Rothley Station, Station Road, Rothley (Grade II)

Railway Station. 1898 for the Great Central Railway, resident engineer Edward Parry. Red brick with Welsh slate roof. An island platform building with staircase to the overbridge. The bridge carries only an entrance gate, the offices are on the platform. Double wooden gates in an arched doorway lead to a covered staircase with side glazing. This is supported on red brick walls with stores beneath, tall chimney stack. The platform buildings are single storey. The first is the booking and station-master?s office. This has a fretted canopy on either side. The walls are panelled into sections, four windows and a door, gable end with booking-office window in a brown tile surround at north end, and window at south end. Chimney stack at the south end. The second building is similar, but without canopies. Door with 6 over 2 panels and a 6 pane overlight at the south end. Further small building beyond.
HISTORY: this station was opened by the Great Central Railway on what was originally the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway?s London Extension when it was promoted in 1893. It became the GCR in 1897. Rothley was opened on 15th March 1899 and closed on 4th March 1963. It was reopened on 23rd March 1974 as part of the Great Central Railway (private). It is an almost completely unaltered station of 1898, with its interior fittings, which continues in traditional use with a steam railway.
References: R.V.J.Butt, The Directory of Railway Stations, Patrick Stephens Limited, 1995. Information from Martin Hammond, Honorary Architect, Great Central Railway.
The following description of the bridge was compiled for the local list.
Railway bridge adjoining Rothley Station
Bridge and station similar to sister station complex at Quorn. Built late C19 (perhaps 1897) for the Manchester Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway Company, later to become the Great Central Railway. Track now operated by the GCR Steam Trust who have restored the main line and associated buildings between Loughborough and Birstall. Red/blue engineering brick barrel vaults carry Station Road across track in two spans. Engineering brick parapet walls with blue brick copings to station fa�ade, stone copings opposite. Station parapet incorporates Italianate entrance, framing staircase to platforms.