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 north of Northampton.

Overview

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 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.

A northern extension of the <abbr title="NLR = Northampton & Lamport Railway">NLR</abbr> 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 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

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.

Locomotives

Steam

  • GWR 2884 Class No. 3862. Built in 1942. Under restoration.
  • Peckett and Sons No. 1378 Westminster. Built in 1914 for the Fovant Military Railway Under restoration.
  • Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. No. 776 Firefly. Built in 1896. Under restoration.
  • Andrew Barclay 0-6-0T No. 1605 Ajax. Built in 1918. Acquired from the Isle of Wight Steam Railway in 2024.
  • Andrew Barclay No. 2323. Built in 1952. Under restoration.
  • Hawthorn Leslie and Company No. 3718 Swanscombe No. 4. Built in 1928. Operational, returned to steam in 2019.

Main line diesel

  • British Rail Class 31 A1A-A1A No. 31289 Phoenix - operational
  • British Rail Class 31 A1A-A1A No. 31601 Devon Diesel Society - operational
  • British Rail Class 33 Bo-Bo No. 33053 - operational
  • British Rail Class 47 Co-Co No. 47205 - operational

Industrial diesel and shunters

  • Ruston & Hornsby 165DS No. 764 Sir Gyles Isham (first locomotive to arrive on the line) - operational
  • Ruston & Hornsby 165DS No. 53 Sir Alfred Wood - under repair
  • Fowler No. 21 - Spares recovery before scrapping

Carriages

  • British Rail Mark 3 DVT No. 82114 - being prepared for service by NLRCIO the vehicle owners
  • British Rail Mark 2 TSO No. 5174 - in service
  • British Rail Mark 2 TSO No. 5132, formerly named Clan Munro - operational
  • British Rail Mark 2 BSO(T) No. 9102. - in service.
  • British Rail Mark 1 TSO No. 3919. - being overhauled by NLRCIO, the vehicle owners.
  • 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)

<gallery>

File:27I08I2016 Northampton and Lamport Railway A2.jpg|The booking office and platform at Pitsford and Brampton

File:27I08I2016 Northampton and Lamport Railway A1.jpg|The platform at Pitsford and Brampton Station

File:27I08I2016 Northampton and Lamport Railway A3.jpg|Pitsford and Brampton signal box

File:27I08I2016 Northampton and Lamport Railway B5.jpg|Pitsford Sidings signal box

File:Nlr-loco-naming-amoswolfe.jpg|Steam locomotive 7646 "Northampton" officially named by the Mayor of Northampton

File:27I08I2016 Northampton and Lamport Railway B3.jpg|Peckett 0-4-0ST Works No. 2104 in the yard, preparing for a day's use on passenger trains

File:Rail-class-117-51402-amoswolfe.jpg|The first passenger train to cross Bridge 13, with headboard from 1981 (Class 117 51402 has since moved to the Strathspey Railway)

File:Brampton Valley Way at Boughton looking north in April 2018.jpg|Boughton &mdash; end of the Brampton Valley Way which runs alongside the railway

File:Backhoe loader JCB 3CII.jpg|JCB excavator used in the railway's construction

File:Cars-stanleysteamcar-amoswolfe.jpg|Stanley Steamer visiting an event at the railway

File:27I08I2016 Northampton and Lamport Railway D1.jpg|Hunslet 0-6-0ST 'Ring Haw' and a short goods train

File:TKh 5374 Santa Special at Northampton & Lamport Railway.jpg|Santa Special hauled by No. 7646

</gallery>

References