Asfordby

Coordinates: 52°46′N 0°58′W / 52.76°N 00.96°W / 52.76; -00.96

Asfordby is a village and civil parish in the Melton district of Leicestershire, to the west of Melton Mowbray on the A6006 road.

The parish consists of Asfordby proper, Asfordby Valley and Asfordby Hill, which together have a population of around 3,000 (1995 est). The villages are to the north of the River Wreake, with Asfordby Hill situated east of Asfordby proper, closer to Melton, and Asfordby Valley to the north.

Within Asfordby proper, there are a few shops, mainly convenience shops. However you can find a Fish & Chip shop, an Indian restaurant, as well as a kitchen store and a Co-operative shop.

Asfordby was the site of a modern deep coal pit which was built between 1984 and 1993, but this closed in 1997 due to numerous geological difficulties and the low price of coal at the time.

Railway Test Track

The original Old Dalby test track is owned by BRB (Residuary) Ltd. and runs from Melton Mowbray via Asfordby to Edwalton. In the early 2000s it was leased to Alstom Transport Limited who upgraded and electrified the line and used it for testing the UK version of Pendolino tilting trains. After completion of the Pendolino testing in early 2005 the line was mothballed.