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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:

Looking towards Leamington showing the main station building sited on the down platform on the left and the timber framed and clad waiting room on the up platform opposite
Ref: lnwrdun1337
Postcard
Looking towards Leamington showing the main station building sited on the down platform on the left
Close up of Dunchurch station showing the separate timber built waiting room, the station master's house and shorter up 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
Close up of Dunchurch station's up platform's timber built and clad waiting room which had a shorter canopy than that seen on the down platform
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
Looking towards Rugby from the Birdingbury end of Dunchurch station's up platform on 21st April 1951
Ref: lnwrdun2401
J Alsop
Looking towards Rugby from the Birdingbury end of Dunchurch station's up platform on 21st April 1951
View showing Dunchurch's principal passenger facilities which included waiting room and booking hall
Ref: lnwrdun3962
B Hilton/LNWR Society
View showing Dunchurch's principal passenger facilities which included waiting room and booking hall

View of the remains of the former Dunchurch station as seen from the bridge carrying the A45 over the railway
Ref: lnwrdun3960
LNWR Society
View of the remains of the former Dunchurch station as seen from the bridge carrying the A45 over the railway
Close up showing Dunchurch station's single siding with the cattle dock and fencing seen on the right
Ref: lnwrdun1347a
Anon
Close up showing Dunchurch station's single siding with the cattle dock and fencing seen on the right
Looking towards Rugby from the Birdingbury end of Dunchurch station's up platform on 21st April 1951
Ref: lnwrdun3986
HJ Stretton Ward
An Edwardian view of the up platform with the timber buildings to the left of the stationmaster's house
Looking along Dunchurch station's down platform towards Leamington on 16th May 1959
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

British Railways built 2MT 2-6-2T No 41227 has just passed classmate No 41228 at Dunchurch station on 2nd May 1959
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
British Railways built 2MT 2-6-2T No 41227 leaves Dunchurch station for Leamington Spa (Milverton) on the last day of service
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
Another view of Ivatt 2-6-2T No 41227 which is seen in push mode on the last day of passenger services on 13th June 1959.
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
View of King George Fifth's horses being disembarked from a LNWR horsebox by members of the royal household's staff at Dunchurch station
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
Another view of Ivatt 2-6-2T No 41227 which is seen in push mode on the last day of passenger services
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

British Railways built 2MT 2-6-2T No 41228 passes Dunchurch's single siding goods yard and signal cabin
Ref: lnwrdun1347
Anon
British Railways built 2MT 2-6-2T No 41228 passes Dunchurch's single siding goods yard and signal cabin
xxx
Ref: lnwrdun2403
M Mensing
British Railways built 3MT 2-6-2T No 41227 propels the 4:30pm Leamington Spa (Milverton) to Rugby service
BR built Ivatt 2-6-2T No 41227 is seen at the head of the 5 35pm Rugby to Leamington motor fitted local passenger service on the last day of service
Ref: lnwrdun1757
M Mensing
BR built 2-6-2T No 41227 heads the 5:35pm Rugby to Leamington motor fitted local passenger service
English Electric Type 4 1Co-Co1 D255 is seen approaching Dunchurch with the diverted 10 13am Birmingham New Street to Euston express 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'

The crew of Liverpool & Manchester Railway 0-4-2 No 57 'Lion' pose for the camera near Dunchurch station in October 1961
Ref: lnwrdun3961
Anon
The crew of Liverpool & Manchester Railway 0-4-2 No 57 'Lion' pose for the camera near Dunchurch station
Liverpool & Manchester Railway 0-4-2 No 57 'Lion' approaches Dunchurch signal cabin circa 1952
Ref: lnwrdun2400
I Mackenzie
Liverpool & Manchester Railway 0-4-2 No 57 'Lion' approaches Dunchurch signal cabin circa 1961
View of Liverpool & Manchester Railway 0-4-2 No 57 'Lion' standing at Dunchurch station's down platform circa 1952
Ref: lnwrdun2399
I Mackenzie
Liverpool & Manchester Railway 0-4-2 No 57 'Lion' standing at Dunchurch station's down platform

Miscellaneous

Ordnance Survey map showing the layout of Dunchurch station including its single road goods yard
Ref: lnwrdun2404
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey map showing the layout of Dunchurch station including its single road goods yard
Dunchurch Signal Cabin's diagram showing the layout of levers operating the signals and points
Ref: lnwrdun2405
I Mackenzie
Dunchurch Signal Cabin's diagram showing the layout of levers operating the signals and points
View of King George V's horses being disembarked from a LNWR horsebox by members of the royal household's staff at Dunchurch station
Ref: lnwrdun1336
WoW
King George V's horses being disembarked from a LNWR horsebox by members of the royal household
A British Railways Dunchurch to Rugby Child's Privilege Single 3rd Class ticket costing 1½ pence
Ref: lnwrdun2402
I Mackenzie
A British Railways Dunchurch to Rugby Child's Privilege Single 3rd Class ticket costing 1½ pence
A close up view of a 'four hole', two spikes and two bolts, cast iron LNWR chair, fixed to a timber sleeper
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

LNWR August and September 1898 Timetable - Rugby, Coventry and Leamington to and from Birmingham
Ref: lnwrrm3399
LNWR Society
LNWR August and September 1898 Timetable - Rugby, Coventry and Leamington to and from Birmingham
LNWR August and September 1898 Timetable - Rugby and Leamington; Leamington, Coventry and Nuneaton
Ref: lnwrrm3400
LNWR Society
LNWR August and September 1898 Timetable - Rugby and Leamington; Leamington, Coventry and Nuneaton
An August 1958 Timetable showing just five services per day each way between Rugby and Leamington
Ref: lnwrbird3974
British Railways
An August 1958 Timetable showing just five services per day each way between Rugby and Leamington