Nene Valley Railway

Nene Valley Railway
A view of the station at Peterborough.
Locale	England
Terminus	Peterborough
Commercial operations
Name	London and North Western Railway
Built by	London and Birmingham Railway
Original gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Preserved operations
Operated by	Nene Valley Railway
Stations	5
Length	7.5 miles (12.1 km)
Preserved gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Commercial history
Opened	1847
Closed	1966 passengers, 1972 goods
Preservation history
1974	Line purchased by Peterborough Development Corporation
1977	NVR reopened
1983	Orton Mere (station building) opened
1986	NVR Extended Peterborough (Nene Valley) opened
1995	Wansford (current station building) opened
2007	Yarwell Junction (current terminus) reopened

[v · d · e]Nene Valley Railway
Legend Ely to Peterborough Line Peterborough East East Coast Main Line Peterborough Nene Valley Longville Junction Orton Mere Ferry Meadows Ham Lane Orton Waterville Castor Great Northern to Stamford Old Great North Road Wansford Wansford Tunnel Yarwell Junction Northampton and Peterborough Railway Future NVR extension to Elton London & North Western to Rugby

The Nene Valley Railway (NVR) is a preserved railway in Cambridgeshire, England, running between Peterborough Nene Valley and Yarwell Junction. The line is currently seven and a half miles in length. As well as stations at each terminus, there are currently three stops en route: Orton Mere, Ferry Meadows and Wansford.

History

In 1845, the London & Birmingham Railway (L&BR) company was given parliamentary assent to construct a line from Blisworth in Northamptonshire to Peterborough. Completed in 1847, it became Peterborough's first railway line, terminating at Peterborough, later 'Peterborough East' station. The sheds and one platform face of this redundant station are still clearly visible next to the former Matalan store on East Station Road off of London Road.

The line was of little significance until the late 19th century, when the London & North Western Railway (L&NWR), which had absorbed the L&BR constructed a line, via Nassington and King's Cliffe to Seaton, below Welland Viaduct. This turned Wansford, previously an unimportant village station, into a major junction. Its importance was increased a few years later when the Great Northern Railway constructed another line, via Sutton, Southorpe and Barnack to Stamford, on the Midland Railway line. In 1884 the line received a royal visit when the royal family travelled between Peterborough and Barnwell, some 13 miles (20.9 km) beyond Wansford, to visit Barnwell Manor, home of the then Duke of Gloucester. The station building is now preserved at Wansford station on the NVR, and is known as the Barnwell building.

Between the turn of the century and the 1960s, the line formed an important connection from Norwich, Cambridge and eastern England to Northampton and the Midlands. The line was generally acknowledged to be a secondary mainline and regularly saw large engines such as Black 5s and B1s. However, the NVR was one of the last passenger line closures of the Dr Beeching era, services to Northampton and Rugby having ceased in 1964 and 1966 respectively. It remained open until 1972 for freight traffic only.

The Nene Valley Railway has a full-scale 'replica' of Thomas the Tank Engine working for passenger and freight service on 'Thomas' events; it was the first railway in the world to possess one. The Nene Valley Railway's Thomas is considered the 'official' Thomas The Tank Engine, because it was named by the fictional characters' creator the Rev. W. Awdry in 1971. For this (and other) reasons, the Nene Valley Railway does not host official 'Day out with Thomas' events like most railways do. The Nene Valley Railway run Thomas at various special events, weekends and bank holidays.

Peterborough Locomotive Society

Wansford station viewed from the road

In 1968, the Reverend Richard Paten had bought British Railways Standard Class '5' 4-6-0 locomotive, number 73050, for its scrap value of £3,000. His intention had been to exhibit it outside Peterborough Technology College as a monument to Peterborough's railway history.^{[citation needed]} However, there was one problem - the locomotive was found to be in good working order. Because of the engine's condition there was a large amount of opposition to the idea of the engine being 'stuffed'; many people^[who?] pressed the idea of the locomotive being restored to full working order.

On 28 March 1969, the Peterborough Branch of the East Anglian Locomotive Society was formed, with the intention of purchasing and restoring the BR Pacific locomotive, number 70000 'Britannia'. By 1970, the group was sufficiently strong to form its own group - the Peterborough Locomotive Society (PLS). In 1971, 73050 was moved to the British Sugar Corporation's sidings at Fletton, where it was joined by Hunslet 0-6-0 locomotive 'Jack's Green'. Later that year, the PLS held a meeting at which the group's name was changed to 'Peterborough Railway Society' and the idea of the Nene Valley Railway was formally launched.

In 1974, the Peterborough Development Corporation (PDC) bought the Nene Valley line between Longville and Yarwell Junctions and it began leasing it to the PRS to operate the railway - a major milestone in the society's history.

The Nene Valley Railway

When the PRS acquired the line, the intention was to work the line with British locomotives and stock. However, enthusiasts from other railways and preservation societies had already acquired almost all of the serviceable ex-BR locomotives - all that was left was a collection of rusting hulks. Apart from 73050, the society's locomotives were mostly small, industrial shunting engines and therefore not suitable for the 11-mile (17.7 km) round trip. Ex-BR rolling stock was also in very short supply following the disposal of most pre-nationalisation (pre-1948) stock. The PDC, having paid out a considerable sum of money for the line, was anxious that trains should start running as soon as possible - certainly before the opening of the new Nene Park in 1978. However, with the PRC's lack of stock and locomotives this looked highly improbable.

A continental solution

Swedish 'B' Class No.101 hauling the Santa special on the Nene Valley Railway

In 1973, PRS member Richard Hurlock had approached the society for a home for his ex-Swedish railways 2-6-4T class S1 oil-fired locomotive, number 1928. Because the engine was higher and wider than British stock, it was to be a static exhibition only. During 1974, it was realised that the use of foreign stock and engines could answer the NVR's aspirations. After a feasibility study was carried out, it was discovered that only one bridge would have to be demolished to allow the running to continental loading gauge. Some reductions would also have to be made to the width of the platforms. In 1973, BR gave PRS permission to use Wansford signal box and, in September of that year, the first items of stock arrived at the PRS depot.

The first train

Before the stock could be moved from the BSC depot to Wansford, the missing 400 yards (366 m) of the Fletton Loop had to be rebuilt, allowing access to the Nene Valley line. The track was completed in March 1974 and the stock moved to Wansford in time for the Easter weekend, when the new 'Wansford Steam Centre' opened for the first time. Between 1974 and 1977, the line was upgraded to passenger-carrying standard and the first passenger train ran on 1 June 1977, hauled by the 'Nord' - a French locomotive and '1178' - another Swedish tank engine, pulling a set of ex-BR electrical multiple unit coaches owned by the Southern Electric Group.

The Peterborough extension

In the early 1980s, the NVR decided to extend its running line, which then terminated at Orton Mere station, along the route of the original Nene Valley Line to a new station west of the East Coast Main Line, adjacent to the new Railworld Museum. Peterborough Nene Valley opened, for the first time, on the Late Spring Bank Holiday Weekend 26TH May 1986. This extended the length of the NVR to its current length, 7.5 miles (12.1 km).

Crescent Link

Since 1999, there has been talk of the 'crescent link' project promoted by 'Railworld' - a scheme to allow the NVR to run trains through the westernmost end of the Nene Park, across the river Nene into the Peterborough mainline station to connect directly with East Coast, National Express East Anglia, East Midland Trains, Arriva Cross Country and First Capital Connect services. It is thought likely this might be done in accordance with the proposed redevelopment and modernisation of Peterborough station. However, no fixed date has been set for this development, and it is uncertain if the project will ever go ahead.

NVR Stations and Future Expansions

Stations proposed for the Nene Valley Railway:

Elton

Main article: Elton railway station

Elton was a railway station in Cambridgeshire and was the last stop along the line before crossing the border into Northamptonshire, However the station has been demolished completely, since closure in the past ... however the NVR had attempted to extend the line to Elton back in the 1990's but was dropped following lack of funding at the time.

Although however, The site of the old station is still intact (but currently all but free land), with the extension to Yarwell Junction now complete, there's still hope that one day fundraising (for a possible extension to and reconstruction of the old station at Elton) could be made officially once all current projects have finished and finances could possibly allow after a couple more years to come.

Stations currently on the Nene Valley Railway:

The brand new station building at Yarwell.

Yarwell Junction

Main article: Yarwell Junction railway station

Yarwell Junction was formerly the junction between the lines to Northampton and Market Harborough. It is the current terminus of the NVR's operating line. During April 2006 a track realignment was conducted, allowing for the construction of a platform at Yarwell Junction, which opened at Easter 2007 (there was never previously a station on the site). The new station is served by footpaths to Nassington and the mill village of Yarwell, but there is no vehicular access. Yarwell Junction is situated approximately 1 mile west of Wansford station, at the other end of Yarwell Tunnel.

The new station building, as used by present day visitors.

The original station building, which is not in use, on Platform 3.

Wansford

Main article: Wansford railway station

Wansford is the headquarters of the railway and most of the facilities are based here.

The current station building was opened in 1995 and contains a ticket office, shop, cafe and toilets. The locomotive sheds are located at this station. Also at the station there is a picnic area and children's playground. The station was formerly the junction for a branch to Stamford, which separated to the north just east of the river bridge at Wansford.

The original Wansford station is located on platform three and was built in 1844-1845 in Jacobean style for the opening of the railway. This building does not belong to the railway, though the railway is trying to acquire this building.

The new station building at Ferry Meadows, which used to be a goods office.

Castor

Main article: Castor railway station

Castor was (but is currently disused) a railway station located between Wansford and Ferry Meadows, however the station closed in the 1960's and despite the NVR (whom passes through the site) re-opening, the station currently remains closed as of August 2011.

However there is hope that the station could be restored when funding officially permits and local residents (in/near Castor itself) would interestingly support.

Ferry Meadows

Main article: Ferry Meadows railway station

Ferry Meadows is located near the site of Orton Waterville and provides access to the nearby country park. The current building was moved brick by brick from its previous location of the old goods yard at Fletton Junction on the East Coast Main Line, it replaced a portable building desperately in need of repair. NVR plan to add a canopy. The station building was offered to the NVR for £1 plus transportation costs.

The Park is open throughout the year, but most facilities such as the miniature railway and pedaloes only run from Easter to the end of October. Ferry Meadows station is on the site of the former Overton station.

Orton Mere station building, which opened in 1983.

Orton Mere

Main article: Orton Mere railway station

Orton Mere is a two platform station with a station building (built in 1983) and signal box. Until 1986 this was the terminus of the line. Most trains depart from platform one. Just outside of the station towards Peterborough is the Fletton Loop which links the NVR to the mainline. The signal box controls the passing loop and had to be adapted from 1 lever to three.

This station provides access to the eastern end of the Nene Park.

Longville Junction

Longville Junction is located about a mile close to Peterborough (Nene Valley) and links to the nearby East Coast Main Line which also crosses of there to the Junction. As of August 2011, There is currently no platform here at present.

Peterborough (Nene Valley)

Main article: Peterborough Nene Valley railway station

Peterborough Nene Valley is the end of the line. Here there is a platform, a bay platform and a station building housing a ticket office, a small souvenir shop & toilets. It is a 10 minute walk from here to Peterborough City Centre. Railworld is next to the station with a wide variety of rolling stock on display.

Locomotives

Operational steam locomotives

Polish Class Slask/TKp 0-8-0T No 5485

• Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T No 1800 'Thomas' - restricted around Wansford Yard and hauling Wansford - Yarwell shuttles only
• BR Standard Class 5 4-6-0 No 73050 'City of Peterborough'
• Polish 0-8-0T Class Slask/TKp No 5485
• LMS Fowler Class 4F 0-6-0 No 44422 courtesy 44422 Locomotive Fund

Visitors

• Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST (HE3846) No 22 from Appleby Frodingham Railway

Steam locomotives undergoing overhaul or restoration

• BR (Southern) Bullied 4-6-2, Unrebuilt Battle of Britain class, No. 34081 '92 Squadron'. Arrived on 20 May 2010 at Wansford, from the North Norfolk Railway, for its impending major overhaul. The locomotive originally left the line in 2003.
• Danish 0-6-0T Class F No 656 'Tinkerbell' (unofficial name). Undergoing a major restoration which is going well, the loco is now completely dismantled and the frames have been cleaned. The wheels will go away for repair soon. Motion being rebuilt and the cab and bunker are being restored.
• Swedish 2-6-2T Class S No 1178. Undergoing major restoration. Work on the frames is going well with the needle gunning now complete and also replacement of the rods and bearings on the pony truck has also been completed. Making new pins for the brake rigging is underway and new angles have been made and are now welded onto the frames. A new cab floor has also been made and has been fitted to the loco frames.
• Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST No 1308 'Rhos'. Undergoing a major overhaul and restoration. {Currently^[when?] no activity on overhaul}
• Cockerill 0-4-0WT Tram Engine. No.1626 'Toby' Undergoing a major overhaul and restoration. {Currently^[when?] no activity on overhaul}

Stored steam locomotives

• Swedish 4-6-0 Class B No. 101A. Withdrawn towards the end of January 2005 for overhaul and is currently stored awaiting an overhaul.
• Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST 75006. Awaiting overhaul after being withdrawn in 2004.
• German 2-6-2T Class 64 No 64.305. Overhaul of this engine will start once 1178 is complete as lots of people want to see this engine in service.
• Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST No 1539 'Derek Crouch'. On display in the yard at Wansford.
• Hunslet 0-6-0ST No 1953 'Jacks Green'. Has recently been cosmetically restored and is on display awaiting overhaul. Its cab is accessible to visitors. This locomotive can be found between the 1995 built station building and turntable.

Operational diesel locomotives

No D306 'Atlantic Conveyor'. In service

• BR Class 31 A1A-A1A No 31108 (Original RailFreight livery),in regular use.
• BR Class 14 0-6-0 No D9520. Sometimes used on passenger trains.
• Yorkshire Engine Co. 0-6-0 "Janus" No D2670 'Stanton No 50'
• Sentinel 4 wheeled No 10202 'Barabel'. In regular use in the yard.
• Sentinel 0-6-0 No DL83. In service. A regular shunter in the yard. Sometimes used on passenger trains.
• Class 107 3 car DMU set Nos 52005+59791+52031

Diesel locomotives undergoing overhaul or restoration

• BR Class 14 0-6-0 No D9504 Stratrail undergoing maintenance
• Hibberd 0-4-0 No 2896 'Frank'. Undergoing a major restoration.
• Yorkshire Engine Co. No D2654. Undergoing repairs.
• BR Class 56 Co-Co No 56128. Arrived at Wansford early in 2008 for overhaul. Once complete, the locomotive will be departing for use on the mainline under the management of Hanson Traction Ltd as No. 56313

Stored diesel locomotives

• Ruston & Hornsby 0-4-0 No 304469. Stored awaiting major restoration.
• English Electric 0-4-0 No 1123. Stored awaiting overhaul.
• BR Class 14 0-6-0 D9518. Arrived from the Rutland Railway Museum and is for spares only, to keep the other Class 14s in working order.

Locos that have left the line

LNER Class B1 1306 "Mayflower," Now at Battlefield Line, Shackerstone.

Steam Locomotives

• German/Polish Kriegslok 2-10-0 Class 52/Ty2 No 7173. Withdrawn from service in 2001. This locomotive has been sold to a museum collection in Belgium and has left Wansford MPD.^[1]
• French DeGlen Compound 4-6-0 NORD No 3.628. Has left the railway and went to France to be restored to work on the mainline. Is currently being cosmetically restored.
• LNER 4-6-0 Class B1 No 1306 'Mayflower' 1991-2006 Battlefield Line, Shackerstone
• Avonside 0-6-0ST Class B4 No 1945. Elsecar Railway, Barnsley.
• BR 4-6-2 Class 7MT No 70000 'Britannia' 1980-2000 Crewe Heritage Centre
• German 0-6-0T Class 80 No 80.014 1981-1997 Holland
• Danish 2-6-4T Class S No 740 1980-1995 Denmark
• LMS 4-6-0 Class 5MT No 5321 1988-1993 Ropley
• Barclay 0-4-0ST (2248)/90432 1972-1991 East Kent Light Railway, Shepherdswell
• Swedish 2-6-4T Class S1 No 1928 1973-1989 Tunbridge
• Peckett 0-6-0ST No 2000 1977-1984 Barrow Hill
• Avonside 0-6-0ST No 1917 'Pitsford' 1973-1983 Elsecar Steam Railway
• Hawthorn Leslie 0-6-0ST No 3837 'Corby No. 16' 1974-1981 Leatherhead (now Lavender Line with Hawthorn Leslie 3837 Preservation Society)
• Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST No 1604 1975-1981 Wetheringsett
• Avonslde 0-4-0ST No 1908 'Fred' 1976-1981 Dendermonde, Belgium
• Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T No 1844 1976-1980 Scrapped (spares for 1800 'Thomas')
• Southern Railway 4-6-0 Class S15 No 841 'Greene King' 1977-1978 Grosmont

Diesel Locomotives

• D306 'Atlantic Conveyor', BR Class 40. Departed May 2011 to Washwood Heath
• D9516 BR Class 14. Sold following death of owner, April 2011 To Wensleydale
• D9523 BR Class 14. Sold following death of owner, April 2011 to Derwent
• Sentinel 4 wheeled No 11. May 2010 to Washwood Heath
• BR Class 47 Co-Co No 1971/47270 'Swift'. 'BREL', Mainline use. Departed 30th July 2009.
• BR Class 56 Co-Co No 56114. Hanson Traction Ltd. Departed 14th August 2009
• BR Class 31 A1A-A1A No 31190. Hanson Traction Ltd.Departed 30th July 2009
• BR Class 50 No. 50008 'Thunderer'. Hanson Traction Ltd. Departed 9th October 2009
• BR Class 117 3 car DMU Nos 51347 / 59508 / 51401, 1998-2009. Destination: Gwili Railway, Wales
• BR Class 56 Co-Co No 56057 "British Fuels" 2004-2007 Main Line use
• 2894 "Percy" Hibberd 0-4-0 1972-2006 Norfolk
• 31108 BR Class 31 A1A-A1A 200?-2005 Midland Railway, Butterley
• D9529 "14029" BR Class 14 0-6-0 DH 1988-2000 Stratrail (Kent & East Sussex Rly)
• D2112 BR Class 03 0-6-0 DM 1991-1998 Boston Docks
• 08704 BR Class 08 0-6-0 DE 1993-1997 Boston Docks
• 319294 Ruston & Homsby DS165 0-6-0DM 1991-1996 Northampton & Lamport Railway
• 4220033 John Fowler 0-4-0DH 1991-1996 Northampton Ironstone Railway Trust, Hunsbury Hill
• D7594 BR Class 25 Bo-Bo DE 1992-1994 K&ESR
• 804 Alco 1986-1991 Railworld, Peterborough (adjacent to Peterborough Nene Valley station)
• 8368 "Horsa" RSH 262 hp 0-4-0 DH 1980-1991 East Dereham
• 294268 Ruston & Homsby DS48 4wDM 1975-1991 East Kent Light Railway, Shepherdswell
• 321734 Ruston & Homsby DS88 4wDM 1979-1991 East Kent Light Railway, Shepherdswell
• D2089 BR Class 03 0-6-0 DM 1991 Mangapps Railway Museum, Bumham-on-Crouch
• 1212 SJ Class Y7 Diesel Rallcar 1984-1989 Fleggburgh
• D9016 "Gordon Highlander" BR Class 55 Co-Co DE 1984-1989 Tysley
• D9000 "Royal Scots Grey" BR Class 55 Co-Co DE 1983-1986 Barrow Hill
• D615 Hudswell Clarke 153 h.p. 0-6-0DM 1977-1978 Ellastone

As a film location

The line has been a location for a number of films, TV shows, and music videos.

Scenes from the James Bond film Octopussy were shot here and Castor church can clearly be seen in the background, even though this section of the film was set in West Germany and East Germany (pre unification).

Also, the Bond film Golden Eye was filmed on the line. For the film, a Class 20 was disguised as a Russian armoured train. In the film, a tunnel that the train seemingly goes into is in fact a small bridge over the tracks.

BBC TV drama "Casualty" has also filmed here.

Between 1977 and 1979, many sequences for the BBC's wartime drama Secret Army were filmed here, principally at Wansford station, notably in the episodes: The Hostage, A Matter of Life and Death and The Last Run.

In Spring 1989, the rock band Queen shot a video at the railway called "Breakthru" that reached number 7 in the British charts. They are filmed on a steam train (a GWR 2884 Class, No.3822 from Didcot, repainted) that was given the name 'Miracle Express' after the title of their 1989 album The Miracle.

In October 2008, the filming of the musical Nine, starring Penelope Cruz and Daniel Day-Lewis, took place at Wansford.

In November 2009, ITV spent three days at the Nene for their remake of 'Murder on the Orient Express' for Agatha Christie's Poirot Series. They used the BR Standard Class 5 73050 'City of Peterborough' numbered '305' and the Belgian Coaching Stock, with most filming taking place at Ferry Meadows.

In September 2010, scenes were filmed for the BBC soap opera, EastEnders, on the line, in which characters Janine Butcher and Ryan Malloy were trapped on a level crossing with a train approaching them.

See also

• Peterborough railway station
• Peterborough East railway station

References

1. ^ "Hive of Activity". A personal View of the nene Valley Railway. http://nene-valley.blogspot.com/2011/02/hive-of-activity.html. Retrieved 13 March 2011. 

• Rhodes, John The Nene Valley Railway Turntable Publications, Sheffield, 1976
• Waszak P.J. and Ginns, J.W. Peterborough's First Railway: Yarwell to Peterborough Nene Valley Railway, Peterborough, 1995
• Nene Steam (magazine of the NVR) 1979 onwards

External links

• Official Nene Valley Railway website

Coordinates: 52°33′50″N 00°20′23.25″W / 52.56389°N 0.3397917°W / 52.56389; -0.3397917