The
Great Northern Railway (GNR) was a
British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed
London and North Eastern RailwayThe London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
.
The main line ran from London via
HitchinHitchin is a town in Hertfordshire, England, with an estimated population of 30,360.-History:Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce people mentioned in a 7th century document, the Tribal Hidage. The tribal name is Brittonic rather than Old English and derives from *siccā, meaning...
,
PeterboroughPeterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
, and
GranthamGrantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...
, to
YorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, with a loop line from Peterborough to
BawtryBawtry is a small market town and civil parish which lies at the point where the Great North Road crosses the River Idle in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. Nearby towns include Gainsborough to the east, Retford south southeast, Worksop to the southwest and...
(south of
DoncasterDoncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
) via
BostonBoston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
and
LincolnLincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
, and branch lines to Sheffield and
WakefieldWakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
.
The main line became part of the
East Coast Main LineThe East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
.
1840s
The first prospectus of the Great Northern Railway (initially called the London and York Railway) was issued on 3 May 1844, and plans were deposited in that year's
parliamentary sessionA legislative session is the period of time in which a legislature, in both parliamentary and presidential systems, is convened for purpose of lawmaking, usually being one of two or more smaller divisions of the entire time between two elections...
for the following lines:
- Main line London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to YorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
.
- Loop from Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
to BawtryBawtry is a small market town and civil parish which lies at the point where the Great North Road crosses the River Idle in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. Nearby towns include Gainsborough to the east, Retford south southeast, Worksop to the southwest and...
via BostonBoston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
and LincolnLincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
.
- Branch from Bawtry to Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
.
- Branch from Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
to WakefieldWakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
.
- Branch to Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
.
- Branch from Stamford
Stamford is a town and civil parish within the South Kesteven district of the county of Lincolnshire, England. It is approximately to the north of London, on the east side of the A1 road to York and Edinburgh and on the River Welland...
to SpaldingSpalding is a market town with a population of 30,000 on the River Welland in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. Little London is a hamlet directly south of Spalding on the B1172 road....
.
The line passed its second reading in the commons despite fierce opposition from the
London and BirminghamThe London and Birmingham Railway was an early railway company in the United Kingdom from 1833 to 1846, when it became part of the London and North Western Railway ....
and the newly formed
Midland RailwayThe Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
, who at that time had a monopoly of the London to
LeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and York traffic, and despite an adverse report from the
Board of TradeThe Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
.
In the 1845 session, the sheer number of railway projects plus opposition from established companies and from rival projects meant that the London and York bill, although not defeated, failed by running out of time.
The London and York bill finally received Royal assent on 26 June 1846 as The Great Northern Railway Act, 1846. The Act granted powers to construct the main line and loop lines. Also in the 1846 session, powers were granted to various allied companies to make lines from Boston to
GrimsbyGrimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
and Stamford to Spalding - which was never built - and also the
HitchinHitchin is a town in Hertfordshire, England, with an estimated population of 30,360.-History:Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce people mentioned in a 7th century document, the Tribal Hidage. The tribal name is Brittonic rather than Old English and derives from *siccā, meaning...
to
RoystonRoyston is a town and civil parish in the District of North Hertfordshire and county of Hertfordshire in England.It is situated on the Greenwich Meridian, which brushes the towns western boundary, and at the northernmost apex of the county on the same latitude of towns such as Milton Keynes and...
section only of a proposed Oxford and Cambridge Railway.
The Great Northern began construction first on the Peterborough to
GainsboroughGainsborough is a town 15 miles north-west of Lincoln on the River Trent within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. At one time it served as an important port with trade downstream to Hull, and was the most inland in England, being more than 55 miles from the North...
section of the loop line, as the ease of construction over the flat fens promised an earlier return on investment. Because a proposed branch from Bawtry to Sheffield had been rejected by parliament, it was thought better for the loop line to rejoin the towns line at
RossingtonRossington is a civil parish and former mining village in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England and is surrounded by countryside and the market towns of Bawtry and Tickhill.-Geography:...
instead, so no work was done on the loop north of Gainsborough. The GNR suffered a setback in 1848 when this deviation was rejected, but arrangements were soon made to use the
MS&LRThe Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
's authorized line from Sykes Junction (on the loop line north of Lincoln) to Retford and then via their own main line, and contracts for both of these lines were quickly let.
The first section of line was opened on 1 March 1848 and was the
LouthLouth is a market town and civil parish within the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England.-Geography:Known as the "capital of the Lincolnshire Wolds", it is situated where the ancient trackway Barton Street crosses the River Lud, and has a total resident population of 15,930.The Greenwich...
to
GrimsbyGrimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
section of the
East Lincolnshire RailwayThe East Lincolnshire Railway was a main line railway linking the towns of Boston, Louth and Grimsby in Lincolnshire, England. It opened in 1848 and was closed to passengers in 1970.-History:...
, which although nominally independent, was leased to the GNR from the start. The first section of GNR proper to be opened was the 3 miles from
DoncasterDoncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
to Askern Junction, where an end on connection was made with the
Lancashire and Yorkshire RailwayThe Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
line from
KnottingleyKnottingley is a town within the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England on the River Aire and the A1 road. It has a population of 13,503....
.
The East Lincolnshire line opened from Louth to Boston on 1 October 1848, and on the 17 October, the loop line opened between Werrington Junction and
LincolnLincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
, with GNR trains using the Midland line from Werrington Junction to Peterborough. The GNR and MS&LR lines allowing through running from Lincoln to Doncaster via
RetfordRetford is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands of England, located 31 miles from the city of Nottingham, and 23 miles west of Lincoln, in the district of Bassetlaw. The town is situated in a valley with the River Idle and the Chesterfield Canal running through the centre of the...
opened on 4 September 1849.
The immediate targets in the north were
LeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and
YorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. On 30 June 1847, the GNR obtained running powers over the LYR from Askern to Wakefield via Knottingley, and also from Knottingley to Methley on the Midland, and on 16 October the Midland agreed to allow the GNR to run from Methley to Leeds.
On 23 February 1849, the
York and North Midland RailwayThe York and North Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom which opened in 1839, connecting York, with the Leeds and Selby Railway and in 1840 with the North Midland Railway at Normanton near Leeds.-Origins:...
agreed in principle to give the GNR running powers from Burton Salmon to York, and also over a new line to be built from Knottingley to Burton Salmon. This new line was opened in June 1850, at which time the agreement was formalised and in return the GNR agreed not to proceed with its own main line from Askern to York via
SelbySelby railway station serves the town of Selby in North Yorkshire, England. The station is on the Hull-York Line south of York, Leeds-Hull Line east of Leeds and west of Hull....
.
First 20 miles from London
During 1846 to 1849
George TurnbullGeorge Turnbull was the Chief Engineer responsible for construction from 1851 to 1863 of the first railway line from Calcutta : the 541-mile line to Benares en route to Delhi...
was the resident engineer under
William CubittSir William Cubitt was an eminent English civil engineer and millwright. Born in Norfolk, England, he was employed in many of the great engineering undertakings of his time. He invented a type of windmill sail and the prison treadwheel, and was employed as chief engineer, at Ransomes of Ipswich,...
for the London District of the Great Northern Railway. Turnbull oversaw the construction of the first 20 miles of line out of London, including bridges, multiple cuttings and the Copenhagen,
TottenhamTottenham is an area of the London Borough of Haringey, England, situated north north east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:Tottenham is believed to have been named after Tota, a farmer, whose hamlet was mentioned in the Domesday Book; hence Tota's hamlet became Tottenham...
, South Barnet, North Barnet and
South MimmsSouth Mimms, sometimes spelt South Mymms, is a village and civil parish forming part of the Hertsmere district of Hertfordshire County Council in the East of England although geographically and historically is in the County of Middlesex.-History:...
tunnels (he was particularly proud of the alignment of the tunnels). In December 1848 he was busy with the plans for King's Cross station and passing the line under the
Regent's CanalRegent's Canal is a canal across an area just north of central London, England. It provides a link from the Paddington arm of the Grand Union Canal, just north-west of Paddington Basin in the west, to the Limehouse Basin and the River Thames in east London....
. On 2 February 1849 the last capstone on Holloway Bridge was set in place. On 27 March the first brick for Copenhagen Tunnel was laid by Edward Purser. The first brick of the East Barnet tunnel was laid on 23 April. There was much trouble with the cement in Tottenham and South Mimms tunnels: Turnbull stopped the use of cement — blue lias was substituted (this was made by burning the blue clay from the tunnels and grinding it). Another of the engineers working under Cubitt was
James MooreJames Moore was an engineer responsible for the first steam railway to operate in Australia.James Moore C.E. was a nephew of Sir William Cubitt, under whom he was engaged on the South Eastern and Great Northern railways in Britain, and presumably learnt his trade there...
, who went on to design the first commercial steam railway in Australia for the
Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway CompanyThe Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company was a railway company in Victoria, Australia. The company was founded on 20 January 1853 to build Australia's first railway broad gauge line from Melbourne to the port of Sandridge...
.
1850s
On 7 August 1850, the main line opened from a temporary station at Maiden Lane, London, to Peterborough. The remaining section between Peterborough and Retford opened in 1852, as did the new London terminus at King's Cross. Doncaster locomotive works opened in 1853, replacing temporary facilities at Boston.
On 1 August 1854, the Leeds, Bradford and Halifax Junction Railway opened between Leeds and Bowling Junction near Bradford. By running powers over this line and a section of the LYR, the GNR obtained access to Bradford and Halifax. In 1857, the West Yorkshire Railway opened their direct line from Wakefield to Leeds via Ardsley. The GNR had running powers over this line and immediately began using it instead of the Midland line via Methley. Also in 1857, the previously mentioned LB&HJR opened a direct line from Ardsley to Laisterdyke, near Bradford. In 1851, by agreement with the MS&LR, the GNR began a London to Manchester via Retford service, and from 1859 GNR trans also ran to Huddersfield via Penistone.
Thus by the end of the 1850s, the GNR had gained access to most of West Yorkshire, although without at this time owning any lines beyond Askern Junction, a few miles north of Doncaster. The profits gained from the coal traffic from this area to London prompted the
Great Eastern RailwayThe Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
and
Lancashire and Yorkshire RailwayThe Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
to promote a bill for a trunk line from Doncaster through Lincolnshire, but this was rejected by Parliament in both 1865 and 1871.
Further south, a branch from Hitchin to Royston and on to Shepreth was opened in March 1850 and worked by the GNR. This line was meant to connect with a previously authorized GER line at Shepreth. The GER had not built this line but opposed GNR powers to extend from Shepreth to Cambridge themselves. An agreement was reached for the GER to build the Shepreth to Cambridge section and then work the whole line from Hitchin to Cambridge for 14 years, with the GER taking over the expensive guarantee that the GNR had given to the Hitchin & Royston company.
The
Ambergate, Nottingham, Boston and Eastern Junction RailwayThe Ambergate, Nottingham, Boston and Eastern Junction Railway was an early British railway company, which opened in 1850.The original aim was to link to the proposed Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway at Ambergate to link Manchester with Boston and the East Coast...
opened from Colwick, near Nottingham, to Grantham in July 1850 (using a tempoarary station in Grantham pending completion of the towns line). In May 1852 the GNR agreed to work this line, but the agreement was opposed by the Midland, and it was not until 1861 that the GNR got formal possession. Midland obstruction of GNR through traffic in Nottingham led to the ANB&EJR seeking powers to build a parallel line from Colwick to its own station in Nottingham at London Road.
East of Grantham, the Boston, Sleaford and Midland Counties Railway opened from near Grantham to Sleaford in June 1857 and on to Boston in April 1859. Independent companies also built branches from Essendine to Stamford and Bourne and from Welwyn to Hertford and to Dunstable via Luton, all of which were worked by the GNR.
From 1858 the GNR line into London from Hitchin was also used by the Midland. This and the agreements with the MS&LR helped to undermine the "Euston Square Confederacy" established by the
London and North Western RailwayThe London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
.
GNR agreements with the MS&LR also led to the GNR investing in lines between Manchester and Liverpool. The Midland also became involved, and an extensive joint line grew which became known as the
Cheshire Lines CommitteeThe Cheshire Lines Committee was the second largest joint railway in Great Britain, with 143 route miles. Despite its name, approximately 55% of its system was in Lancashire. In its publicity material it was often styled as the Cheshire Lines Railway...
.
1860s
The
Great Northern Railway (GNR) was a
British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed
London and North Eastern RailwayThe London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
.
The main line ran from London via
HitchinHitchin is a town in Hertfordshire, England, with an estimated population of 30,360.-History:Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce people mentioned in a 7th century document, the Tribal Hidage. The tribal name is Brittonic rather than Old English and derives from *siccā, meaning...
,
PeterboroughPeterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
, and
GranthamGrantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...
, to
YorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, with a loop line from Peterborough to
BawtryBawtry is a small market town and civil parish which lies at the point where the Great North Road crosses the River Idle in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. Nearby towns include Gainsborough to the east, Retford south southeast, Worksop to the southwest and...
(south of
DoncasterDoncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
) via
BostonBoston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
and
LincolnLincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
, and branch lines to Sheffield and
WakefieldWakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
.
The main line became part of the
East Coast Main LineThe East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
.
1840s
The first prospectus of the Great Northern Railway (initially called the London and York Railway) was issued on 3 May 1844, and plans were deposited in that year's
parliamentary sessionA legislative session is the period of time in which a legislature, in both parliamentary and presidential systems, is convened for purpose of lawmaking, usually being one of two or more smaller divisions of the entire time between two elections...
for the following lines:
- Main line London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to YorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
.
- Loop from Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
to BawtryBawtry is a small market town and civil parish which lies at the point where the Great North Road crosses the River Idle in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. Nearby towns include Gainsborough to the east, Retford south southeast, Worksop to the southwest and...
via BostonBoston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
and LincolnLincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
.
- Branch from Bawtry to Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
.
- Branch from Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
to WakefieldWakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
.
- Branch to Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
.
- Branch from Stamford
Stamford is a town and civil parish within the South Kesteven district of the county of Lincolnshire, England. It is approximately to the north of London, on the east side of the A1 road to York and Edinburgh and on the River Welland...
to SpaldingSpalding is a market town with a population of 30,000 on the River Welland in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. Little London is a hamlet directly south of Spalding on the B1172 road....
.
The line passed its second reading in the commons despite fierce opposition from the
London and BirminghamThe London and Birmingham Railway was an early railway company in the United Kingdom from 1833 to 1846, when it became part of the London and North Western Railway ....
and the newly formed
Midland RailwayThe Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
, who at that time had a monopoly of the London to
LeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and York traffic, and despite an adverse report from the
Board of TradeThe Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
.
In the 1845 session, the sheer number of railway projects plus opposition from established companies and from rival projects meant that the London and York bill, although not defeated, failed by running out of time.
The London and York bill finally received Royal assent on 26 June 1846 as The Great Northern Railway Act, 1846. The Act granted powers to construct the main line and loop lines. Also in the 1846 session, powers were granted to various allied companies to make lines from Boston to
GrimsbyGrimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
and Stamford to Spalding - which was never built - and also the
HitchinHitchin is a town in Hertfordshire, England, with an estimated population of 30,360.-History:Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce people mentioned in a 7th century document, the Tribal Hidage. The tribal name is Brittonic rather than Old English and derives from *siccā, meaning...
to
RoystonRoyston is a town and civil parish in the District of North Hertfordshire and county of Hertfordshire in England.It is situated on the Greenwich Meridian, which brushes the towns western boundary, and at the northernmost apex of the county on the same latitude of towns such as Milton Keynes and...
section only of a proposed Oxford and Cambridge Railway.
The Great Northern began construction first on the Peterborough to
GainsboroughGainsborough is a town 15 miles north-west of Lincoln on the River Trent within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. At one time it served as an important port with trade downstream to Hull, and was the most inland in England, being more than 55 miles from the North...
section of the loop line, as the ease of construction over the flat fens promised an earlier return on investment. Because a proposed branch from Bawtry to Sheffield had been rejected by parliament, it was thought better for the loop line to rejoin the towns line at
RossingtonRossington is a civil parish and former mining village in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England and is surrounded by countryside and the market towns of Bawtry and Tickhill.-Geography:...
instead, so no work was done on the loop north of Gainsborough. The GNR suffered a setback in 1848 when this deviation was rejected, but arrangements were soon made to use the
MS&LRThe Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
's authorized line from Sykes Junction (on the loop line north of Lincoln) to Retford and then via their own main line, and contracts for both of these lines were quickly let.
The first section of line was opened on 1 March 1848 and was the
LouthLouth is a market town and civil parish within the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England.-Geography:Known as the "capital of the Lincolnshire Wolds", it is situated where the ancient trackway Barton Street crosses the River Lud, and has a total resident population of 15,930.The Greenwich...
to
GrimsbyGrimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
section of the
East Lincolnshire RailwayThe East Lincolnshire Railway was a main line railway linking the towns of Boston, Louth and Grimsby in Lincolnshire, England. It opened in 1848 and was closed to passengers in 1970.-History:...
, which although nominally independent, was leased to the GNR from the start. The first section of GNR proper to be opened was the 3 miles from
DoncasterDoncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
to Askern Junction, where an end on connection was made with the
Lancashire and Yorkshire RailwayThe Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
line from
KnottingleyKnottingley is a town within the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England on the River Aire and the A1 road. It has a population of 13,503....
.
The East Lincolnshire line opened from Louth to Boston on 1 October 1848, and on the 17 October, the loop line opened between Werrington Junction and
LincolnLincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
, with GNR trains using the Midland line from Werrington Junction to Peterborough. The GNR and MS&LR lines allowing through running from Lincoln to Doncaster via
RetfordRetford is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands of England, located 31 miles from the city of Nottingham, and 23 miles west of Lincoln, in the district of Bassetlaw. The town is situated in a valley with the River Idle and the Chesterfield Canal running through the centre of the...
opened on 4 September 1849.
The immediate targets in the north were
LeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and
YorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. On 30 June 1847, the GNR obtained running powers over the LYR from Askern to Wakefield via Knottingley, and also from Knottingley to Methley on the Midland, and on 16 October the Midland agreed to allow the GNR to run from Methley to Leeds.
On 23 February 1849, the
York and North Midland RailwayThe York and North Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom which opened in 1839, connecting York, with the Leeds and Selby Railway and in 1840 with the North Midland Railway at Normanton near Leeds.-Origins:...
agreed in principle to give the GNR running powers from Burton Salmon to York, and also over a new line to be built from Knottingley to Burton Salmon. This new line was opened in June 1850, at which time the agreement was formalised and in return the GNR agreed not to proceed with its own main line from Askern to York via
SelbySelby railway station serves the town of Selby in North Yorkshire, England. The station is on the Hull-York Line south of York, Leeds-Hull Line east of Leeds and west of Hull....
.
First 20 miles from London
During 1846 to 1849
George TurnbullGeorge Turnbull was the Chief Engineer responsible for construction from 1851 to 1863 of the first railway line from Calcutta : the 541-mile line to Benares en route to Delhi...
was the resident engineer under
William CubittSir William Cubitt was an eminent English civil engineer and millwright. Born in Norfolk, England, he was employed in many of the great engineering undertakings of his time. He invented a type of windmill sail and the prison treadwheel, and was employed as chief engineer, at Ransomes of Ipswich,...
for the London District of the Great Northern Railway. Turnbull oversaw the construction of the first 20 miles of line out of London, including bridges, multiple cuttings and the Copenhagen,
TottenhamTottenham is an area of the London Borough of Haringey, England, situated north north east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:Tottenham is believed to have been named after Tota, a farmer, whose hamlet was mentioned in the Domesday Book; hence Tota's hamlet became Tottenham...
, South Barnet, North Barnet and
South MimmsSouth Mimms, sometimes spelt South Mymms, is a village and civil parish forming part of the Hertsmere district of Hertfordshire County Council in the East of England although geographically and historically is in the County of Middlesex.-History:...
tunnels (he was particularly proud of the alignment of the tunnels). In December 1848 he was busy with the plans for King's Cross station and passing the line under the
Regent's CanalRegent's Canal is a canal across an area just north of central London, England. It provides a link from the Paddington arm of the Grand Union Canal, just north-west of Paddington Basin in the west, to the Limehouse Basin and the River Thames in east London....
. On 2 February 1849 the last capstone on Holloway Bridge was set in place. On 27 March the first brick for Copenhagen Tunnel was laid by Edward Purser. The first brick of the East Barnet tunnel was laid on 23 April. There was much trouble with the cement in Tottenham and South Mimms tunnels: Turnbull stopped the use of cement — blue lias was substituted (this was made by burning the blue clay from the tunnels and grinding it). Another of the engineers working under Cubitt was
James MooreJames Moore was an engineer responsible for the first steam railway to operate in Australia.James Moore C.E. was a nephew of Sir William Cubitt, under whom he was engaged on the South Eastern and Great Northern railways in Britain, and presumably learnt his trade there...
, who went on to design the first commercial steam railway in Australia for the
Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway CompanyThe Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company was a railway company in Victoria, Australia. The company was founded on 20 January 1853 to build Australia's first railway broad gauge line from Melbourne to the port of Sandridge...
.
1850s
On 7 August 1850, the main line opened from a temporary station at Maiden Lane, London, to Peterborough. The remaining section between Peterborough and Retford opened in 1852, as did the new London terminus at King's Cross. Doncaster locomotive works opened in 1853, replacing temporary facilities at Boston.
On 1 August 1854, the Leeds, Bradford and Halifax Junction Railway opened between Leeds and Bowling Junction near Bradford. By running powers over this line and a section of the LYR, the GNR obtained access to Bradford and Halifax. In 1857, the West Yorkshire Railway opened their direct line from Wakefield to Leeds via Ardsley. The GNR had running powers over this line and immediately began using it instead of the Midland line via Methley. Also in 1857, the previously mentioned LB&HJR opened a direct line from Ardsley to Laisterdyke, near Bradford. In 1851, by agreement with the MS&LR, the GNR began a London to Manchester via Retford service, and from 1859 GNR trans also ran to Huddersfield via Penistone.
Thus by the end of the 1850s, the GNR had gained access to most of West Yorkshire, although without at this time owning any lines beyond Askern Junction, a few miles north of Doncaster. The profits gained from the coal traffic from this area to London prompted the
Great Eastern RailwayThe Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
and
Lancashire and Yorkshire RailwayThe Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
to promote a bill for a trunk line from Doncaster through Lincolnshire, but this was rejected by Parliament in both 1865 and 1871.
Further south, a branch from Hitchin to Royston and on to Shepreth was opened in March 1850 and worked by the GNR. This line was meant to connect with a previously authorized GER line at Shepreth. The GER had not built this line but opposed GNR powers to extend from Shepreth to Cambridge themselves. An agreement was reached for the GER to build the Shepreth to Cambridge section and then work the whole line from Hitchin to Cambridge for 14 years, with the GER taking over the expensive guarantee that the GNR had given to the Hitchin & Royston company.
The
Ambergate, Nottingham, Boston and Eastern Junction RailwayThe Ambergate, Nottingham, Boston and Eastern Junction Railway was an early British railway company, which opened in 1850.The original aim was to link to the proposed Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway at Ambergate to link Manchester with Boston and the East Coast...
opened from Colwick, near Nottingham, to Grantham in July 1850 (using a tempoarary station in Grantham pending completion of the towns line). In May 1852 the GNR agreed to work this line, but the agreement was opposed by the Midland, and it was not until 1861 that the GNR got formal possession. Midland obstruction of GNR through traffic in Nottingham led to the ANB&EJR seeking powers to build a parallel line from Colwick to its own station in Nottingham at London Road.
East of Grantham, the Boston, Sleaford and Midland Counties Railway opened from near Grantham to Sleaford in June 1857 and on to Boston in April 1859. Independent companies also built branches from Essendine to Stamford and Bourne and from Welwyn to Hertford and to Dunstable via Luton, all of which were worked by the GNR.
From 1858 the GNR line into London from Hitchin was also used by the Midland. This and the agreements with the MS&LR helped to undermine the "Euston Square Confederacy" established by the
London and North Western RailwayThe London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
.
GNR agreements with the MS&LR also led to the GNR investing in lines between Manchester and Liverpool. The Midland also became involved, and an extensive joint line grew which became known as the
Cheshire Lines CommitteeThe Cheshire Lines Committee was the second largest joint railway in Great Britain, with 143 route miles. Despite its name, approximately 55% of its system was in Lancashire. In its publicity material it was often styled as the Cheshire Lines Railway...
.
1860s
{{BS-header|Great Northern Railway - Southern area}}
{{BS-table}}
The
Great Northern Railway (GNR) was a
British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed
London and North Eastern RailwayThe London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
.
The main line ran from London via
HitchinHitchin is a town in Hertfordshire, England, with an estimated population of 30,360.-History:Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce people mentioned in a 7th century document, the Tribal Hidage. The tribal name is Brittonic rather than Old English and derives from *siccā, meaning...
,
PeterboroughPeterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
, and
GranthamGrantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...
, to
YorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, with a loop line from Peterborough to
BawtryBawtry is a small market town and civil parish which lies at the point where the Great North Road crosses the River Idle in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. Nearby towns include Gainsborough to the east, Retford south southeast, Worksop to the southwest and...
(south of
DoncasterDoncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
) via
BostonBoston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
and
LincolnLincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
, and branch lines to Sheffield and
WakefieldWakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
.
The main line became part of the
East Coast Main LineThe East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
.
1840s
The first prospectus of the Great Northern Railway (initially called the London and York Railway) was issued on 3 May 1844, and plans were deposited in that year's
parliamentary sessionA legislative session is the period of time in which a legislature, in both parliamentary and presidential systems, is convened for purpose of lawmaking, usually being one of two or more smaller divisions of the entire time between two elections...
for the following lines:
- Main line London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to YorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
.
- Loop from Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
to BawtryBawtry is a small market town and civil parish which lies at the point where the Great North Road crosses the River Idle in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. Nearby towns include Gainsborough to the east, Retford south southeast, Worksop to the southwest and...
via BostonBoston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
and LincolnLincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
.
- Branch from Bawtry to Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
.
- Branch from Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
to WakefieldWakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
.
- Branch to Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
.
- Branch from Stamford
Stamford is a town and civil parish within the South Kesteven district of the county of Lincolnshire, England. It is approximately to the north of London, on the east side of the A1 road to York and Edinburgh and on the River Welland...
to SpaldingSpalding is a market town with a population of 30,000 on the River Welland in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. Little London is a hamlet directly south of Spalding on the B1172 road....
.
The line passed its second reading in the commons despite fierce opposition from the
London and BirminghamThe London and Birmingham Railway was an early railway company in the United Kingdom from 1833 to 1846, when it became part of the London and North Western Railway ....
and the newly formed
Midland RailwayThe Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
, who at that time had a monopoly of the London to
LeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and York traffic, and despite an adverse report from the
Board of TradeThe Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
.
In the 1845 session, the sheer number of railway projects plus opposition from established companies and from rival projects meant that the London and York bill, although not defeated, failed by running out of time.
The London and York bill finally received Royal assent on 26 June 1846 as The Great Northern Railway Act, 1846. The Act granted powers to construct the main line and loop lines. Also in the 1846 session, powers were granted to various allied companies to make lines from Boston to
GrimsbyGrimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
and Stamford to Spalding - which was never built - and also the
HitchinHitchin is a town in Hertfordshire, England, with an estimated population of 30,360.-History:Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce people mentioned in a 7th century document, the Tribal Hidage. The tribal name is Brittonic rather than Old English and derives from *siccā, meaning...
to
RoystonRoyston is a town and civil parish in the District of North Hertfordshire and county of Hertfordshire in England.It is situated on the Greenwich Meridian, which brushes the towns western boundary, and at the northernmost apex of the county on the same latitude of towns such as Milton Keynes and...
section only of a proposed Oxford and Cambridge Railway.
The Great Northern began construction first on the Peterborough to
GainsboroughGainsborough is a town 15 miles north-west of Lincoln on the River Trent within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. At one time it served as an important port with trade downstream to Hull, and was the most inland in England, being more than 55 miles from the North...
section of the loop line, as the ease of construction over the flat fens promised an earlier return on investment. Because a proposed branch from Bawtry to Sheffield had been rejected by parliament, it was thought better for the loop line to rejoin the towns line at
RossingtonRossington is a civil parish and former mining village in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England and is surrounded by countryside and the market towns of Bawtry and Tickhill.-Geography:...
instead, so no work was done on the loop north of Gainsborough. The GNR suffered a setback in 1848 when this deviation was rejected, but arrangements were soon made to use the
MS&LRThe Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
's authorized line from Sykes Junction (on the loop line north of Lincoln) to Retford and then via their own main line, and contracts for both of these lines were quickly let.
The first section of line was opened on 1 March 1848 and was the
LouthLouth is a market town and civil parish within the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England.-Geography:Known as the "capital of the Lincolnshire Wolds", it is situated where the ancient trackway Barton Street crosses the River Lud, and has a total resident population of 15,930.The Greenwich...
to
GrimsbyGrimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
section of the
East Lincolnshire RailwayThe East Lincolnshire Railway was a main line railway linking the towns of Boston, Louth and Grimsby in Lincolnshire, England. It opened in 1848 and was closed to passengers in 1970.-History:...
, which although nominally independent, was leased to the GNR from the start. The first section of GNR proper to be opened was the 3 miles from
DoncasterDoncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
to Askern Junction, where an end on connection was made with the
Lancashire and Yorkshire RailwayThe Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
line from
KnottingleyKnottingley is a town within the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England on the River Aire and the A1 road. It has a population of 13,503....
.
The East Lincolnshire line opened from Louth to Boston on 1 October 1848, and on the 17 October, the loop line opened between Werrington Junction and
LincolnLincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
, with GNR trains using the Midland line from Werrington Junction to Peterborough. The GNR and MS&LR lines allowing through running from Lincoln to Doncaster via
RetfordRetford is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands of England, located 31 miles from the city of Nottingham, and 23 miles west of Lincoln, in the district of Bassetlaw. The town is situated in a valley with the River Idle and the Chesterfield Canal running through the centre of the...
opened on 4 September 1849.
The immediate targets in the north were
LeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and
YorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. On 30 June 1847, the GNR obtained running powers over the LYR from Askern to Wakefield via Knottingley, and also from Knottingley to Methley on the Midland, and on 16 October the Midland agreed to allow the GNR to run from Methley to Leeds.
On 23 February 1849, the
York and North Midland RailwayThe York and North Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom which opened in 1839, connecting York, with the Leeds and Selby Railway and in 1840 with the North Midland Railway at Normanton near Leeds.-Origins:...
agreed in principle to give the GNR running powers from Burton Salmon to York, and also over a new line to be built from Knottingley to Burton Salmon. This new line was opened in June 1850, at which time the agreement was formalised and in return the GNR agreed not to proceed with its own main line from Askern to York via
SelbySelby railway station serves the town of Selby in North Yorkshire, England. The station is on the Hull-York Line south of York, Leeds-Hull Line east of Leeds and west of Hull....
.
First 20 miles from London
During 1846 to 1849
George TurnbullGeorge Turnbull was the Chief Engineer responsible for construction from 1851 to 1863 of the first railway line from Calcutta : the 541-mile line to Benares en route to Delhi...
was the resident engineer under
William CubittSir William Cubitt was an eminent English civil engineer and millwright. Born in Norfolk, England, he was employed in many of the great engineering undertakings of his time. He invented a type of windmill sail and the prison treadwheel, and was employed as chief engineer, at Ransomes of Ipswich,...
for the London District of the Great Northern Railway. Turnbull oversaw the construction of the first 20 miles of line out of London, including bridges, multiple cuttings and the Copenhagen,
TottenhamTottenham is an area of the London Borough of Haringey, England, situated north north east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:Tottenham is believed to have been named after Tota, a farmer, whose hamlet was mentioned in the Domesday Book; hence Tota's hamlet became Tottenham...
, South Barnet, North Barnet and
South MimmsSouth Mimms, sometimes spelt South Mymms, is a village and civil parish forming part of the Hertsmere district of Hertfordshire County Council in the East of England although geographically and historically is in the County of Middlesex.-History:...
tunnels (he was particularly proud of the alignment of the tunnels). In December 1848 he was busy with the plans for King's Cross station and passing the line under the
Regent's CanalRegent's Canal is a canal across an area just north of central London, England. It provides a link from the Paddington arm of the Grand Union Canal, just north-west of Paddington Basin in the west, to the Limehouse Basin and the River Thames in east London....
. On 2 February 1849 the last capstone on Holloway Bridge was set in place. On 27 March the first brick for Copenhagen Tunnel was laid by Edward Purser. The first brick of the East Barnet tunnel was laid on 23 April. There was much trouble with the cement in Tottenham and South Mimms tunnels: Turnbull stopped the use of cement — blue lias was substituted (this was made by burning the blue clay from the tunnels and grinding it). Another of the engineers working under Cubitt was
James MooreJames Moore was an engineer responsible for the first steam railway to operate in Australia.James Moore C.E. was a nephew of Sir William Cubitt, under whom he was engaged on the South Eastern and Great Northern railways in Britain, and presumably learnt his trade there...
, who went on to design the first commercial steam railway in Australia for the
Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway CompanyThe Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company was a railway company in Victoria, Australia. The company was founded on 20 January 1853 to build Australia's first railway broad gauge line from Melbourne to the port of Sandridge...
.
1850s
On 7 August 1850, the main line opened from a temporary station at Maiden Lane, London, to Peterborough. The remaining section between Peterborough and Retford opened in 1852, as did the new London terminus at King's Cross. Doncaster locomotive works opened in 1853, replacing temporary facilities at Boston.
On 1 August 1854, the Leeds, Bradford and Halifax Junction Railway opened between Leeds and Bowling Junction near Bradford. By running powers over this line and a section of the LYR, the GNR obtained access to Bradford and Halifax. In 1857, the West Yorkshire Railway opened their direct line from Wakefield to Leeds via Ardsley. The GNR had running powers over this line and immediately began using it instead of the Midland line via Methley. Also in 1857, the previously mentioned LB&HJR opened a direct line from Ardsley to Laisterdyke, near Bradford. In 1851, by agreement with the MS&LR, the GNR began a London to Manchester via Retford service, and from 1859 GNR trans also ran to Huddersfield via Penistone.
Thus by the end of the 1850s, the GNR had gained access to most of West Yorkshire, although without at this time owning any lines beyond Askern Junction, a few miles north of Doncaster. The profits gained from the coal traffic from this area to London prompted the
Great Eastern RailwayThe Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
and
Lancashire and Yorkshire RailwayThe Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
to promote a bill for a trunk line from Doncaster through Lincolnshire, but this was rejected by Parliament in both 1865 and 1871.
Further south, a branch from Hitchin to Royston and on to Shepreth was opened in March 1850 and worked by the GNR. This line was meant to connect with a previously authorized GER line at Shepreth. The GER had not built this line but opposed GNR powers to extend from Shepreth to Cambridge themselves. An agreement was reached for the GER to build the Shepreth to Cambridge section and then work the whole line from Hitchin to Cambridge for 14 years, with the GER taking over the expensive guarantee that the GNR had given to the Hitchin & Royston company.
The
Ambergate, Nottingham, Boston and Eastern Junction RailwayThe Ambergate, Nottingham, Boston and Eastern Junction Railway was an early British railway company, which opened in 1850.The original aim was to link to the proposed Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway at Ambergate to link Manchester with Boston and the East Coast...
opened from Colwick, near Nottingham, to Grantham in July 1850 (using a tempoarary station in Grantham pending completion of the towns line). In May 1852 the GNR agreed to work this line, but the agreement was opposed by the Midland, and it was not until 1861 that the GNR got formal possession. Midland obstruction of GNR through traffic in Nottingham led to the ANB&EJR seeking powers to build a parallel line from Colwick to its own station in Nottingham at London Road.
East of Grantham, the Boston, Sleaford and Midland Counties Railway opened from near Grantham to Sleaford in June 1857 and on to Boston in April 1859. Independent companies also built branches from Essendine to Stamford and Bourne and from Welwyn to Hertford and to Dunstable via Luton, all of which were worked by the GNR.
From 1858 the GNR line into London from Hitchin was also used by the Midland. This and the agreements with the MS&LR helped to undermine the "Euston Square Confederacy" established by the
London and North Western RailwayThe London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
.
GNR agreements with the MS&LR also led to the GNR investing in lines between Manchester and Liverpool. The Midland also became involved, and an extensive joint line grew which became known as the
Cheshire Lines CommitteeThe Cheshire Lines Committee was the second largest joint railway in Great Britain, with 143 route miles. Despite its name, approximately 55% of its system was in Lancashire. In its publicity material it was often styled as the Cheshire Lines Railway...
.
1860s
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Peterborough NorthPeterborough railway station serves the city of Peterborough, England. It is located approximately north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line...
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Yaxley & FarcetYaxley and Farcet railway station is a former station in Yaxley, Cambridgeshire, just south of Peterborough.-History:The station was opened by the Great Northern Railway on 19 May 1890, originally being named Yaxley; just over five years later, in July 1895, it was renamed Yaxley and Farcet.The...
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{{BS8-2|||||eABZrg|exHSTq|exKHSTr||St. Mary's|
RamseyRamsey North railway station was a railway station in Ramsey, Cambridgeshire which is now closed.It was the terminus of a branch line from Holme on the East Coast main line run by the Great Northern Railway.-History:...
}}
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Holme-History:The first section of the Great Northern Railway - that from to a junction with the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway at Grimsby - opened on 1 March 1848, but the southern section of the main line, between and , was not opened until August 1850...
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Abbots RiptonAbbots Ripton railway station was a railway station on the East Coast Main Line in the English county of Cambridgeshire. Although trains still pass on the now electrified railway the station closed in 1958.-History:...
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HuntingdonHuntingdon Railway Station serves the town of Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire. The station is on the East Coast Main Line and has three platforms; one bay and two through platforms...
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Cambridge (GER)Cambridge railway station is a railway station serving the city of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located at the end of Station Road, off Hills Road, 1 mile south-east of the city centre...
}}
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Offord & BuckdenOfford and Buckden railway station was built by the Great Northern Railway to serve the twin villages of Offord Cluny and Offord D'Arcy in Cambridgeshire, England.-History:...
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Harston (GER)Harston was a railway station on the Hitchin-Cambridge Line, which served the village of Harston in Cambridgeshire. The station opened on 1 April 1852, and closed on 17 June 1963. A small part of the former northbound platform remains in situ but otherwise all remains of the station have gone...
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St NeotsSt Neots Railway Station serves the town of St Neots in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located to the north-east of the town approximately 1.5 miles from the town centre. The station is approximately north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line. St...
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Foxton (GER)Foxton railway station serves the village of Foxton in Cambridgeshire, England. The station is operated by First Capital Connect....
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TempsfordTempsford railway station was built by the Great Northern Railway to serve the village of Tempsford in Bedfordshire, England.-History:The Great Northern Railway main line from London to had opened in 1850 including stations at and . A station between these, named Tempsford, was opened on 1...
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SheprethShepreth railway station serves the village of Shepreth in Cambridgeshire, England. The station is on the London Kings Cross to Cambridge Line south west of Cambridge.- Services :...
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SandySandy Railway Station serves the town of Sandy in Bedfordshire, England. The station is north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line. Sandy is managed and served by First Capital Connect....
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MeldrethMeldreth railway station serves the villages of Meldreth and Melbourn in Cambridgeshire, England on the Hitchin-Cambridge Line.- Services :Meldreth station receives stopping services on First Capital Connect's Great Northern line. Trains on this route operate between London King's Cross and Cambridge...
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BiggleswadeBiggleswade Railway Station serves the town of Biggleswade in Bedfordshire, England. The station is 41 miles north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line. Biggleswade is managed and served by First Capital Connect....
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RoystonRoyston railway station serves the town of Royston in Hertfordshire, England. The station is north east of London Kings Cross and south west of Cambridge on the Hitchin-Cambridge Line...
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Arlesey & Shefford RoadArlesey railway station serves the town of Arlesey in Bedfordshire, England. The station is 37 miles north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line...
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Ashwell and MordenAshwell and Morden railway station is a wayside railway station in Cambridgeshire, England.Close to the border with Hertfordshire, it is located in the hamlet of Odsey, slightly north of the Icknield Way, a Roman Road that is now the A505. The station is served by trains between Cambridge and...
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Three CountiesThree Counties railway station is a disused railway station near Arlesey in Bedfordshire, England. It served the southern environs of Arlesey. These included the Three Counties Lunatic Asylum, which was finally subsequently known as the Fairfield Hospital. The station was north of Hitchin on the...
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BaldockBaldock railway station serves the town of Baldock in Hertfordshire, England. It is on the Hitchin-Cambridge Line and is located on the outskirts of Baldock on Station Road.-History:...
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Dunstable Church StreetDunstable Town railway station was a station on the Great Northern Railway branch line from Hatfield. It served the town of Dunstable until the passenger service ceased in 1965 under the Beeching axe.-History:...
|Letchworth Garden City|}}
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Luton Bute StreetLuton Bute Street railway station was the first to be built in Luton. It was opened by the Luton, Dunstable and Welwyn Junction Railway Company in 1858, which was an extension of the Welwyn and Hertford Railway...
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HitchinHitchin Railway Station serves the town of Hitchin in Hertfordshire. It is located approximately north east of the town centre and north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line....
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Luton HooLuton Hoo railway station was built by the Hertford, Luton & Dunstable Railway on the branch line between Hatfield and Dunstable. It opened in 1860 and was originally called New Mill End. In 1861 the railway was taken over by the Great Northern Railway. The name changed to Luton Hoo in 1891 and the...
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StevenageStevenage railway station serves the town of Stevenage in Hertfordshire, England. The station is 27¼ miles north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line. Stevenage is managed and served by First Capital Connect...
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HarpendenHarpenden East was one of two stations serving the town of Harpenden, the other station which remains open being Harpenden Central. Originally named Harpenden, the East suffix was added in 1950 to distinguish it from the Midland Railway station.- Layout :...
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Later LNER line|O5=STR}}
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St AlbansSt Albans London Road was one of several railway stations in St Albans, Hertfordshire.-History:The station was opened by the Hatfield and St Albans Railway on 16 October 1865, and passenger services ceased on 1 October 1951....
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WheathampsteadWheathampstead railway station was a railway station serving Wheathampstead on the Great Northern Railway branch line to Dunstable. While little of it remains now, east of Wheathampstead is the Ayot Greenway which follows what was the line towards Welwyn Garden City.The station opened with the...
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Hill EndHill End railway station was situated on the Great Northern Railway branch from to St Albans.-History:The station opened on 1 August 1899, and closed on 1 October 1951.-References:...
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AyotAyot was a railway station serving Ayot St Peter near Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire, England. It was on the branch line to Dunstable.-History:...
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SmallfordSmallford railway station was a station on the former St Albans Branch Line. The station opened as Springfield in 1866, and was renamed in 1879. The station closed permanently on New Year's Day 1969 when a haulage contract ended with a local scrap merchant, but it had already closed to passengers...
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HertfordHertford Cowbridge railway station was a station on the Hertford and Welwyn Junction Railway, and was situated in Hertford, England.-History:The station was opened on 1 March 1858, originally being named Hertford Cowbridge...
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KnebworthKnebworth railway station serves the village of Knebworth in Hertfordshire, England. The station is 25 miles north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line...
|Hertingfordbury}}
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Nast HydeNast Hyde Halt was opened in 1910 to serve the new houses being built in the area. It is also said that a local householder, Oliver Bury, asked for the halt to be opened in order that he could use the line to commute to Kings Cross.-External links:*...
|Cole Green}}
{{BS8-2|exSTR||exSTR||STR||exHST|tSTR||Attimore Hall|}}
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WelwynWelwyn North railway station serves the villages of Digswell and Welwyn in Hertfordshire, England. The station is located approximately north of London Kings Cross, on the East Coast Main Line.-Location:...
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Cuffley & Goff's OakCuffley railway station serves the village Cuffley in the Welwyn Hatfield district in Hertfordshire. It also serves other surrounding settlements, namely Goffs Oak, Northaw and the west of Cheshunt. The station opened in 1910 on the Hertford Loop Line between Enfield Chase and Hertford North as...
}}
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Crews HillCrews Hill railway station is in Crews Hill in the London Borough of Enfield in north London, in Travelcard Zone 6. The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by First Capital Connect. The station was opened on 4 April 1910.-Geography:...
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HatfieldHatfield railway station serves the town of Hatfield in Hertfordshire, England. The station is managed by First Capital Connect.It is located approximately north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line.- History :...
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Gordon HillGordon Hill railway station is in the London Borough of Enfield in north London, in Travelcard Zone 5. It was opened in April 1910. The station and the trains serving it are currently operated by First Capital Connect, on the Hertford Loop Line....
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Potter's BarPotters Bar railway station serves the town of Potters Bar in Hertfordshire, England. It is located on the Great Northern Line between London Kings Cross and on the East Coast Main Line....
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EnfieldEnfield Chase railway station is located in Windmill Hill, Enfield, in the London Borough of Enfield in north London, and is in Travelcard Zone 5. The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by First Capital Connect. It is directly west of Enfield Town centre...
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Hadley WoodHadley Wood railway station is in the London Borough of Enfield in north London, England. The station is in Travelcard Zone 6, serving the suburb of Hadley Wood...
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Grange ParkGrange Park railway station is situated just off The Grangeway, Grange Park in the London Borough of Enfield North London, in Travelcard Zone 5. It is 15 km north of Moorgate on the Hertford Loop Line...
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New BarnetNew Barnet railway station is in the London Borough of Barnet in north London, England. It is 10¼ miles north of Moorgate and is on the East Coast Main Line between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh Waverley. New Barnet is in Travelcard Zone 5...
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Winchmore HillWinchmore Hill railway station is in Station Road , Winchmore Hill in the London Borough of Enfield in North London, England, in Travelcard Zone 4. It is 14 km north of Moorgate on the Hertford Loop Line. The station, and all trains serving it are operated by First Capital Connect...
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Oakleigh ParkOakleigh Park railway station is in Oakleigh Park in the London Borough of Barnet in north London, England. It is 9½ miles north of Moorgate on the East Coast Main Line between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh Waverley. Oakleigh Park is in Travelcard Zone 4...
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Palmer's GreenPalmers Green railway station, in Aldermans Hill, is in the London Borough of Enfield in north London, in Travelcard Zone 4. The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by First Capital Connect....
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EdgwareEdgware railway station was a London and North Eastern Railway station in Station Road, Edgware, Greater London. It is not to be confused with the London Underground Northern line Edgware station approximately 200 metres to the north east.-History:...
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High BarnetHigh Barnet tube station is a London Underground station located in High Barnet in North London. The station is the terminus of the High Barnet branch of the Northern line and is in Travelcard Zone 5. It is the northernmost station on the Northern line and is situated 10.2 miles north north-west...
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The HaleMill Hill railway station was a station in Mill Hill, London NW7 on the now-removed railway between Mill Hill East station and Edgware railway station...
|Totteridge}}
{{BS8-2|KHSTxa||HST||STR|||STR|Mill Hill|
Woodside ParkWoodside Park tube station is a London Underground station in Woodside Park, north London.The station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern line, between West Finchley and Totteridge and Whetstone stations, and in Travelcard Zone 4...
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Bowes ParkBowes Park railway station is in the London Borough of Haringey in north London, and is on the boundary of Travelcard Zone 3 and Travelcard Zone 4. The station and all trains serving it are operated by First Capital Connect, on the Hertford Loop Line...
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Finchley Church EndFinchley Central tube station is a London Underground station in the Church End area of Finchley, North London.The station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern line, between West Finchley and East Finchley stations and is the junction for the short branch to Mill Hill East station...
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Alexandra PalaceAlexandra Palace railway station is a former station in the grounds of Alexandra Palace in the Muswell Hill area of north London...
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East FinchleyEast Finchley is a London Underground station in East Finchley in north London. The station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line, between Highgate and Finchley Central stations, and is in Travelcard Zone 3.-History:...
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Muswell HillMuswell Hill railway station was in the Muswell Hill district of north London just north of the road junction of Muswell Hill and Muswell Hill Place...
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Cranley GardensCranley Gardens railway station was a station in the Muswell Hill area of north London. It was located between Highgate station and Muswell Hill station at the junction of Muswell Hill Road and Cranley Gardens...
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New SouthgateNew Southgate railway station is on the boundary of the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of Enfield in north London, and is in Travelcard Zone 4...
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Wood GreenAlexandra Palace railway station is in the London Borough of Haringey in north London, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by First Capital Connect...
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HornseyHornsey railway station is a suburban railway station located in Haringey, north London. It is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station is operated by First Capital Connect on behalf of Network Rail, and is situated next to the Hornsey train depot....
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Crouch EndCrouch End railway station is a former station in the Crouch End area of north London. It was located between Stroud Green station and Highgate station on Crouch End Hill just north of its junction with Hornsey Lane...
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HarringayHarringay railway station is a railway station located off Wightman Road in Harringay, North London. It is on the East Coast Main Line between Finsbury Park and Hornsey and opened on 1 May 1885...
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Stroud GreenStroud Green railway station is a former station in the Stroud Green area of north London. It was located between Finsbury Park station and Crouch End station on the bridge over Stapleton Hall Road...
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{{BS8-2|||||HST||||Finsbury Park}}
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via North London RailwayThe North London Railway was a railway company that opened lines connecting the north of London to the East and West India Docks. The main east to west route is now part the North London Line. Other lines operated by the company fell into disuse, but were later revived as part of the Docklands...
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Canonbury (NLR)Canonbury railway station serves the district of Canonbury within the London Borough of Islington in north London. It is on London Overground's North London Line and East London Line. The station and all trains serving it are operated by London Overground, and the station is in Travelcard Zone 2...
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Mildmay Park (NLR)Mildmay Park railway station is a former railway station on the North London Line between Canonbury and Dalston Kingsland stations. The station was on Mildmay Park between Newington Green and Balls Pond Road....
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{{BS8-2|||||KBHFe|exHST||STR|King's Cross|King's Cross Suburban or York Road}}
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Farringdon (MET)Farringdon station is a London Underground and National Rail station in Clerkenwell, just north of the City of London in the London Borough of Islington...
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Dalston Junction (NLR)Dalston Junction railway station is in the Dalston area of the London Borough of Hackney at the crossroad of Dalston Lane, Kingsland Road and Balls Pond Road...
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{{BS8-2|||KBHFl|STRq|eHSTq|ABZrf||exSTR|Victoria (SECR)|
Holborn Viaduct (SECR)Holborn Viaduct was a railway terminus in central London.-History:During the 1860s and 1870s, had begun to struggle with increasing numbers of trains. At the time, the LCDR was suffering financial problems, and so was unable to raise capital to expand the station...
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Aldersgate Street (MET)Barbican is a London Underground station serving the Barbican Estate and Centre in the City of London. It is on the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines between and , in Travelcard Zone 1. Thameslink trains to and from Moorgate via Barbican ceased in March 2009.-History:The station...
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Moorgate Street (MET)Moorgate station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground station on Moorgate in the City of London; it provides National Rail services by First Capital Connect for Hertford, Welwyn Garden City and Letchworth and also serves the Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan Lines and...
|Broad Street (NLR)}}
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The GNR's role in the establishment of an Anglo-Scottish East Coast route was confirmed by establishment of the East Coast Joint Stock in 1860, whereby a common pool of passenger vehicles was operated by the GNR, the
North EasternThe North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923...
and the
North BritishThe North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
. The main express trains were the 10am departures from King's Cross and
EdinburghEdinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
, which began running in June 1862. By the 1870s they were known as the
Flying ScotsmanThe Flying Scotsman is an express passenger train service that has been running between London and Edinburgh—the capitals of England and Scotland respectively—since 1862...
.
The Welwyn & Hertford Railway opened in March 1858, and in 1860 it opened another line to Luton and Dunstable. In 1861, now called the Hertford, Luton & Dunstable, it was absorbed by the GNR. Also acquired in 1861 was the ANB&EJR line from Nottingham to Grantham.
On 1 October 1863, the GNR began a shuttle service from King's Cross to Farringdon Street via the city widened lines, but through suburban services did not use this line until 1 March 1868, and then were extended to Moorgate Street on 1 June 1869.
In 1864, the GNR acquired BS&MCR (Boston to Sleaford) and the Bourn and Essendine lines, leased the West Yorkshire (Wakefield to Leeds with branches to Batley and Ossett) and took a one third share in the Methley Joint (Castleford to Lofthouse & Outwood). In 1865 they acquired the Leeds, Bradford & Halifax and the previously mentioned West Yorkshire.
In 1866, at the end of the 14 year agreement with the GER, the GNR resumed working the Hitchin and Shepreth line and began running through to Cambridge.
On 1 August 1866, the GNR made an agreement with the Midland to jointly work the Eastern & Midland Railway, comprising a line from Bourne to King's Lynn via Spalding. The GNR gave the Midland running powers from Stamford to Bourne via Essendine in return for the Midland dropping a proposed line from Saxby to Bourne.
Three new lines opened in 1867 were March to Spalding on 1 April, Honington to Lincoln on 15 April and Gainsborough to Doncaster on 15 July. These lines were partly tactical, with a view to blocking repeated GER and LYR proposals for a new north - south line through the area. Also opened in 1867, on 22 August, was the Edgware & Highgate Railway from Severn Sisters Road to Edgware, which had been acquired by the GNR in June 1866.
North of Doncaster, it opened the
West Riding and Grimsby RailwayThe West Riding and Grimsby Railway was a joint railway whose main line linked Wakefield with Doncaster, whilst a branch line ran between Adwick and Stainforth...
in February 1866, a joint venture with the MS&LR, giving the GNR a new direct express line to Wakefield and the West Yorkshire Railway's onward lines to Leeds, Bradford and Halifax, which it had bought out the previous year.
Seven Sisters Road station, a few miles north of King's Cross, had been opened on 1 July 1861. It was renamed Finsbury Park when a new public park of that name opened nearby in August 1868.
1870s
The GNR was most profitable in 1873, running a more intensive service of express trains than either the LNWR or the MR. Hauled by
Patrick StirlingPatrick Stirling was Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Northern Railway.His father Robert Stirling was also an engineer. His brother James Stirling was also a locomotive engineer...
's single-driving-wheel locomotives, its trains were some of the fastest in the world.
However, in 1875, the increase in revenue was out-paced by investment, which included items such as block signalling systems and interlocking, and improvements to stations and goods sidings.
A number of branch lines were opened in the 1870s, including Bourne to Sleaford in 1870, Wood Green to Enfield in 1871, Finchley to High Barnet in 1872, Highgate to Alexandra Palace and Wainfleet to Skegness in 1873, Ossett to Dewsbury in 1874, Bradford to Shipley and Sedgebrook to Barkston in 1875, Newark to Bottesford and the Pudsey Greenside branch in 1878, and finally the Queensbury to Ovenden line in 1879, which completed a new route from Bradford to Halifax.
The increasing London suburban traffic caused problems in the King's Cross area, as there were only 2 tracks through the various tunnels, and also goods trains entering King's Cross goods yard had to cross the down line on the level. Pending doubling of the tunnels, a connection was made between Finsbury Park and the
North London RailwayThe North London Railway was a railway company that opened lines connecting the north of London to the East and West India Docks. The main east to west route is now part the North London Line. Other lines operated by the company fell into disuse, but were later revived as part of the Docklands...
at Canonbury, and some suburban traffic then ran into Broad Street. The Broad Street trains were operated by the NLR as the LNWR, part owners of Broad Street, blocked GNR attempts to gain access.
Also in the 1870s, the GNR participating in various extensions to the CLC network in Lancashire, thereby risking overextending itself on marginally profitable lines well outside its natural territory.
Much more promising was the development of the Derbyshire and Staffordshire extension, which promised good returns by tapping the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire coalfields. The Erewash valley line was in use for coal trains by 1875, and complete opening from Nottingham to Egginton Junction via Gedling, Daybrook and Derby Friargate came in April 1878. But in order to overcome local opposition, the GNR had had to agree to LNWR running powers from Burton-on-Trent, which somewhat dimished the value of the investment. The LNWR had even better access from December 1879 with the opening of the GN&LNWR joint line from Melton Mowbray to Market Harborough, the northern section having already opened on 30 June.
1880s
The early 1880s began badly for the GNR for a number of reasons: Coal strikes and poor harvests reduced income from goods traffic. Floods forced the complete closure of the Spalding to Bourn line from 9 October 1880 until 1 February 1881, this was a Midland & Eastern line worked by the GNR, and the GNR found themselves paying the lease on a line they could derive no revenue from; And worst of all, Sutton Bridge Docks opened on 14 May 1881, into which the GNR had invested £55,000, but within a few days the docks began to subside due to being built on unstable ground. The engineers could find no remedy and the investment was written off.
Better news was the excellent returns from the coal traffic over the Derbyshire extension line. To consolidate this, in the 1880 session the GNR introduced a bill for a branch from Bulwell to Newstead, and this opened for coal traffic in July 1881 and for passengers on 2 October 1882. In 1881 the GNR bought out the
Stafford & Uttoxeter RailwayThe Stafford and Uttoxeter Railway was created by Act of Parliament in 1862, to run between Stafford and Uttoxeter in Staffordshire, England.It opened for traffic in 1867. It was nicknamed the Clog and Knocker....
, reached from the Derbyshire extension by running powers over the North Staffordshire Railway.
Meanwhile in Lincolnshire, the new Spalding to Lincoln direct line opened from Spalding via Sleaford to Ruskington on 6 March 1882 and on the Lincoln on 1 August, on which date the Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Railway came into being comprising in addition to the new Spalding - Lincoln line, the former GNR March to Spalding and Lincoln to Doncaster lines and the former GER Huntingdon to March line plus the Ramsey branch from Somersham. To the GER this was the line to the Yorkshire coal fields they had long been seeking, to the GNR it provided a new alternative line for freight from Huntingdon to Doncaster to relieve pressure on the main line. In the first five months of the joint line, the GNR lost £50,000 due to diverted traffic, but according to Lord Colville, chairman of the GNR, it was better to have half the receipts of a joint line than to have to compete with a new entirely foreign through line.
The Leicester branch from the GN&LNWR joint line at Marefield Junction opened on 1 January 1883, and in West Yorkshire, Thornton to Denholme opened on 1 January 1884 and on to Keighley on 1 November.
In 1888, the Midland & Eastern Railway obtained powers to build a new connection to the Midland from Bourn to Saxby, citing the difficulty of operating through traffic from Bourn to Stamford via Essendine. The act also gave the Midland powers to absorb the Bourn and Lynn and the Peterborough, Wisbeach and Sutton Bridge. This posed a menace to GNR interests, and as a result the GNR made an agreement with the Midland to jointly acquire the western section of the Eastern & Midland.
1910s
During
World War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, various economies were made beginning on 22 February 1915 with a general reduction of train services. Trains tended to become fewer, but longer. An agreement was also reached with the GCR and GER regarding the common use of wagons.
Further economies were made in 1916 when the Nottingham to Daybrook and Peterborough to Leicester services were withdrawn, never to be reinstated.
1920s
Under the 1923 Grouping, the Great Northern became part of the
London and North Eastern RailwayThe London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
.
St Albans branch
{{main|Hatfield and St Albans Railway}}
In 1865 a branch line opened from
HatfieldHatfield railway station serves the town of Hatfield in Hertfordshire, England. The station is managed by First Capital Connect.It is located approximately north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line.- History :...
to
St Albans AbbeySt Albans Abbey railway station serves the city of St Albans, in Hertfordshire, England, being situated about 1 km south of the city centre in the St Stephen's area of the city. It is the terminus of the Abbey Line from Watford Junction, which is part of the London Midland franchise...
via
St Albans (London Road)St Albans London Road was one of several railway stations in St Albans, Hertfordshire.-History:The station was opened by the Hatfield and St Albans Railway on 16 October 1865, and passenger services ceased on 1 October 1951....
. It closed to passengers in 1951 and to freight in 1969. The track was subsequently removed and the route turned into a 6.5-mile long cycle path called the
Alban WayThe Alban Way is a cycle path in Hertfordshire, England that has been constructed along the route of the former Hatfield to St Albans railway line. It runs from St Albans, close to St Albans Abbey railway station and the site of Roman Verulamium, through Fleetville and Smallford to Hatfield, ending...
. Public transport links between Hatfield and St Albans are now provided by local bus operators such as
Arriva Shires & EssexArriva Shires & Essex is a division of Arriva, with operations in Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and London. It is one of many private operators of London Buses. Until 2002 its operations included Colchester...
and
UnoUno is a bus service operated by the University of Hertfordshire, England, serving members of the general public, and also its own students and staff...
.
Stations on the branch were:
- St Albans Abbey
St Albans Abbey railway station serves the city of St Albans, in Hertfordshire, England, being situated about 1 km south of the city centre in the St Stephen's area of the city. It is the terminus of the Abbey Line from Watford Junction, which is part of the London Midland franchise...
- St Albans (London Road)
St Albans London Road was one of several railway stations in St Albans, Hertfordshire.-History:The station was opened by the Hatfield and St Albans Railway on 16 October 1865, and passenger services ceased on 1 October 1951....
(1865–1964)
- Salvation Army Halt
Salvation Army Halt railway station was initially a private non-timetabled halt for the staff of Messrs Sander & Sons which had established an orchid-growing business in the Camp district of St Albans. A private siding also led directly to the firm's greenhouses, enabling the swift dispatch of...
(1897–1951)
- Hill End
Hill End railway station was situated on the Great Northern Railway branch from to St Albans.-History:The station opened on 1 August 1899, and closed on 1 October 1951.-References:...
(1899–1964)
- Smallford
Smallford railway station was a station on the former St Albans Branch Line. The station opened as Springfield in 1866, and was renamed in 1879. The station closed permanently on New Year's Day 1969 when a haulage contract ended with a local scrap merchant, but it had already closed to passengers...
(1866–1969)
- Nast Hyde Halt
Nast Hyde Halt was opened in 1910 to serve the new houses being built in the area. It is also said that a local householder, Oliver Bury, asked for the halt to be opened in order that he could use the line to commute to Kings Cross.-External links:*...
(1910–1951)
- Lemsford Road Halt
Lemsford Road Halt was a railway station on the St Albans Branch of the Great Northern Railway. The platforms are still visible next to the line of the old track, which has been converted to a cycle route and footpath, the Alban Way. The site of the station is located at The station was built for...
(1942–1951)
- Hatfield
Hatfield railway station serves the town of Hatfield in Hertfordshire, England. The station is managed by First Capital Connect.It is located approximately north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line.- History :...
Remnants of many of the closed stations still exist alongside the Alban Way.
Leicester branch
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|Stafford (LNWR)Stafford railway station is an important main line interchange station in the United Kingdom. It serves the county town of Stafford.The present station built in 1962 is a good example of the Brutalist style of architecture - the beauty of the building was perceived to be its very functionality and...
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|Stafford Common Stafford Common railway station was a former British railway station on the outskirts of Stafford.It was opened by the Stafford and Uttoxeter Railway in 1874 about seven years after the line opened. There was a single platform with a stationmaster's office and waiting room, but it included a goods...
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|Ingestre Ingestre and Weston railway station was a former British railway station to serve the village of Ingestre in Staffordshire.It was opened by the Stafford and Uttoxeter Railway in 1867...
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|Chartley Chartley railway station was a former British railway station to serve the village of Stowe-by-Chartley in Staffordshire.It was opened by the Stafford and Uttoxeter Railway in 1867 and renamed Stowe in 1874 and also known as Chartley and Stowe...
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|Grindley Grindley railway station was a former British railway station to serve the village of Grindley in Staffordshire.It was opened by the Stafford and Uttoxeter Railway in 1867 and closed in 1939...
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Marchington (NSR)Marchington railway station was a railway station in Marchington, Staffordshire. It was on the Crewe to Derby Line.The station was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway in 1848 and in 1862 is was also served by Great Northern Railway on the Stafford to Grantham line.The Station was closed by...
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{{BS8-2||eHST|||||||Sudbury (NSR)}}
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{{BS8-2|KBHFa|STR|||||||Burton-on-Trent (NSR)}}
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Egginton JunctionEgginton Junction railway station is a former railway station in Egginton, Derbyshire.- History :It was opened by the Great Northern Railway on its Derbyshire Extension in 1878, jointly with the North Staffordshire Railway....
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EtwallEtwall railway station was a former railway station in Etwall, Derbyshire. It was opened by the Great Northern Railway on its Derbyshire Extension in 1878.- History :From Mickleover the line dropped at about 1 in 110 towards Etwall....
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MickleoverMickleover railway station was a railway station serving the village of Mickleover, Derbyshire, England . It was opened by the Great Northern Railway on its Derbyshire Extension in 1878.- History :...
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Derby FriargateDerby Friargate Station was the main station in Derby on the Great Northern Railway Derbyshire Extension popularly known as the Friargate Line.- History :-Friargate Bridge:...
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BreadsallBreadsall railway station was a former railway station in Breadsall, Derbyshire. It was opened by the Great Northern Railway on its Derbyshire Extension in 1878.- History :...
|Shirebrook}}
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West HallamWest Hallam railway station was a railway station located between the villages of Stanley and West Hallam in Derbyshire, England. It was opened by the Great Northern Railway on its Derbyshire Extension in 1878.- History :...
|Pleasley}}
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HeanorHeanor railway station was a former railway station at Heanor in Derbyshire, opened in 1891. It was the terminus of the branch from Ilkeston on the Great Northern Railway Derbyshire Extension line....
|Skegby}}
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MarlpoolMarlpool railway station was a former railway station at Marlpool in Derbyshire. Nottinghamshire. It was opened on the Heanor branch from Ilkeston on the Great Northern Railway Derbyshire Extension line....
|Sutton-in-Ashfield}}
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PinxtonPinxton South railway station was a former railway station in Pinxton, Derbyshire. It was opened by the Great Northern Railway as "Pinxton" on its Derbyshire Extension in 1875-6 In some timetables it was listed as "Pinxton for South Normanton"...
|Newstead}}
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IlkestonIlkeston North railway station was a former railway station in Ilkeston, Derbyshire. It was opened by the Great Northern Railway on its Derbyshire Extension in 1878 and closed in 1964.- History :...
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Pye Hill & SomercotesPye Hill and Somercotes railway station was a railway station on the Great Northern Railway on its Derbyshire Extension on the branch between Kimberley and Pinxton....
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AwsworthAwsworth railway station was a former railway station in Awsworth, Nottinghamshire. It was opened by the Great Northern Railway on its Derbyshire and Staffordshire Extension in 1875-6.- History :...
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Codnor Park & SelstonCodnor Park and Selston railway station was a former railway station to serve the villages of Codnor Park and Selston on the border between Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire and was actually in Jacksdale....
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Eastwood & Langley MillEastwood and Langley Mill railway station was a former railway station to serve the villages of Eastwood and Langley Mill . It was opened by the Great Northern Railway on its Derbyshire Extension in 1875-6....
|Linby}}
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NewthorpeNewthorpe, Greasley and Shipley Gate railway station was a former railway station which served the villages of Newthorpe, Greasley and Shipley Gate on the border of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire...
|Hucknall}}
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KimberleyKimberley railway station may refer to:* Kimberley railway station in Kimberley, Northern Cape, South Africaor to any of the three railway stations in the Kimberley, Nottinghamshire area, these are:...
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Butler's HillButler's Hill railway station was a former station on the Great Northern Railway's Nottingham to Shirebrook line.-References:...
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Basford & BulwellBasford and Bulwell railway station was a former station in Nottingham on the Great Northern Railway Nottingham to Stafford line.-References:...
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Bestwood CollieryBestwood Colliery railway station was a former station on the Great Northern Railway Nottingham to Shirebrook line.-References:...
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Bulwell Common (GCR)Bulwell Common railway station was a former station in Nottingham on the Great Central Railway main line, the last main line to be built from the north of England to London...
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Bulwell ForestBulwell Forest railway station was a former station in Nottingham on the Great Northern Railway Nottingham to Shirebrook line.-References:...
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DaybrookDaybrook railway station was a railway station in Daybrook, Nottinghamshire. It was opened by the Great Northern Railway on its Derbyshire and Staffordshire Extension in 1875-6 and closed in 1960.- History :...
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New Basford (GCR)New Basford railway station was a former station in Nottingham on the Great Central Railway main line, the last main line to be built from the north of England to London...
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SherwoodSherwood railway station was a station on the former Great Northern Railway Nottingham Suburban railway in Nottingham. The station lies within Woodthorpe Grange Park in Woodthorpe....
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Carrington (GCR)Carrington railway station was a railway station in Nottingham on the Great Central Railway main line, the last main line to be built from the north of England to London...
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St Ann's WellSt Ann's Well railway station was a station on the former Great Northern Railway Nottingham Suburban railway in Nottingham, England.Former Services-See also:*Sherwood railway station*Thorney Wood railway station*Nottingham's Tunnels...
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Thorney WoodThorney Wood railway station was a station on the former Great Northern Railway Nottingham Suburban railway in Nottingham, England.Former Services-See also:*Sherwood railway station*St Ann's Well railway station*Nottingham's Tunnels...
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GedlingGedling railway station was a station on the Great Northern Railway's original route between Nottingham London Road and Derby Friargate, England. A more direct route became available via Victoria station when the Great Central Railway opened through Nottingham in 1900 but the line remained...
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{{BS8-2|||exSTRlf|exHSTq|exSTRq|eABZ3rf|eABZ rd||Nottingham London Road High Level|}}
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NetherfieldNetherfield railway station serves the area of Netherfield in the borough of Gedling in Nottinghamshire, England. It comprises a single island platform with two tracks, with only a single waiting shelter...
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Radcliffe-on-TrentRadcliffe Railway Station is on the Nottingham/Grantham mainline east of Nottingham, connecting the village of Radcliffe on Trent to such places to Nottingham, Grantham, Boston and Skegness....
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Leicester Belgrave Road-Overview:Leicester Belgrave Road was the Great Northern Railway terminus in Leicester, England. It was the terminus of the GNR's branch line from the Great Northern and London and North Western Joint Railway at Marefield Junction. It opened on 2 October 1882...
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BinghamBingham railway station serves the market town of Bingham, Nottinghamshire, England. The station is 14 km east of Nottingham on the Nottingham - Skegness Line...
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HumberstoneHumberstone railway station was a railway station serving the eastern side of Leicester. It was on the Great Northern Railway Leicester branch. The station opened in 1882 and closed to regular traffic in 1953.Former Services...
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AslocktonAslockton railway station serves the villages of Aslockton and Whatton in Nottinghamshire. The station is 17 km east of Nottingham on the Nottingham-Skegness Line.-History:...
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Thurnby & ScraptoftThurnby and Scraptoft railway station was a railway station in Thurnby, Leicestershire on the Great Northern Railway Leicester branch. The station opened in 1882 and closed to regular traffic in 1953.Former Services-References:...
|Elton}}
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LowesbyLowesby railway station was a railway station serving the villages of Lowesby and Tilton on the Hill, Leicestershire, on the Great Northern Railway Leicester branch.-Overview:...
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CothamCotham railway station was a railway station serving the village of Cotham, Nottinghamshire. It was the only intermediate station on the Great Northern Railway Newark to Bottesford line, which was effectively a northern continuation of the Great Northern and London and North Western Joint...
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Melton MowbrayMelton Mowbray North railway station was a railway station in Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, United Kingdom on the Great Northern and London and North Western Joint Railway....
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BottesfordBottesford railway station serves the village of Bottesford in Leicestershire, England. The station is on the Nottingham to Grantham line east of Nottingham railway station....
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SedgebrookSedgebrook railway station was a former station on the Ambergate, Nottingham, Boston and Eastern Junction Railway between Nottingham to Grantham opened in 1850. The line was leased to the Great Northern Railway in 1855 but remained nominally independent until taken over by the London and North...
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PeterboroughPeterborough railway station serves the city of Peterborough, England. It is located approximately north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line...
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GranthamGrantham railway station serves the town of Grantham in Lincolnshire, England and lies on the East Coast Main Line north of London Kings Cross.-Description:Junctions near the town also connect to branches to Nottingham, and to Sleaford and Skegness...
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GN&LNWR JointThe Great Northern and London and North Western Joint Railway was a joint railway owned by the Great Northern Railway and the London and North Western Railway in east Leicestershire.-Location:...
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The Leicester branch was a Great Northern branch line from the
Great Northern and London and North Western Joint RailwayThe Great Northern and London and North Western Joint Railway was a joint railway owned by the Great Northern Railway and the London and North Western Railway in east Leicestershire.-Location:...
at Marefield Junction. This had the following stations:
- Lowesby
Lowesby railway station was a railway station serving the villages of Lowesby and Tilton on the Hill, Leicestershire, on the Great Northern Railway Leicester branch.-Overview:...
- Ingersby
- Thurnby & Scraptoft
Thurnby and Scraptoft railway station was a railway station in Thurnby, Leicestershire on the Great Northern Railway Leicester branch. The station opened in 1882 and closed to regular traffic in 1953.Former Services-References:...
- Humberstone
Humberstone railway station was a railway station serving the eastern side of Leicester. It was on the Great Northern Railway Leicester branch. The station opened in 1882 and closed to regular traffic in 1953.Former Services...
- Leicester Belgrave Rd
-Overview:Leicester Belgrave Road was the Great Northern Railway terminus in Leicester, England. It was the terminus of the GNR's branch line from the Great Northern and London and North Western Joint Railway at Marefield Junction. It opened on 2 October 1882...
Between Humberstone and Belgrave Road the railway crossed the
Midland Main LineThe Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
, but there was no interchange. Services from Leicester commenced in 1882 and ran to
PeterboroughPeterborough railway station serves the city of Peterborough, England. It is located approximately north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line...
and Newark until 1916 and
GranthamGrantham railway station serves the town of Grantham in Lincolnshire, England and lies on the East Coast Main Line north of London Kings Cross.-Description:Junctions near the town also connect to branches to Nottingham, and to Sleaford and Skegness...
until 1953. Summer specials to
SkegnessSkegness railway station serves the seaside resort of Skegness in Lincolnshire, England.Services are operated by East Midlands Trains which run to and from Nottingham, where services originate or terminate.-History:...
continued until 1962.
Cheshire Lines Committee
{{main|Cheshire Lines Committee}}
The
Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC) was formed in 1862 by the Great Northern and
Manchester, Sheffield and LincolnshireThe Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
. The
Midland RailwayThe Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
became a partner in 1865. The system was the second largest in the country, comprising 143 miles of route, running from
ManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and
StockportStockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
to
LiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
,
ChesterChester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
and
SouthportSouthport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
.
Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Railway
{{main|Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Railway}}
The
Great Northern and Great Eastern Joint Railway was a line running from March to
DoncasterDoncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
and also from March to
HuntingdonHuntingdon is a market town in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was chartered by King John in 1205. It is the traditional county town of Huntingdonshire, and is currently the seat of the Huntingdonshire district council. It is known as the birthplace in 1599 of Oliver Cromwell.-History:Huntingdon...
. The line gave the
Great Eastern RailwayThe Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
much needed access to the
YorkshireYorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
coal fields.
Great Northern and London and North Western Joint Railway
{{main|Great Northern and London and North Western Joint Railway}}
The
Great Northern and London and North Western Joint Railway was a system in east
LeicestershireLeicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
designed to give the GNR access to
LeicesterLeicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
and the
London and North Western RailwayThe London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
access to
NottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
and to allow the exploitation of ironstone deposits in the
Melton MowbrayMelton Mowbray is a town in the Melton borough of Leicestershire, England. It is to the northeast of Leicester, and southeast of Nottingham...
area.
Halifax and Ovenden Junction Railway
GNR and LYR.
HolmfieldHolmfield railway station is a closed railway station that served the village of Holmfield in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England.-History:The station was opened by the Great Northern Railway on 14 October 1878 as the terminus of the line from , following delays to the Halifax and Ovenden Junction...
to
HalifaxHalifax railway station serves the town of Halifax in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the Caldervale Line and is west from .The station at Halifax is an example of a single island platform acting as two platforms. Platform 2 heads eastbound, towards Bradford while Platform 1 heads westbound...
. Acts 30 June 1864 (incorporation), 12 August 1867, 1 August 1870 (vesting in GNR and LYR). Later administered by the Halifax and Ovenden Joint Committee, as which it was transferred to the British Transport Commission Under the British Transport Act of 1947.
Halifax High Level Railway
GNR and LYR.
HolmfieldHolmfield railway station is a closed railway station that served the village of Holmfield in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England.-History:The station was opened by the Great Northern Railway on 14 October 1878 as the terminus of the line from , following delays to the Halifax and Ovenden Junction...
to
St. Paul's (Halifax)St Pauls railway station served the St. Paul's area of Halifax, West Yorkshire, England on the Halifax High Level Railway.-History:It was one of two stations on the short lived Halifax High Level Railway, which was built to serve the west side of Halifax. The station opened on 5 September 1890...
. Acts 7 August 1884 (incorporation), 25 September 1886 (GNR), 5 July 1887 (GNR), 26 July 1889 (GNR), 20 June 1892, 3 July 1894 (GNR - vesting in GNR and LYR).
Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
{{main|Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway}}
The
Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway comprised a main line ran from
PeterboroughPeterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
to
Great YarmouthGreat Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
via South Lynn (with running powers to
King's LynnKing's Lynn is a sea port and market town in the ceremonial county of Norfolk in the East of England. It is situated north of London and west of Norwich. The population of the town is 42,800....
) and
Melton ConstableMelton Constable is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 518 in 225 households as of the 2001 census.For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of North Norfolk...
. Branches ran from
Sutton BridgeSutton Bridge is a village and civil parish in southeastern Lincolnshire, England on the west bank of the River Nene in the district of South Holland.-Geography:...
to the
Midland RailwayThe Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
near Little Bytham, from Melton Constable to
CromerCromer is a coastal town and civil parish in north Norfolk, England. The local government authority is North Norfolk District Council, whose headquarters is in Holt Road in the town. The town is situated 23 miles north of the county town, Norwich, and is 4 miles east of Sheringham...
, and from Melton Constable to
NorwichNorwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
.
In addition, the Norfolk and Suffolk Joint Railway was a joint line owned by the M&GNR and the
Great Eastern RailwayThe Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
. This ran between
CromerCromer is a coastal town and civil parish in north Norfolk, England. The local government authority is North Norfolk District Council, whose headquarters is in Holt Road in the town. The town is situated 23 miles north of the county town, Norwich, and is 4 miles east of Sheringham...
and
North WalshamNorth Walsham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England in the North Norfolk district.-Demographics:The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 11,998. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of North...
and between
Great YarmouthGreat Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
and
LowestoftLowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
.
South Yorkshire Joint Railway
GNR, GCR, LYR, MR and NER. Doncaster through the Coalfields serving collieries in the area to Worksop
See also
- Locomotives of the Great Northern Railway
- GNR Derbyshire and Staffordshire Extension
Further reading
{{Commons category|Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)}}
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{{LNERconstituents}}
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