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Old Dalby Test Track

British Rail research and developmentRailway test tracks

The Old Dalby Test Track is a railway in the United Kingdom which is used for testing new designs of trains and railway infrastructure. It runs between Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire and Edwalton, on the course of the Midland Railway's route between Kettering and Nottingham which closed to passengers on 1 May 1967, and to goods in 1968. It is 13.5 miles (21.7 km) in length. Since its first use at a test track in May 1966, the Old Dalby Test Track has been involved in numerous projects, one early major initiative being British Rail Research Division's Advanced Passenger Train project. In addition to its use by trains, various elements of line-side infrastructure, such as overhead line (OHLE) and signaling equipment, have also been tested on the line. During July 1984, a destructive full-scale integrity test of a nuclear flask train was conducted, witnessed by a large crowd; most testing has been closed to the public and security measures are typically present around the line to deter intrusion. During the mid-1990s, as a result of British Rail's privatisation, ownership of the line was transferred to BRB (Residuary) Limited, while its historic main user, the Research Division, was abolished. In the privatisation era, Old Dalby has been leased out to various companies, including Serco, Alstom, and Metronet to conduct testing. Alstom electrified the former Down line using 25 kV AC OHLE at a reported cost of £25 million, and reinstated a six-mile portion of the Up line, to support its activities. During the 2010s, there was public speculation that the test track could form part of a direct link between Nottingham and Melton Mowbray for the purpose of re-introducing a passenger service.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Old Dalby Test Track (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors).

Old Dalby Test Track
Station Road, Melton Broughton and Old Dalby

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Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude Longitude
N 52.808888888889 ° E -0.99333333333333 °
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Address

Old Dalby

Station Road
LE14 3NE Melton, Broughton and Old Dalby
England, United Kingdom
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Hickling, Nottinghamshire
Hickling, Nottinghamshire

Hickling is a village in the Rushcliffe borough of Nottinghamshire, England. It is located close to the border with Leicestershire, approximately 8 miles (13 km) northwest of Melton Mowbray; the Vale of Belvoir is also nearby. It had a population of 511 in the 2011 census, increasing to 523 at the 2021 census. The disused Grantham Canal passes through the village and there is a large basin adjacent to the main road. This would have facilitated loading and mooring when the canal was in use. The basin now attracts a substantial population of swans and ducks. Plans to put the canal back to water include the building of a swing bridge on the main road through the village. Like many bridges along the canal the original one has been flattened and therefore presently prevents navigation of the cut. Some nearby bridges, like the one elsewhere on this page, will need little work to put back to use. Much of the village lies within a conservation area, which also contains 24 listed buildings. St Luke's Church dates from the 14th century. Inside the church can be found two ornate grave lids that were made for persons of importance and date from the tenth century. Roman coins and medals were found in an urn ploughed up nearby in 1771, and it is suspected that there may have been a Roman base nearby. Hickling residents are commended for their charity raising skills. The village holds an annual scarecrow festival over a weekend each September. Money raised at that event in 2009 along with the Hickling Country Fair, Open Gardens totalled over £13,500. £4,500 was handed over in February 2010, at a ceremony at the Plough Inn, to each of the Meningitis Trust, the Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire Air Ambulance, and a further 14 village groups.