Ashby Magna railway station

Ashby Magna
Site of Ashby Magna station, 2006
General information
LocationAshby Magna, Harborough District,
England
Coordinates52°30′43″N 1°10′57″W / 52.51199°N 1.18246°W / 52.51199; -1.18246
Grid referenceSP55589077
Platforms2
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Pre-groupingGreat Central Railway
Post-groupingLondon and North Eastern Railway,
London Midland Region of British Railways
Key dates
15 March 1899Opened
5 May 1969Closed
Location

Ashby Magna was a station on the Great Central Main Line, the last main line to be constructed from the north of England to London. It was opened in 1899 to serve the village of Ashby Magna, in Leicestershire, England.

History

Opened by the Great Central Railway, it became part of the London and North Eastern Railway as a result of the Grouping of 1923. The station then passed to the London Midland Region of British Railways on nationalisation in 1948. The station was closed, along with the railway line, by the British Railways Board in 1969, during the Beeching Axe.[1]

Architecturally, the station was very similar to Whetstone in that it comprised a single island platform, designed by Alexander Ross;[2] this allowed the tracks to pass on either side of a central platform and was intended to facilitate future expansion of the railway.[3] Access to the station was via a stairway, which led down from the road bridge on Station Road.[2]


Preceding station Disused railways Following station
Lutterworth
Line and station closed
  Great Central Railway
London Extension
  Whetstone
Line and station closed

The site today

Little now remains of the station. The construction of the M1 motorway to the east of the station,[3] which occurred whilst the line was still open, resulted in the demolition of the station master's house and the loss of the goods yard.[4] A timber merchant now occupies the site and remains of the cattle dock are still visible.[1]

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b Catford, Nick (12 May 2017). "Station name: Ashby Magna". Disused Stations. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  2. ^ a b "Ashby Magna Station and Bridge 413". Great Central Today. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  3. ^ a b "Ashby Magna station under construction". Imageleicestershire.org.uk. Leicestershire County Council. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  4. ^ Healy, J.M.C. (1988). The Great Central Rail Tour. Paddock Wood, Kent: Unicorn Books. p. 29. ISBN 978-1-85241-005-6.

Sourcee