Rolleston-on-Dove Heritage Railway Station

The ‘Burton Branch’ of the North Staffordshire Railway Company (NSR) opened 11th September 1848, linking Burton upon Trent with Tutbury, passing through the parishes of Rolleston-on-Dove and Stretton. The contractors completed the work, that involved moving many tons of earth from the high ground towards Craythorne, forming a cutting, and then created an embankment across the River Dove flood plain in just a year. The new line crossed what became Station Road by a brick-arch bridge; having been washed away in a flood in 1875, it was replaced by a temporary, single track timber span. The replacement iron span, completed March 1876, survived until the 1930’s when a steel version was installed.

Running powers were granted for NSR trains to access Burton station via Midland Railway (MR) metals from North Staffs Junction. Please refer to the map.

In 1849 the NSR acquired powers to build a line diverging from the Burton line at Marston Junction, to Derby. This route remains operational. 1st April 1868 saw the opening of the ‘Hawkins Lane Branch’ to access both the NSR and the London North Western Railway (LNWR) Horninglow goods depots in Burton. In later years the Great Northern Railway (GNR) established a goods depot on a neighbouring site. This branch left the route at Stretton Junction, which also served the LNWR ‘Dallow Branch’ opened 3rd July 1882.

The rail network in the Dove Valley around Rolleston was completed 1st May 1878 when the GNR laid a spur between Dove Junction and Egginton Junction, giving the company a direct route between Burton and Derby, Friargate station.

The digital aerial view below shows the layout of the station site including both passenger and goods facilities. The Tutbury Jinny ia about to depart for Tutbury,