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

Great Dalby Station

South of Melton Mowbray Station the line swung left on a wide curve to clear the town and soon reached the Midland Railway's Syston to Peterborough line, which the Joint Line crossed over. Immediately north of the bridge a curved embankment can still be seen running down to join the Midland east of the bridge. The Joint Line signal box was known as Systonby Junction and where the curve joined the Midland there was no direct connection with the main line, but to sidings. The purpose of the spur was to convey ironstone from the Waltham-on-the-Wolds mines to Holwell Iron Works at Asfordby. The Midland Railway had petitioned Parliament for a line from their proposed direct line from Nottingham to Melton Mowbray to these mines, but the Bill was thrown out. Later they obtained powers to build a line from Asfordby to Holwell village, where mines were opened up, although it took until 1882 before the Midland Railway were able to obtain authority to connect this line with the Great Northern's Waltham-on-the-Wolds branch at Wycombe Junction. When this connection was completed the Systonby curve was rendered redundant.

A most strange thing occurred when the Joint Committee had the spur removed after so short a use. The Midland Railway claimed that the signal box on their line was much larger than needed under the changed conditions. Although the sole purpose of the curve was as much to the Midland advantage as the Joint Line, it was agreed that the Joint Committee should pay £2 per year to the Midland for the "unused" part of their box. The Midland signal box would have had to be built in any case for their new line to join the Syston-Peterborough line. Near the Joint Line over the Midland bridge there is, to-day, a long "arrester" for over-runs on the British Railway's high-speed experimental line.

The Joint Line now enters more rolling country, necessitating heavier earthworks, and although the only tunnel worthy of the name is north of Melton Mowbray, the cuttings and embankments on the southern section are deeper and larger. At Great Dalby Station the contour of the ground is made use of for the layout of the station. Approaching from the village the entrance to the station is level, while the public road dips to pass under the line, on one side of the road the line leaves the station at ground level and the other enters a cutting. The usual station master's house and three cottages are at the end of the approach road and opposite the passenger station buildings. To the north of the carriage area was a very large goods yard. The busiest time in the history of Great Dalby Station was in World War Two when American munitions were stored in the nearby woods to the extent of thousands of tons and extra sidings had to be made to accommodate the traffic. When this material was needed for France train loads were sent daily from this otherwise sleepy country station. Today the whole station area is in the possession of a large egg producing firm, the batteries and other buildings cover six and a half acres.

In the best days Great Dalby Station had a staff of a station master, three signalmen, three porters and one clerk. The station was especially busy during mornings and evenings when the local farmers brought their milk for dispatch by rail. Some 20 to 25 ponies and floats would be tied up in the station yard while their owners waited for the train. It was part of the conditions of milk carriage that the senders assisted in placing the chums in the van on the train. Upon the arrival of the train a matter of 45 to 60 empty churns would be taken off the train and a similar number put in. On market days at Melton Mowbray as many as 50 passengers would join the train at Great Dalby. Three coal merchants had stands in the goods yard.

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