Belgrave and Birstall railway station

Belgrave and Birstall
Belgrave and Birstall station in 1962
Location
Place	Birstall
Area	Charnwood
Grid reference	SK587082
Operations
Pre-grouping	Great Central Railway
Post-grouping	London and North Eastern Railway London Midland Region of British Railways
Platforms	2
History
15 March 1899	Opened
4 March 1963	Closed
Disused railway stations in the United Kingdom
Closed railway stations in Britain A B C D–F G H–J K–L M–O P–R S T–V W–Z

Coordinates: 52°40′7.24″N 1°7′58.72″W / 52.6686778°N 1.1329778°W / 52.6686778; -1.1329778

Belgrave and Birstall railway station was a railway station opened by the Great Central Railway in 1899. It served the villages of Belgrave and Birstall in Leicestershire. It closed in 1963.

In 1991 Leicester North railway station was opened immediately to the south of Belgrave and Birstall railway station by the preserved Great Central heritage railway and is representative of the 1960s when the line was under control of British Railways Midland Region and when opened is the southern terminus of the railway.

Curving south of milepost 99, the line continues to climb at the ruling 1 in 176 gradient (10 yards per mile). After passing over an original farm occupation crossing (structure 359), it passes under the new Leicester bypass road (see History) before straightening and leveling out as far as milepost 100 (shortly after overbridge 360). Turning sharply to the west, the railway falls as it approaches the outskirts of Leicester. Shortly after passing under the redundant bridge 361 (blocked off on one side), an ancient right-of-way crosses the trackbed on the level, though only for pedestrian traffic. The final descent into Leicester North station first cuts deeply beneath Park Road (bridge 362) before the formation widens to accommodate the former running lines to pass between each of the Belgrave and Birstall station bridge arches.