Rugby and Stamford Railway

The Rugby and Stamford Railway was an early railway in England built in 1850. The London and Birmingham Railway had already built a branch from Blisworth to serve Northampton and extend to Peterborough. The success of this, the Northampton and Peterborough Railway encouraged the directors to look for other ventures. They decided upon a branch from Rugby to Stamford which would link up with other new railways in the east of the country.

At approximately the same time the Midland Railway was building its Syston to Peterborough line which opened in 1848. It was therefore necessary to share its line between Luffenham and Stamford.

The "Act to empower the London and Birmingham Railway Company to make a Branch Railway from Rugby to the Syston and Peterborough Railway near Stamford." (The Rugby and Stamford Railway Act, 1846). 9 Victoria, cap. lxvii. was passed in 1846. a month before the line became part of the London and North Western Railway.

Like the earlier branch it was built as a single line which could be doubled at a later date if needed. From Rugby the line followed the valley of the Warwickshire Avon and then the Welland Valley. Although it eased construction with few earthworks it involved a number of river crossings. During the construction the major contractor became bankrupt in 1848. Joseph Firbank, railway contractor, lost much of his savings as a result.

The section from Rugby to Market Harborough, opened in 1850. Originally single track, it was doubled at the end of 1878.

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