Battlefield Line Railway
| Battlefield Line Railway | |
|---|---|
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| A busy scene from the 2014 Spring Steam Gala at Shackerstone Station | |
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| The Battlefield Line as shown on a period map | |
| Commercial operations | |
| Name |
London and North Western Railway Midland Railway British Rail |
| Built by | London and North Western Railway |
| Original gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Preserved operations | |
| Owned by | Shackerstone Railway Society |
| Operated by | Shackerstone Railway Society |
| Length | 5 mi (8.0 km) |
| Preserved gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Commercial history | |
| Opened | 1873 |
| Closed | 1965 |
| Preservation history | |
| 1973 | Partial re-opening |
| Headquarters | Shackerstone |
The Battlefield Line Railway is a heritage railway in Leicestershire, England. It runs from Shackerstone (Grid ref SK 379 065) to Shenton (SK 396 002), via Market Bosworth, a total of 5 miles (8.0 km). Shenton is near Bosworth Field, (the location of the final battle of the Wars of the Roses immortalised in Shakespeare's Richard III), giving the railway its name.
The railway runs steam and diesel-hauled trains every weekend and Bank Holiday from March to December, as well as a summer mid-week service on Tuesday, Wednesdays, Thursdays in July and August and Wednesdays in September; the latter is operated by the Heritage diesel railcar service. Special events:Christmas Santa Specials and others throughout the year.
The railway used to be part of the London and North Western Railway and the Midland Railway, who operated the line jointly between Moira West Junction and Nuneaton. The first trains ran along this section in 1873. At Shackerstone station, there was once a junction where one section branched off towards Moira and Ashby and the other went towards Coalville Junction. In 1883, the Charnwood Forest Railway was opened, which extended the branch from Coalville Junction to Loughborough's Derby Road station, passing through the villages of Whitwick and Shepshed. In the 1923 Grouping, these lines were assigned to the London Midland and Scottish Railway. In 1931 the last scheduled passenger train went down the Charnwood Forest branch, with the line then only being open to freight and excursions until the 1960s. The Coalville Junction – Shackerstone section was dismantled and closed completely in 1964. The Ashby – Nuneaton line had its last passenger service in 1965, which was an enthusiasts' special, before British Rail pulled the rails up in 1970. In its heyday, Shackerstone was a busy station, with steam trains doing the workings between Ashby and Nuneaton, whilst a railcar did the service between Shackerstone and Loughborough Derby Road.
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Wikipedia