Rugby Station: The Northern Approaches

LMS Route: Rugby to Wolverhampton
LMS Route: Rugby to Leamington
LMS Route: Trent Valley Line

The first railway station to be built in Rugby was a wooden temporary structure located around half a mile to the west of the present station. It opened in 1838 when the London and Birmingham Railway was constructed. This station lasted only a few years. When a junction was made with the Midland Counties Railway in 1840 a new station was built nearer the present station site although still slightly to the west.

This second station was effectively managed by two companies - the London and North Western Railway and the Midland Railway - and for this reason grew up in a haphazard fashion. It was at first no more than a temporary wooden structure, but was rebuilt in brick in 1850. This station consisted of platforms at each side of the track with one bay platform. The platforms were rather low and passengers complained of having to perform an "acrobatic feat" to board trains.

The station was at the centre of a busy junction and often saw chaotic scenes. It featured, only lightly disguised, in Charles Dickens's story Mugby Junction.

The second station lasted until the 1880s, when a new line from Rugby to Northampton was built, and it was replaced by the current structure which opened in 1885. This station, which exists today, albeit modified, consists of one large island platform with tracks on both sides and bay platforms at each end. The platform is accessed from a tunnel at road level and a ramp leading to the platforms.

The station was noted for an unusual feature, the 'scissor junction' which allowed two trains to be in one platform at the same time. The scissor junction was an X shaped junction which allowed one train to pass another one already in the platform, and call into the same platform ahead of it, and allowed the train to the rear to pull out of the station. For this reason the station has one of the longest platforms of any British railway station. The scissor junctions remained in use until the railway was electrified in the 1960s.

At its height, as well as the West Coast Main Line, Rugby station served railway lines to Leicester, Leamington Spa, and Peterborough via Market Harborough. In the 1960s all but the West Coast line were closed as part of the Beeching Axe.

Additional pages divided on different thematic subjects are available by clicking on the links below:

Select an image below to view the larger version with accompanying text:

Ref: lnwrrm866 - EHC Shorto View of the northern approach to the station with the gantry controlled by No 7 Signal Box

Ref: lnwrrm852 - Weston Collection View of the junction with the Leamington line to the left the Birmingham line in the middle and the Trent Valley line oin the right

Ref: lnwrrm852a - Weston Collection Close up of the junction with the three LNWR lines to the north of the station

Ref: lnwrrm848 - Weston Collection Looking north towards the wooden footbridge with the main goods yard on the left and the exchange sidings on the right

Ref: lnwrrm848a - Weston Collection Close up showing the main yard on the left with a mix of both covered wagons and mineral wagons in the yard

Ref: lnwrrm848b - Weston Collection Close up showing No 5 signal box and a Black 5 on an up express whilst an 8F waits on the Midland to Leicester line

Ref: lnwrrm861 - AW Flowers View looking south towards the wooden footbridge with the goods yard on the right

Ref: lnwrrm861a - AW Flowers Close up view showing the goods yard full of mainly covered vans together with LNWR somersault signals

Ref: lnwrrm861b - AW Flowers View of an 8F at the head of a down goods passing under the colour light signals whilst two down expresses draw into the station

Ref: lnwrrm887 - WoW A 1930s view looking towards the station from the footbridge with the goods yard on the right

Ref: lnwrrm748a - Anon Close up showing the lineside structures at the Birmingham end of the up platform and the footbridge in the distance

Ref: lnwrrm892 - Anon Ex-LMS 4-6-0 Black 5 No 45448 heads a north bound freight train out of the exchange sidings

Ref: lnwrrm896 - Anon Rugby's brakedown train is seen rerailing mineral wagons alongside Rugby No 5 signal box with the goods yard in the distance

Ref: lnwrrm853 - Anon Inside of Rugby No 7 Signal Box with the track diagram controlling the Trent Valley junction with the Birmingham and Leamington lines

Ref: lnwrrm863 - Anon Another view of Rugby No 7 Signal Box which in this earlier view shows was manned by two bobbies

Ref: lnwrrm872 - Anon View of the exchange sidings taken from the footbridge with No 5 signal box on the right

Ref: lnwrrm872a - Anon Close up showing the exchange sidings in front of the BTH works and the factory's overhead crane

Ref: lnwrrm872b - Anon Close up showing Rugby No 5 Signal Box in the foreground and the signal works in the background

Ref: lnwrrm872c - Anon Close up showing the driver of one of Rugby's 0-6-0 Diesel shunters alighting to visit the signal box whilst the exchange sidings disappear into the distance

Ref: lnwrrm873 - Colour Rail LMS 4-6-0 Jubilee class No 5642 passes Rugby No 5 Signal Box on a northbound short train comprising milk van two coaches and a parcel van

Ref: lnwrrm874 - Anon A damaged negative with an early 20th century view of the northern aspects of the station and the goods yard

Ref: lnwrrm874a - Anon Close up showing the goods yard containing a range of covered wagons and vans

Ref: lnwrrm879 - Postcard Looking across the northern approach of the station towards the BTH works showing the footbridge and goods trains

Ref: lnwrrm880 - Postcard View of the BTH electrical engineering factory as seen from the footbridge with a Mazda Lamps advert on the roof

Ref: lnwrrm881 - Postcard Magnificent view of the northern approach to Rugby station from the North West was taken just after grouping

Ref: lnwrrm881alternative - Postcard Magnificent view of the northern approach to Rugby station from the North West was taken just after grouping

Ref: lnwrrm881a - Postcard Close up showing the exchange sidings in front of the BTH works occupied with a range of covered wagons and Vans

Ref: lnwrrm881b - Postcard Close up showing the selection of wagons on view which is of great interest as many of them are quite freshly painted

Ref: lnwrrm848c - Weston Collection Close up showing the British Thompson Houston works and the exchange sidings which were sited on the up side of the main line

Ref: lnwrrm877 - WoW Preparing for War as a horse used to haul a Howitzer Battery gun is being loaded on to a railway wagon in Rugby goods yard

Ref: lnwrrm909 - WoW View of the northern approaches to the station taken along the River Avon during the first year of the Second World War

Ref: lnwrrm908 - WoW A shunting horse being used to rotate the wagon on a wagon turntable in Hunters Wagon Works

Ref: lnwrrm848c - Weston Collection Close up showing the British Thompson Houston works and the exchange sidings that were sited on the up side of the main line