Former New England based N2 1744 is reflected in the river Nene as it departs Wansford one beautiful September morning in 2015.
Jason’s Picture of the month August 2021.
Well that was a nice weekend.
Some weekends can, shall we say be a little difficult. Due to things like breakdowns or the weather. But last weekend was not one of those
Saturday saw the main service diesel hauled by the Peak locomotive, which seems to be popular with both normal visitors and enthusiasts. Please note I am not saying that enthusiasts are not normal!!!
There were two cream tea runs as well using the Polish steam locomotive and the continental coaches. Nice to see people on there enjoying themselves. The day was topped off with a Gin evening on the train, again very popular and something we have not done before.
Sunday was tame by comparison with the Polish tank engine pulling the Mk1 coaches. It ran to time all day, which is always a bonus.
Weekends like this are important to the railway, it’s been a far from normal period that we are hopefully coming out of. But we need events that appeal to visitors and are also profitable.
Bahamas arrives on the 7th August and there are some great events planned with that and I look forward to observing them.
It promises to be a good summer and then we have the Santa trains, always popular with both the public and the volunteers alike.
Sitting typing this in the evening where it’s still a bit on the warm side perhaps the Santa trains in cooler weather can’t come quick enough.
Thomas’ 50th Birthday Bash.
The Nene Valley Railway is home to a little blue engine named ‘Thomas’ by the Rev. W. Awdry author of the famous books about Thomas and Friends. On 26th June 2021 it will be 50 years since Rev. W. Awdry signed Thomas’ cab at The Nene Valley Railway & we at the railway want to celebrate this day with all of Thomas’ friends old & new.
The 0-6-0T engine No. 1800 was built by Hudswell Clarke in 1947 at about the time when Rev.W Awdry wrote his second book in which Thomas appeared. The little blue engine spent its entire working life at the British Sugar Corporation Peterborough factory pushing wagons of sugar beet up an incline until the day came when a diesel engine replaced the steam power of Thomas. The Peterborough Railway Society purchased this delightful little engine on 9th September 1973 and he was moved to the Nene Valley Railway, where he has since delighted his friends and children of all ages.
Thomas lives at Wansford and can been seen most of time in the yard when not in steam, on some occasions he is moved in the shed to let the engeineers work on him.
Well that’s the first few weeks out of the way.
Here we are with services running again on the railway. Granted it may not be as many as we would like to run and we are running with reduced capacity. But we are running!
It’s nice to see visitors back at the railway enjoying themselves.
We have lots of events planned, the most notable being Thomas’ 50th birthday bash at the end of the month. Plus of course the The Steam EnGIN Express on the 24th July. I will be interested to see how the event goes. I feel that it will be popular and hopefully become a regular perhaps yearly event.
This coming Saturday the 12th of June sees the Wansford Miniature Railway Grand Opening. A lot of work has gone into the miniature railway’s construction and it will without doubt be popular.
Locomotives in Steam and on Display
Steam Locomotive Sweet Pea “Holly”
Steam Locomotive War Department No 90776 Royal Anglian Regiment
Steam Locomotive GWR King “King Edward II”
Steam Locomotive GWR Parire No 4588
Steam Locomotive Sweet Pea “Joe”
Battery Electric Class 14 No 9520
Battery Electric 08 No 08679
Under Overhaul LNER B1 Roedeer on Display
Sweet Pea
- For the Opening of the Miniature Railway Train Services are £1 per return trip, tickets purchased on the day from the Miniature Railway
- Miniature Freight Train
- Miniature Railway Shop with a selection of fund rasing items for sale
- Miniature Traction Engines in Steam
- Special Celebration First Day Postal Covers
- Blue Circle in Steam
- Social Distancing is to maintained at all times in line with Government guidelines
- The NVR will be running main line Steam services on the day
- Refreshments available at Wansford Station.
- All attractions subject to availability and Covid restrictions
- Please note to travel on the miniature railway you must be in possession of a Platform ticket or Main Travel ticket.
If you’re visiting the railway please give it your support.
So lets look forward to a summer of trains and visitors.
Jason’s Picture of the month June 2021
Visiting from the North Norfolk Railway former Nassington quarry based Hunslet Ring Haw passes Castor spring 2015.
Ready Steady GO!!!!!!!!
Tomorrow sees the recommencement of services on the NVR, hopefully with no more lockdowns ahead.
Services will still be far from what we are used to, we still have social distancing.
Looking at the official railway web site we have lots of special events coming up, please support them. This is still a critical time for the railway.
For those who do visit and travel, you are most welcome, thanks for your support it is appreciated.
The railway has played a very important part in Peterborough’s history and development and it’s fair to say the city would be very different if that first train had not steamed into the city in 1845.
Whilst we can’t fully recreate those days, travelling on the railway does give you the opportunity to travel on part of the first railway route into the city.
If you take some nice photographs during your visit and would like to share them please feel free to send them to me and I would love to include them on the blog. The email address can be found to the right of this posting.
Welcome back to The Nene Valley Railway.
Coming to a screen near you.
For several years Railcam have had three cameras on the NVR.
Well I am pleased to announce that one of the cams showing the Main Wansford station and crossing is now available on YouTube.
Our thanks to Railcam for providing this for the railway it is appreciated.
Jason’s Picture of the month for May
Jason’s Picture of the month.
This is the first in a regular series of images from Jason Isaac who did the three part article on photographing along the line.
71000 Duke of Gloucester stands alongside Standard 5 73050 City of Peterborough at Wansford during the 2011 Steam Gala.
Is it a dirty job on the footplate?
Now that’s a question I have been asked on a regular basis.
The answer is it depends on what you think is dirty.
Here is a picture of Harry Baldwin back in 2009, he was a cleaner on steam locos. I often commented the loco was cleaner than he was!!
