A Disused Railway Walk to Dunton Bassett Tunnel, Great Central Railway Leicestershire

Continuing our lost Great Central Railway series and in part 2 we take a walk down the disused railway trackbed to see the Southern Portal of Dunton Bassett tunnel.

Built in 1896, on the GCR between Rugby and Leicester, just north of the town of Lutterworth.
We jump on the trackbed at a disused farm bridge, pass an old dilapidated Plate Layers Hut and fight our way through the undergrowth to the tunnel entrance.

On our visit the gates were locked and access was not possible. However there are reports of easier access from the other end.

At the other end of the tunnel is the Ashby Magna station, built alongside the M1 motorway.

The Great Central Railway (GCR) History:
In the early 1890s the Mancesterter, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway was looking to extend from it’s current network south to London. Work started in 1895 and in 1897 the company become the Great Central Railway – the last main line to be built in England. The line opened in 1899 linking the cities of London, Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield & Manchester.
In 1923 it was grouped into the London North Eastern Railway. Various factors saw it’s decline until closing in stages in the 1960s with a big hand from Dr Beeching.


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