Wigston South railway station

This article is about former Midland Counties Railway station. For the current railway station, see South Wigston railway station.

Wigston South
The site of the station in 2016
General information
Location	South Wigston, Oadby and Wigston England
Coordinates	52°34′45″N1°07′51″W / 52.5793°N 1.1307°W / 52.5793; -1.1307
Grid reference	SP590983
Platforms	2
Other information
Status	Disused
History
Original company	Midland Counties Railway
Pre-grouping	Midland Railway [1]
Post-grouping	London, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
30 June 1840	Station opened as Wigston
1 October 1868	Renamed Wigston South
1 January 1962	Station closed

Wigston South railway station, originally named Wigston station, was a railway station serving Wigston Magna in Leicestershire. Following the arrival of the station and further substantial development of Wigston Junction, locomotive shed and wagon works, the area was built up to form what is now known as South Wigston. ^[2]

History

The station was opened on 30 June 1840 on the Midland Counties Railway ^[3] main line from Derby to Rugby. In 1844 the Midland Counties joined the North Midland Railway and the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway to form the Midland Railway.

In 1857 the Midland completed a new main line to Hitchin from a junction slightly north of Wigston, and the Leicester – Rugby section of the Midland Counties was relegated to a branch. A second Wigston railway station was opened nearby on the new main line, and on 1 October 1868 the Midland Counties station was renamed Wigston South to avoid confusion. ^{[4] [3]}

British Railways closed the Leicester – Rugby line and its stations, including Wigston South which closed on 1 January 1962. ^{[3] [5]}

Stationmasters

• William Foster ca. 1841
• John Ison ca. 1848 ca. 1854
• Thomas Parker ca 1859 ^[6] ca. 1864
• John Henry Blanning ca. 1871 - 1874 ^[7]
• S. Poole 1874 - 1875 ^[7] (formerly station master at Tonge and Breedon)
• J. Lambert 1875 - 1876 ^[7] (formerly station master at Frisby)
• S. Turner 1876 - 1877 ^[7] (formerly station master at Murrow (East))
• W. Thorndyke 1877 - 1880 ^[7] (formerly station master at Bugsworth, afterwards station master at Mountsorrel)
• Edward Upstone 1880 ^[7] - 1882 ^[8] (formerly station master at Granville Street, Birmingham)
• W.G. Stevenson 1882 - 1886 ^[8] (formerly station master at Selly Oak, afterwards station master at Salford Priors)
• J.H. Marston 1886 - 1891 ^[8] (formerly station master at Selly Oak)
• J.W. Orton 1891 - 1895 ^[8]
• Henry Merryweather 1895 ^[8] - 1906 ^[9]
• Arthur Harry Washbourne 1906 ^[9] - 1924 ^[10] (afterwards station master at Belper)
• J.J. Davies until 1929 ^[11] (also station master at Wigston Glen Parva, afterwards station master at Morecambe Promenade)
• T. Bond until 1940 ^[12] (also stationmaster at Glen Parva and Wigston Magna, afterwards station master at Barking)

Route

Preceding station		Disused railways		Following station
Countesthorpe Line and station closed		Midland Railway Midland Counties Railway		Welford Road Line open, station closed

References

1. Connolly, W. Philip (1976). British Railways Pre-Grouping Atlas and Gazetteer. Shepperton: Ian Allan Publishing. map sixteen. ISBN   0-7110-0320-3.
2. "Wigston Railways". www.wigstonhistoricalsociety.co.uk. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
3. Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 250. ISBN   1-85260-508-1. R508.
4. Dewick, Tony (2002). Complete Atlas of Railway Station Names. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing. map sixteen. ISBN   0-7110-2798-6.
5. "Focus On Life". Oadby & Wigston Advertiser. 10 October 1964. p. 10.
6. "1859-1866". Midland Railway Miscellaneous Depts: 155. 1914. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
7. "1871-1879 Coaching". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 481. 1871. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
8. "1881-1898 Coaching". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 609. 1881. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
9. "1899-1908 Coaching; Piece 1027". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 559. 1899. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
10. "Castle Gresley" . Burton Observer and Chronicle. England. 9 October 1924. Retrieved 5 February 2022– via British Newspaper Archive.
11. "Kibworth" . Market Harborough Advertiser and Mail. England. 11 January 1929. Retrieved 5 February 2022– via British Newspaper Archive.
12. "Mr. T. Bond" . Essex Newsman. England. 27 January 1940. Retrieved 5 February 2022– via British Newspaper Archive.