Great Northern Railway and London & North Western Railway Joint Line from Market Harborough to Bottesford and Saxondale via Melton Mowbray

East Norton

The greatest distance between stations occurs from Tilton to East Norton, which is four miles, seven chains and the district traversed is amongst the most sparsely populated areas in Leicestershire. East Norton Station was on the north side of the road from the village to Allexton and some three quarters of a mile from East Norton. The station was in a cutting and the layout followed the standard pattern, although the goods yard was smaller than some of the others. The station did not handle much traffic, only the local farmers' produce for despatch and cattle feed coming in, the signal box was manned by two porter signalmen. South of the station the cutting had to be walled up to stop serious slips, another cause of the delay in opening. About half a mile south of the station there was a short tunnel of some one hundred, or so, yards in length.

North of the station was a viaduct of eight arches, but not so impressive as the John O'Gaunt work. The cutting in 1973 is in the process of being filled by the local council as a refuse dump, while the only passenger building on the Joint Line to still be in existence in 1973 is the down platform block.

Hallaton Station

What was perhaps the best country station on the Joint Line was at Hallaton, it was well placed in relation to its village and laid out in larger proportions than most of the others. The approach road was awkward and difficult, a sharp rise from the public road, the staff cottages were on the approach road, but the station master's house was alongside the public road and on the other side of the over-road bridge. The carriage area was cramped, but the goods yard was very large and had two entrances, the second one being on the road from Hallaton to Medbourne. The yard was so large that the L.N .W . used to stack the line-side hay here, coming from a wide district of their own lines as well as from the L.N .W . maintained part of the Joint Line. (The Great Northern used to burn the line-side grass.) Most of the passenger traffic from Hallaton were locals to Market Harborough and the people hereabouts did not seem to think of the Joint Line as partly Great Northern. All their railway references were to the London and North Western.

Hallaton Junction

Fifty-nine chains south of Hallaton Station was Hallaton Junction, where the line diverged, the main to Welham Junction, and the left line the branch to Drayton Junction, where it joined the L.N.W. Rugby to Luffenham line towards the east. From Welham Junction, the main line joined the same L.N.W. line in the westerly direction. The main line had nothing of interest on it until it reached the River Welland, which it crossed by a single span bridge. From this point to Welham Junction the line ran for a short distance in Northamptonshire. On the London and North Western line just beyond Welham Junction the L.N.W. built a coal concentration yard in 1904 and this end of the line became a busy railway depot. A very short distance north of Welham Junction the Joint Line formation has been largely obliterated. Between Weston by Welland and Welham, at a bend in the river is a large knoll, through which the Joint Line ran and at a high point an occupation bridge spanned the railway.

This cutting has now been filled in and is so grassed over that it has the appearance of an unfinished earth-work.

The Medbourne Branch

The Medbourne branch left the main line at Hallaton Junction, situated on an embankment fifty-nine chains south of Hallaton Station. The other Barnstone branch was used mostly by L.N.W. trains and the Medbourne branch only had Great Northern trains with the exception of an L.N.W. pick-up goods. So little used was the latter line that it was singled in 1905 and after the Peterborough trains ceased to run in 1916 the line was used for storing wagons.

Medbourne Station

Medbourne Station was on the east side of the village and was no different to the other Joint Line stations. Shortly after the passenger service ended the station was burned down by accident.

Before the Joint Line was built, Medbourne was served by a station on the L.N .W . line from Rugby to Luffenham, this was a mile and a half from the village. The new station was named Medbourne, and the L.N.W. station re-named Ashley and Weston. Unlike the main line to Welham, this branch just manages to remain in Leicestershire.

The main line at East Norton goes within half a mile of the county of Rutland.

Welham Junction and Sidings

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