Charnwood Forest Railway
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This is a route-map template for a UK railway.
For information on use of this template, refer to Wikipedia:Route diagram template, for pictograms used see Wikipedia:Route diagram template/Catalog of pictograms.
The Charnwood Forest Railway was a branch line in Leicestershire constructed by the Charnwood Forest Company between 1881 and 1883. The branch line ran from Coalville (joined to the Ashby & Nuneaton Joint Railway (ANJR)) to the town of Loughborough. The railway was the first to reach the town of Loughborough, ahead of both the Midland Railway and the Great Central Railway.
Stations on the Charnwood Forest Railway were located at Coalville East, Whitwick, Shepshed and Loughborough Derby Road, however in later years three halts were opened, these being Thringstone Halt, Grace Dieu Halt and Snells Nook Halt.
The line was known as the 'Bluebell Line' due to the flower growing along much of the length of the line during the spring.
Passenger services ceased to operate on 13 April 1931, with freight services ceasing to operate on 12 December 1963.
[edit] Remains of the line
There are very few buildings still in existence which were once used by the railway. However, one still exists in Whitwick, and now serves as the home of the "Whitwick Historical Group". This is in the old station building near the market place.
The Goods Shed at Loughborough Derby Road also still stands, albeit in use with the rest of an industrial estate
The only other buildings still standing (and this is a tenuous link) are the numerous bridges still carrying road traffic dotted amongst the local countryside. One of the best still remains intact within Thringstone woods, near Grace Dieu Priory ruins. The viaduct -
The Station buildings at Coalville East have been built upon (housing estate). The same has happened in Shepshed (industrial estate) and Loughborough. There is still a post at the site of Grace Dieu halt.
[edit] The Trackbed
The trackbed remains remarkably intact, although some is now on private land. The most reliable place to start is near Coalville's Morrisons outlet. Nearby, part of The trackbed (Whitwick to just within the borders of Coalville) has been made a public right of way. This footpath goes past the Whitwick Station Building and Platform (Although unfortuneately the platform is unkempt and overgrown). At the end of this footpath, It becomes a T junction where the line would have gone straight on. The direction is less clear here, as it is now under someones garden, who has carried out many alterations. At the other side of the garden however, the trackbed still retains it's original ballast, and is in remarkably good condition for a short distance, until the growth of vegetation starts again. It is still clear where it went, but less easy to follow due to vegetation. The line still has ballast here. For reference, we are now passing under Whitwicks "Dumps Road" bridge. The trackbed is still obvious here, yet it becomes less clear as we pass through Thringstone. Alterations to the surroundings make it hard to tell. The trackbed can be readily picked up Near Thringstone Wood, which will take you across the afore mentioned viaduct, and bring you past the priory and to the edge of a missing bridge, and a busy road below. Across this gap, the trackbed continues and soon turns into private land owned by a nearby farm. Large parts of the trackbed are used by the farm as roads for their machinery, though it is still an obvious railway trackbed (there is no ballast here). The trackbed then peters out the closer you come to Shepshed.
Shortly after Shepshed the trackbed is distinguishable again and passes behind a lorry park before the M1 motorway cuts across the path of the line. After the motorway the line is followable again from the air till near Old Ashby Road where the trackbed has been turned into a path, the trackbed is more or less in its original state (minus ballast) all the way to Thorpe Hill where a community centre has been constructed over the trackbed. After the community centre the trackbed is followable again down to Loughborough Fire Station, which again has been built on the trackbed, from here the route of the line is difficult to follow, but the footpath follows the course of the line closely. A care home and industrial estate have been built upon the rest of the former trackbed to Loughborough Derby Road station.
The goods warehouse at Loughborough Derby Road station, along with the Station Hotel are the only two remaining structures of the small terminus constructed at this location.
