I was kindly sent this image of a painting.
My thanks to Gerard Bauer who painted it in the 1970’s..
Locomotive 656.
It’s a diesel weekend.
This weekend we are running a diesel service. Yesterday we had the class 14 and today we are running the Peak.
Ever since I joined the railway there have been two camps, one for and one against running diesels in the summer.
Personally I have always been of the opinion that we should, on a regular basis run all that we have available. We are not just a steam railway we are a heritage railway, a fact that many often forget about.
From when I ran Orton Mere I can count on one hand the number of times that a visitor decide not to travel because we were running diesel.
I would hazard a guess that most of our visitors have never travelled behind a steam train when they were in service on the network. but many have travelled behind diesels when they have needed to travel by rail.
So enjoy whatever we are running it is all part of our history!
Orton Mere 1978
Roy Harrison who died recently was a prolific photographer of The Nene Valley Railway.
Here is a picture taken by Roy at Orton Mere station in 1978. The area around the station looks very different today
Work on Wansford signal box.
Work has commenced on 12 to 14 weeks. of refurbishment work on the box.
The box was built in 1907 by the LNWR, and is one of the largest signal boxes in preservation and in its original location.
Currently surrounded by scaffolding, it’s ready for the work to commence.
Should you wish to make a donation towards the cost of the work to preserve the box for many years to come please contact the office at the railway on 01780-784444. You donation will be most welcome irrespective of the amount.
The box will remain operational during the works.
Nene Valley Railway awarded a grant.
The Department of Media Culture and Sport has announced that NVR has been awarded a grant of £669,873 from the Arts Council England, Cultural Investment Fund.
This supports the Nene Valley Railway in executing three major infrastructure projects:
1. To relay worn-out track through Wansford tunnel, including new drainage.
2. To relay track and roadway at Wansford Level Crossing.
3. To relay track in Wansford yard, where old track has been buried in ash for over forty years.
While infrastructure is one of the less glamourous aspects of railway preservation it is fundamental to being able to run trains. No track – no trains! This outstanding award means that we can look forward to running trains long into the future. The track renewals made possible by the grant will have a life-expectancy of around 40 years and are focussed at three weak areas on our line.
Work will start later this year and continue through 2024 and complete in mid-2025.
“With thanks to DCMS and Arts Council England for their support and investment in our railway heritage” @DCMS @ace_national @dcmsgovuk @aceagrams
Orton Mere box in flames
I was sent the following image of Orton Mere box in flames.
© Peterborough Volunteer Fire Brigade.
Sir Nigel Gresley to visit the NVR
7th to 10th and 15th to 16th April 2023
N°4498 Sir Nigel Gresley was the 100th Gresley Pacific built by the Great Northern Railway / London and North Eastern Railway. Built at Doncaster as works N°1863, the locomotive entered service in 1937 following a naming ceremony at Marylebone station on 26th November. The locomotive was mainly based at London King’s Cross, with a spell at Grantham during World War II, and was briefly re-numbered as N°7 before becoming N°60007 when the LNER was merged into British Railways. On 3rd June 1956, Sir Nigel Gresley had the honour of hauling the Royal Train from King’s Cross to York with H.M. the Queen on board. The “Stephenson Locomotive Society Special” of the 23rd May 1959 was the first train in the UK with a booked or advertised schedule of over 100 m.p.h. and during that trip, N°60007 set the official post-war speed record for steam traction of 112 mph.
Join the NVR as we celebrate steam-hauled services with 60007 back in Blue for the first time since overhaul,
We are delighted that 60007 will be a special guest throughout the event and will be hauling passenger trains during the weekend. The locomotive is attending with thanks to Sir Nigel Locomotive Trust
60007 Footplate Experience
Take the chance to ride the footplate of 60007. A limited number of tickets will be on sale to ride the footplate of 60007, entering the footplate will be via the famous A4 Tender corridor, which leads from the coaching stock to the locomotive footplate, you will then ride the footplate for approximately five minutes. Tickets for the Footplate experience are limited and will be an additional payment on top of your standard travel ticket
Mk1 Coaching stock in use
All-day Rover Tickets are available
Four trips per day behind Sir Nigel Gresley
Licensed Buffet Car
Turntable Café serving hot/cold food and refreshments from 8:30
Wansford Miniature Railway
Wansford Shop and Second-Hand Book Shop open
Ale on Rail,
Other attractions to be advised
Wagon Lits carriages on the evening Santa train.
Tonight we are running an evening Santa train. Here are a few images of the carriages being used.
The Wagon Lits carriages are very popular on special events.
Firstly here we have the Italian dining car, this is blue in colour and a super job has been done with its refurbishment.
A large proportion of the continental set is made up of Belgian coaches. Now as with anything changing between colour and black & white can change an image.
Here is a great example. Firstly in black & white.
Now we have it in colour.
Which version do you prefer I wonder?
My thanks to Jason & Phil for the images.
656 in Peterborough for the first time
Today 656 has done a run to Peterborough. The last time the locomotive ran there was no line past Orton Mere.
The small loco group are to be congratulated on their excellent work.
656 in steam back in 1976
I have been sent the following images by Kevin Mcelhone they were taken on 28th March 1976 when 656 was steamed for the first time.
All the images are Kevin’s copyright.
