Midland Main Line

The Midland Main Line is a major railway in the United Kingdom from London's St. Pancras station to the northern city of Sheffield via Luton, Bedford, Kettering, Leicester, East Midlands Parkway, Derby/Nottingham and Chesterfield.

Since the closure of the rival Great Central Main Line in the 1960s, the Midland has been the only direct main-line rail link between London and the East Midlands and South Yorkshire.

In January 2009 a new station, East Midlands Parkway, was opened between Loughborough and Trent Junction, to act as a park-and-ride station for suburban residents of East Midlands cities and to serve nearby East Midlands Airport.

Express passenger services on the line are operated by East Midlands Trains. The section between St Pancras and Bedford is electrified and forms the northern half of Thameslink (mainly operated by First Capital Connect), with a fast service to Brighton and other suburban services.

A northern part of the route between Derby and Sheffield also forms part of the Cross Country Route to Bristol and in summer, south west tourist resorts, operated by CrossCountry. Tracks from Nottingham to Leeds via Barnsley and Sheffield are shared with Northern. TransPennine Express operate through Sheffield. East Midlands Local also operates regional and local services using parts of the line.

Historically the line had an extension through Leeds in the near north-east to Carlisle and via agreement with other line developers ran to Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland. The East and West Coast Main Lines' faster and more direct services to Scotland caused these services to be lost. Later, overhead electrification of the West Coast Main Line and the Beeching cuts saw the marginally longer London-Manchester service via Sheffield disbanded: a straight railway from Derby to Manchester having been thwarted in 1863 by the builders of the Buxton Line who sought to monopolise on the West Coast Main Line. The line retains connections to the Peak District via the Hope Valley Line.

History
The Midland Main Line was built in stages between the 1830s and the 1870s, originating in three lines which met at the Tri Junct Station in Derby, which became the Midland Railway.

First to arrive was the line built by the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway from Hampton-in-Arden, Warwickshire to Derby, which opened on 12 August 1839. This route presents the Cross-Country Route through Birmingham to Bristol.

Derby was supplemented on 1 July 1840 by the North Midland Railway to Leeds Hunslet Lane via Chesterfield, Rotherham Masborough, Swinton and Normanton. This avoided Sheffield, Barnsley, and Wakefield to reduce gradients.

On the same day the Midland Counties Railway, which also already ran from Nottingham to Leicester, was extended to a temporary station on the northern outskirts of Rugby, Warwickshire. A few months later, the Rugby viaduct was finished so as to reach the London and Birmingham Railway's Rugby station. This cut 11 mi off the existing Birmingham route via Hampton-in-Arden.

When these three companies merged to form the Midland Railway on 10 May 1844, the Midland did not have its own route to London, and relied upon a junction at Rugby with the London and Birmingham's line (which became part of the London and North Western Railway on 1 January 1846) to London Euston for access to the capital.

By the 1850s the junction at Rugby had become severely congested so the Midland Railway constructed a direct route from Leicester to Hitchin via Bedford. giving access to London via the Great Northern Railway from Hitchin. The line avoids Northampton, instead going via Kettering and Wellingborough in the east of Northamptonshire. This line met with similar problems at Hitchin as the former alignment had at Rugby, so in 1868 a line was opened from Bedford via Luton to St Pancras, which became known as the Bedpan line and is now part of Thameslink extending to Brighton.
 * Own Southern Section

The final stretch of what is considered to be the modern Midland Main Line was a relatively short Sheffield by-pass which was opened in 1870.
 * Northernmost Sections

The mid-1870s saw the Midland line extended northwards through the Yorkshire Dales and Eden Valley on what is now solely called the Settle-Carlisle Railway, considered an independent route and not part of the present-day Midland Main Line, although included in its diagram shown to the top right.

Before the line closures of the Beeching era, the lines to Buxton and via Millers Dale during most years presented an alternate (and competing) main line from London to Manchester, carrying named expresses such as The Palatine. Express trains to Leeds and Scotland such as the Thames-Clyde Express mainly used the Midland's corollary Erewash Valley Line, returned to it then used the Settle and Carlisle Line. Expresses to Edinburgh Waverley, such as The Waverley travelled through Corby and Nottingham.

Partly to appease the concerns and opposition of landowners along the route, in places some of it was built to avoid large estates and rural towns, and to reduce construction costs the railways followed natural contours, resulting in many curves and bends. This has also resulted in the MML passing through some relatively hilly areas, such as Sharnbrook (where there is a 1 in 119 gradient from the south taking the line to 340 ft above sea level). This has left a legacy of lower maximum speeds on the line compared with other main lines. The response to a similar situation on the West Coast Main Line has been the adoption of tilting trains, but there has been no proposal for such a solution on the Midland line.

In 1977 the Parliamentary Select Committee on Nationalised Industries recommended considering electrification of more of Britain's rail network, and by 1979 BR presented a range of options that included electrifying the Midland Main Line from London to Yorkshire by 2000. By 1983 the line had been electrified from Moorgate to Bedford, but proposals to continue electrification to Nottingham and Sheffield have not been implemented.



The introduction of the High Speed Train (HST) in May 1983 following the Leicester area resignalling brought about an increase of the ruling line speed on the fast lines from 90 mph to 110 mph.

Between 2001 and 2003 the line between Derby and Sheffield was upgraded from 100 mph to 110 mph as part of Operation Princess, the Virgin-funded CrossCountry route upgrade.

In January 2009 a new station, East Midlands Parkway, was opened between Loughborough and Trent Junction, to act as a park-and-ride station for suburban travellers from East Midlands cities and to serve nearby East Midlands Airport.

Most recently there are plans for 125 mph running on extended stretches, improved signalling, increased number of tracks and the revival of proposals to extend electrification from Bedford to Sheffield. Much of this £70 million upgrade, including some line speed increases, came online on 9 December 2013 (see Future section, below).

Corollary lines
Also part of the line, as defined by Network Rail, are the:
 * Erewash Valley Line
 * Leicester to Burton upon Trent Line
 * Oakham to Kettering Line
 * Sections of the Nottingham to Lincoln Line between Nottingham and Newark
 * Sections of the Birmingham to Peterborough Line between Nuneaton and Oakham, Rutland.

Accidents

 * 1845/1882/1886/1887/1897/1916/1927 Penistone rail accidents
 * 26 September 1860 Bull bridge accident; bridge collapse
 * 2 September 1861 Kentish Town rail accident; collision
 * 24 December 1910 Hawes Junction rail crash; signalman forgot about train
 * 2 September 1913 Ais Gill rail accident; collision
 * 3 December 1923 Nunnery Colliery
 * 13 December 1926 Orgreave Paddy Mail accident
 * 22 March 2005 Market Harborough rail accident
 * 1 February 2008 Barrow upon Soar rail accident

East Midlands Trains
The principal operator is East Midlands Trains, which replaced Midland Mainline on 11 November 2007. East Midlands Trains operates 5 InterCity trains every hour on the MML from London St Pancras with two trains per hour to Nottingham and Sheffield and one train per hour to Corby. There are also limited services to Scarborough/York, Leeds, Melton Mowbray and Lincoln. The former operator, Midland Mainline also ran limited services to Matlock, Burton-on-Trent and Barnsley. EMT uses a modern Meridian trains in various carriage formations for most of its InterCity services. Older 8 carriage HST are used for its Nottingham fast service as well as its Leeds services.

Additionally, East Midlands Trains runs rural services between Leicester and Nottingham to Lincoln and Nottingham and Ambergate to Matlock, while also running Regional Express services between Nottingham and Sheffield as part of its Norwich to Liverpool route.

First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect provides frequent, 24 hour commuter services south of Bedford as part of its Thameslink route to London Bridge, Gatwick Airport, Brighton and Sutton. Using 4 car electric and  Electrostar trains which can be coupled into 8 and 12 car formations.

CrossCountry and Northern Rail
CrossCountry runs half hourly services to between Derby and Sheffield. Trains carry on to Birmingham, Plymouth, Bournemouth, Doncaster/Leeds and Scotland. They also provide hourly services between Nottingham and Derby to Birmingham and Cardiff. Northern Rail runs an hourly service to Leeds from Nottingham via Alferton and Barnsley.

Other operators include:


 * London Midland in the Bedford area;
 * First TransPennine Express in the Sheffield area;

Route definition and description


The cities, towns and villages currently served by the MML are listed below. Stations in bold have a high usage. Be aware this section details the original line to Manchester (where it linked to the West Coast Main Line) and Carlisle (via Leeds where it meets with the 'modern' East Coast Main Line).

Network Rail group all lines in the East Midlands and the route north as far as Chesterfield and south to London as route 19. The actual line extends beyond this into routes 10 and 11.

London to Nottingham and Sheffield (Network Rail Route 19)

 * Tunnels

Ambergate Junction to Manchester
For marketing and franchising, this is no longer considered part of the Midland Main Line: see Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway

The line was once the Midland Railway's route from London St Pancras to Manchester, branching at Ambergate Junction along the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway, now known as the Derwent Valley Line. In days gone by, it featured named expresses such as The Palatine. Much later in the twentieth century, it carried the Midland Pullman.



This line was closed in the 1960s between Matlock and Buxton, severing an important link between Manchester and the East Midlands, which has never been satisfactorily replaced by any mode of transport. A section of the route remains in the hands of the Peak Rail preservation group, operating between Matlock and Rowsley to the north.

Leeds to Carlisle
For marketing and franchising, this is no longer considered part of the Midland Main Line: see Settle-Carlisle Railway.



World War I prevented the Midland Railway from finishing its direct route through the West Riding to join the Settle and Carlisle (which would have cut six miles from the journey and avoided the need for reversal at Leeds).

The first part of the Midland's West Riding extension from the main line at Royston (Yorks.) to Dewsbury was opened before the war. However, the second part of the extension was not completed. This involved a viaduct at Dewsbury over the River Calder, a tunnel under Dewsbury Moor and a new approach railway into Bradford from the south at a lower level than the existing railway (a good part of which was to be in tunnel) leading into Bradford Midland (or Bradford Forster Square) station.

The 500-yard gap between the stations at Bradford still exists. Closing it today would also need to take into account the different levels between the two Bradford stations, a task made easier in the days of electric rather than steam traction, allowing for steeper gradients than possible at the time of the Midland's proposed extension.

Two impressive viaducts remain on the completed part of the line between Royston Junction and Dewsbury as a testament to the Midland's ambition to complete a third direct Anglo-Scottish route. The line served two goods stations and provided a route for occasional express passenger trains before its eventual closure in 1968.

The failure to complete this section ended the Midland's hopes of being a serious competitor on routes to Scotland and finally put beyond all doubt that Leeds, not Bradford, would be the West Riding's principal city. Midland trains to Scotland therefore continued to call at Leeds before travelling along the Aire Valley to the Settle and Carlisle. From Carlisle they then travelled onwards via either the Glasgow and South Western or Waverley route. In days gone by the line enjoyed named expresses such as the Thames-Clyde Express and The Waverley.


 * Leeds along the Airedale Line
 * Here is Apperley Junction for the Wharfedale line
 * Shipley: here is the triangular junction for the branch line serving Bradford Forster Square
 * Saltaire
 * Bingley
 * Crossflatts
 * Keighley
 * Here is the Worth Valley Branch junction to Oxenhope.
 * Steeton & Silsden
 * Cononley
 * Skipton
 * Here is Settle Junction for the line to Morecambe
 * Giggleswick
 * Clapham
 * Here was the junction for Ingleton and an end-on junction via Sedbergh to Low Gill on the London and North Western Railway (LNW) West Coast Main Line
 * Bentham
 * Lancaster Green Ayre
 * At this point the line divided: a triangular junction for the two lines:
 * Morecambe
 * Heysham Port, including a station for Middleton Road Heysham
 * Settle
 * Horton-in-Ribblesdale
 * Ribblehead
 * Dent
 * Garsdale
 * At Hawes station, on the branch to the east of the main line, there was an end-on junction with the North Eastern Railway (NER) line across the Pennines to Northallerton
 * Kirkby Stephen
 * Appleby
 * Langwathby
 * Armathwaite
 * Cumwhinton
 * Carlisle

Former stations
As with most railway lines in Britain, the route used to serve far more stations than it currently does (and consequently passes close to settlements that it no longer serves). Places that the current mainline used to serve include


 * London to Leicester
 * Camden Road
 * Haverstock Hill
 * Finchley Road
 * Welsh Harp
 * Napsbury
 * Chiltern Green
 * Ampthill
 * Oakley
 * Sharnbrook
 * Irchester
 * Finedon
 * Isham and Burton Latimer
 * Rushton
 * Desborough
 * East Langton
 * Kibworth
 * Great Glen
 * Wigston Magna

The following on the original North Midland Railway line
 * Leicester to Trent Junction
 * Leicester Humberstone Road
 * Cossington Gate
 * Hathern
 * Kegworth
 * Trent
 * Derwent Valley
 * Breaston (later Sawley - see Long Eaton)
 * Draycott
 * Borrowash
 * Derby Nottingham Road
 * Wingfield
 * Stretton
 * Clay Cross
 * Erewash Valley
 * Long Eaton (Original Midland Counties Railway station not the present one)
 * Stapleford and Sandiacre
 * Stanton Gate
 * Trowell
 * Ilkeston Junction and Cossall
 * Shipley Gate
 * Codnor Park and Ironville
 * Pye Bridge
 * Westhouses and Blackwell
 * Doe Hill
 * Chesterfield to Leeds
 * Staveley
 * Eckington
 * Killamarsh
 * Beighton
 * Woodhouse Mill
 * Treeton
 * Sheepbridge
 * Unstone
 * Beauchief
 * Millhouses
 * Heeley
 * Attercliffe Road
 * Brightside
 * Holmes
 * Rotherham Masborough
 * Parkgate and Rawmarsh
 * Kilnhurst
 * Swinton West (reopened Swinton)
 * Wath
 * Darfield
 * Royston and Notton
 * Oakenshaw (originally for Wakefield)
 * Normanton
 * Methley
 * Woodlesford

Network Rail's plans
The Midland Main line has for many years been thought of as a 'Cinderella' line but, with the increasing capacity constraints on other lines, the route looks set to benefit from investment and enhancement. Plans for the line include:
 * Re-signalling of the entire route, expected to be complete by 2016 when all signalling will be controlled by the East Midlands signalling centre in Derby.
 * Rebuilding Bedford, Leicester and Nottingham stations, which would also involve an enhanced approach layout during re-signalling works.
 * Accessibility enhancements at Loughborough, Luton, Harpenden, Long Eaton, Wellingborough and Elstree & Borehamwood by 2015.
 * Upgraded approach signalling (flashing yellow aspects) added at key junctions - Radlett, Harpenden and Leagrave allowing trains to traverse them at higher speeds.
 * Lengthening of platforms at Wellingborough, Kettering, Market Harborough, Loughborough, Long Eaton and Beeston stations as well as work related to the Thameslink Programme (see below).
 * Realignment (slewing) of the line to allow faster speeds through Market Harborough station.
 * Electrification (below)
 * Speeds of up to 125 mph between Elstree & Borehamwood and Ratcliffe Junction on the fast lines (December 2013 onwards) at a cost of £69.4m leading to an 8-minute reduction in the express London - Sheffield journey time and a 6-minute reduction for London - Nottingham journey times (London St Pancras - Sheffield LSI) on services operated by Class 222 DMUs.

Electrification
Work to reconfigure the existing electrified section and to electrify the entire line was announced on 16 July 2012 for completion by 2019 at an expected cost of £800 million.

In January 2013, Network Rail announced that it was to be electrified at a cost of £500 million during Control Period 5 (April 2014 - March 2019). It's planned that the Bedford to Corby section will be electrified by 2017, Kettering to Derby and Nottingham by 2019 and Derby to Sheffield by 2020. Under current plans, Nottingham to Clay Cross via Alfreton will not be electrified, nor Corby to Syston via Oakham which acts as a diversion route during some track blockages.

Growth
Traffic levels on the Midland Main Line are rising faster than the national average, with continued increases predicted. The now-defunct Strategic Rail Authority produced a Route Utilisation Strategy for the Midland Main Line in 2006 to propose ways of meeting this demand; Network Rail started a new study in February 2008 and this was published in February 2010. After electrification, the North Northamptonshire and South Leicestershire towns (Wellingborough, Kettering, Corby and Market Harborough) are planned to have an additional 'Outer Suburban service' into London St. Pancras, similar to the London Midland's Crewe - London Euston services to cater for the growing commuter market. North Northamptonshire is a major growth area, with over 7,000 new homes planned to be built in Wellingborough and Kettering alone.

2010 Route plan
Network Rail's 2010 route plan for the Midland Main Line stressed improving infrastructure to allow more and longer trains to operate in the future as more houses are built in Northamptonshire. Highlights include:
 * Work related to line speed increases, removing foot crossings and replacing with footbridges
 * Various capacity enhancements for freight

Freight utilisation strategy
Network Rail published a Route Utilisation Strategy for freight in 2007; over the coming years a cross-country freight route will be developed enhancing the Birmingham to Peterborough Line, increasing capacity through Leicester, and remodelling Syston and Wigston junctions.

Thameslink Programme
The Thameslink Programme has seen all stations south of Bedford apart from St Pancras, Kentish Town, Crickelwood, Hendon, Luton Airport Parkway be lengthened to 12 car capabilities. West Hampstead Thameslink has had new a footbridge installed and a new station building constructed. After September 2014, the Thameslink Great Northern franchise, currently operated by First Capital Connect will be re-franchised. After July 2015 Southern services will be merged with it.

Route Utilisation Strategy
In the East Midlands Route Utilisation Strategy, Network Rail recommended the InterCity Express Programme trains, the in 10 car formations for the InterCity services. Two 775 meter freight loops south of Bedford and between Kettering and Leicester for longer and heavier freight services, additional infrastructure to accommodate additional freight and passenger train paths and also recommended an additional stop at Kettering for the semi-fast London-Sheffield service.

Stations
From 2013 to 2014 Nottingham station is being refurbished at a cost of £50 million, creating a better interchange with Trams and Taxis. A new platform canopy has been installed on platform 6 and the station frontage is being cleaned. A multi-story car park has already been constructed. In summer 2013, the Nottingham station area had a month long blockade. A new platform was constructed, 143 new signals were installed, track was replaced, junctions were simplified for higher speeds, four signal boxes were replaced by Derby signalling centre, two level crossings were renewed and two were replaced with footbridges

As part of Wellingborough's Station Cross development, Wellingborough station is to be expanded, with an extra station building on a re-opened platform 4 as well as a 6 story and a 3 story car park.

There are also new stations planned or proposed on the Midland Main Line.

Three stations are planned: Stations proposed:
 * Brent Cross Thameslink between Cricklewood and Hendon as part of the Brent Cross Cricklewood development in North London.
 * Wixams between Flitwick and Bedford as part of the new town just outside Bedford. Expected to be built by 2015.
 * Ilkeston between Nottingham and Langley Mill, believed to be the largest town without a railway station.
 * Clay Cross between Chesterfield and Ambergate/Alferton.
 * Irchester (Rushden Parkway) between Wellingborough and Bedford.
 * Ampthill between Bedford and Flitwick.

Notes and references

 * Notes
 * References