History Battlefield Line Railway

shackerstone station

the railway used part of london , north western railway , midland railway, operated line jointly between moira west junction , nuneaton. first trains ran along section in 1873. @ shackerstone station, there once junction 1 section branched off towards moira , ashby , other went towards coalville junction. in 1883, charnwood forest railway opened, extended branch coalville junction loughborough s derby road station, passing through villages of whitwick , shepshed. in 1923 grouping, these lines assigned london midland , scottish railway. in 1931 last scheduled passenger train went down charnwood forest branch, line being open freight , excursions until 1960s. coalville junction – shackerstone section dismantled , closed in 1964. ashby – nuneaton line had last passenger service in 1965, enthusiasts special, before british rail pulled rails in 1970. in heyday, shackerstone busy station, steam trains doing workings between ashby , nuneaton, whilst railcar did service between shackerstone , loughborough derby road.

the line double track later singled. confusingly, part of line called bluebell line (the charnwood forest line, hugglescote loughborough derby road station; line accessible via anjr).

the royal train in national railway museum went shackerstone on first outing in december 1902. conveyed king edward vii, queen alexandra , princess victoria on way gopsall hall, handel reputed have composed oratorio messiah.

renovation project

gwr 2-6-2t small prairie tank no. 5542 @ shackerstone station

the shackerstone railway society set in 1969 @ market bosworth, moved shackerstone in 1970, needed proper home first steam engine. when got shackerstone found 1 through line still intact, , first aim build sidings. later reinstated down platform , connected sidings line market bosworth.

in 1973, celebrate centenary of line, small train of open wagons hauled market bosworth. following successful conclusions of negotiations british rail, start made on track rearrangements created run-round loops @ both ends of line , number of sidings @ shackerstone.

in 1980s, battlefield line launched campaign extend line shenton. involved buying 1 ⁄2 miles (2.4 km) of track , in 1992 after successful campaign, inaugural service arrived, hauled appropriately named 0-6-0 tank engine richard iii.