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The Northampton and Lamport Railway is a standard gauge heritage railway in Northamptonshire, England. It is based at Pitsford and Brampton station, near the villages of Pitsford and Chapel Brampton, roughly 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Northampton.
| Northampton and Lamport Railway | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Peckett 0-4-0ST Works No. 2104 with a train in August 2016 | |
| Locale | England |
| Terminus | Pitsford and Brampton |
| Commercial operations | |
| Name | Northampton to Market Harborough line ("Harborough Line") |
| Built by | London and North Western Railway |
| Original gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Preserved operations | |
| Operated by | Northampton & Lamport Railway Preservation Society |
| Stations | 1 |
| Length | 1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) |
| Preserved gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Commercial history | |
| Opened | 16 February 1859 |
| Closed | 16 August 1981 |
| Preservation history | |
| 1984 | Work started at (and around) Pitsford and Brampton station site |
| November 1995 | Light Railway Order, Granted with First public passenger train operated |
| 31 March 1996 | Grand Re-opening (NLR re-opened, officially) |
| 30 March 2024 | Opening of Boughton station |
| Headquarters | Pitsford and Brampton |
| Website | |
| www | |
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Overview
editThe line between Northampton and Market Harborough was finally closed (by British Rail) on 16 August 1981, the intermediate stations on the route having been closed for many years.
In 1984 (just three years after the line's closure), a group was formed by Michael William Papworth (of Northampton) with the intention of re-opening a section of the line as a heritage railway. The site opened to the public shortly afterwards. Following the granting of a Light Railway Order, the line carried its first fare-paying passengers in November 1995. The official Grand Opening Ceremony took place (just 4 months later) on 31 March 1996.
Currently, passenger trains operate on a section of line approximately 1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) in length, between Pitsford and Brampton and Boughton.
An extension to the original length of running line was opened on 30th March 2024 along with a station including sidings and run-round loop at the former Boughton Crossing on the A5199.[1]
A northern extension of the NLR to Spratton currently remains within the planning stage. The previous extension heading north, opened after several years' work and around £50,000 was spent on repairs to Bridge 13. The same amount (or more) will be required for Bridge 14, which will allow the opening of another short extension to Merry Tom Crossing.
The signalling system, with three working signal boxes (at Pitsford and Brampton station, Pitsford Sidings and Boughton), makes it one of the most comprehensive and detailed on any heritage railway of its size, within Preservation. The Booking Office at Pitsford and Brampton station was built using the disused Lamport signal box, originally located around 5+1⁄2 miles (8.9 km) away on/up the same line. It had since been converted in such a way that it can be easily converted back into a signal box if whenever required in the future.
The Brampton Valley Way is a "linear park" offering a traffic-free route for walkers, cyclists and pedestrians, and which runs alongside the railway, separated by a stout safety fence. Access is also available to horse riders on other sections away from the railway.
The railway is open for viewing from 10:00 to 17:00 on Sundays. Train rides are available on Sundays from March to October, diesel hauled with steam-hauled trains for special events (subject to availability). Open from March to October and throughout December for Santa's visit.
Events
editA number of special events take place throughout the year, the popular Santa Specials run throughout the month of December.
On 18 July 2007, the Railway at War weekend, an event held at the railway every September, was named Best Event in the 2007 Northamptonshire Renaissance Heritage Awards.[2]
Locomotives
editSteam
edit- GWR 2-8-0 2884 Class No. 3862. Built in 1942. Under restoration.
- GWR 4-6-0 4900 Class No. 5967 Bickmarsh Hall. Built in 1937. Under restoration.
- Peckett and Sons 0-4-0ST No. 2104. Built in 1948. Withdrawn January 2017, awaiting overhaul.[3]
- Peckett and Sons 0-6-0ST No. 1378 Westminster. Built in 1914 for the Fovant Military Railway[4] Under restoration.
- Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. 0-4-0ST No. 776 Firefly. Built in 1896. Under restoration.
- Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST No. 2323. Built in 1952. Under restoration.
- Hawthorn Leslie and Company 0-4-0ST No. 3718 Swanscombe No. 4. Built in 1928. Operational, returned to steam in 2019.
Main line diesel
edit- British Rail Class 31 A1A-A1A No. 31289 Phoenix - operational
- British Rail Class 33 Bo-Bo No. 33053 - operational
- British Rail Class 47 Co-Co No. 47205 - operational
Industrial diesel and shunters
edit- Ruston & Hornsby 0-4-0 165DS No. 764 Sir Gyles Isham (first locomotive to arrive on the line) - operational
- Ruston & Hornsby 0-6-0 165DS No. 53 Sir Alfred Wood - under repair
- Fowler 0-4-0DH No. 21 - Spares recovery before scrapping
Carriages
edit- British Rail Mark 3 DVT No. 82114 - being prepared for service by NLRCIO the vehicle owners
- British Rail Mark 2 TSO No. 5174 - in service
- British Rail Mark 2 TSO No. 5132, formerly named Clan Munro - operational
- British Rail Mark 2 BSO(T) No. 9102. - in service.
- British Rail Mark 1 TSO No. 3919. - being overhauled by NLRCIO, the vehicle owners.
- British Rail Mark 1 RBR (Buffet Car) No. 1647 - out of service for repairs
- British Rail Mark 1 NAV No. 84031 - operational (as temporary Buffet)
Gallery
edit-
The booking office and platform at Pitsford and Brampton -
The platform at Pitsford and Brampton Station -
Pitsford and Brampton signal box -
Pitsford Sidings signal box -
Steam locomotive 7646 "Northampton" officially named by the Mayor of Northampton -
Peckett 0-4-0ST Works No. 2104 in the yard, preparing for a day's use on passenger trains -
The first passenger train to cross Bridge 13, with headboard from 1981 (Class 117 51402 has since moved to the Strathspey Railway) -
Boughton — end of the Brampton Valley Way which runs alongside the railway -
JCB excavator used in the railway's construction -
Stanley Steamer visiting an event at the railway -
Hunslet 0-6-0ST 'Ring Haw' and a short goods train -
Santa Special hauled by No. 7646
References
edit- ^ "Paying passengers all aboard as trains run on Northampton-Market Harborough line for first time in 50 years". Northampton Chronicle & Echo. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
- ^ Northampton Chronicle & Echo, 19 July 2007
- ^ Chambers, Brian, ed. (Winter 2016). "Farewell to 2014 Peckett". Premier Line. No. 102. pp. 17–18.
- ^ "Peckett B2 Class 0-6-0ST № 1378 "Westminster"". NLR. Retrieved 20 October 2013.