Northampton & Lamport Railway
Encyclopedia
The Northampton & 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 km) north of Northampton
.
and Market Harborough
finally closed on 16 August 1981, the intermediate stations on the route having been closed for many years.
In 1984 a group was formed with the intention of 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 on 31 March 1996.
Currently, passenger trains operate on a section of line approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) in length, departing from and arriving at the only station, Pitsford and Brampton
. An extension south is under construction which will add another 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) mile of running line, with around 75% of tracklaying completed as of January 2008. When complete it will include a station
with sidings and run-round loop at the former Boughton Crossing on the A5199
.
A northern extension is in the planning stage, but before work can start, however, extensive repairs are needed to Bridge 14 which carries the track over the River Nene
. In addition the Northamptonshire County Council, which owns the former trackbed, will not grant a lease on the land required for the extension until the southern extension is complete. The previous extension opened after several years' work and around £50,000 was spent on repairs to Bridge 13.
The signalling
system, with two working signal box
es (and a third under construction), makes it one of the most comprehensive and detailed on any heritage railway of its size. The Booking Office at Pitsford and Brampton station was built using the disused Lamport signal box, originally located around 5.5 miles (8.9 km) miles away on the same line. It has been converted in such a way that it can be easily converted back into a signal box if required in the future. A third signal box has been installed at the Boughton Terminus; the former Betley Road signal box from Crewe
is being used following its restoration.
The Brampton Valley Way
is a "linear park" offering a traffic-free route for 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 13:30 - 17:00 Monday to Friday, and 10:00 to 17:00 on Sundays. Train rides are available on Sundays from March to October, steam-hauled from April to September (subject to availability).
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.
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, England. It is based at Pitsford and Brampton station
Pitsford and Brampton railway station
Pitsford and Brampton railway station is a railway station serving the villages of Pitsford and Chapel Brampton in Northamptonshire, England.The station was once an intermediate stop on the Northampton-Market Harborough railway line, which closed in 1981...
, near the villages of Pitsford
Pitsford
Pitsford is a village and civil parish in the Daventry district of the non-metropolitan county of Northamptonshire in the United Kingdom. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 636 people...
and Chapel Brampton
Chapel Brampton
Chapel Brampton is a civil parish and village in the Daventry district of the county of Northamptonshire in England. Together with nearby Church Brampton, it is known as The Bramptons...
, roughly 5 miles (8 km) north of Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
.
Overview
The line between NorthamptonNorthampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
and Market Harborough
Market Harborough
Market Harborough is a market town within the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.It has a population of 20,785 and is the administrative headquarters of Harborough District Council. It sits on the Northamptonshire-Leicestershire border...
finally closed on 16 August 1981, the intermediate stations on the route having been closed for many years.
In 1984 a group was formed with the intention of 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 on 31 March 1996.
Currently, passenger trains operate on a section of line approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) in length, departing from and arriving at the only station, Pitsford and Brampton
Pitsford and Brampton railway station
Pitsford and Brampton railway station is a railway station serving the villages of Pitsford and Chapel Brampton in Northamptonshire, England.The station was once an intermediate stop on the Northampton-Market Harborough railway line, which closed in 1981...
. An extension south is under construction which will add another 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) mile of running line, with around 75% of tracklaying completed as of January 2008. When complete it will include a station
Boughton railway station
This article refers to the planned station on the Northampton & Lamport Railway.Boughton station on the Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway closed in 1955....
with sidings and run-round loop at the former Boughton Crossing on the A5199
A5199 road
The A5199 road is the direct road from Leicester to Northampton in England. It was formerly part of the A50 trunk road that ran from Bedfordshire to Lancashire...
.
A northern extension is in the planning stage, but before work can start, however, extensive repairs are needed to Bridge 14 which carries the track over the River Nene
River Nene
The River Nene is a river in the east of England that rises from three sources in the county of Northamptonshire. The tidal river forms the border between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk for about . It is the tenth longest river in the United Kingdom, and is navigable for from Northampton to The...
. In addition the Northamptonshire County Council, which owns the former trackbed, will not grant a lease on the land required for the extension until the southern extension is complete. The previous extension opened after several years' work and around £50,000 was spent on repairs to Bridge 13.
The signalling
Railway signalling
Railway signalling is a system used to control railway traffic safely, essentially to prevent trains from colliding. Being guided by fixed rails, trains are uniquely susceptible to collision; furthermore, trains cannot stop quickly, and frequently operate at speeds that do not enable them to stop...
system, with two working signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
es (and a third under construction), makes it one of the most comprehensive and detailed on any heritage railway of its size. The Booking Office at Pitsford and Brampton station was built using the disused Lamport signal box, originally located around 5.5 miles (8.9 km) miles away on the same line. It has been converted in such a way that it can be easily converted back into a signal box if required in the future. A third signal box has been installed at the Boughton Terminus; the former Betley Road signal box from Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
is being used following its restoration.
The Brampton Valley Way
Brampton Valley Way
The Brampton Valley Way is a linear park based on the former railway line in England.The railway line was closed in 1981 and the Northamptonshire section was purchased by Northamptonshire County Council with grant aid from the Countryside Commission in 1987, when work began on developing it as a...
is a "linear park" offering a traffic-free route for 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 13:30 - 17:00 Monday to Friday, and 10:00 to 17:00 on Sundays. Train rides are available on Sundays from March to October, steam-hauled from April to September (subject to availability).
Events
A 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.
Steam
- GWRGreat Western RailwayThe Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
2-8-0 2884 ClassGWR 2884 ClassThe Great Western Railway 2884 Class is a class of 2-8-0 steam locomotive designed for heavy freight work. They were a development of the earlier 2800 Class. The 2884s differed from the original engines in a number of respects, the most obvious being that a more modern Collett side window cab was...
no. 3862 - under restoration - GWR 4-6-0 4900 ClassGWR 4900 ClassThe Great Western Railway 4900 Class or Hall Class is a class of 4-6-0 mixed traffic steam locomotives designed by Charles Collett. A total of 259 were built, numbered 4900–4999, 5900–5999 and 6900–6958. The LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 and LNER Thompson Class B1 both drew heavily on design features...
no. 5967 Bickmarsh HallGWR 4900 Class 5967 Bickmarsh HallThe GWR 4900 Class locomotive No. 5967 Bickmarsh Hall was built at Swindon railway works, and was completed in March 1937. First allocated to Chester, in August 1950 it was allocated to Banbury, and then in March 1959 to Newton Abbott...
- under restoration - Kitson & Co.Kitson & Co.Kitson and Company was a locomotive manufacturer based in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.-Early history:The company started as James Kitson at the Airedale Foundry, off Pearson Street, Hunslet in 1835 with Charles Todd as a partner...
0-6-0ST no. 5470 (Stewarts & Lloyds no. 45) "Colwyn" - featured in The Royal TrainThe Royal TrainThe Royal Train is the third episode of the sixth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army that was originally transmitted on the 14 November 1973....
episode of Dad's ArmyDad's ArmyDad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
TV Series - under restoration - Peckett and SonsPeckett and SonsPeckett and Sons was a locomotive manufacturer at the Atlas Works in St. George, Bristol, England.-Fox, Walker and Company:The company began trading in 1864 at the Atlas Engine Works, St. George, Bristol, as Fox, Walker and Company, building four and six-coupled saddle tank engines for industrial use...
0-4-0ST no. 2104 - out of service for repairs - Peckett and Sons 0-6-0ST no. 1378 "Westminster" - under restoration
- TKh 0-6-0T no. 5374 "Vanguard" - out of service for repairs
Main line diesel
- British Rail Class 31British Rail Class 31The British Rail Class 31 diesel locomotives, also known as the Brush Type 2 and originally as Class 30, were built by Brush Traction from 1957-62.- Description :...
A1A-A1A no. 31289 "Phoenix" - operational - British Rail Class 47British Rail Class 47The British Rail Class 47, is a class of British railway diesel-electric locomotive that was developed in the 1960s by Brush Traction. A total of 512 Class 47s were built at Crewe Works and Brush's Falcon Works, Loughborough between 1962 and 1968, which made them the most numerous class of British...
Co-Co no. 47205 - operational
Industrial diesel and shunters
- Ruston & Hornsby 4wDM 88DS no. 1 "Merry Tom" - out of service
- 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/Thomas Hill 0-4-0 DH no. 146C "Bunty" - donated by Redland Aggregates - out of service
- Fowler 0-4-0 DH no. 21 - awaiting restoration
Diesel multiple units
- British Rail Class 117British Rail Class 117The British Rail Class 117 diesel multiple units were built by Pressed Steel from 1959 to 1961.When first introduced, these three-car units were all based with the similar Class 121 single carriage units on British Railway's Western Region for suburban work out of London Paddington, as well as...
no. 51359 - in unrestored condition awaiting component recovery before scrapping.
Carriages
- British Rail Mark 2British Rail Mark 2The Mark 2 family of railway carriages were British Rail's second design of carriages. They were built by British Rail workshops between 1964 and 1975...
TSOTourist Standard OpenTourist Second Open or Tourist Standard Open, abbreviated to TSO, is a type of British Railways coach. The designation "Tourist" was originally as opposed to a normal SO coach...
no. 5174 - British Rail Mark 2British Rail Mark 2The Mark 2 family of railway carriages were British Rail's second design of carriages. They were built by British Rail workshops between 1964 and 1975...
TSOTourist Standard OpenTourist Second Open or Tourist Standard Open, abbreviated to TSO, is a type of British Railways coach. The designation "Tourist" was originally as opposed to a normal SO coach...
no. 5132, formerly named Clan Munro - operational - British Rail Mark 2British Rail Mark 2The Mark 2 family of railway carriages were British Rail's second design of carriages. They were built by British Rail workshops between 1964 and 1975...
BSO(T)Brake Standard Open (Micro-Buffet)A Brake Standard Open , often abbreviated to BSOT or BSO, is a type of railway carriage used by British Rail.These coaches were converted from a Brake Standard Open , by replacing one passenger seating bay with a counter for serving food, and space for a trolley for light refreshments...
no. 9102. Converted for operation by MotormanMotormanA motorman is the person who operates an electrified trolley car, tram, light rail, or rapid transit train.The term refers to the person who is in charge of the motor in the same sense as a railroad engineer is in charge of the engine. The term was gender-neutral...
- operational - British Rail Mark 1 TSOTourist Standard OpenTourist Second Open or Tourist Standard Open, abbreviated to TSO, is a type of British Railways coach. The designation "Tourist" was originally as opposed to a normal SO coach...
no. 3919. - operational - British Rail Mark 1 RBR (Buffet Car) no. 1647 - out of service for repairs
- British Rail Mark 1 NAVNAV- Organizations :* Navistar International, truck manufacturer; its stock symbol on the New York Stock Exchange is NAV* NAV CANADA, a non-profit organization that operates Canada's civil air navigation service-Government agencies :...
no. 84031 - operational (as temporary Buffet)