Editing Midland Main Line (section)

===Northernmost sections===
{{Unreferenced section|date=November 2023}}
Plans by the [[Midland Railway]] to build a direct line from [[Derby]] to [[Manchester]] were thwarted in 1863 by the builders of the [[Buxton line]] who sought to monopolise on{{clarify|date=October 2014}} the [[West Coast Main Line]].

In 1870, the Midland Railway opened a new route from Chesterfield to Rotherham which went through Sheffield via the [[Bradway Tunnel]].

The mid-1870s, saw the Midland line extended northwards through the [[Yorkshire Dales]] and [[River Eden, Cumbria|Eden Valley]] on what is now called the [[Settle–Carlisle Railway]].

Before the line closures of the [[Beeching cuts|Beeching era]], the lines to [[Buxton railway station|Buxton]] and via [[Millers Dale railway station|Millers Dale]] during most years presented an alternate (and competing) [[Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway|main line]] from London to Manchester, carrying named expresses such as ''[[The Palatine]]'' and the "[[Blue Pullman]]" diesel powered Manchester – London service (the ''[[Midland Pullman]]''). Express trains to Leeds and Scotland such as the ''[[Thames–Clyde Express]]'' mainly used the Midland's corollary [[Erewash Valley line]], returned to it, and then used the [[Settle–Carlisle line]]. Expresses to [[Edinburgh Waverley railway station|Edinburgh Waverley]], such as ''[[Waverley (passenger train)|The Waverley]]'' travelled through Corby and Nottingham.