- Northampton and Lamport Railway
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Northampton & Lamport Railway 
Boughton, end of the line as of August 2008 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) Preserved operations Operated by Northampton & Lamport Railway Preservation Society Stations 1 Length 1.5 miles (2.4 km) Preserved gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Commercial history Opened 1858 Closed 1981 Preservation history 1984 Work started at Pitsford and Brampton 1996 Grand Opening Northampton & Lamport Railway
with Brampton Valley WayLegend
Former route to Northampton 
Former Boughton Crossing 
Brampton Valley Way 
and footpaths (green) 
Boughton (Terminus) 
Passing Loop 
(Under Construction) 
Boughton Sidings 
Community Woodland 
Footpath crossing 
Horse farm crossing 
Bridge 11 
End of passenger services 
4½ 
Pitsford Sidings 
Footpath and vehicle crossing 
4¾ 
Bridge 12 (under Pitsford Road) 
Footpath crossing 
Pitsford and Brampton Plant crossing 
5 Station Loop 
Bridge 12a River Nene (tributary) Pitsford and Brampton siding 
Bridge 13 5¼ Farm crossing 
Bridge 14 
Merry Tom Halt (proposed) 
Merry Tom Lane Former route to Market Harborough 
and Brampton Valley Way (green) 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 (8.0 km) north of Northampton.
Contents
Overview
The line between 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 miles (0.80 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 boxes (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).
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.[1]
Locomotives
Steam
- GWR 2-8-0 2884 Class no. 3862 - under restoration
- GWR 4-6-0 4900 Class no. 5967 Bickmarsh Hall - under restoration
- Kitson & Co. 0-6-0ST no. 5470 (Stewarts & Lloyds no. 45) "Colwyn" - featured in The Royal Train episode of Dad's Army TV Series - under restoration
- Peckett and Sons 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 31 A1A-A1A no. 31289 "Phoenix" - operational
- British Rail Class 47 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 117 no. 51359 - in unrestored condition awaiting component recovery before scrapping.
Carriages
- British Rail Mark 2 TSO no. 5174
- British Rail Mark 2 TSO no. 5132, formerly named Clan Munro - operational
- British Rail Mark 2 BSO(T) no. 9102. Converted for operation by Motorman - operational
- British Rail Mark 1 TSO no. 3919. - operational
- 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)
Image gallery
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Steam locomotive 7646 "Northampton" officially named by the Mayor of Northampton
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The first passenger train to cross Bridge 13, with nameplate from 1981 (Class 117 51402 has since moved to the Strathspey Railway)
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Pitsford and Brampton signal box
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British Rail PWM locomotive No. 97651
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The Brampton Valley Way which runs alongside the railway
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Locomotive No. 7646 with helper
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JCB excavator used in the railway's construction
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Stanley Steamer visiting an event at the railway
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Peckett R4, No. 2104, on 25 February 2007
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Class 31, No. 31289 in the sidings, 22 April 2007
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31289 alongside the platform signal box
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Santa Special hauled by No. 7646
References
External links
Categories:- Heritage railways in England
- Rail transport in Northamptonshire
- Visitor attractions in Northamptonshire
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