In 1862, traffic for the second International Exhibition suffered extensive delays over the stretch of line into London over the GNR's track; the route into the city via the L&amp;NWR was also at capacity, with coal trains causing the network at and elsewhere to reach effective gridlock. This was the stimulus for the MR to build its own line to London from Bedford, which would be just under long. Samuel Carter was solicitor for the parliamentary bill, which was sanctioned in 1863.