Rugby to Loughborough

The fortunes of the Rugby to Loughborough section of the Great Central Railway's London Extension could not provide a more marked contrast. Since closure in the late 1960s the section between Leicester and Rugby has all but disappeared, a result of decay and redevelopment. By comparison the section from Leicester North (formerly Belgrave and Birstall) to Loughborough thrives, with the section from Rothley the only double track main line in preservation - a tribute to the last great railway initiative of the 19th Century.