Dismantled Railways of Rugby Town

[@davey.f.demarco3858]

Rugby station on the WCML was much better when it still had the huge canopy. Being a child back in the 80s and sitting on the platform watching the trains thunder through, the canopy made the noise even louder. Was really exciting as a youngster. My family are from Rugby and I’d go on long adventures with my cousins along the trackbeds of Rugby. Great memories 👍🏻

[@railwaychristina3192]

Thank you so much for this! From a fellow coffee addict and trainaholic!

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

Gotta have my coffee. Thanks for watching bud 😊

[@Videx19]

Sir, you did wonderful justice to the hometown I left 50 years ago. I was very impressed with the drone views, particularly of the eleven arches bridges over Leicester road. Three weeks ago, I attended my uncle's funeral and was delighted to see so many places I remember. The station car park you shot from was built on the footprint of a hostel that was demolished around 1968. When you started walking south from Abbey Street on the Great Central Walk, you passed my old school. Thanks for showing me places that I'd never visited.

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

Ah mate Rugby took my breath away. Thank you for watching and sharing your thoughts with me.

[@steveblanchard7293]

The entrance to Rugby Central was form Hillmorton Road, there were sidings off to the left where the arch is and the new housing estate. Similar to that of the station at Loughborough on the GCR. My parents lived out at Stanford and dad used to take the train coming to work at the AEI. My Grandad used to be a shunter and a great uncle was killed when a shunting Shire horse broke free of a wagon and was crushed by the wagon. Rugby's Shunting yard was both sides of the station to the West, I can remember seeing Wagons on the buffers just above the Road Bridge. The Arches goes from Rugby to Leicester, via Ullesthorpe Wigston and Leicester The GCR line ran North shadowing the later built M1 to Leicester North. There were infact two routes from Rugby to Leicester. The loop to Stanford, that my dad used to take, is two single line tracks, the Northbound single is still in use to take trains into the Colas Depot (The Banana train is here sometimes). Some testing still occurs. The southern part of the loop has gone. Both tracks used the southern bays at Rugby, which is where you will see the Thunderbird locos to recover breakdowns. Last used for passenger trains by Connex South Central, when you could get to Brighton without going into London and using the tube. On the West of Rugby to the South of the split from WCML & Birmingham line, their uses to be double tracks the went to Leamington Spa. You can cross the Railway on Newbold Footpath that can bring you out either near Cemex or you go under the Birmingham and the WCML at Trent Valley Junction to Newbold. The line stops at Cemex as was due to be used to infill the Deep Quarry and turn it into a Park, using HS2 waste materials, this has not started and is 2 years behind at time of writing. Rugby had some of the longest platform soutside London and with 4 bays capable of handling passenger services, sadly only the south bay is used now, north filled in during the modernisation of the station. Shame as some of my oldest memories were here, lots of LMS coaches to take the school children home from the School, the Birdcage (old GCR line). Rugby's own slam door 4 coach EMU that ran to Euston. To watching the APT come though and recently Tornado, Royal Scott and the Flying Scotsman.

[@channelaka1]

There's one more abounded line near the cement works the rugby to Lemington spa line you can walk starts by Travis perkins rugby it's called the cawston greenaway another great walk full of relics

[@philipallen-729]

Excellent blog. So much enthusiasm and a bit of Gerry Rafferty on the side as well.

[@knownbyFox]

i run this trail most days, and had no clue of it's full history other than it was once a railway, a very wholesome watch, thank you!

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Grichal1981]

The big industrial plant at 20:31 is the Rugby Cemex cement works, the largest cement works in the UK. Cemex have their UK headquarters in Rugby in a big 60s office block in the town centre. It used to be owned by a local company, Rugby Cement. Another disused railway you can walk down is the ex Rugby to Leamington line, but that's a bit further from the town centre.

[@greywebs1944]

Amazing footage with your drone over my home town. I use to spend a lot of time on the GCR as a child in the early 80s. My parents garden backed onto the line. Take neighbours dogs for a walk. I still walk along the GCR have done for many years all year round. To visit my mother in Hillmorton. Ashlawn Bridge is huge and in very good condition definitely my favourite across the stretch. I've seen a lot of changes and it's sad to see new developments around that I once walked on. The GEC was a feast back then. The railway tracks were donated by Network Rail probably just before you started filming. GCR never disappoints. And my mother has the very last ticket issued before GCR was axed. Because her dad worked on the station then transferred to LNER Before he retired in 1980. So a definite thumbs 👍 I've subscribed aswell 🚂🚃🚃🚃

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

Cheers and thanks for sharing that with us. Glad you enjoyed it

[@greywebs1944]

@@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures It's nice to know that volunteers help clean up the GCR over the years. It's so far better nowadays than it was when I was younger. I'm hoping one day they'll put more seating along the stretch especially for the older folk to relax. If and when it snows again during the winter months it's a postcard when that happens 🤞 safe travels 🥾👍

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

Thanks Grey. I'll be back if it snows.

[@streetscrambler8075]

Great video, l live in Rugby and the Great Central and Midland Railway viaduct are two of my regular walks.👍

[@Aaronski82]

I really like this video. The drone shots were amazing. I'm glad you enjoyed your visit to Rugby. We have a rich industrial, rail and canal history.

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

I throughly enjoyed my visit and what the town has done in regards to railway walks. I only wish our town had a heart when it came to our railway history. Search "wellingborough roundhouse No1 PurpleVision".

[@nigelmitchell351]

@@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures Back in the day you could leave Rugby by rail in nine different directions....Nine ! Nice video, very relaxing to watch, thanks for posting.!

[@stevem-h3562]

Good work, Purple. Excellent informative video, done with passion and enthusiasm.

[@Lewww-]

You taught me more about my town then I knew but that big grey building is a cement works I would love to see the whole stations and tracks still there today cause that would be amazing but it’s so cool to finally picture how things used to be on thoes paths 👊🏻

[@markslater3842]

Always interested to see a view of my home town from an outsider, well presented. The area near the station car park was the British Thomson-Houston factory who were involved with the early electric Metropolitan locomotives in the 1920’s, also where Frank Whittle invented the jet engine.

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

Yes Rugby is actually amazing. Throughly enjoyed myself. Oh wow I didn't know that about Frank Whittle. Guess I'll be going back again at some point. Thanks for watching and commenting 😊

[@starsasmirrors]

loved seeing the drone shots of the viaducts, i didnt know about the dismantled railway but i remember being able to jump a small bridge onto disused rail tracks closer to cemex

[@tomjones1506]

That'll be the sidings at New Bilton, used to be a part of the Rugby to Leamington branch line (the points and single track junction are still there just north of the station on the WCML. They've since removed the bridge to widen and flatten the Parkfield Road and Lawford Road road junction, so the rails now end where this junction is - and even more recently they're using it to move spoil into the old New Bilton quarry; something to do with a nature reserve being developed.

[@tomjones1506]

I forgot to add, the Rugby to Leamington branch also had a sidings directly leading to the cement works, you can see the gate from the bridge you used to jump!

[@octopus680]

Ive been on the GCA a few times but that looks like a great railway walk and i love your comentry.

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

Thank you John

[@philipperry1304]

I'm from Rugby cheers for using the drom fantastic views

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

Thanks for Watching, I'm glad you liked it.

[@olaf.anders1108]

Fascinating video! Awesome to see it

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

Glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@woody391]

Thanks for posting and yes deffo looks a good walk for me to get out on and get some photos,but also to see it myself and something new to visit.

[@nigelelliot7262]

Excellent video David...very informative and very interesting.You might be interested in walking the old GCR out towards Woodford Halse.There are quite a few interesting sights on the way.Thank you for posting this.

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

Your most welcome, I'm sure I'll be back soon to explore. Thanks for watching

[@tomjones1506]

Hi Purple great video! There's a few more relics in Rugby that you could check out. One is on the northern part of the GC nature reserve in Rugby which starts near the canal. You can see the foundations and part of the pillar of the birdcage viaduct that crossed the WCML and the canal. On the north side you really get a sense of how huge the vidauct must have been - and it's the other half of your first relic in Rugby! Another is a great bridge in Newton further north on the GC walk which was recently dugout as it had been buried beneath spoil since the line closed. It's a bit a of a walk but definitely worth it for your vids I think! There's more but I'd say those two are worth checking out alone :)

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

Jamie and I revisited the entire lot last year. I hope you enjoy this video. I'll upload it to this main channel very soon

[@jamessorrie7023]

Great video. Brings back memories of exploring Rugby in the early 1960's in my trainspotting days.

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

Thank you James. It's a great place. Thank you for all the great information the guided me to it all.

[@thoughtsonnarrowboatingwit3882]

I have just subscribed from by boating channel and in many ways we share the same enthusiasm. You are quite a character my friend, we need more of this. It doesn’t have to be historically accurate, the idea is to keep our heritage alive, by any means necessary. Our learning catches up every time, particularly if one is interested!

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

I work at Wellingborough Museum so if your ever in the area Mondays or Saturdays you will find me there

[@davey.f.demarco3858]

Absolutely brilliant video!! The music, drone footage and looking around the GCR station was fantastic!! Brought back some good memories. I used to play on that Viaduct. It’s the eleven arches viaduct on the old Rugby to Leicester line. Closed in Jan 1962. I live in a village which had a station halfway along the line towards Leicester. Keep up the great work!! 👍🏻👍🏻

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

Thanks Dave. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I had fun making this one.

[@HammycheW]

awesome vid. the train footage on the drone at the end was quality

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

Thanks Marc, yh the drone really gives an extra pop to things

[@paulboyle6857]

The sections of track you saw were laid much more recently by Rugby Rotary club butI believe they are in the exact positions as back in the day.

[@davecooper3238]

I moved to Rugby as an apprentice in 1959. At that time Rugby seemed to have rails going in all directions.

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

Oh awesome. Yh when you have a look at the old O.S maps you can see your not exaggerating neither

[@heale1]

There's also a proper abandoned curved Viaduct on the Stamford branch just as it comes into Rugby although its slap bang in the middle of a golf course.

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

Yh I did see that on the map but I think I will go check it out in another visit. Me and Jamie still have to seek out relics on that end of the railway. Thanks for watching and commenting 😊

[@pburr1973]

The line to Clifton Mill and the return section through the golf course was electrified in c.1964 to allow EMU's and electric locomotives to access Rugby DED (District Electric Depot) and the WCML down lines. Today only 'Peterborough siding' remains wired - with de-electrification occurring in 1970-71 after the closure of the DED. I believe one road in the Colas depot is wired - a remanent of this depot.

[@greywebs1944]

I went on the viaduct across the golf course years ago. And was told to bugger off. But I have seen footage from a drone which is quite impressive to look at.

[@nigelbenn4642]

For info the Rugby bypass road follows the Old Leamington line that's a whole video mate, research that one. Also the old line that goes out toward Clifton is intriguing also alas not much left of that.

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

When the cold weather hits again I'll get back out there. Nothing like railway explores in freezing temperatures. Thanks for the info

[@ronaldhaynes4042]

I was a fireman on the railway at Rugby with the steam engines.

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

Oh cool

[@nigelbenn4642]

YOu missed the other end of the line mate, if you 180 on yourself and went the other way it reaches the M6 now THAT is an impressive bridge, also Ashlawn road bridge was another one you'll like that you missed off. Additionally why don't you explore the Stamford loop bridge if you ask the Golf club nicely I;m sure they'd let you explore the massive arches on their course if you add a reciprocal link in the description

[@paullucas4791]

Done many a photoshoot at the station at 11 minutes......

[@Brit_in_Austria]

The rails have been added recently and are not original tracks

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

Ayh that's right bud.

[@greywebs1944]

That's true I sometimes sit on the one under Ashlawn Bridge stretch my legs on that one 🤣

[@j1cov]

can you do coventry

[@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures]

For dismantled railways or trainspotting buddy

[@j1cov]

@@PurpleandCoRailwayAdventures trainspotting