western Railway, Midland Railway and Glasgow and South Western Railway were preserved.
  /  /1865Cheshire Lines Committee (Midland Railway, Great Northern Railway, Manchester Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway)
Incorporated.
  /  /1866Scottish North Eastern Railway Caledonian Railway
Scottish North Eastern Railway absorbed by Caledonian Railway. Confirmation of running powers for the Highland Railway between Perth General and Stanley Junction. Confirmation of running powers for North British Railway, London and North Western Railway, Midland Railway and Glasgow and South Western Railway. The SNER's running powers over the Montrose and Bervie Railway are transferred to the Caledonian.
  /  /1866Settle and Carlisle Line (Midland Railway)
Bill for the line presented with support from the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, Glasgow and South Western Railway and the North British Railway (who did not have a partner other than the North Eastern Railway route to Newcastle Central for taking traffic from the Border Union Railway (North British Railway) (Waverley Route) at Carlisle).
16/07/1866Settle and Carlisle Line (Midland Railway)
Act passed. Running powers over the North Eastern Railway to enter Carlisle Citadel given.
  /  /1867Glasgow and South Western Railway Midland Railway
A Bill proposing the merger of the Glasgow and South Western Railway and Midland Railway fails.
  /  /1867Donegall Quay [Belfast]
Served by Midland Railway steamers from Barrow.
  /  /1868Settle and Carlisle Line (Midland Railway)
An agreement with the London and North Western Railway is reached over use of the Ingleton Branch (London and North Western Railway) and Lancaster and Carlisle Railway by the Midland Railway. The route would involve the North Western Railway. The Midland Railway tries to abandon the Settle and Carlisle Line (Midland Railway). The North British Railway and the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway block the abandonment.
01/10/1869Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway
Worked by the Midland Railway.
  /  /1870Springwell Colliery Branch and Barrow Hill Shed (Midland Railway)
Barrow Hill Shed roundhouse opens.
01/02/1870Midland Railway
Abbey Houses opened.
01/04/1870Midland Railway
Abbey Houses renamed Beauchief.
  /  /1872Glasgow and South Western Railway Midland Railway
Further merger of the Glasgow and South Western Railway and Midland Railway proposed. Rejected.
  /  /1873Settle and Carlisle Line (Midland Railway)
Line planned to be open, but was not due to heavy engineering required.
  /  /1873Glasgow and South Western Railway Midland Railway
Another merger of the Glasgow and South Western Railway and Midland Railway proposed and rejected.
  /  /1873London Extension (Midland Railway)
St Pancras station hotel opened.
  /07/1873Midland Railway
Through coaches run from Brecon (Free Street) and Birmingham.
  /  /1874Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway
Leased by the Midland Railway.
01/07/1874Swansea Vale Railway
Leased by the Midland Railway. This gave the Midland Railway access to Swansea via Brecon.
  /  /1875Somerset and Dorset Railway
London and South Western Railway and Midland Railway take control of the line.
02/08/1875Settle and Carlisle Line (Midland Railway)
First goods train.
01/05/1876Settle and Carlisle Line (Midland Railway)
First passenger train. Midland Railway trains run through Carlisle Citadel, continued north by the North British Railway or Glasgow and South Western Railway.
11/08/1876Swansea Vale Railway
Bought by the Midland Railway.
17/10/1876City of Glasgow Union Railway
Glasgow St Enoch opened. Through service from London St Pancras via the Midland Railway starts. Dunlop Street closed. Gorbals Junction on the City of Glasgow Union Railway to South Side on the Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway opened.
02/07/1877Neath and Brecon Railway
Midland Railway starts to operate line from Brecon to Ynysgeinon.
  /  /1878Hawes Branch (Midland Railway)
Opened from Hawes Junction (now Garsdale) to Hawes.
  /10/1878Hawes Branch (North Eastern Railway)
Opened for passengers to meet the Hawes Branch (Midland Railway) over which the North Eastern Railway had running powers to Hawes Junction (now Garsdale). Built as a single track line.
  /02/1880Nottingham and Melton Line (Midland Railway)
Opened to local passenger trains.
  /  /1885Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway
Merged into the Midland Railway.
  /  /1885Portpatrick Railway Wigtownshire Railway
The Caledonian Railway's lease expires - the Portpatrick Railway and Wigtownshire Railway become jointly run as the Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway - controlled by the Caledonian Railway, London and North Western Railway, Glasgow and South Western Railway and Midland Railway. The stock was owned by all four companies and operated by the two Scottish companies. The Joint company also owned 4/5 of the Larne and Stranraer Steamship Joint Committee, the remaining 1/5 owned by the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway.
  /02/1885Nottingham and Melton Line (Midland Railway)
Holwell Branch brought into use.
16/05/1888Midland Railway
Addingham opened.
  /07/1888Nottingham and Melton Line (Midland Railway)
London St Pancras - Glasgow St Enoch and Edinburgh Waverley trains start to use line.
01/07/1888~West Midland Railway
Addlestop renamed Adlestrop.
30/06/1889Swansea Vale and Neath and Brecon Junction Railway
Midland Railway ceases to operate Colbren to Ynysgeinon at end of agreement.
22/07/1889Swansea Vale and Neath and Brecon Junction Railway
Midland Railway re-operates Colbren to Ynysgeinon after Sir Edward Watkin takes the company to court.
  /  /1903Belfast and Northern Counties Railway Midland Railway
Purchase of the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway by the Midland Railway approved.
  /  /1903Belfast and Northern Counties Railway
Absorbed by Midland Railway (Northern Counties Committee).
  /  /1903Midland Railway (Northern Counties Committee)
Incorporated.
  /  /1904Donegall Quay [Belfast]
Served by Midland Railway steamers from Heysham.
  /  /1906Donegal Railway
Renamed County Donegal Railways Joint Committee, jointly owned by the Great Northern Railway [Ireland] and Midland Railway. The Londonderry Branch (Donegal Railway) ownership was transferred to the Midland Railway as the GNR already owned a route to Londonderry.
  /  /1907Limavady and Dungiven Railway
Absorbed by Midland Railway (Northern Counties Committee).
  /  /1911London, Tilbury and Southend Railway Midland Railway
Authorisation to merge the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway and Midland Railway.
  /  /1923Midland Railway (Northern Counties Committee)
Absorbed by London, Midland and Scottish Railway (Northern Counties Committee).
  /  /1923County Donegal Railways Joint Committee
Midland Railway owned share of the committee transfers to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.
  /  /1928Donegall Quay [Belfast]
Former Midland Railway, London and North Western Railway and Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway steamer routes merged and operate from Heysham.
  /  /1935London Extension (Midland Railway)
St Pancras station hotel closed.
  /  /1952Avenue Coking Works (Chesterfield)
New coking works built to the south of Chesterfield beside the North Midland Railway. This site formerly had a colliery and iron works, mostly closed but 1938.
  /  /1959Hawes Branch (Midland Railway)
Hawes to Garsdale closed.
  /  /1961Harrogate Branch (York and North Midland Railway)
Wetherby West Junction to Wetherby East Junction closed
  /  /1964Harrogate Branch (York and North Midland Railway)
Crimple Junction (Harrogate) to Wetherby closed
22/03/1965Midland Railway
Addingham closed.
  /  /1966Harrogate Branch (York and North Midland Railway)
Wetherby to Church Fenton closed
03/01/1966~West Midland Railway
Adlestrop closed.
29/04/1967Nottingham and Melton Line (Midland Railway)
Line closed to passenger expresses. It was latterly used by express trains until the WCML was upgraded.
01/11/1968Nottingham and Melton Line (Midland Railway)
Last freight train.
04/11/1968Nottingham and Melton Line (Midland Railway)
Closed as through route. The line was then developed as a test track and was host to trains such as the APT and Pendolinos as well as the famous test crash of a train into a nuclear flask.
  /  /1970Settle and Carlisle Line (Midland Railway)
Long Morton, New Biggin, Culgaith, Little Salkeld closed.
  /  /1990Settle and Carlisle Line (Midland Railway)
Settle and Carlisle Railway Trust formed.
09/02/1991Springwell Colliery Branch and Barrow Hill Shed (Midland Railway)
Barrow Hill Shed closes, latterly simply as a sign-on point.
31/01/1995Settle and Carlisle Line (Midland Railway)
A guard killed and 40 injured in an accident at Aisgill.
  /  /1996Springwell Colliery Branch and Barrow Hill Shed (Midland Railway)
Barrow Hill Shed set aside for preservation.
  /  /1997Settle and Carlisle Line (Midland Railway)
Settle and Carlisle Railway Trust given planning permission to restore Ribblehead station.
  /  /1998Springwell Colliery Branch and Barrow Hill Shed (Midland Railway)
Barrow Hill Shed opens to the public.
  /03/1998Erewash Valley Line (Midland Railway)
Sidings relaid into Stanton Iron Works site for pipe traffic.
  /06/2000Settle and Carlisle Line (Midland Railway)
Ribblehead station visitor^s centre opened.
  /04/2004London Extension (Midland Railway) Channel Tunnel Rail Link Phase 2
London St Pancras closes for complete renovation.
22/03/2005Settle and Carlisle Line (Midland Railway)
Prince of Wales formally re-opens the restored Kirkby Stephen station building.
14/11/2005Nottingham and Melton Line (Midland Railway)
Neither Network Rail nor the Government express any interest in taking over the now redundant test track.
17/07/2006London Extension (Midland Railway) Channel Tunnel Rail Link Phase 2
Access to the new platforms for Midland Mainline through the Barlow trainshed opens.
  /03/2011London Extension (Midland Railway)
Completion of renovation of St Pancras station hotel with 34 suites and 211 rooms over 5 floors.