LMS Route: Rugby to Leamington

Dunchurch Station

Dunchurch Station was opened on 2nd October 1871 some twenty years after the opening of the single line branch between Rugby and Leamington. The goods yard opened the following year on 1st February 1872. Despite initial comments by the Chairman of the LNWR, Mr GC Glyn, that the line would never pay, traffic increased to justify the doubling of the track from Rugby to Dunchurch on 27th March 1882 although this had more to do with through traffic than services to Dunchurch station. On 28th January 1884 the line was finally doubled throughout its length to Leamington. The station was located some 1¾ miles to the west of the village which had a population of 6,061 in the 1870s. Access to the station's main passenger building and the goods yard was off the road between London and Coventry (now the A45). The goods yard had very simple facilities being one siding which could be accessed from both ends via trailing crossovers (see image 'lnwrdun2405'). The line's passenger traffic fell markedly in the 1950s resulting in the withdrawal of the passenger service to the station on 15th June 1959 with goods traffic holding out until 2nd November 1964.

The Railway Clearing House's 1929 Handbook of Railway Stations records Dunchurch station providing a full range of 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). Whilst the 1894 edition of Handbook of Railway Stations was not as detailed in recording the services on offer (GPFL - no Horse Box and Prize Cattle Vans and Carriages caterories existed), in all likelyhood these were the same. The station had no goods shed and no cranage facilities were provided, merchants requiring one would have had to make arrangements to hire a rail mounted crane of the type seen in image 'lnwrcs2124'. The only major event of note at the station was the arrival of King George V's horses (the King disembarked at Rugby for duties in the town) for use by the King inspecting troops being marshalled for the Gallopoli campaign.

Select an image below to view the larger version with accompanying text:

Ref: lnwrdun1337 Postcard Looking towards Leamington showing the main station building sited on the down platform on the left

Ref: lnwrdun1337a Postcard Close up of Dunchurch station showing the separate timber built waiting room and the station master's house

Ref: lnwrdun1337b Postcard Close up of the station's up platform's waiting room with a shorter canopy than that seen on the down platform

Ref: lnwrdun2401 J Alsop Looking towards Rugby from the Birdingbury end of Dunchurch station's up platform on 21st April 1951

Ref: lnwrdun3962 B Hilton/LNWR Society View showing Dunchurch's principal passenger facilities which included waiting room and booking hall

Ref: lnwrdun3960 LNWR Society View of the remains of the former Dunchurch station as seen from the bridge carrying the A45 over the railway

Ref: lnwrdun1347a Anon Close up showing Dunchurch station's single siding with the cattle dock and fencing seen on the right

Ref: lnwrdun3986 HJ Stretton Ward An Edwardian view of the up platform with the timber buildings to the left of the stationmaster's house

Ref: lnwrdun3987 E Wilmshurst Looking from a train along Dunchurch station's down platform towards Leamington on 16th May 1959

Locomotives and trains seen at or near Dunchurch station

Last day of service and diversion traffic

Ref: lnwrdun3958 LNWR Society BR built 2MT 2-6-2T No 41227 has just passed classmate No 41228 at Dunchurch station on 2nd May 1959

Ref: lnwrdun3956 LNWR Society BR built 2MT 2-6-2T No 41227 leaves Dunchurch station for Leamington Spa (Milverton) on the last day of service

Ref: lnwrdun3963 B Hilton/LNWR Society Another view of Ivatt 2-6-2T No 41227 which is seen in push mode on the last day of passenger services

Ref: lnwrdun3964 B Hilton/LNWR Society BR built 2MT 2-6-2T No 41227 arrives at Dunchurch station as classmate No 41228 departs to Rugby

Ref: lnwrdun1338 M Mensing Another view of Ivatt 2-6-2T No 41227 which is seen in push mode on the last day of passenger services

Ref: lnwrdun1347 Anon British Railways built 2MT 2-6-2T No 41228 passes Dunchurch's single siding goods yard and signal cabin

Ref: lnwrdun2403 M Mensing British Railways built 3MT 2-6-2T No 41227 propels the 4:30pm Leamington Spa (Milverton) to Rugby service

Ref: lnwrdun1757 M Mensing BR built 2-6-2T No 41227 heads the 5:35pm Rugby to Leamington motor fitted local passenger service

Ref: lnwrdun1756 M Mensing English Electric Type 4 D255 approaches Dunchurch with the diverted 10:13am New Street to Euston service

Liverpool & Manchester Railway 0-4-2 No 57 'Lion'

Ref: lnwrdun3961 Anon The crew of Liverpool & Manchester Railway 0-4-2 No 57 'Lion' pose for the camera near Dunchurch station

Ref: lnwrdun2400 I Mackenzie Liverpool & Manchester Railway 0-4-2 No 57 'Lion' approaches Dunchurch signal cabin circa 1961

Ref: lnwrdun2399 I Mackenzie Liverpool & Manchester Railway 0-4-2 No 57 'Lion' standing at Dunchurch station's down platform

Miscellaneous

Ref: lnwrdun2404 Ordnance Survey Ordnance Survey map showing the layout of Dunchurch station including its single road goods yard

Ref: lnwrdun2405 I Mackenzie Dunchurch Signal Cabin's diagram showing the layout of levers operating the signals and points

Ref: lnwrdun1336 WoW King George V's horses being disembarked from a LNWR horsebox by members of the royal household

Ref: lnwrdun2402 I Mackenzie A British Railways Dunchurch to Rugby Child's Privilege Single 3rd Class ticket costing 1½ pence

Ref: lnwrdun3957 LNWR Society A close up view of a 'four hole', two spikes and two bolts, cast iron LNWR chair, fixed to a timber sleeper

Timetables

Ref: lnwrrm3399 LNWR Society LNWR August and September 1898 Timetable - Rugby, Coventry and Leamington to and from Birmingham

Ref: lnwrrm3400 LNWR Society LNWR August and September 1898 Timetable - Rugby and Leamington; Leamington, Coventry and Nuneaton

Ref: lnwrbird3974 British Railways An August 1958 Timetable showing just five services per day each way between Rugby and Leamington