The Midland Counties Railway was a railway company which connected Nottingham, Leicester and Derby with Rugby and then, via the London and Birmingham Railway, to London. The line was finally opened in three stages: Derby to Nottingham - 4 June 1839; Trent Junction to Leicester - 4 May 1840; and Leicester to Rugby - 1 July 1840. In 1844, the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway, the Midland Counties and the North Midland Railway merged to form the new Midland Railway.