An Overview of the History of the Railway at East Norton

The line through East Norton ran from Bottesford to Market Harborough and was a joint venture between the Great Northern and London and North Western Railway Companies. It was part of a plan by the Great Northern Railway to compete with the Midland Railway Company, which already had a strong foothold in Leicester. Once opposition from the Lords had been overcome, the joint line was built and the GNR went on to build the branch from Marefield Junction to Leicester Belgrave Road terminus, which opened in January 1883.

Passenger traffic was never a financial success on the line through East Norton, but freight brought in good revenue on account of the rich ironstone deposits to the north, and further north still the extensive coalfields of Nottinghamshire. The small stations like East Norton benefited from the movement of livestock, milk, corn, coal etc. to and from the markets at Melton Mowbray and Market Harborough. The huntsmen who had originally opposed the construction also took advantage of the line to move horses and hounds around the area.

Records inform us that the station at East Norton opened to passenger traffic in 1879 on the 15th of December, and closed in 1953 on the 7th of December. However, representations made by members of the Billesdon Rural District Council secured the service of a special train for workmen to operate between East Norton and Market Harborough until the 20th of May 1957. It is known that freight services operated beyond this date, and the line was still operational in 1963.

The opposition to closure was based on rural deprivation. It is known that there was also opposition to the original construction of the line in the 1870s. The main opposition came from the hunting community, voicing its opinion through the House of Lords. One exception to the opposition was the Duke of Rutland who recognised that the considerable wealth of ironstone on the Belvoir Estate could be better exploited if served by a railway.

The above photograph shows the route of the former railway at East Norton. In the foreground is the Eyebrook and the embankment which carried the tracks from the viaduct to the station  in a cutting just before the blue brick bridge. The bridge wall can be seen but the station site has been used for landfill right up to and underneath the old three arch road bridge.
On the left of the bridge wall is the former Stationmaster’s House nestling in the trees, and to the right can be seen the three former railway cottages, demolished in 2007. Further right still is the former vehicular entrance to the station yard. The width of the station site gives an indication of the size of the goods yard, which contained cattle pens, coal bunkers and a goods office.

The 144 yard East Norton tunnel penetrated the hill in the background to emerge at the top of the long descent into the Welland Valley.