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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

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Well we finally got there.

After many fits and starts plus the odd hiccup the railway finally got there.
The pacer finally did it’s first day in commercial service.

© ROBERT PHIPPS.

Here it is crossing Ham Lane approaching Overton station, shame there was no sunshine but you cant have everything.

Here are a couple more of it at Overton station.

© ROBERT PHIPPS
(C) ROBERT PHIPPS

I gather from reliable sources that rumble heard as it got back to Wansford after its first run was not the result of many held breaths being let out.

I think that thanks must be aimed at those who put in many hours, getting the Pacer ready for service, dealing with all the problems along the way. All of us on the railway appreciate your hard work.

I am sure the Pacer will be popular with visitors and be a good earner of revenue for the railway.

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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

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Class 14 failed today.

The class 14 failed today on the first Santa service.

Here it is at Peterborough Nene Valley all on its own. Awaiting recovery back to Wansford.

© Ron Smith

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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.

© Jason Isaacs.

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.

© Phil Venn

Now we have it in colour.

© Phil Venn

Which version do you prefer I wonder?

My thanks to Jason & Phil for the images.