Desborough and Rothwell
Remains of the station in 1993
General information
LocationDesborough, North Northamptonshire
England
Platforms2
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyMidland Railway
Pre-groupingMidland Railway
Post-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
8 May 1857Opened as Desborough
1 October 1857Renamed Desborough for Rothwell
17 October 1899Renamed Desborough and Rothwell
1 January 1968Closed

Desborough railway station was built by the Midland Railway on its extension from Leicester to Bedford and Hitchin.

History

The station opened on 8 May 1857[1] as Desborough. It was renamed on 1 October the same year as Desborough for Rothwell.

On 20 May 1899, Elizabeth Palmer and her five-year-old child, Dixon Palmer, were hit by a fish train whilst crossing the line at the station to get to the opposite platform and killed instantly.[2] By August 1899 the Midland Railway Company had received instructions from the Board of Trade to erect a footbridge over the line.[3]

In response to a requisition from the ratepayers of Rothwell, the Midland Railway Company decided to inaugurate a bus service between Rothwell and Desborough station in 1899.[4] The station was renamed Desborough and Rothwell on 17 October 1899.[5]

The station closed in 1968.[6] The station building still stands but the goods yard area is now built-over, mainly given over to a Co-op Food store and its car park. The remainder of the area is occupied by Albany Sheds.

Stationmasters


Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Market Harborough   Midland Railway
Midland Main Line 		  Glendon and Rushton

References

  1. ^ "Opening of the Leicester and Hitchin Line". Bedfordshire Mercury. British Newspaper Archive. 9 May 1857. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  2. ^ "Shocking Double Fatality at Desborough Station. Woman and Child Killed". Northampton Mercury. England. 26 May 1899. Retrieved 15 February 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "About Town and County". Northampton Mercury. England. 18 August 1899. Retrieved 15 February 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ "Kettering". Stamford Mercury. England. 8 September 1899. Retrieved 15 February 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ a b c "1899-1908 Coaching; Piece 1027". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 669. 1899. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  6. ^ Radford, B., (1983) Midland Line Memories: a Pictorial History of the Midland Railway Main Line Between London (St Pancras) & Derby London: Bloomsbury Books
  7. ^ a b "1859-1866". Midland Railway Miscellaneous Depts: 175. 1914. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  8. ^ "1871-1879 Coaching". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 522. 1871. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  9. ^ a b "1881-1898 Coaching". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 701. 1881. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Death of Desborough Station Master". Market Harborough Advertiser and Midland Mail. England. 25 May 1928. Retrieved 31 January 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Weedon Stationmaster". Northampton Mercury. England. 28 September 1928. Retrieved 31 January 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ "Presentation to Station Master". Flintshire County Herald. England. 6 June 1941. Retrieved 31 January 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.

Further reading

52°26′40″N 0°49′08″W / 52.4445°N 0.8188°W / 52.4445; -0.8188


Categories