Shilton Station

LMS Route: Trent Valley Line

Shilton Station was opened by the newly formed London North Western Railway on the Trent Valley Railway, six miles south of Nuneaton. It was opened on 15th September 1847 initially operating a limited service becoming fully operational on 1st December 1847. It was originally built with two running lines, each with a platform facing each other. In order to provide additional capacity a third line between Bulkington and Rugby in the up direction was added in 1871. In June 1876 this line was regraded as a passenger line. Up to 1880 the only siding accommodation at Shilton was a down refuge siding just north of the station with no goods facilities being provided at all. A single siding was laid down to be accessed from the 1871 line. This new siding, which was about 350 feet long and capable of holding twenty-two wagons, was controlled from a small signal cabin on the down platform. Later LMS surveys stated the capacity was fourteen wagons. In September 1898 the down refuge siding, which had terminated part way down the down platform, was removed and the platform rebuilt as an island platform to accommodate a down goods loop line which passed through the confines of the station. The siding was provided with a weighbridge and office. In addition to a cattle ramp being provided at the Rugby end of the siding a vehicle ramp was installed alongside it. Access to the siding was via an entrance on the north side of the railway via Church Road.

Two signal cabins controlled Shilton station, No 1 cabin at the Rugby end of the up loop line and No 2 cabin some 1029 yards towards Nuneaton again on the down loop line. Shilton No 1 signal cabin contained fourteen levers, whilst No 2 cabin contained eleven. Originally No 2 controlled both up and down lines but under the LMS' this was reduced to controlling only the down lines. Whilst quadrupling was authorised on this section it nothing ever materialised other than the loop line. In the early days of British Railways, prior to June 1949, No 2 cabin was closed and the loop platform to the down main crossover was removed leaving the whole of the down goods loop being worked by the former No 1 cabin. The booking office was built on the bridge which carried Church Road over the railway with two sets of steps leading down to two platforms. The booking office was built with brick for the front and side walls, but the rest of it was timber which, over the years, became more and more dilapidated. The covered steps to the platforms were of corrugated iron. On 1st January 1923 Shilton station became part of the London Midland and Scottish Railway. Shilton station's rural location generated little passenger or goods traffic and it was closed to passenger traffic on 16th September 1957 and to goods traffic on 1st February 1965.

Ref: lnwr_shil3116 Postcard Looking across the bridge which carried Church Road over the Trent Valley railway with Shilton station on the left

Ref: lnwr_shil1606 P Glenn The main station structure which was sited on the bridge that carried Church Road over the Trent Valley line

Ref: lnwr_shil4428 P Kingston Another roadside view of the front of Shilton station's main building seen on 30th August 1956

Ref: lnwr_shil3115 Powell Hendry The rear of Shilton station's road side structure showing the stairways down to the platforms

Ref: lnwr_shil2378 P Lee View of the up island platform which shows the short timber platform erected to assist in the transfer of milk churns

Ref: lnwr_shil2378a P Lee Close up showing the timber platform erected on the up slow goods line specifically to handle milk traffic

Ref: lnwr_shil2379 Lens of Sutton Shilton's island platforms seen from Church Road bridge with the down goods loop line in the foreground

Ref: lnwr_shil2379a Lens of Sutton Close up showing on the left the weighbridge and some of the wagons being stabled in Shilton's short single siding

Ref: lnwr_shil2380 J Alsop View along the up loop line from Church Road bridge with the siding on the left and No 1 signal cabin in the distance

Ref: lnwr_shil1271 Lens of Sutton An Edwardian view of Shilton station showing the platforms on the left and the single line goods yard on the right

Ref: lnwr_shil1271a Lens of Sutton Close up of the rear of Shilton station, the steps up to the station and the two signals on the down fast line

Ref: lnwr_shil1098 Lens of Sutton Looking towards Nuneaton with the up fast pletform on the right and the goods yard on the right of the fence

Ref: lnwr_shil1098a Lens of Sutton Close up of the main station building over the main lines with the passenger waiting room on the down platform

Ref: lnwr_shil1341 P Glenn View looking towards Rugby showing the down island platform shelter with the up platform nearest the camera

Ref: lnwr_shil1342 P Glenn Looking to Rugby with the down island platform in the foreground as an up express passes through the station

Ref: lnwr_shil1342a P Glenn Close up view of the small goods shed and yard with mineral wagons in view with Permanent Way hut behind

Ref: lnwr_shil1342b P Glenn Close up view of the down island platform passenger shelter which replaced an earlier Victorian structure

Ref: lnwr_shil2395 Steam Archive Shilton No 2 signal cabin, with windows boarded up, having been taken out of service prior to 26th June 1949

Ref: lnwr_shil2396 Steam Archive View of the newly erected asbestos shed located at the end of the down goods loop seen on 26th June 1949

Locomotives seen at Shilton

Ref: lnwr_shil1106 LGRP LNWR 2-4-0 No 2194 'Cambrian' pilots a 4-6-0 PoW class locomotive on the up 'Irish Mail' express

Ref: lnwr_shil1113 LGRP LNWR 4-4-0 No 1472 'Moor Hen' is seen at the head of an up express passing through Brinklow station

Ref: lnwr_shil1131 LGRP An unidentified LNWR 4-4-0 George Fifth class locomotive is seen a down express near Shilton station

Ref: lnwr_shil1105 LGRP LNWR 4-4-0 No 2164 'Oberon' pilots LNWR 4-6-0 No 2427 Duke of Connaught' heading the up 'Liverpool' express

Ref: lnwr_shil1102 LGRP LNWR 4-4-0 No 60 'Dragon', a rebuilt Precursor class locomotive, heads a down Liverpool express service

Ref: lnwr_shil1107 LGRP LNWR 4-6-0 Prince of Wales Class No 258 is seen at the head of an up excursion train approaching Shilton

Ref: lnwr_shil1108 LGRP LNWR 4-6-0 No 2368 pilots an unidentified LNWR 4-6-0 Claughton class locomotive on the down 'Lakes' express

Ref: lnwr_shil1109 LGRP LNWR 0-8-0 'G1' class No 674 is seen working very hard at the head of a long up goods train near Shilton station

Ref: lnwr_shil1110 LGRP LNWR 4-6-0 No 1703 'Northumberlandshire', an Experiment class at the head of a down express

Ref: lnwr_shil1111 LGRP LNWR 4-6-0 No 1084 'Shark', a PoW class locomotive, is seen at the head of the down 'Central Wales' express

Ref: lnwr_shil1112 LGRP LNWR 4-4-0 No 806 'Swiftsure', a Precursor class locomotive, is seen at the head of an up express service

Ref: lnwr_shil1117 LGRP LNWR 4-6-0 No 1345 'James Bishop, a Claughton class locomotive, heads a down express approaching Shilton

Ref: lnwr_shil1114 LGRP LNWR 4-6-0 No 565 'City of Carlisle', an Experiment class locomotive, heads the up North Wales express

Ref: lnwr_shil1115 LGRP LNWR 4-6-0 No 808, a Claughton class locomotive, is seen at the head of a down North Wales express service

Ref: lnwr_shil1116 LGRP LNWR 4-6-0 No 154 'Captain Fryatt', a Claughton class locomotive, heads a down Central Wales express

Ref: lnwr_shil1266 LGRP LNWR 0-6-0 'Coal Engine' No 3553 heads an up goods train on the slow line near Shilton station in August 1922

Ref: lnwr_shil1118 LGRP LNWR 4-6-0 No 23, an Claughton class locomotive, is seen near Shilton on an up Liverpool express service

Ref: lnwr_shil1269 LGRP LNWR 2-4-0 Precedent class No 1182 'Chandos' pilots LNWR 4-6-0 Prince of Wales class No 401 on an express

Ref: lnwr_shil1120 LGRP LNWR 4-6-0 No 1368, a '19 inch Goods' class locomotive, heads a down express as it approaches Shilton station

Ref: lnwr_shil1123 LGRP LNWR 4-4-0 No 1978 'Merlin' is seen at the head of a short train approaching Shilton station circa 1922-3

Ref: lnwr_shil2376 Anon An unidentified LNWR 4-6-0 Claughton Class locomotive passes Shilton at speed on an up express service

Ref: lnwr_shil2381 J Alsop LNWR 4-6-0 Experiment Class No 2628 'Banshee' on a Manchester to Euston express service circa 1922

Ref: lnwr_shil2382 J Alsop LNWR 2-4-0 No 193 'Rocket' pilots LNWR 4-4-0 George V Class No 2086 'Phaeton' on a Euston to Liverpool express

Ref: lnwr_shil2383 J Alsop LNWR 4-6-0 Claughton Class No 163 'Holland Hibbert' approaches Shilton station with a Down Scotch express

Ref: lnwr_shil2390 J Alsop LNWR 4-4-0 Renown Class No 1940 'Trafalger' is piloting LNWR 4-6-0 Claughton Class No 2395 'JAF Aspinall'

Ref: lnwr_shil2384 J Alsop LNWR 0-6-0 '18 inch goods' No 168 is seen approaching Shilton station with a down goods train

Ref: lnwr_shil2385 J Alsop LNWR 4-6-0 Claughton Class No 208 is seen approaching Shilton station on a down express to Manchester

Ref: lnwr_shil2386 J Alsop LNWR 4-6-0 Prince of Wales Class No 637 'Thomas Gray' approaches Shilton with an up express from North Wales

Ref: lnwr_shil2387 J Alsop LNWR 4-6-0 Claughton Class No 856 'E Tootal Broadhurst' approaches with a Euston to Manchester express

Ref: lnwr_shil2388 J Alsop LNWR 4-6-0 Prince of Wales Class No 1215 approaches Shilton at the head of an up Scotch express

Ref: lnwr_shil2389 J Alsop LNWR 4-6-0 Claughton Class No 1407 'Lance Corporal JA Christie VC' heads an up Sunny South Express service

Ref: lnwr_shil2392 J Alsop Three LNWR locomotives are seen at the head of a goods train approaching Shilton station circa 1922

Ref: lnwr_shil1240 HL Salmon LMS 4P 4-4-0 Compound No 1054 is seen at the head of an up express service as it approaches Shilton station

Ref: lnwr_shil1104 AW Flowers View of LMS 4-6-2 Coronation class No 6223 'Princess Alice' in streamlined form heads the down Coronation Scot

Ref: lnwr_shil2377 JP Delaney Ex-LMS 4-6-0 5XP No 45584 'North West Frontier' passes through Shilton on an up express in August 1953

Ref: lnwr_shil1119 G Coltas LMS 4-6-0 No 45531 'Sir Frederick Harrison', a rebuilt Patriot class locomotive, heads the up Manxman

Ref: lnwr_shil1103 G Coltas Ex-LMS 4-6-0 rebuilt Patriot No 45514 'Holyhead' approaches Shilton station on a down express

Ref: lnwr_shil4429 P Kingston Ex-LMS 4-6-0 No 46122 'Royal Ulster Rifleman' on the Up service of 'The Mancunian' on 30th August 1956

Ref: lnwr_shil4430 RM Casserley Ex-LMS 4-6-0 5MT No 45198 is seen on the slow up goods line on southbound mixed freight service

Ref: lnwr_shil4431 DA Johnson Ex-LMS 4-6-0 5MT No 45093 is on the last down local passenger service stopping at Shilton station

Diagrams and Ordnance Survey Maps

Ref: lnwr_shil2393 R Powell Hendry Layout of Shilton station on 31st May 1880 showing the new 'third' line in the up direction and the siding

Ref: lnwr_shil2394 R Powell Hendry Layout of Shilton station as seen in 1910 showing the final configuration of the platforms and through lines

Ref: lnwr_shil4425 National Library of Scotland An 1888 25 inch to the Mile OS Map showing Shilton station, Signal Cabin and its two-road goods yard

Ref: lnwr_shil4426 National Library of Scotland A 1902 25 inch to the Mile OS Map showing Shilton station, Signal Cabin and its two-road goods yard

Ref: lnwr_shil4427 National Library of Scotland A 1923 25 inch to the Mile OS Map showing Shilton station, Signal Cabin and its two-road goods yard