Northampton and Lamport Railway

Northampton and Lamport Railway
Peckett 0-4-0ST Works No. 2104 with a train in August 2016
LocaleEngland
TerminusPitsford and Brampton
Commercial operations
NameNorthampton to Market Harborough line ("Harborough Line")
Built byLondon and North Western Railway
Original gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Preserved operations
Operated byNorthampton & Lamport Railway Preservation Society
Stations1
Length1+12 miles (2.4 km)
Preserved gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Commercial history
Opened16 February 1859
Closed16 August 1981
Preservation history
1984Work started at (and around) Pitsford and Brampton station site
November 1995Light Railway Order, Granted with First public passenger train operated
31 March 1996Grand Re-opening (NLR re-opened, officially)
30 March 2024Opening of Boughton station
HeadquartersPitsford and Brampton
Website
www.nlr.org.uk
Northampton and Lamport Railway
Brampton Valley Way
MP
Boughton Crossing
Brampton Valley Way (Terminus)
Boughton
(Terminus)
Passing Loop
Boughton Sidings
Community Woodland
footpath crossing
horse farm crossing
Bridge 11
Pitsford Sidings
footpath and vehicle crossing
summit
Bridge 12
Pitsford Road
footpath crossing
Pitsford and Brampton
Heritage railway
plant crossing
5¾
Station Loop
Bridge 12a
Pitsford and Brampton siding
Bridge 13
farm crossing
Bridge 14
Merry Tom Halt
(proposed)
Merry Tom Lane

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.

Overview

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The 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+12 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+12 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

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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.[2]

Locomotives

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Steam

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Main line diesel

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Industrial diesel and shunters

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  • 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

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References

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  1. ^ "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.
  2. ^ Northampton Chronicle & Echo, 19 July 2007
  3. ^ Chambers, Brian, ed. (Winter 2016). "Farewell to 2014 Peckett". Premier Line. No. 102. pp. 17–18.
  4. ^ "Peckett B2 Class 0-6-0ST № 1378 "Westminster"". NLR. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
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52°17′36″N 0°55′24″W / 52.29333°N 0.92333°W / 52.29333; -0.92333