| Ivanhoe Line |
| Principal stations |
The Ivanhoe Line was the name given to local passenger services operated on the Midland Main Line between Leicester and Loughborough between 1993, when three intermediate stations were re-opened, and June 2005, when the separate Leicester–Loughborough service was withdrawn. Intermediate stations on the route are now served by East Midlands Trains' hourly service between Leicester and Lincoln. It was originally planned to extend the line west along the original route to Burton upon Trent on the freight-only line via Coalville and Ashby-de-la-Zouch. However this development was put off but now it looks like this is back on in a partnership between Leicestershire county council and Staffordshire County Council. One station on the Derby - Birmingham line, Willington, was constructed in the mid 1990s with Ivanhoe branding and painted in the according blue livery. However, as a result of the failure of the Burton upon Trent - Leicester development to go ahead, it is a curious anomaly, separated from the Ivanhoe Line scheme. The towns and villages served by the line are listed below.
Local passenger services on the route are currently operated by diesel multiple units of Classes 150, 153, 156, 158 or 170. Trains use the slow lines from just north of Leicester to Loughborough, previously used almost exclusively for freight, so as well as the rebuilding of the three intermediate stations, work was also required to build a new third platform at Loughborough facing the Down Slow, and also a new crossover and signal south of Loughborough so southbound trains could cross from the Down Slow to the Up Slow. Whilst Barrow and Sileby have two platforms (and limited access for disabled passengers), Syston has a single platform serving both directions. The intermediate stations are only capable of taking a two-coach train, and this has led to overcrowding on some services, in particular now the service is extended to Nottingham and Lincoln. East Midlands Parkway railway station will be built on the route. Charnwood's local plan anticipates a station at Thurmaston.[1]
