The dominant traffic of the Midland Railway in the area, and generally, was minerals. The new line passed through an area already active in mineral extraction and industry, and from the outset and throughout the following years, a number of connections to these sites were established. The primary connections at the outset were at Burton, with the Leicester and Swannington Railway, and at Leicester with the main line.
Junctions at Burton and Leicester The first connection at Burton was north facing, leading towards the station; the junction was named Leicester Junction. It was followed by a southward curve, known as Branston Curve, connecting with the main line at Branston Junction. The lines formed a triangle, and the eastern apex was named Birmingham Curve Junction. The Branston Curve was opened by 1 January 1863. At Leicester the line curved to a northward junction at Knighton Junction. An east to south spur was opened to goods traffic only on 15 February 1850, joining the main line at Knighton South Junction. The former Knighton Junction was renamed Knighton North Junction, and the western apex was named Saffron Lane Junction. The west-to-north curve at Knighton was closed in 1967. The short extremity at Swannington including the incline closed on 14 November 1947.
Swadlincote lines The area immediately to the east of the junction at Burton was exceptionally rich in minerals, chiefly coal but also a fine grade of
fireclay as well as brickmaking and pottery clay and other materials. For many years the Swadlincote area had been a centre of extraction of these minerals, and of manufacturing from them. The line from Leicester to Burton did not pass directly through Swadlincote, but the authorising Act of Parliament, the Midland Railway (Leicester and Swannington Alteration) Act of 3 August 1846, for the line allowed for the construction of a Swadlincote branch line. It was a simple branch line about two miles long, and it opened to goods and mineral traffic on 2 October 1848, and to passengers on 1 July 1851.
Derby line A line from Derby to Ashby had been authorised on 5 July 1865; construction was from the Derby end and reached
Worthington in 1869. Completion to Ashby was delayed until 1 January 1874, involving reconstruction of part of the
Ticknall Tramway. The route was thinly populated and passenger traffic was discontinued on 22 September 1930. From 19 November 1939 to 31 December 1944 the
War Department took over the part of the line south of
Lount for railway training purposes as the
Melbourne Military Railway. On returning the line to the
London Midland and Scottish Railway, it was closed from Ashby to Lount in 1945, although sections nearer Derby lasted longer.
Drakelow power station A technologically advanced
coal-fired power station was commissioned in 1955 at Drakelow, in the grounds of the former
Drakelow Hall, not far from Burton. The site was much extended, and the location adjacent to the Leicester to Burton line enabled the delivery of large volumes of coal by rail, and extensive rail facilities were installed to streamline unloading. The power station was decommissioned in 2003. ==Diesels, closure to passengers and freight operation==