Melbourne Military Railway
1939 A second training establishment in military operation of a railway was needed, in addition to Longmoor Military Railway. To save time, an existing branch line was requisitioned - the former Midland Railway line from Chellaston to Ashby de la Zouch was eventually selected, being close to Derby where the School of Transport had already been taken over for the use of Royal Engineers' Transportation Units. The military authorities agreed to take over the existing civilian freight traffic on the line, which also provided training in railway operations.
To avoid operational complications at the south end of the line, the line was closed at the overbridge crossed by the Smisby Road. Consequently, the railway became a temporary single-ended branch line, accessible by rail only from the north end at Chellaston East Junction. This gave a self-contained training railway of 9.75 miles in length.
1939 Handover to full military operation took place on 19th November; the line was then designated Military Railway No.2, the original Longmoor line being Military Railway No.1.