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Nene Valley Railway

The Nene Valley Railway (NVR) is a preserved railway in Cambridgeshire, England, running between Peterborough Nene Valley and Yarwell Junction. The line is 7+12 miles (12.1 km) in length. There are stations at each terminus, and three stops en route: Orton Mere, Ferry Meadows and Wansford.

Nene Valley Railway
The Polish 0-8-0T Class Slask No Tkp 5485 arrives at Overton
LocaleEngland
TerminusPeterborough
Commercial operations
NameLondon and North Western Railway
Built byLondon and Birmingham Railway
Original gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Preserved operations
Operated byNene Valley Railway
Stations5
Length7+12 miles (12.1 km)
Preserved gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Commercial history
Opened1847
Closed to passengers1966
Closed1972
Preservation history
1974Line purchased by Peterborough Development Corporation
1977NVR reopened
1983Orton Mere (station building) opened
1986NVR Extended
Peterborough (Nene Valley) opened
1995Wansford (current station building) opened
2007Yarwell Junction (current terminus) reopened
2008Yarwell Junction Station Building opens officially
HeadquartersWansford
Route map

History edit

Origins edit

In 1845, the London and Birmingham Railway (L&BR) company was given parliamentary assent to construct a line from Blisworth in Northamptonshire to Peterborough. Completed in 1847, it was Peterborough's first railway line. It terminated at Peterborough, later 'Peterborough East' station.

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 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 from Peterborough to Barnwell, some 13 miles (21 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 1900 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 main line and frequently 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.

Society formed edit

 
The new Wansford station building

In 1968, the Rev. Richard Paten had bought BR 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, the locomotive was found to be in good working order, and there was much opposition to the idea of the engine being "stuffed", and it was decided to restore it 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 BR Standard Class 7 70000 Britannia. By 1970, the branch was strong enough to operate independently as 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.

Purchase of line and locomotives edit

 
The flagship locomotive British Railways Class Standard Five No. 73050 takes on water at Peterborough Nene Valley

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.

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.

In 1973, PRS member Richard Hurlock had approached the society for a home for his ex-Swedish State Railways (SJ) class S1 2-6-4T 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.

Operation edit

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 3.628' – a French 4-6-0 locomotive and 'SJ 1178' – another Swedish tank engine, pulling a set of ex-BR electrical multiple unit coaches owned by the Southern Electric Group.

Extension to Peterborough edit

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 of 26 May 1986. This extended the NVR to its current length, 7+12 miles (12.1 km).

Future edit

In 2024, the Nene Valley Railway and Railworld Nature Reserve acquired the former Wansford Road Station.[1] Built in 1869, it served the branch line to Stamford, Lincolnshire until it closed in 1929.[2] In 2022, the station and platform were facing demolition by National Highways for the new dual carriageway between Wansford and Sutton. It will be dismantled stone by stone and reconstructed at the eastern end of the railway.[3]

Stations edit

 
The brand new station building at Yarwell
 
The original Wansford station building, which is not in use, on Platform 3
 
The new station building at Ferry Meadows, which used to be a goods office
 
Orton Mere station building, which opened in 1983

Yarwell Junction edit

Yarwell Junction is the former junction between the lines to Northampton and Market Harborough. It is the current terminus of the NVR's operating line. In April 2006 the track was realigned, allowing a platform to be built at Yarwell Junction, which opened at Easter 2007 (there was never previously a station on the site). The new station is linked by footpaths to Nassington and the mill village of Yarwell, but there is no vehicular access. Yarwell Junction is about 1 mile (1.6 km) west of Wansford station, at the other end of Yarwell Tunnel.

Wansford edit

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 miniature railway, picnic area and children's playground.[4] The station was formerly the junction for a branch to Stamford, which diverged 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 was purchased by the railway in 2015.

Castor edit

Castor is a disused station between Wansford and Ferry Meadows. It closed in the 1960s and despite the NVR (which runs through it) reopening, the station remains closed.

Overton (for Ferry Meadows) edit

Overton (for Ferry Meadows) is located near the site of Orton Waterville station and provides access to the nearby country park. The current building was moved brick by brick from the old goods yard at Fletton Junction on the East Coast Main Line; it replaced a portable building desperately in need of repair. NVR has now added 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. The station is also the site of the new Night Mail Museum, with construction well under way with some exhibits open to view.[5] Overton station was renamed Overton 'for Ferry Meadows' in 2017 in conjunction with the Nene Valley Railway's 40th anniversary celebrations.[6]

Orton Mere edit

Orton Mere is a two platform station with a station building built in 1983 and a signal box. Until 1986 this was the terminus of the line. Most trains depart from platform 1. Just outside 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 one lever to three.

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

Longville Junction edit

Longville (or Longueville) Junction is about 1 mile (1.6 km) from Peterborough (Nene Valley) and links to the nearby East Coast Main Line. As of March 2013, there is no platform here, as Orton Mere station is only a few hundred yards close by.

Peterborough (Nene Valley) edit

 
34081 92 Squadron at Peterborough in October 2022.

Peterborough Nene Valley (aka Peterborough West), is the current end of the line. Here there is a platform, a bay platform and a station building housing a ticket office, a small souvenir shop and toilets. It is a 10-minute walk from here to Peterborough City Centre. Railworld is next door to the station with a wide variety of rolling stock on display. It is currently planned to relocate the station building currently at Wansford Road Station (on the old line from Wansford to Stamford) to here.

Locomotives edit

The Nene Valley Railway has a full-scale "replica" of Thomas the Tank Engine working a passenger and freight service on 'Thomas' events; it was the first railway in the world to possess one.[citation needed] The Nene Valley Railway considers its Thomas to be the "official" Thomas the Tank Engine, because it was named by Thomas' creator, the Rev. W. Awdry, in 1971. The replica engine runs at certain special events, weekends and bank holidays; however, the Nene Valley Railway does not host official 'Day out with Thomas' events as many railways do. Unsuccessfully, HiT Entertainment tried to sue the Nene Valley Railway on the grounds that their Thomas locomotive was breaching their trademark, but they lost the case as the court ruled that it was not breaching HiT's trademark because the Hudswell Clarke locomotive was given the name "Thomas" by the creator, Rev. W. Awdry.[7]

Operational steam locomotives edit

 
Thomas No. 1 and his branch line train are seen at Yarwell.
 
A side view of Polish 0-8-0T Class Slask No. Tkp 5485 at Wansford.
 
92 Squadron crossing the bridge at Wansford.
 
D9520 hauling a goods train.

Residents

  • BR (Southern) Bulleid 4-6-2, unrebuilt Battle of Britain class No. 34081 '92 Squadron'. Built in 1948. Arrived on 20 May 2010 at Wansford from the North Norfolk Railway, having left that line in 2003. The loco returned to steam in January 2017 following a seven year overhaul.[8][9]
  • Polish 0-8-0T Class Śląsk/TKp No. 5485. Built in 1959. Withdrawn Summer 2012 for overhaul. The engine moved to the Flour Mill works for an overhaul and returned to the railway on 26 July 2019. Painted green with a black front end, wheels painted red lined with white.[10]
  • Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T No. 1800 'Thomas' (named by Railway Series author Wilbert Awdry). Built in 1947 for a beet sugar factory in Peterborough. Restricted to around Wansford Yard and hauling Wansford – Yarwell Junction shuttles only, apart from an annual trip to Peterborough. Underwent boiler repairs in 2023 and returned to traffic in January 2024 with a new ten year boiler ticket.[11]
  • Danish 0-6-0T Class F No. 656 'Tinkerbell' (unofficial name). Built in 1949. Returned to service in February 2024 after overhaul.[12]

Visitors

Steam locomotives undergoing overhaul or restoration edit

  • Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST No. 1539 'Derek Crouch'. Built in 1924. Undergoing overhaul.[14]
  • BR Standard Class 5 4-6-0 No. 73050 'City of Peterborough'. Built in 1954. Withdrawn September 2014 for overhaul which commenced in 2017. Boiler repairs ongoing since 2021.[15][16]
  • Cockerill 0-4-0WT Tram Engine No. 1626 'Toby'. Built in 1890. Undergoing major restoration and rebuild.[17]

Stored steam locomotives edit

  • Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST 0-6-0ST 75006. Built in 1943. Awaiting overhaul after being withdrawn in 2004.[18]
  • German 2-6-2T Class 64 No. 64 305. Built in 1936. Stored awaiting overhaul.
  • Swedish B Class 4-6-0 No. 101. Built in 1944. On static display after being withdrawn from service in 2005. Disguised as a German D class locomotive, No. 101 was used in the James Bond film Octopussy.[19]
  • Hunslet 0-6-0ST No. 1953 'Jacks Green'. Built in 1939. Cosmetically restored into its original industrial livery and is on display with its footplate accessible to visitors.[20]
  • Swedish 2-6-2T Class S No. 1178. Built in 1914. Awaiting major overhaul. Purchased by the railway in 2020.[21]

Operational diesel locomotives edit

  • BR Class 14 0-6-0DH No. 14 029 (D9529)
  • BR Class 45 1-Co-Co-1 No. 45 041 "ROYAL TANK REGIMENT"
  • Sentinel 4w No. 10202 'Barabel'. In regular use in the yard.
  • Sentinel 0-6-0 No. DL83. In service. A regular shunter in the yard.

Railcars/Diesel Multiple Units edit

  • BR Class 143 143602. Former Transport For Wales Unit. Recently arrived and awaiting driving training.[22]

Track machines edit

  • Plasser & Theurer TASC 45 track maintenance vehicle. In service. Used for track maintenance by the civil engineering department, Also available for passenger rides on select days.

Diesel locomotives undergoing overhaul or restoration edit

Stored diesel locomotives edit

Rolling stock edit

Nene Valley Railway's coaching stock includes not only the BR Mk. I and BR Mk. II carriages commonly seen on preserved railways in the UK, but also prewar coaching stock from France, Norway, Belgium, Italy, and Denmark.[23]

The railway also owns an ex Southern Railways travelling post office dating to the 1930s, a Victorian era Great Northern Railway parcels van, and an ex London, Midland and Scottish Railway sorting office carriage from the Great Train Robbery.[24][25] Demonstration 4 coach mail trains have been run between Sutton Cross and Wansford since 2009.[26][27]

Nene Valley has a large collection of vintage railway wagons, some operational and others undergoing restoration.[28][29]

Signalling edit

The Nene Valley Railway is divided into four absolute block sections, controlled by staff and ticket working: Yarwell to Wansford, Wansford to Orton Mere, Orton Mere to Peterborough NVR and Orton Mere to the Fletton Junction with the East Coast Main Line. The signalbox at Orton Mere can be switched out, creating a single section all the way from Wansford to Peterborough and isolating the Fletton Branch, allowing the entire railway to be operated from Wansford; in this case the Peterborough NVR token key is kept physically clipped to the Orton Mere train staff. The staff for the Fletton branch was previously kept at Peterborough powerbox, but is now in possession of the NVR, along with the branch itself.

All points and signals are operated by heritage electrical and mechanical systems. There are two crossovers, one at Wansford and one at Orton Mere, driven by electric point motors; the Orton Mere crossover was converted from all-mechanical in 2015. The majority of the signals are upper-quadrant mechanical semaphore arms, though four lower-quadrant Great Northern somersault signals are mounted on a gantry controlling down trains out of Wansford.[30] Lights at Orton Mere indicate that the crossover has operated correctly, and flashing white lights at Overton indicate that the automatic level crossing warning lights are showing.

Wansford signalbox was built in 1907 around a 30-bar London & North Western Railway lever frame of 60 levers;[31] levers 1 to 15 were removed when the Stamford Line was closed. A later addition is a mechanical gated level crossing, operated from a "ship's wheel" at the West end of the 'box. The gates were replaced with ones made new in-house over the Winter of 2022-23, replacing a previous set made in the 1990s. The Wansford crossing includes wicket gates on the East side for pedestrian traffic when the old Great North Road was a busier route; these can be locked shut from the signalbox, and are currently being replaced.

Access to the loco yard is controlled by a two-lever ground frame released from the signalbox; this is because a point motor was not available at the time, and replacing it is a job which has never been got round to. A single-lever ground frame controlling access to the Carriage and Wagon Shed requires the Wansford-Yarwell train staff. The West end of Wansford station is thoroughly track-circuited; nearby "miniature" relays pick up low Voltage signals applied to the rails and re-transmit them at 50 Volts to the signalbox where shelf relays interlock them with the rest of the signalling. Most of the track circuits are DC, but a recently-installed AC track circuit extends to the tunnel mouth. At the East end, the points are protected by a mechanical flange bar which prevents them from being unlocked when a train is present.

At Yarwell, the run-round loop is controlled by a single-lever ground frame requiring the train staff. A possible future application of a colour-light signal is to provide an outer home signal to allow shunting to take place on the main line at Wansford while a train is in section.

For demonstrating the Travelling Post Office (TPO) apparatus, a starter signal can be operated from a nearby ground frame, giving the demonstration train a good run-up from a standing start. This signal is normally kept 'off' (allowing trains to pass); to operate the frame one must be in possession of a padlock key, and also a battery to power the electric lever lock in lieu of a release from Wansford signalbox.

Overton Station is equipped with an automatic level crossing which includes the BR prototype solid-state flash circuit driving the flashing warning lights. Access to the sidings here is controlled by a two-lever ground frame requiring the train staff.

Orton Mere signalbox was brought to the Nene Valley Railway in the 1980s, and contains a 12-lever Midland Railway lever frame.[32] When the 'box is not being used, a king lever renders parts of the frame's mechanical interlocking as two disconnected areas of influence, allowing the signals to be pulled off for both directions. The signalling here was substantially augmented in 2015 with the addition of track circuits and the electrification of the crossover. A 'selector locking' mechanism, by which one lever operates one of two signals depending on the position of the points, was removed, but is hoped to be reused at the West end of the station.

Orton Mere signalbox was subject to an arson attack early in 2023, leaving much of the interior damaged and the electrical instruments destroyed. Repairs and improvements were funded by the efforts of two young local enthusiasts, and the 'box was ceremonially re-opened on 9th March 2024.

The signalbox at Peterborough NVR is currently unused, though it is a current project to use it to control access to the Railworld site next-door. It contains a 40-lever Great Northern frame.[33] The run-round loop is controlled at the West end by a two-lever ground frame requiring the Orton Mere - Peterborough NVR train staff, and by a hand-point at the East end.

Communication is mostly carried by hand-held radio, but signal-post telephones are available around Wansford. Wansford and Orton Mere signalboxes are connected by block bell which is regularly used on galas and some service timetables; the block bell in Orton Mere 'box is of the BR modular "penguin" type. A block instrument and a Tyer's No. 9 electric token instrument in Wansford 'box are not used.[34]

As a film location edit

The line has been a location for filming over 150 TV shows, films, adverts and music videos.[35][36]

Between 1977 and 1979, many sequences for the BBC's wartime drama Secret Army were filmed here, principally at Wansford station.[35]

In 1982, Wansford station was used for six weeks to shoot scenes featuring Roger Moore and Maud Adams for the James Bond film Octopussy.[19]

Scenes for the biplane/helicopter dogfight from the 1986 film Biggles: Adventures in Time were filmed here, involving one memorable shot where the helicopter piloted by Biggles "lands" on a flat-bed railway carriage.[35]

Another Bond film GoldenEye was also 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.[37]

In 2008, Penélope Cruz and Daniel Day-Lewis were among the actors who worked on the filming of the live-action film Nine on the Railway.[36]

TV shows filmed here include EastEnders,[38] Casualty, Silent Witness, Dalziel and Pascoe and Poirot.[36]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Excitement for railworld and nene valley
  2. ^ Highways, National (19 August 2022). "Victorian railway station saved and put back on the right track - National Highways". nationalhighways.co.uk.
  3. ^ Findlay, Cait (20 January 2024). "The disused Cambs railway station set to be moved stone by stone to new site". Cambridgeshire Live.
  4. ^ Evans, Gareth (12 March 2021). "Help the Nene Valley Railway build a new engine shed – in 5 inch gauge! | The Railway Magazine".
  5. ^ . Nene Valley Railway Museum and Educational Charity. Archived from the original on 30 April 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Royal Scot stars at the Nene Valley Railway's 40th Anniversary", Steam Railway, 16 June 2017, NVR General Manager Sarah Piggott unveils the Overton for Ferry Meadows running-in board at the renaming ceremony on June 1.
  7. ^ Thomas returns to steam 2024
  8. ^ "Locomotives and Multiple Units | Nene Valley Railway Ltd". nvr.org.uk.
  9. ^ "Bulleid 50 – Nene Valley Railway". 2 March 2017.
  10. ^ "Loco Roster | Nene Valley Railway Ltd". nvr.org.uk.
  11. ^ "Thomas | Nene Valley Railway Ltd". nvr.org.uk.
  12. ^ "Danish 'Tinkerbell' hauls first trains in 38 years". Steam Railway. No. 555. 29 February 2024. p. 23.
  13. ^ "LNER A1 Tornado | Nene Valley Railway Ltd". nvr.org.uk.
  14. ^ "Nene Valley Railway". 6 August 2017.
  15. ^ "Overhaul update on steam locomotive 73050 City of Peterborough". RailAdvent. 20 March 2020.
  16. ^ "86-year-old man reunited with steam locomotive he used to drive over 60 years ago at Nene Valley Railway in Peterborough".
  17. ^ "In Pictures: Steam tram engine under restoration at Nene Valley Railway | British Trams Online News".
  18. ^ "Small Loco Group | Nene Valley Railway Ltd". nvr.org.uk.
  19. ^ a b . Rutland and Stamford Mercury. Johnston Press. 21 September 2012. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  20. ^ "Steam Locomotive Information". www.steamlocomotive.info.
  21. ^ "Nene Valley Buys Swedish Prairie - Heritage Railway". Everand.
  22. ^ "Nene Valley Railway". preserved.railcar.co.uk.
  23. ^ "Coaching Stock". Dave's Rail phots.
  24. ^ "Non-Passenger Carrying Coaching Stock". Dave's Rail phots.
  25. ^ "Travelling Post Office Group | Nene Valley Railway Ltd". nvr.org.uk.
  26. ^ "TPOs on The Nene Valley Railway". www.lightstraw.uk.
  27. ^ "NVR timetable" (PDF).
  28. ^ "NVR Wagon Group". NVR Wagon Group.
  29. ^ "Stock Lists". 19 September 2011.
  30. ^ Signalling in the Age of Steam, Michael A. Vanns, p.45.
  31. ^ Signalling in the Age of Steam, Michael A. Vanns, p.33.
  32. ^ Signalling in the Age of Steam, Michael A. Vanns, p.32.
  33. ^ Signalling in the Age of Steam, Michael A. Vanns, p.54.
  34. ^ Signalling in the Age of Steam, Michael A. Vanns, p.74.
  35. ^ a b c . The Peterborough Telegraph. Johnston Press. 11 April 2007. Archived from the original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  36. ^ a b c Reinis, Nick (8 September 2010). . The Peterborough Telegraph. Johnston Press. Archived from the original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  37. ^ "Sinister Class 20 is new James Bond movie star". Rail. No. 250. 12 April 1995. p. 6.
  38. ^ Leishman, Fiona (31 July 2019). "Fans of Eastenders may spot a familiar location in an upcoming episode". CambridgeshireLive.
  • Rhodes, John (1976). The Nene Valley Railway. Sheffield: Turntable Publications.
  • Waszak, P.J.; Ginns, J.W. (1995). Peterborough's First Railway: Yarwell to Peterborough. Peterborough: Nene Valley Railway.
  • Nene Steam. Nene Valley Railway. 1979. {{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links edit

  • Official Nene Valley Railway website

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

nene, valley, railway, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, 2009. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Nene Valley Railway news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2009 Learn how and when to remove this message The Nene Valley Railway NVR is a preserved railway in Cambridgeshire England running between Peterborough Nene Valley and Yarwell Junction The line is 7 1 2 miles 12 1 km in length There are stations at each terminus and three stops en route Orton Mere Ferry Meadows and Wansford Nene Valley RailwayThe Polish 0 8 0T Class Slask No Tkp 5485 arrives at OvertonLocaleEnglandTerminusPeterboroughCommercial operationsNameLondon and North Western RailwayBuilt byLondon and Birmingham RailwayOriginal gauge4 ft 8 1 2 in 1 435 mm standard gaugePreserved operationsOperated byNene Valley RailwayStations5Length7 1 2 miles 12 1 km Preserved gauge4 ft 8 1 2 in 1 435 mm standard gaugeCommercial historyOpened1847Closed to passengers1966Closed1972Preservation history1974Line purchased by Peterborough Development Corporation1977NVR reopened1983Orton Mere station building opened1986NVR ExtendedPeterborough Nene Valley opened1995Wansford current station building opened2007Yarwell Junction current terminus reopened2008Yarwell Junction Station Building opens officiallyHeadquartersWansfordRoute mapLegend Ely Peterborough line Peterborough East Peterborough North East Coast Main Line Peterborough Nene Valley Longville Junction Orton Mere Overton for Ferry Meadows Ham Lane Castor Stamford and Essendine Railway Old Great North Road Wansford Wansford Tunnel 616 yards Yarwell Junction Northampton and Peterborough Railway GN amp LNW to Rugby Contents 1 History 1 1 Origins 1 2 Society formed 1 3 Purchase of line and locomotives 1 4 Operation 1 5 Extension to Peterborough 1 6 Future 2 Stations 2 1 Yarwell Junction 2 2 Wansford 2 3 Castor 2 4 Overton for Ferry Meadows 2 5 Orton Mere 2 6 Longville Junction 2 7 Peterborough Nene Valley 3 Locomotives 3 1 Operational steam locomotives 3 2 Steam locomotives undergoing overhaul or restoration 3 3 Stored steam locomotives 3 4 Operational diesel locomotives 3 5 Railcars Diesel Multiple Units 3 6 Track machines 3 7 Diesel locomotives undergoing overhaul or restoration 3 8 Stored diesel locomotives 4 Rolling stock 5 Signalling 6 As a film location 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksHistory editOrigins edit See also Northampton and Peterborough Railway and Rugby and Stamford Railway In 1845 the London and Birmingham Railway L amp BR company was given parliamentary assent to construct a line from Blisworth in Northamptonshire to Peterborough Completed in 1847 it was Peterborough s first railway line It terminated at Peterborough later Peterborough East station The line was of little significance until the late 19th century when the London amp North Western Railway L amp NWR which had absorbed the L amp 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 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 from Peterborough to Barnwell some 13 miles 21 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 1900 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 main line and frequently 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 Society formed edit nbsp The new Wansford station building In 1968 the Rev Richard Paten had bought BR 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 the locomotive was found to be in good working order and there was much opposition to the idea of the engine being stuffed and it was decided to restore it 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 BR Standard Class 7 70000 Britannia By 1970 the branch was strong enough to operate independently as 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 Purchase of line and locomotives edit nbsp The flagship locomotive British Railways Class Standard Five No 73050 takes on water at Peterborough Nene Valley 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 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 In 1973 PRS member Richard Hurlock had approached the society for a home for his ex Swedish State Railways SJ class S1 2 6 4T 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 Operation edit 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 3 628 a French 4 6 0 locomotive and SJ 1178 another Swedish tank engine pulling a set of ex BR electrical multiple unit coaches owned by the Southern Electric Group Extension to Peterborough edit 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 of 26 May 1986 This extended the NVR to its current length 7 1 2 miles 12 1 km Future edit In 2024 the Nene Valley Railway and Railworld Nature Reserve acquired the former Wansford Road Station 1 Built in 1869 it served the branch line to Stamford Lincolnshire until it closed in 1929 2 In 2022 the station and platform were facing demolition by National Highways for the new dual carriageway between Wansford and Sutton It will be dismantled stone by stone and reconstructed at the eastern end of the railway 3 Stations edit nbsp The brand new station building at Yarwell nbsp The original Wansford station building which is not in use on Platform 3 nbsp The new station building at Ferry Meadows which used to be a goods office nbsp Orton Mere station building which opened in 1983 Yarwell Junction edit Main article Yarwell Junction railway station Yarwell Junction is the former junction between the lines to Northampton and Market Harborough It is the current terminus of the NVR s operating line In April 2006 the track was realigned allowing a platform to be built at Yarwell Junction which opened at Easter 2007 there was never previously a station on the site The new station is linked by footpaths to Nassington and the mill village of Yarwell but there is no vehicular access Yarwell Junction is about 1 mile 1 6 km west of Wansford station at the other end of Yarwell Tunnel Wansford edit 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 miniature railway picnic area and children s playground 4 The station was formerly the junction for a branch to Stamford which diverged 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 was purchased by the railway in 2015 Castor edit Main article Castor railway station Castor is a disused station between Wansford and Ferry Meadows It closed in the 1960s and despite the NVR which runs through it reopening the station remains closed Overton for Ferry Meadows edit Main article Ferry Meadows railway station Overton for Ferry Meadows is located near the site of Orton Waterville station and provides access to the nearby country park The current building was moved brick by brick from the old goods yard at Fletton Junction on the East Coast Main Line it replaced a portable building desperately in need of repair NVR has now added 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 The station is also the site of the new Night Mail Museum with construction well under way with some exhibits open to view 5 Overton station was renamed Overton for Ferry Meadows in 2017 in conjunction with the Nene Valley Railway s 40th anniversary celebrations 6 Orton Mere edit Main article Orton Mere railway station Orton Mere is a two platform station with a station building built in 1983 and a signal box Until 1986 this was the terminus of the line Most trains depart from platform 1 Just outside 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 one lever to three This station provides access to the eastern end of the Nene Park Longville Junction edit Longville or Longueville Junction is about 1 mile 1 6 km from Peterborough Nene Valley and links to the nearby East Coast Main Line As of March 2013 there is no platform here as Orton Mere station is only a few hundred yards close by Peterborough Nene Valley edit Main article Peterborough Nene Valley railway station nbsp 34081 92 Squadron at Peterborough in October 2022 Peterborough Nene Valley aka Peterborough West is the current end of the line Here there is a platform a bay platform and a station building housing a ticket office a small souvenir shop and toilets It is a 10 minute walk from here to Peterborough City Centre Railworld is next door to the station with a wide variety of rolling stock on display It is currently planned to relocate the station building currently at Wansford Road Station on the old line from Wansford to Stamford to here Locomotives editThe Nene Valley Railway has a full scale replica of Thomas the Tank Engine working a passenger and freight service on Thomas events it was the first railway in the world to possess one citation needed The Nene Valley Railway considers its Thomas to be the official Thomas the Tank Engine because it was named by Thomas creator the Rev W Awdry in 1971 The replica engine runs at certain special events weekends and bank holidays however the Nene Valley Railway does not host official Day out with Thomas events as many railways do Unsuccessfully HiT Entertainment tried to sue the Nene Valley Railway on the grounds that their Thomas locomotive was breaching their trademark but they lost the case as the court ruled that it was not breaching HiT s trademark because the Hudswell Clarke locomotive was given the name Thomas by the creator Rev W Awdry 7 Operational steam locomotives edit nbsp Thomas No 1 and his branch line train are seen at Yarwell nbsp A side view of Polish 0 8 0T Class Slask No Tkp 5485 at Wansford nbsp 92 Squadron crossing the bridge at Wansford nbsp D9520 hauling a goods train Residents BR Southern Bulleid 4 6 2 unrebuilt Battle of Britain class No 34081 92 Squadron Built in 1948 Arrived on 20 May 2010 at Wansford from the North Norfolk Railway having left that line in 2003 The loco returned to steam in January 2017 following a seven year overhaul 8 9 Polish 0 8 0T Class Slask TKp No 5485 Built in 1959 Withdrawn Summer 2012 for overhaul The engine moved to the Flour Mill works for an overhaul and returned to the railway on 26 July 2019 Painted green with a black front end wheels painted red lined with white 10 Hudswell Clarke 0 6 0T No 1800 Thomas named by Railway Series author Wilbert Awdry Built in 1947 for a beet sugar factory in Peterborough Restricted to around Wansford Yard and hauling Wansford Yarwell Junction shuttles only apart from an annual trip to Peterborough Underwent boiler repairs in 2023 and returned to traffic in January 2024 with a new ten year boiler ticket 11 Danish 0 6 0T Class F No 656 Tinkerbell unofficial name Built in 1949 Returned to service in February 2024 after overhaul 12 Visitors LNER A1 Tornado no 60163 will be visiting the railway during the spring of 2024 13 Steam locomotives undergoing overhaul or restoration edit Hudswell Clarke 0 6 0ST No 1539 Derek Crouch Built in 1924 Undergoing overhaul 14 BR Standard Class 5 4 6 0 No 73050 City of Peterborough Built in 1954 Withdrawn September 2014 for overhaul which commenced in 2017 Boiler repairs ongoing since 2021 15 16 Cockerill 0 4 0WT Tram Engine No 1626 Toby Built in 1890 Undergoing major restoration and rebuild 17 Stored steam locomotives edit Hunslet Austerity 0 6 0ST 0 6 0ST 75006 Built in 1943 Awaiting overhaul after being withdrawn in 2004 18 German 2 6 2T Class 64 No 64 305 Built in 1936 Stored awaiting overhaul Swedish B Class 4 6 0 No 101 Built in 1944 On static display after being withdrawn from service in 2005 Disguised as a German D class locomotive No 101 was used in the James Bond film Octopussy 19 Hunslet 0 6 0ST No 1953 Jacks Green Built in 1939 Cosmetically restored into its original industrial livery and is on display with its footplate accessible to visitors 20 Swedish 2 6 2T Class S No 1178 Built in 1914 Awaiting major overhaul Purchased by the railway in 2020 21 Operational diesel locomotives edit BR Class 14 0 6 0DH No 14 029 D9529 BR Class 45 1 Co Co 1 No 45 041 ROYAL TANK REGIMENT Sentinel 4w No 10202 Barabel In regular use in the yard Sentinel 0 6 0 No DL83 In service A regular shunter in the yard Railcars Diesel Multiple Units edit SJ Class Y7 diesel railcar B 2 Helga BR Class 143 143602 Former Transport For Wales Unit Recently arrived and awaiting driving training 22 Track machines edit Plasser amp Theurer TASC 45 track maintenance vehicle In service Used for track maintenance by the civil engineering department Also available for passenger rides on select days Diesel locomotives undergoing overhaul or restoration edit Hibberd 0 4 0 No 2896 Frank Undergoing a major restoration English Electric 0 4 0 No 1123 Under overhaul Stored diesel locomotives edit Ruston amp Hornsby 0 4 0DM No 304469 Stored awaiting major restoration Rolling stock editNene Valley Railway s coaching stock includes not only the BR Mk I and BR Mk II carriages commonly seen on preserved railways in the UK but also prewar coaching stock from France Norway Belgium Italy and Denmark 23 The railway also owns an ex Southern Railways travelling post office dating to the 1930s a Victorian era Great Northern Railway parcels van and an ex London Midland and Scottish Railway sorting office carriage from the Great Train Robbery 24 25 Demonstration 4 coach mail trains have been run between Sutton Cross and Wansford since 2009 26 27 Nene Valley has a large collection of vintage railway wagons some operational and others undergoing restoration 28 29 Signalling editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Nene Valley Railway news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2024 Learn how and when to remove this message The Nene Valley Railway is divided into four absolute block sections controlled by staff and ticket working Yarwell to Wansford Wansford to Orton Mere Orton Mere to Peterborough NVR and Orton Mere to the Fletton Junction with the East Coast Main Line The signalbox at Orton Mere can be switched out creating a single section all the way from Wansford to Peterborough and isolating the Fletton Branch allowing the entire railway to be operated from Wansford in this case the Peterborough NVR token key is kept physically clipped to the Orton Mere train staff The staff for the Fletton branch was previously kept at Peterborough powerbox but is now in possession of the NVR along with the branch itself All points and signals are operated by heritage electrical and mechanical systems There are two crossovers one at Wansford and one at Orton Mere driven by electric point motors the Orton Mere crossover was converted from all mechanical in 2015 The majority of the signals are upper quadrant mechanical semaphore arms though four lower quadrant Great Northern somersault signals are mounted on a gantry controlling down trains out of Wansford 30 Lights at Orton Mere indicate that the crossover has operated correctly and flashing white lights at Overton indicate that the automatic level crossing warning lights are showing Wansford signalbox was built in 1907 around a 30 bar London amp North Western Railway lever frame of 60 levers 31 levers 1 to 15 were removed when the Stamford Line was closed A later addition is a mechanical gated level crossing operated from a ship s wheel at the West end of the box The gates were replaced with ones made new in house over the Winter of 2022 23 replacing a previous set made in the 1990s The Wansford crossing includes wicket gates on the East side for pedestrian traffic when the old Great North Road was a busier route these can be locked shut from the signalbox and are currently being replaced Access to the loco yard is controlled by a two lever ground frame released from the signalbox this is because a point motor was not available at the time and replacing it is a job which has never been got round to A single lever ground frame controlling access to the Carriage and Wagon Shed requires the Wansford Yarwell train staff The West end of Wansford station is thoroughly track circuited nearby miniature relays pick up low Voltage signals applied to the rails and re transmit them at 50 Volts to the signalbox where shelf relays interlock them with the rest of the signalling Most of the track circuits are DC but a recently installed AC track circuit extends to the tunnel mouth At the East end the points are protected by a mechanical flange bar which prevents them from being unlocked when a train is present At Yarwell the run round loop is controlled by a single lever ground frame requiring the train staff A possible future application of a colour light signal is to provide an outer home signal to allow shunting to take place on the main line at Wansford while a train is in section For demonstrating the Travelling Post Office TPO apparatus a starter signal can be operated from a nearby ground frame giving the demonstration train a good run up from a standing start This signal is normally kept off allowing trains to pass to operate the frame one must be in possession of a padlock key and also a battery to power the electric lever lock in lieu of a release from Wansford signalbox Overton Station is equipped with an automatic level crossing which includes the BR prototype solid state flash circuit driving the flashing warning lights Access to the sidings here is controlled by a two lever ground frame requiring the train staff Orton Mere signalbox was brought to the Nene Valley Railway in the 1980s and contains a 12 lever Midland Railway lever frame 32 When the box is not being used a king lever renders parts of the frame s mechanical interlocking as two disconnected areas of influence allowing the signals to be pulled off for both directions The signalling here was substantially augmented in 2015 with the addition of track circuits and the electrification of the crossover A selector locking mechanism by which one lever operates one of two signals depending on the position of the points was removed but is hoped to be reused at the West end of the station Orton Mere signalbox was subject to an arson attack early in 2023 leaving much of the interior damaged and the electrical instruments destroyed Repairs and improvements were funded by the efforts of two young local enthusiasts and the box was ceremonially re opened on 9th March 2024 The signalbox at Peterborough NVR is currently unused though it is a current project to use it to control access to the Railworld site next door It contains a 40 lever Great Northern frame 33 The run round loop is controlled at the West end by a two lever ground frame requiring the Orton Mere Peterborough NVR train staff and by a hand point at the East end Communication is mostly carried by hand held radio but signal post telephones are available around Wansford Wansford and Orton Mere signalboxes are connected by block bell which is regularly used on galas and some service timetables the block bell in Orton Mere box is of the BR modular penguin type A block instrument and a Tyer s No 9 electric token instrument in Wansford box are not used 34 As a film location editThe line has been a location for filming over 150 TV shows films adverts and music videos 35 36 Between 1977 and 1979 many sequences for the BBC s wartime drama Secret Army were filmed here principally at Wansford station 35 In 1982 Wansford station was used for six weeks to shoot scenes featuring Roger Moore and Maud Adams for the James Bond film Octopussy 19 Scenes for the biplane helicopter dogfight from the 1986 film Biggles Adventures in Time were filmed here involving one memorable shot where the helicopter piloted by Biggles lands on a flat bed railway carriage 35 Another Bond film GoldenEye was also 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 37 In 2008 Penelope Cruz and Daniel Day Lewis were among the actors who worked on the filming of the live action film Nine on the Railway 36 TV shows filmed here include EastEnders 38 Casualty Silent Witness Dalziel and Pascoe and Poirot 36 See also editPeterborough railway station Peterborough East railway station Nene Valley disambiguation References edit Excitement for railworld and nene valley Highways National 19 August 2022 Victorian railway station saved and put back on the right track National Highways nationalhighways co uk Findlay Cait 20 January 2024 The disused Cambs railway station set to be moved stone by stone to new site Cambridgeshire Live Evans Gareth 12 March 2021 Help the Nene Valley Railway build a new engine shed in 5 inch gauge The Railway Magazine The Night Mail Museum Nene Valley Railway Museum and Educational Charity Archived from the original on 30 April 2016 Retrieved 29 March 2016 Royal Scot stars at the Nene Valley Railway s 40th Anniversary Steam Railway 16 June 2017 NVR General Manager Sarah Piggott unveils the Overton for Ferry Meadows running in board at the renaming ceremony on June 1 Thomas returns to steam 2024 Locomotives and Multiple Units Nene Valley Railway Ltd nvr org uk Bulleid 50 Nene Valley Railway 2 March 2017 Loco Roster Nene Valley Railway Ltd nvr org uk Thomas Nene Valley Railway Ltd nvr org uk Danish Tinkerbell hauls first trains in 38 years Steam Railway No 555 29 February 2024 p 23 LNER A1 Tornado Nene Valley Railway Ltd nvr org uk Nene Valley Railway 6 August 2017 Overhaul update on steam locomotive 73050 City of Peterborough RailAdvent 20 March 2020 86 year old man reunited with steam locomotive he used to drive over 60 years ago at Nene Valley Railway in Peterborough In Pictures Steam tram engine under restoration at Nene Valley Railway British Trams Online News Small Loco Group Nene Valley Railway Ltd nvr org uk a b James Bond director John Glen visits Nene Valley Railway where he filmed Octopussy Rutland and Stamford Mercury Johnston Press 21 September 2012 Archived from the original on 9 April 2016 Retrieved 29 March 2016 Steam Locomotive Information www steamlocomotive info Nene Valley Buys Swedish Prairie Heritage Railway Everand Nene Valley Railway preserved railcar co uk Coaching Stock Dave s Rail phots Non Passenger Carrying Coaching Stock Dave s Rail phots Travelling Post Office Group Nene Valley Railway Ltd nvr org uk TPOs on The Nene Valley Railway www lightstraw uk NVR timetable PDF NVR Wagon Group NVR Wagon Group Stock Lists 19 September 2011 Signalling in the Age of Steam Michael A Vanns p 45 Signalling in the Age of Steam Michael A Vanns p 33 Signalling in the Age of Steam Michael A Vanns p 32 Signalling in the Age of Steam Michael A Vanns p 54 Signalling in the Age of Steam Michael A Vanns p 74 a b c Tracking the history of a rail attraction The Peterborough Telegraph Johnston Press 11 April 2007 Archived from the original on 8 April 2016 Retrieved 29 March 2016 a b c Reinis Nick 8 September 2010 Ender the line for Janine The Peterborough Telegraph Johnston Press Archived from the original on 8 April 2016 Retrieved 29 March 2016 Sinister Class 20 is new James Bond movie star Rail No 250 12 April 1995 p 6 Leishman Fiona 31 July 2019 Fans of Eastenders may spot a familiar location in an upcoming episode CambridgeshireLive Rhodes John 1976 The Nene Valley Railway Sheffield Turntable Publications Waszak P J Ginns J W 1995 Peterborough s First Railway Yarwell to Peterborough Peterborough Nene Valley Railway Nene Steam Nene Valley Railway 1979 a href Template Cite magazine html title Template Cite magazine cite magazine a Missing or empty title help External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nene Valley Railway Official Nene Valley Railway website 52 33 50 N 00 20 23 25 W 52 56389 N 0 3397917 W 52 56389 0 3397917 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nene Valley Railway amp oldid 1221742459, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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