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Desborough railway station was built by the
Midland Railway The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844. The Midland was one of the largest railway companies in Britain in the early 20th century, and the largest employer in Derby, where it had its headquarters. It am ...
on its extension from
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to
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and
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.


History

The station opened on 8 May 1857 as ''Desborough''. It was renamed on 1 October the same year as ''Desborough for Rothwell.'' On 20 May 1899, Elizabeth Palmer and her five-year-old child, Dixon Palmer, were hit by a fish train whilst crossing the line at the station to get to the opposite platform and killed instantly. By August 1899 the
Midland Railway The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844. The Midland was one of the largest railway companies in Britain in the early 20th century, and the largest employer in Derby, where it had its headquarters. It am ...
Company had received instructions from the
Board of Trade The Board of Trade is a British government body concerned with commerce and industry, currently within the Department for International Trade. Its full title is The Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of ...
to erect a footbridge over the line. In response to a requisition from the ratepayers of Rothwell, the Midland Railway Company decided to inaugurate a bus service between Rothwell and Desborough station in 1899. The station was renamed ''Desborough and Rothwell'' on 17 October 1899. The station closed in 1968. The station building still stands but the goods yard area is now built-over, mainly given over to a
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store and its car park. The remainder of the area is occupied by Albany Sheds.


Stationmasters

*Samuel Buxton ca. 1858 - 1862 (afterwards station master at Hassop) *G. Rawlings from 1862 (formerly station master at Wigston) *Thomas Gadsby ca. 1870 - 1899 *William Samuel Orchard 1899 - 1908 (afterwards station master at Clay Cross) *Percy R. Handscomb 1908 - 1928 *C.G. Tompkins from 1928 (formerly station master at Weedon) *Alfred Jones 1941 - 1947 (formerly station master at Mostyn, afterwards station master at Lichfield City) *Cyril Breeze ca. 1963


References


Further reading

* Disused railway stations in Northamptonshire Beeching closures in England Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1857 Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1968 Former Midland Railway stations Charles Henry Driver railway stations 1857 establishments in England Desborough {{EastMidlands-railstation-stub