Melbourne railway station (United Kingdom)

Melbourne railway station was a station at Kings Newton that served the adjacent town of Melbourne, Derbyshire, England.

Melbourne
Stone bridge crossing the site of Melbourne station. The branch's trackbed has become the Cloud Trail footpath.
General information
LocationKings Newton, South Derbyshire
England
Coordinates52°49′44″N 1°24′54″W / 52.829°N 1.415°W / 52.829; -1.415
Grid referenceSK395260
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyMidland Railway
Pre-groupingMidland Railway
Post-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
1 September 1868Station opened as terminus
1874Line extended and Melbourne becomes through station
22 September 1930Passenger service withdrawn
1939Station becomes Melbourne Military Railway depot
1945Line returned to LMS
21 May 1980Line closed to freight traffic

History

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It was opened in 1868 as the terminus of a Midland Railway branch from Derby Midland.[1] In 1874 it became a through station as the line was extended to a junction on the Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line near Ashby-de-la-Zouch.

In 1930 passenger services were withdrawn and the Midland's successor, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, was using the line only for freight services. During the Second World War the line became the Melbourne Military Railway and Melbourne station became its headquarters. In 1945 the War Department returned the line and station to the LMS.

In 1980 British Railways closed the line[1] and by the 1990s the track had been dismantled. The trackbed through the former station is now part of National Cycle Route 6.

Stationmasters

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  • Alexander McCall 1869 - 1875[2] (afterwards station master at Manton)
  • W. Blackshaw from 1875[2] - 1891[3]
  • G. Barker 1891 - 1898[3] (formerly station master at Cumwhinton, afterwards station master at Stoke Works)
  • John Henry Goodliffe 1898[3] - 1929[4]
  • William Arthur Ofield 1929 - 1935[5] (formerly station master at Weston on Trent)
  • J.W. Hardy 1936 - 1937[6] (afterwards station master at Shepshed)
  • Andrew McLennan 1937 - 1938[7] (formerly station master at East Ham, afterwards station master at Staveley, Westmorland)
  • A. Robinson 1938 - 1939[8] (afterwards station master at Worthington)

Route

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Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Tonge and Breedon
Line and station closed
  Midland Railway
Melbourne line
1871 - 1930
  Chellaston and Swarkestone
Line and station closed
Wilson
Line and station closed
  Midland Railway
Melbourne line
1869 - 1871
  Chellaston and Swarkestone
Line and station closed

References

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  1. ^ a b "Focus on... Chellaston Junction and surrounding area". Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  2. ^ a b "1871-1879 Coaching". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 279. 1871. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "1881-1898 Coaching". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 247. 1881. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Gold Watch for Stationmaster". Derby Daily Telegraph. England. 25 March 1929. Retrieved 2 January 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "Mr. A. Ofield". Derby Daily Telegraph. England. 15 April 1935. Retrieved 2 January 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "L.M.S. Appointments". Nottingham Evening Post. England. 20 March 1937. Retrieved 2 January 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Melbourne Stationmaster". Derby Daily Telegraph. England. 17 May 1938. Retrieved 2 January 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "New Stationmaster". Leicester Evening Mail. England. 6 July 1939. Retrieved 2 January 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.