Category: Along the line

Posted on

Nice time of year for the weather!

Here I am sitting writing this entry with the temperature nudging 29c and fairly high humidity. I have a gloss finish on my face and I am doing nothing more active than typing.

Nice to have seen decent weather last weekend for the trains, makes a change from driving rain and howling winds.

Over the coming months we have some excellent events planned so all being well the weather will be on our side.

Of course this culminates at the end of the year with the Santa trains. Seems funny thinking about the Santas in this weather, but they are the most important services of the year. The profit from the Christmas services helps immensely during the quiet period at the start of 2024.

Mention must be made of both the Pacer and the Swedish railcar. They are running on some of the quieter days, and provide a variance to the normal diesel and steam services.

So let’s look forward to a busy summer, and welcome visitors with our normal enthusiasm, and make sure they go away after having a super visit.

Pictures of services and events always welcome for the blog, as are articles from events and happenings across the railway.

Posted on

Deltic to visit NVR.

Nene Valley Railway in partnership with our long standing supporters The Deltic Preservation Society are pleased to announce the visit of Deltic 55009 ALYCIDON for a stay in October 2023.

Tickets and more information coming soon via our web page

6th October. Freight Train Driver Experience,

11th October. Driver Experience Day.

14th October. Gala with 55009 hauling the Evening Dining train.

15th October. Gala.

16th October. Driver Experience Day.

Please watch both the Nene Valley Railway and Deltic Preservation Society media pages for any updates. This is the second and last Heritage line visit for 55009 this year.

Posted on

Temporary renaming of 92 Squadron

This Sat 27th May join us for the renaming of 92 Squadron. As the Royal Auxiliary Air Force prepares to mark 100 years of voluntary service in the RAF, Battle of Britain Class locomotive No:34081 will temporarily change its name from “92 Squadron” to “Royal Auxiliary Air Force” to honour the thousands of men and women who have given so much to support the Royal Air Force in its work at home and overseas in the last 100 years.

#fionaharrison will be sing songs from the 1940s to the 1970s on Platform 2, 92 Squadron renaming ceremony will take place at 12:45, the Band of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force will be providing a musical ensemble, Spitfire aircraft flypast.

Free travel on the day to any child (aged up to 15 yrs of age) attending with a parent/family member of a serving or veteran personnel in uniform with medals and veteran personnel wearing medals. Plus 10% discount on full price travel tickets for anyone with a RAF ID Card. Plus our Miniature Railway will be open and running 10 to 3pm.

Posted on

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

Posted on

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.

Posted on

Well that was an excellent visit.

The visit of Sir Nigel Gresley, was without doubt the most successful visit in a long time.

The weather was excellent and the visitors came to the railway.

There have been many favourable comments by those visitors, and hopefully they will return in the future.

Now back to the bread and butter weekends….

Posted on

It’s arrived!!!

Sir Nigel Gresley has arrived for it’s visit.

Here are three images of it’s arrival.

It will without doubt be a popular visitor.

All these images are © Chris Walker.

Posted on

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

#letscreate