The North Midland had been floated in 1833 and a proposal was made to connect to its terminus at Derby George Stephenson surveyed the route in 1835.

The bill envisaged the line as running through Whitacre to meet the London and Birmingham Railway with a junction at Stechford to travel into the latter's terminus at Curzon Street.

Samuel Carter, the Birmingham and Derby solicitor, immediately issued the statutory notices for its branch and was able to incorporate it in the act.

Strong competition between the line and the Midland Counties Railway (MCR) for transport, particularly of coal, to London, almost drove both of them out of business.

The North Midland Railway (NMR) was also suffering severe financial problems arising from the original cost of the line and its buildings.

At length George Hudson took control of the NMR and adopted Robert Stephenson's suggestion that the best outcome would be for the three lines to merge.

Hudson foresaw that the directors of the MCR world resist the idea and made a secret agreement with the B&DJR for the NMR to take it over.

Hudson was able to give the MCR directors an ultimatum, and persuaded the line's shareholders to override their board and the stage was set for amalgamation.

It is now part of the main line from the North East and Newcastle, via Derby and Birmingham New Street, to the south West at Bristol Temple Meads.