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LMS Route: Nuneaton to Birmingham New Street

Nuneaton Station [LNWR] (275) Nuneaton Shed [LNWR] (104) Nuneaton Abbey Street [MR] (83) Nuneaton & Stockingford Shed Staff

Nuneaton Abbey Street Station

Nuneaton, two miles south of the Watling Street and the Warwickshire border with Leicestershire, is an interesting example of LNWR/Midland rivalry and co-operation. The first line through the town was the LNWR's 1847 Trent Valley route. This was followed by the LNWR's Coventry to Nuneaton line in 1850, whilst an LNWR associate, the South Leicestershire Railway, opened east from Nuneaton to Hinckley in 1862, and to a connection with the MR south of Leicester in 1864. By this time, the Warwickshire and Leicester Coalfields were of increasing importance and, in 1860, the MR and LNWR agreed a package of measures, which permitted the LNWR to run over the MR's Rugby to Leicester branch, and gave the MR running powers over the South Leicester line, and for freight traffic only over the Coventry & Nuneaton line. As a sequel, the MR took powers, on 7th June 1861, for a branch from the Birmingham & Derby Junction line at Whitacre, to Nuneaton, with a station of their own in Nuneaton, and connections to the LNWR's Trent Valley line and, via a flyover, to the South Leicester branch. This opened to passengers on 1st November 1864, and to goods traffic a month later.

Parts of the Leicestershire Coalfield had been worked for generations, but the coming of the canals, and then the railways, permitted a massive expansion, with many new pits. One of the most historic sections of the MR, the Leicester & Swannington line, struck north-west from Leicester, through Desford and Coalville, and with other lines round Moira and Burton, this was Midland territory, so much so that the MR had not felt it necessary to exercise powers of 1846 for a line protecting them from assault from the Nuneaton direction. In the 1860s an LNWR-orientated scheme projected a line from Nuneaton to Market Bosworth and Ashby. Predictably, the Midland retaliated with a rehash of their 1846 ideas. A head-on clash was avoided by eventual agreement to construct a joint line, the Ashby & Nuneaton, with Acts of 1866, 1867 and 1868. The A&N ran north-east from Nuneaton, where it made connection with the MR at Abbey Junction, on the site of the 1864 passenger station, and from the LNWR at Ashby Junction, north of the Trent Valley line station. The original Ashby Junction was just north of the Midland Flyover, the joint metals paralleling the then double track Trent Valley line. The junction was later moved south of the flyover, and when the Trent Valley line was quadrupled, north of Nuneaton, the junction became the point of physical divergence of the two routes. A connection from Hinckley, on the South Leicester branch, joined the Nuneaton line near Stoke Golding, but was lifted within a few years. The A&N ran north, past the site of Bosworth Field, to Shacklestone, where one limb continued north west to Moira and the MR and the other to Coalville. The A&N Joint opened to coal on 1st August 1873, to freight on 18th August, and to passengers on 1st September An LNWR backed line, the Charnwood Forest Railway, ran east from Coalville to Loughborough. This was authorised in 1874 and opened in 1881.

The original Midland Railway station in Nuneaton was opened for passenger services via Whitacre on 1st November 1864 and goods services on 1st December 1864. This station was located on the Leicester side of the bridge which carried the Midland Road over the railway. Access to both the passenger station and goods yard was provided by a driveway which led off the Midland Road on the town centre side of the bridge over the railway. Unlike the three intermediate stations built at Shustoke, Arley & Fillongley and Stockingford, its platforms were staggered because of the junction with the connecting line to the LNWR which ran to the 'north' of the line to Leicester. This junction to the LNWR started opposite the down platform resulting in the up platform, built on the Leicester line, being off-set as can be seen in the pre-1873 plan of the 'station'. Examination of this plan shows that the station building were different to the plans showing the three intermediate stations of Shustoke, Arley & Fillongley and Stockingford. The goods facilities provided a goods shed with a siding passing through the building, a feature allowing wagons to be pushed forward when unloaded, a three-sided landing dock which allowed livestock to be penned on one side whilst the end and other side allowed road vehicles to be loaded or unloaded. In addition to a short head shunt alongside the landing dock was a siding used by coal merchants which ran parallel with the line to Leicester. Half way along the station driveway was a weighbridge and office.

With the opening of the Ashby & Nuneaton Joint Committee line to Moira and Coalville a second station at Abbey Street was required and this was opened on 1st September 1873. As seen in the diagram 'mrna1941' the new station was situated on the Whitacre side of the Midland Road bridge, some 150 yards further to the east of the original station. The passenger facilities at Abbey Street were modest, with two short platforms. Even so, the station managed to develop a useful amount of excursion traffic in summer, and won both passenger and freight competition awards. The new station's main passenger building was, as was the original station, located on the down (Birmingham) line and accommodated the station master's office, booking office and booking hall, parcels office, a general and a ladies waiting room with the latter having toilets en-suite whereas the gentlemen urinals were accessed off the platform. The up platform's passenger facilities were limited to a general waiting room within a brick built building with a single large opening on the rail side instead of a door.

Until 2nd June 1924 the station was known as Nuneaton Midland when, following the creation of the London Midland Scottish Railway (LMS) on 1st January 1923 as part of the 'grouping' of 123 railways into four companies, it was renamed Nuneaton Abbey Street in order to distinguish it from the London & North Western Railway's (LNWR) station situated on the Trent Valley line. When first built in 1864, the Midland Railway's line between Whitacre Junction and Leicester did not connect with the LNWR line and it crossed by bridge above the West Coast Main Line. The spur connecting the LNWR's West Coast Main Line to Abbey Junction, was opened on 19th July 1880. Adjacent to the MR's line to Leicester were a number of sidings. On the up side there were six looped sidings used to exchange and marshal traffic. Much of this traffic was generated by the quarries and to a lesser extent the mines within the area. On the down side were two long sidings both of which finished with buffer blocks at one end. The passenger facilities were withdrawn on 4th March 1968 when the LNWR station assumed responsibilities for traffic to Birmingham and Leicester.

The 1886 Ordnance Survey map shows two short sidings running behind the down platform with landing docks to both with the 1913 Ordnance Survey map showing one of the landing docks having cattle pens on one side. In addition, a 42 foot turntable is shown near to the two sidings which was used for terminating passenger locomotives, freights and assisting engines. The station's major goods facilities not only remained on the other side of the Midland Road but were expanded. The 1913 plan shows there were two goods shed both located on the down side, each accessed by a single siding. According to Messrs Powell-Hendry and Preston-Hendry, one of the sheds, built in brick, was used by Alfred Connor for his cardboard, jigsaw and packing business whilst the other was a general goods shed operated by the Midland Railway. The Railway Clearing House's 1929 Handbook of Railway Stations states Abbey Street station provided the following services: Goods traffic; Passenger and Parcels traffic; Furniture Vans; Livestock; Horse Boxes and Prize Cattle Vans; and Carriages (Horse-drawn - Ed) by Passenger Trains (GPFLHC). Cranage facilities were provided within the goods shed via a fixed manually operated 5 ton crane. The 1894 edition of The Railway Clearing House Handbook of Railway Stations did not provide information to the same detail e.g. the number of categories listed, and only recorded (GPFL), however its reasonable to assume that the same facilities recorded in 1929 were offered from the outset. In neither instance does the Railway Clearing House's Handbooks of Railway Stations state that there was a LNWR presence at Abbey Street. This is presumably because they had their own facilities nearer to the centre of town.

Up to the 1930s the station had three signal boxes: one at the Whitacre end of the up platform as can just be seen in the distance in image 'mrna1909'; two more one of which was sited on the east side of Midland Road as is evident in photographs and OS maps up to the 1880s. It was a tall square structure and was sufficiently high enough to allow the signalman to see over Midland Road, as can be seen in images 'mrna47' and 'mrna1911' as well as the diagram showing the first station. The first station diagram also shows the third signal box opposite the original station's down platform which had to be replaced because of the construction of the junction to form the line to Ashby. The 1913 Ordnance Survey map shows that these latter two signal boxes had been replaced by one signal box located within the 'V' formed by the two lines of the Midland Railway's line to Ashby plus the connecting line to the Trent Valley line and the Midland Railway's own line to Leicester. In the 1930s, as part of of the nationwide economy measures carried out by the LMS, Abbey Street Junction Signal Box came into operation remaining active until the end of mechanical signalling in the area.

By the turn of the century, ten trains, including some semi-fasts and short workings served Abbey Street in each direction on the Birmingham - Nuneaton - Leicester route. Although the LNWR offered five or six trains daily from the Trent Valley nation over the A&N, the MR was less lavish, with but two trains departing Abbey Street, for the line had been built for coal, and passengers were few. Until the Grouping, the station was known as Nuneaton (Midland) or, sometimes, Nuneaton Abbey. The Abbey Street suffix was formally adopted on 2nd June 1924. Under the LMS. Abbey Street came under control area No 48, 'Saltley’, the A&N, from the junction of the Abbey Street and Trent Valley spurs, becoming area No 47, 'Coalville'. With mounting deficits, all passenger services over the A&N and Charnwood Forest lines were withdrawn on 13th April 1931. Leicester services continued to call at Abbey Street until 4th March 1968, when the station was closed, passenger workings henceforth only calling at the Trent Valley station. This marked the conclusion of a trend which had begun in Midland days, with a number of passenger services running via the goods lines, which were upgraded, to the LNWR station, providing convenient connections between LNWR and MR routes.

General freight ceased over the A&N by 1968, with colliery traffic surviving a little longer. Today, the A&N is lifted, except for the Shackerstone to Market Bosworth section, which is a heritage line. At Abbey Junction, the stump of the A&N survived to provide access to Judkin’s Sidings. One curious result of the switch of passenger services to the ex-LNWR station was that whilst the original freight connection became the passenger line, the old passenger line, from Abbey Street to the South Leicester branch, became freight only! Although not directly linked to Abbey Street, reference should be made to the chord from the Coventry branch at Chilvers Coton to the SLR at Midland Junction. This was installed as a part of the 1860s deal to permit through running by MR trains between Coventry and Leicester, but saw little, if any, use. Parts were lifted, and its main function from World War II was to provide an additional access to the LNWR shed, which it adjoined.

Much of the information provided on this page has been derived from an articles or books written by Peter Lee of the Nuneaton Local History Group (www.nuneatonhistory.com), Messrs Preston Hendry & Powell Hendry in the second of their two volume series on LMS Stations, and Chris Bank's in his book on The Birmingham to Leicester Line. For more information on these and other railway books please visit our bibliography section. Peter Lee can also be contacted via nuneatonian@gmail.com.

An 1880s view of Nuneaton Abbey Street Station and Signal Box complete with large station name board
Ref: mrna47
Anon
An 1880s view of Nuneaton Abbey Street Station and Signal Box complete with large station name board
Another 1880s view of Nuneaton Abbey Street Station and Signal Box not long after the station opened
Ref: mrna1911
P Lee
Another 1880s view of Nuneaton Abbey Street Station and Signal Box not long after the station opened
An external view of the former Midland Railway station at Abbey Street Nuneaton in 1951
Ref: mrna44
Lens of Sutton
An external view of the former Midland Railway station at Abbey Street Nuneaton in 1951
A view of the front elevation of Nuneaton Abbey Street station its later British Railways days
Ref: mrna1916
British Railways
A view of the front elevation of Nuneaton Abbey Street station its later British Railways days
View of Abbey Street Station's main station building located on the down (Birmingham) platform
Ref: mrna1910
P Lee
View of Abbey Street Station's main station building located on the down (Birmingham) platform

Looking along the up platform from the Birmingham end of Abbey Street station during the 1930s
Ref: mrna49
Lens of Sutton
Looking along the up platform from the Birmingham end of Abbey Street station during the 1930s
Close up showing the Midland Railway signal gantry to be carrying lower quadrant semaphores
Ref: mrna49a
Lens of Sutton
Close up showing the Midland Railway signal gantry to be carrying lower quadrant semaphores
Close up of the Birmingham end of Abbey Street station's down platform showing the short cattle dock siding
Ref: mrna49b
Lens of Sutton
Close up of the Birmingham end of Abbey Street station's down platform showing the short cattle dock siding
View of the station looking towards Abbey Street Junction signal box with the line to Leicester on its right
Ref: mrna48
Lens of Sutton
View of the station looking towards Abbey Street Junction signal box with the line to Leicester on its right
Close up looking through the bridge carrying the Midland Road over the railway to join Tuttle Hill which lies to the left
Ref: mrna48a
Lens of Sutton
Close up looking through the bridge carrying the Midland Road over the railway to join Tuttle Hill which lies to the left

Close up of Abbey Street station's main passenger building and the stairs used to access the road bridge
Ref: mrna48b
Lens of Sutton
Close up of Abbey Street station's main passenger building and the stairs used to access the road bridge
Looking East to Leicester as a Type 4 diesel locomotive stands adjacent to the goods shed in the 1960s
Ref: mrna45
Mowatt Collection
Looking East to Leicester as a Type 4 diesel locomotive stands adjacent to the goods shed in the 1960s
Close up showing how passengers were expected to cross the railway lines from one platform to another
Ref: mrna45a
Mowatt Collection
Close up showing how passengers were expected to cross the railway lines from one platform to another
View of the steps leading up from both platforms to Midland Road and Abbey Street Junction Signal Box
Ref: mrna1950
RCTS - PG01883
View of the steps leading up from both platforms to Midland Road and Abbey Street Junction Signal Box
Looking through the Midland Road bridge which carried the A47 road to Birmingham from the town centre
Ref: mrna1925
P Lee
Looking through the Midland Road bridge which carried the A47 road to Birmingham from the town centre

This photograph was taken in 1957 to celebrate the station's manicured lawn and landscaped gardens
Ref: mrna46
Coventry Evening Telegraph
This photograph was taken in 1957 to celebrate the station's manicured lawn and landscaped gardens
Close up showing the single storey brick built waiting room located on Abbey Street's up platform
Ref: mrna46b
Coventry Evening Telegraph
Close up showing the single storey brick built waiting room located on Abbey Street's up platform
Looking in the direction of Birmingham as a three-car Craven DMU set arrives from New Street station on 2nd March 1968
Ref: mrna1095
BO Hilton
Looking in the direction of Birmingham as a three-car Craven DMU set arrives from New Street station
Close up showing Abbey Street's main passenger building located on the Birmingham platform
Ref: mrna1095a
BO Hilton
Close up showing Abbey Street's main passenger building located on the Birmingham platform
Close up showing the three-car Craven DMU set being used on the Birmingham to Leicester services
Ref: mrna1095b
BO Hilton
Close up showing the three-car Craven DMU set being used on the Birmingham to Leicester services

A side view Abbey Junction Signal Cabin, looking towards Ashby on 30th September 1971
Ref: mrna1945
Powell Hendry
A side view Abbey Junction Signal Cabin, looking in the direction of Ashby on 30th September 1971
Abbey Junction Signal Box with the line to Leicester in the foreground and the line to the Trent Valley Line behind
Ref: mrna1087
B Bill
Abbey Junction Signal Box with the line to Leicester in the foreground and the line to the Trent Valley Line behind
Shaun Jasper, Relief Signalman, is seen working inside Abbey Junction signal box during one of the last shifts prior to its closure in February 1992
Ref: mrna1098
Nuneaton Weekly Tribune
Shaun Jasper, Relief Signal man, is seen working during one of the last shifts prior to its closure in February 1992
The view from the site of the 1864 down (Birmingham) platform towards Ashby and Leicester
Ref: mrna1946
Powell Hendery
The view from the site of the 1864 down (Birmingham) platform towards Ashby and Leicester
One of Abbey Street station's two goods sheds is seen standing behind soldiers of the 1st Dorset Regiment
Ref: mrna401
P Lee Collection
One of Abbey Street station's two goods sheds is seen standing behind soldiers of the 1st Dorset Regiment

An external view of Nuneaton Abbey Street's goods shed shortly before it was demolished
Ref: mrna1907
P Lee
An external view of Nuneaton Abbey Street's goods shed shortly before it was demolished
The interior of the larger and timber built LNWR goods shed at Abbey Street shortly before demolition in the 1970s
Ref: mrna1908
P Lee
The interior of the larger and timber built goods shed at Abbey Street shortly before demolition in the 1970s
An internal view of Nuneaton Abbey Street's goods shed shortly before it was demolished
Ref: mrna1906
P Lee
An internal view of Nuneaton Abbey Street's goods shed shortly before it was demolished
Looking eastwards towards Abbey Junction Signal Cabin in the centre of the junction and on the right 'Conners' goods shed circa early 1970s
Ref: mrna1922
P Lee
Looking eastwards towards Abbey Junction Signal Cabin and on the right 'Conners' goods shed circa early 1970s
A very interesting view across the platforms at Nuneaton Abbey Street with a number of features long since gone
Ref: mrna1920
M Billington
A very interesting view across the platforms at the station with a number of features long since gone

Looking along the former Ashby line to Abbey Junction and Abbey Street station in the 1980s
Ref: mrna1913
P Lee
Looking along the former Ashby line to Abbey Junction and Abbey Street station in the 1980s
An aerial view of the junctions between the MR's lines to Leicester and Ashby and the Trent Valley Line
Ref: mrna1671
Aerofilms
An aerial view of the junctions between the MR's lines to Leicester and Ashby and the Trent Valley Line
Close up view showing Midland Railway's facilities at Nuneaton with Abbey Street station seen to the left of the A47 Nuneaton to Birmingham road
Ref: mrna1671a
Aerofilms
Close up showing the MR's facilities at Nuneaton with Abbey Street station seen to the left of the A47
Close up showing Abbey Junction Signal Box and the lines to Ashby, the Trent Valley Line and Leicester
Ref: mrna1671b
Aerofilms
Close up showing Abbey Junction Signal Box and the lines to Ashby, the Trent Valley Line and Leicester
Close up showing the bridges carrying the MR's lines to Ashby and Leicester over the West Coast Main Line
Ref: mrna1671c
Aerofilms
Close up showing the bridges carrying the MR's lines to Ashby and Leicester over the West Coast Main Line

Miscellaneous

Workmen clear the debris of the bridge carrying the Midland Road over the railway on 18th November 1968
Ref: mrna1931
G Edmands
Workmen clear the debris of the bridge carrying the Midland Road over the railway on 18th November 1968
Another view of the pile up of railway wagons at Abbey Street station on 18th November 1968
Ref: mrna1921
G Edmands
Another view of the pile up of railway wagons at Abbey Street station on 18th November 1968
Looking towards Birmingham beneath the bridge carrying the Midland Road over the railway in April 1957
Ref: mrna1092
Ordnance Survey
Looking towards Birmingham beneath the bridge carrying the Midland Road over the railway in April 1957

Trains seen at or near Abbey Street Station

Nuneaton Abbey Street station looking towards Birmingham along the down platform in the 1920s
Ref: mrna1909
P Lee
Nuneaton Abbey Street station looking towards Birmingham along the down platform in the 1920s
Ex-Midland Railway 2F 0-6-0 No 58240 is seen shunting in the goods yard shortly before it was withdrawn in May 1953
Ref: mrna1924
M Billington
Ex-MR 2F 0-6-0 No 58240 is seen shunting in the goods yard shortly before it was withdrawn in May 1953
Ex-MR 2F 0-6-0 No 2996 is seen approaching  Nuneaton on an empty mineral working on 4th April 1941
Ref: mrna43
HC Casserley
Ex-MR 2F 0-6-0 No 2996 is seen approaching Nuneaton on an empty mineral working on 4th April 1941
Ex-LMS' 5MT 2-6-0 No 42951, a 'Stanier Crab' is coming up from the Trent Valley line with a mixed freight
Ref: mrna1912
P Lee
Ex-LMS' 5MT 2-6-0 No 42951, a 'Stanier Crab' is coming up from the Trent Valley line with a mixed freight
Ex-LNWR 0-8-0 7F No 49120 and classmate No 48927 pass Abbey Street goods yard with a coal train from Ashby
Ref: mrna1944
EM Bray
Ex-LNWR 0-8-0 7F No 49120 and classmate No 48927 pass Abbey Street goods yard with a coal train from Ashby

Another view of ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 No 43953 at Abbey Street with the RCTS Railtour on 16th October 1965
Ref: mrna1905
Anon
Another view of ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 No 43953 at Abbey Street with the RCTS Railtour on 16th October 1965
Ex-LMS 8F 2-8-0 No 48336 passes through Abbey Street station on a freight service bound for Washwood Sidings
Ref: mrna46a
Coventry Evening Telegraph
Ex-LMS 8F 2-8-0 No 48336 passes through Abbey Street station on a freight service bound for Washwood Sidings
An unidentified ex-LMS 0-6-0 locomotive pilots an unknown ex-LNWR 0-8-0 locomotive through Abbey Street
Ref: mrna1096
JF Clay
An unidentified ex-LMS 0-6-0 locomotive pilots an unknown ex-LNWR 0-8-0 locomotive through Abbey Street
Ex-LMS 8F 2-8-0 No 48053 heads a long rake of steel bodied mineral wagons on a Leicester bound service
Ref: mrna1090
M Mensing
Ex-LMS 8F 2-8-0 No 48053 heads a long rake of steel bodied mineral wagons on a Leicester bound service
View of ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 No 43953 arriving at Abbey Street station with an RCTS special on 16th October 1965
Ref: mrna1099
ricksrailpics
View of ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 No 43953 arriving at Abbey Street station with an RCTS special on 16th October 1965

Ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 No 43953 stands at the up platform at the head of the RCTS 'Midland Locomotive Requiem' railtour
Ref: mrna1097
KCH Fairey
Ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 No 43953 stands at the up platform at the head of the RCTS 'Midland Locomotive Requiem' railtour
BR built 4MT 2-6-0 No 43046 arrives at the street on 12th April 1958 with the 2:26pm Ely to Birmingham service
Ref: mrna1918
P Lee
BR built 4MT 2-6-0 No 43046 arrives at the street on 12th April 1958 with the 2:26pm Ely to Birmingham service
Ex-LMS 8F 2-8-0 No 48713 runs light engine tender first over the A444 on its way to pick up its train in Abbey Street sidings in early 1966
Ref: mrna1088
MS Lane
Ex-LMS 8F 2-8-0 No 48713 runs light engine tender first over the A444 on its way to pick up its train in Abbey Street sidings in early 1966
Ex-LMS 4MT 2-6-4T No 42685 has just departed Nuneaton Abbey Street with the 2:05pm to Leicester London Road
Ref: mrna1919
Anon
Ex-LMS 4P 2-6-4T No 42685 has just departed Abbey Street with the 2:05pm to Leicester London Road
Ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 No 44413, with steam lifting from the valves, is about to leave the station with a New Street service for Leicester
Ref: mrna1926
M Mensing
Ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 No 44413, with steam lifting from the valves, is about to leave with a service for Leicester

Ex-LMS 5MT 2-6-0 No 42945 carries out shunting duties with filled stone wagons from the adjacent Judkins stone wharf sidings
Ref: mrna1915
P Lee
Ex-LMS 5MT 2-6-0 No 42945 carries out shunting duties with wagons from the adjacent Judkins stone wharf sidings
Ex-LMS 5MT 2-6-0 No 42971 runs tender first and 'light engine' through Abbey Street  towards Leicester
Ref: mrna1923
Colour Rail
Ex-LMS 5MT 2-6-0 No 42971 runs tender first and 'light engine' through Abbey Street towards Leicester
Ex-LMS 5MT 4-6-0 No 45057 heads off the Ashby line at Midland Junction with Stoney Road bridge in the background
Ref: mrna1917
M Mears
Ex-LMS 5MT 4-6-0 No 45057 heads off the Ashby line at Midland Junction with Stoney Road bridge behind
Close up showing Abbey Station and Abbey Junction and the lines to Ashby and the West Coast Main Line
Ref: mrna1927
M Mears
An ex-LMS 5MT 4-6-0 pilots an ex-LNER B1 4-6-0 on a New Street service from probably Cleethorpes
Close up showing Abbey Station and Abbey Junction and the lines to Ashby and the West Coast Main Line
Ref: mrna1928
M Mears
An unidentified BR Class 9F
2-10-0 locomotive stands in one of the marshalling sidings at Abbey Street

An unidentified ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 locomotive heads a Class J mineral train past Abbey Street goods yard in the 1960s
Ref: mrna1929
M Mears
An unidentified ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 locomotive heads a Class J mineral train past Abbey Street goods yard

Diesel Dawn

The driver of the two-car Diesel Multiple Unit awaits to depart Abbey Street station with a service to New Street on 4th October 1964
Ref: mrna1947
County Record Office
The driver of the Diesel Multiple Unit awaits to depart Abbey Street station with a service to New Street
A three-car Diesel Multiple Unit stands at Abbey Street station with a service from Birmingham New Street in the 1960s
Ref: mrna1948
County Record Office
A three-car Diesel Multiple Unit stands at Abbey Street station with a service from Birmingham New Street
A Diesel Multiple Unit has just departed Abbey Street station with a service for Birmingham New Street on 24th February 1968
Ref: mrna1951
RCTS - PG01880
A Diesel Multiple Unit has just departed Abbey Street station with a service for Birmingham New Street
A Leicester to Birmingham Diesel Multiple Unit stands at the down platform ready to depart on 24th February 1968
Ref: mrna1952
RCTS - PG01879
A Leicester to Birmingham DMU stands at the down platform ready to depart on 24th February 1968
Close up showing Abbey Station and Abbey Junction and the lines to Ashby and the West Coast Main Line
Ref: mrna1943
EM Bray
An unidentified ex-LMS 8F 2-8-0 locomotive sets backs 'wrong road' under the bridge with an engineer's ballast train

Diesel locomotive D331 is seen leaving the West Coast Main Line at the head of a diverted Euston to Birmingham service
Ref: mrna1093
M Mensing
Diesel D331 is seen leaving the West Coast Main Line at the head of a diverted Euston to Birmingham service
Diesel locomotive D228 Ivernia has just passed Abbey Junction as it sweeps around to join the Trent Valley Line on Sunday 12th September 1965
Ref: mrna1094
M Mensing
Diesel D228 Ivernia has just passed Abbey Junction as it joins the Trent Valley Line on Sunday 12th September 1965
A Diesel Multiple Unit, forming the 10:15 Birmingham to Norwich service approaches Nuneaton Abbey Junction to enter the Ashby line in the early 1960s
Ref: mrna1914
K Lane
A Diesel Multiple Unit, forming the 10:15 Birmingham to Norwich service approaches Nuneaton Abbey Junction
A three-car Birmingham RC&W DMU set forms the 15:15pm Birmingham to Nottingham via Leicester service
Ref: mrna1089
M Mensing
A three-car Birmingham RC&W DMU set forms the 15:15pm Birmingham to Nottingham via Leicester service

Diagrams, Schematics, Timetable and Ordnance Survey Maps

A 1914 OS map of the station, junction & the bridge carrying the Leicester line over the Trent Valley Line
Ref: mrna1940
National Library of Scotland
A 1914 OS map of the station, junction & the bridge carrying the Leicester line over the Trent Valley Line
A 1913 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey map of the various LNWR and MR lines in Nuneaton
Ref: mrna1936
National Library of Scotland
A 1913 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey map of the various LNWR and MR lines in Nuneaton
An 1886 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey map of Abbey Street station and its goods yard and junction
Ref: mrna1937
National Library of Scotland
An 1886 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey map of Abbey Street station and its goods yard and junction
A 1913 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey map of Abbey Street station and its goods yard and junction
Ref: mrna1938
National Library of Scotland
A 1913 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey map of Abbey Street station and its goods yard and junction
A 1923 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey map of Abbey Street station and its goods yard and junction
Ref: mrna1939
National Library of Scotland
A 1923 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey map of Abbey Street station and its goods yard and junction

A Route Map showing the various lines of the Midland Railway and LNWR in the Nuneaton, Water Orton and Tamworth area
Ref: mrna1930
Midland Railway
A Route Map showing the various lines of the MR and LNWR in the Nuneaton, Water Orton and Tamworth area
A schematic drawing of the layout of Nuneaton Abbey Street's first station, opened in 1864 and closed in 1873
Ref: mrna1935
P Lee
A schematic drawing of the layout of Nuneaton Abbey Street's first station, opened in 1864 and closed in 1873
Schematic drawing of the signalling layout of the second station prior to the erection of Abbey Street Junction Signal Box
Ref: mrna1932
P Lee
Schematic drawing of the signalling layout prior to the erection of Abbey Street Junction Signal Box
 Schematic drawing of the signalling layout of the second station after the erection of Abbey Street Junction Signal Box
Ref: mrna1933
P Lee
Schematic drawing of the signalling layout after the erection of Abbey Street Junction Signal Box
A 1916 Ashby, Coalville, Shackerstone & Nuneaton Timetable showing just two MR services per day
Ref: mrna1934
P Lee
A 1916 Ashby, Coalville, Shackerstone & Nuneaton Timetable showing just two MR services per day

A pre-1873 plan of the original 1864 MR station at Nuneaton  located on the Leicester side of Midland Road
Ref: mrna1949
Powell Hendry
A pre-1873 plan of the 1864 MR station at Nuneaton located on the Leicester side of Midland Road
A post 1873 plan of the replacement station built on the Birmingham side of the Midland Road bridge
Ref: mrna1941
Powell Hendry
A post 1873 plan of the second station built on the Birmingham side of the Midland Road bridge
A post 1873 plan of the marshalling sidings, located between the two MR routes, controlled from Abbey Junction Sidings Signal Box
Ref: mrna1941a
Powell Hendry
A post 1873 plan of the sidings & the two MR routes, controlled from Abbey Junction Sidings Signal Box
A schematic diagram showing the different MR and LNWR routes into and around Nuneaton two stations
Ref: mrna1942
Powell Hendry
A schematic diagram showing the different MR and LNWR routes into and around Nuneaton two stations
Close up showing Abbey Station and Abbey Junction and the lines to Ashby and the West Coast Main Line
Ref: mrna1953
Powell Hendry
A 1969 Signal Box Diagram of Abbey Junction Signal Box of the changes brought in by colour aspect signalling

Nuneaton Station [LNWR] (275) Nuneaton Shed [LNWR] (104) Nuneaton Abbey Street [MR] (83) Nuneaton & Stockingford Shed Staff