Rugby Locomotive Testing Station
The Rugby Locomotive Testing Station was a British railway testing plant in Rugby, Warwickshire. Originally envisioned by Sir Nigel Gresley as a joint LMS-LNER operation, construction was started in the late 1930s but then deferred by the war. It was eventually opened in 1948 after both its owners had become constituents of British Railways. The location was one with access to both LMS and LNER main lines (West Coast Main Line and Great Central Main Line respectively. The GWR meanwhile had their own testing plant at Swindon Works.
There was a rolling road to test engines.
The records of the Rugby LTS are part of the National Railway Collection held by the National Railway Museum.[1]
There is also a lot of news reel footage available on YouTube.[2]