Leicester railway station Sir Robert McAlpine in 1978. The station clock is the only hand-wound station clock in the UK. A commemorative statue of Thomas Cook was placed on the pavement outside the present station in 1991 to mark the first excursions arranged by the travel agency magnate. It was sculpted by James Butler. Until the line from Matlock to Chinley through Millers Dale was closed in the Beeching era, the 'main lines' were those from London to Manchester, carrying named expresses such as "The Palatine". Express trains to Leeds and Scotland such as the "Thames-Clyde Express" tended to use the Erewash Valley
St John's railway station station master was George Albert Crellin, a well-known figure on the railway who latterly bought and lived with his wife Olga Evelyn Crellin (née Leece), in the original station house for the Foxdale line, which ceased to be used after the amalgamation. He features on many later photographs of the station and was a helpful figure who used to travel to the small signal cabin, or more accurately, point box, on his bicycle. He was the last station master, retiring in the final year, 1968. In retirement he still had an active involvement with the railway until his death on