17:
1521:
1542:
1534:
783:
237:
168:
1036:
223:
1237:
1230:
909:
1558:. The one train each way per night was electrically hauled between Euston and Northampton and by a Class 45 locomotive between Northampton and Glasgow. It did not call at Market Harborough. The line was closed to passenger traffic again on 1 May 1969 and reopened on 10 July 1972. The advertised passenger service was finally withdrawn on 26 August 1973, although the line continued to be used by freight trains, football specials and as a diversionary route.
112:
1211:
1182:
1090:
859:
601:
431:
210:
997:
930:
660:
1189:
1083:
256:
119:
1283:
1138:
559:
348:
340:
323:
273:
85:
1050:
990:
887:
849:
641:
582:
486:
412:
161:
1160:
1057:
961:
827:
805:
761:
732:
710:
688:
551:
527:
505:
390:
281:
265:
332:
1023:
938:
880:
1564:
The line had several manual level crossings. Each of these required a mechanical signalbox to be maintained and staffed, leading to high fixed costs, which were only slightly reduced by staffing the boxes for only one or two shifts per day, according to traffic needs. Proposals to automate the level
1651:
between
Northampton and just south of Market Harborough is intact, however the former trackbed into Market Harborough station has been lost under housing development known as Britannia Walk and a number of other developments have been built on the alignment meaning any reopening of the line would
1545:
Class 20s 8137 and 8042 lead northbound coal empties past the site of
Spratton station on Sunday 1973-03-18. At this time, the line was normally open from 22:00 to 14:00, Mondays to Saturdays. On this occasion, Sunday opening was necessary to clear a traffic backlog after industrial action by rail
1409:
of March 1967, the line was shown as part of the passenger and freight network for development. At about the same time, the two road overbridges along the line were rebuilt in order to provide clearances for 25 kV 50 Hz electrification, which was to be carried through to
1393:
462 yards (422 m) on the Down line and 453 yards (414 m) on the Up line. The line was originally single-track and was later doubled; hence, each tunnel consists of two separate bores, one for each track. One bore of each tunnel is open as part of the
1569:. Although the line was considered useful by the operators as a diversionary route, the high costs and diminishing coal traffic led to its closure at a time when British Rail was under great pressure from government to close marginal lines.
1705:
1434:. The closure of St. Pancras and the electrification between Northampton and Market Harborough did not take place, but the raised overbridges are still visible at Brampton and Brixworth station sites.
1715:
1572:
On 15 August 1981, the day before closure, a special train was chartered to run from
Northampton to Market Harborough and return. This was the last British Rail passenger train to run on the line.
1517:. As traffic built up, the Midland built a new line at a higher elevation, crossing the LNWR and then running parallel to a new joint station in the present position, which opened in 1885.
1561:
During the 1960s and 1970s, the staple traffic declined considerably, consisting principally of coal trains from the
Nottinghamshire coalfields to London and their northbound empties.
1554:
was closed in 1947; Pitsford & Brampton in 1950) but was re-opened to through traffic on 6 January 1969 in conjunction with the re-routing of sleeping car services away from
46:
1442:
When the line opened, there were only three intermediate stations, at
Pitsford, Brixworth and Lamport. Further stations were opened, although almost all were closed by 1960.
1550:
The line had a staggered history in its final years. It was first closed to advertised passenger traffic on 4 January 1960 along with all remaining intermediate stations (
1736:
1422:(despite also being included as "for development" in the report) would be closed to passengers, with services between London and Leicester re-routed via
39:
1777:
1197:
1118:
1111:
32:
1594:
and based itself in the old goods yard at
Pitsford and Brampton station. The track was lifted by British Rail and the trackbed was sold to
1782:
1446:
1146:
1787:
1772:
1802:
20:
A Class 47 approaches the site of
Brixworth station hauling a FA Trophy Final football fan special from Wembley on 26 April 1975.
1797:
1792:
1457:
895:
1482:
1451:
1251:
1031:
513:
1371:
1605:
The
Railway Society arranged to lease part of the trackbed from the County Council and began rebuilding the line as a
1494:
1487:
370:
218:
1692:
Midland Line
Memories: a Pictorial History of the Midland Railway Main Line Between London (St Pancras) & Derby
1581:
1356:
1340:
1710:
1595:
864:
1259:
1706:"Paying passengers all aboard as trains run on Northampton-Market Harborough line for first time in 50 years"
1293:
1263:
141:
66:
1423:
1335:. It opened on 16 February 1859 and finally closed on 16 August 1981. The former trackbed is used by the
886:
1555:
972:
295:
133:
1510:
1467:
1101:
769:
743:
190:
1625:
1537:
25181 and 25106 lead an aggreate train towards
Northampton at Merry Tom Crossing, 06:50, 1975-06-13
1498:
1477:
1462:
947:
858:
835:
670:
535:
1514:
1472:
718:
1502:
303:
1379:
16:
1752:
8:
1618:
1599:
1431:
1395:
1336:
96:
1614:
1520:
1415:
1375:
1364:
362:
182:
1624:
On 30 March 2024, the Northampton & Lamport Railway opened a second station at
1606:
1566:
1541:
1067:
1007:
1533:
1506:
1386:
610:
440:
1390:
1737:
Government backs re-opening railway link from Northampton to Market Harborough
1766:
1427:
1035:
222:
1628:
allowing trains to run between Pitsford and Brampton and Boughton stations.
1644:
1402:
1328:
1360:
1647:
backed proposals to reopen the Northampton–Market Harborough line. The
1648:
1411:
1352:
1632:
1551:
1669:
1419:
1332:
1621:
was granted and the Grand Opening took place on 31 March 1996.
1590:
which had campaigned to keep the line open changed its name to
1565:
crossings were met with hostility by locals in the wake of the
1505:
line which opened in 1850. From 1857 it was shared by the
1672:. Northampton & Lamport Railway Preservation Society
1430:, along with the closure and demolition of London
1764:
1339:and part of the route has been re-opened as the
1247:
1107:
614:
459:
444:
358:
291:
178:
129:
25:
40:
1359:(LNWR) proposed a new railway line between
1662:
1631:There are plans for a future extension to
47:
33:
1778:Closed railway lines in the East Midlands
1613:due to the presence of a large number of
1414:. At the time, it was envisaged that the
1355:were discovered in Northamptonshire. The
1703:
1540:
1532:
1519:
1407:British Railways Network for Development
15:
1765:
1638:
558:
550:
272:
264:
1643:In October 2019, Transport Secretary
1598:for use as a "linear park" named the
339:
331:
1229:
937:
929:
167:
1575:
13:
1783:Rail transport in Northamptonshire
1609:. The name was changed in 1992 to
1325:Northampton–Market Harborough line
1252:Northampton & Peterborough Rly
1236:
1210:
600:
430:
209:
14:
1814:
1704:Nicholls, Kevin (27 March 2024).
1611:Northampton & Lamport Railway
1588:Welland Valley Rail Revival Group
1582:Northampton & Lamport Railway
1341:Northampton & Lamport Railway
782:
659:
236:
111:
1788:Rail transport in Leicestershire
1773:London and North Western Railway
1740:Northampton Chronicle & Echo
1711:Northampton Chronicle & Echo
1357:London and North Western Railway
1281:
1235:
1228:
1209:
1188:
1187:
1181:
1180:
1158:
1136:
1089:
1088:
1082:
1081:
1055:
1048:
1034:
1021:
995:
988:
959:
936:
928:
907:
885:
878:
857:
847:
825:
803:
781:
759:
730:
708:
686:
658:
639:
599:
580:
557:
549:
525:
503:
484:
429:
410:
388:
346:
338:
330:
321:
279:
271:
263:
255:
254:
235:
221:
208:
166:
159:
118:
117:
110:
83:
1652:need to be on a new alignment.
1596:Northamptonshire County Council
1509:on the "London Extension" from
1385:The line includes two tunnels:
1374:(nephew of the Railway Pioneer
1282:
1137:
996:
908:
865:Northampton and Lamport Railway
347:
322:
84:
1803:1859 establishments in England
1745:
1730:
1697:
1684:
1418:between Market Harborough and
1389:, 322 yards (294 m); and
1049:
989:
848:
640:
581:
485:
411:
160:
1:
1655:
1493:The original LNWR station at
1198:Northampton St. John's Street
1159:
1056:
960:
826:
804:
760:
731:
709:
687:
569:Kelmarsh to Arthingworth road
526:
504:
389:
280:
1798:Railway lines closed in 1981
1793:Railway lines opened in 1859
1454:– originally a minor station
1169:Bridge Street Level Crossing
7:
1670:"NLR – History of the Line"
1447:Northampton (Bridge Street)
1437:
1424:Northampton railway station
1351:In 1851, large deposits of
1147:Northampton (Bridge Street)
1022:
879:
10:
1819:
1579:
1528:
1382:, and was opened in 1859.
1346:
814:Spratton to Brixworth Road
296:Rugby and Stamford Railway
134:Rugby and Stamford Railway
1592:Northampton Steam Railway
1524:Brixworth Station in 1965
1370:The line was designed by
1290:
1275:
1244:
1222:
1218:
1203:
1196:
1174:
1167:
1152:
1145:
1130:
1097:
1075:
1064:
1042:
1030:
1015:
1004:
982:
968:
953:
946:
920:
916:
901:
894:
872:
856:
841:
834:
819:
812:
797:
792:Brixworth to Creaton Road
790:
775:
768:
753:
739:
724:
717:
702:
695:
680:
667:
652:
648:
633:
608:
593:
589:
574:
567:
541:
534:
519:
512:
497:
493:
478:
438:
423:
419:
404:
397:
382:
355:
315:
288:
248:
244:
229:
217:
202:
175:
153:
126:
104:
92:
77:
1694:London: Bloomsbury Books
1294:Bedford–Northampton line
1753:"Walkin' down the line"
1547:
1538:
1525:
399:Little Bowden Crossing
58:Market Harborough Line
21:
1544:
1536:
1523:
1458:Pitsford and Brampton
896:Pitsford and Brampton
19:
1690:Radford, B., (1983)
1483:Clipston and Oxendon
1452:Northampton (Castle)
1380:George Parker Bidder
1372:George R. Stephenson
1119:& Midland Jn Rly
1032:Northampton (Castle)
514:Clipston and Oxendon
1639:Potential reopening
1619:Light Railway Order
1600:Brampton Valley Way
1432:St. Pancras Station
1396:Brampton Valley Way
1337:Brampton Valley Way
1112:Stratford-upon-Avon
974: A5199
1615:diesel locomotives
1548:
1539:
1526:
970:Boughton Crossing
745: A508
697:Draughton Crossing
22:
1742:, 25 October 2019
1495:Market Harborough
1488:Market Harborough
1416:Midland Main Line
1376:George Stephenson
1365:Market Harborough
1321:
1320:
1317:
1316:
1269:
1268:
1124:
1123:
741:Lamport Crossing
672: A14
627:
626:
472:
471:
457:
456:
376:
375:
371:London St Pancras
363:Midland Main Line
309:
308:
219:Market Harborough
196:
195:
183:Midland Main Line
147:
146:
1810:
1757:
1756:
1749:
1743:
1734:
1728:
1727:
1725:
1723:
1718:on 30 March 2024
1714:. Archived from
1701:
1695:
1688:
1682:
1681:
1679:
1677:
1666:
1607:heritage railway
1576:Heritage railway
1567:Hixon rail crash
1552:Spratton station
1285:
1284:
1248:
1239:
1238:
1232:
1231:
1213:
1212:
1191:
1190:
1184:
1183:
1162:
1161:
1140:
1139:
1108:
1092:
1091:
1085:
1084:
1068:Northampton loop
1059:
1058:
1052:
1051:
1038:
1025:
1024:
1008:Northampton loop
999:
998:
992:
991:
977:
975:
963:
962:
940:
939:
932:
931:
911:
910:
889:
882:
881:
861:
851:
850:
829:
828:
807:
806:
785:
784:
763:
762:
748:
746:
734:
733:
712:
711:
690:
689:
675:
673:
662:
661:
643:
642:
615:
611:Kelmarsh Tunnels
603:
602:
584:
583:
561:
560:
553:
552:
529:
528:
507:
506:
488:
487:
460:
445:
433:
432:
414:
413:
392:
391:
359:
350:
349:
342:
341:
334:
333:
325:
324:
292:
283:
282:
275:
274:
267:
266:
258:
257:
239:
238:
225:
212:
211:
179:
170:
169:
163:
162:
130:
121:
120:
114:
113:
87:
86:
75:
74:
49:
42:
35:
26:
1818:
1817:
1813:
1812:
1811:
1809:
1808:
1807:
1763:
1762:
1761:
1760:
1755:. 3 March 2020.
1751:
1750:
1746:
1735:
1731:
1721:
1719:
1702:
1698:
1689:
1685:
1675:
1673:
1668:
1667:
1663:
1658:
1641:
1584:
1578:
1531:
1507:Midland Railway
1440:
1387:Kelmarsh Tunnel
1349:
1297:
1286:
1271:
1240:
1233:
1214:
1192:
1185:
1170:
1163:
1141:
1126:
1093:
1086:
1071:
1060:
1053:
1026:
1011:
1000:
993:
978:
973:
971:
964:
942:
941:
934:
933:
912:
890:
883:
868:
852:
830:
815:
808:
793:
786:
764:
749:
744:
742:
735:
713:
698:
691:
676:
671:
669:
663:
644:
629:
604:
585:
570:
563:
562:
555:
554:
530:
508:
489:
474:
441:Oxendon Tunnels
434:
415:
400:
393:
378:
351:
344:
343:
336:
335:
326:
311:
284:
277:
276:
269:
268:
259:
240:
213:
198:
171:
164:
149:
122:
115:
100:
88:
69:
60:
59:
57:
53:
12:
11:
5:
1816:
1806:
1805:
1800:
1795:
1790:
1785:
1780:
1775:
1759:
1758:
1744:
1729:
1696:
1683:
1660:
1659:
1657:
1654:
1640:
1637:
1580:Main article:
1577:
1574:
1530:
1527:
1491:
1490:
1485:
1480:
1475:
1470:
1465:
1460:
1455:
1449:
1439:
1436:
1391:Oxendon Tunnel
1348:
1345:
1319:
1318:
1315:
1314:
1312:
1310:
1308:
1306:
1304:
1302:
1299:
1298:
1291:
1289:
1287:
1280:
1278:
1276:
1273:
1272:
1267:
1266:
1260:Wellingborough
1255:
1254:
1245:
1243:
1241:
1234:
1227:
1225:
1223:
1220:
1219:
1217:
1215:
1208:
1206:
1204:
1201:
1200:
1195:
1193:
1186:
1179:
1177:
1175:
1172:
1171:
1168:
1166:
1164:
1157:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1149:
1144:
1142:
1135:
1133:
1131:
1128:
1127:
1122:
1121:
1115:
1114:
1098:
1096:
1094:
1087:
1080:
1078:
1076:
1073:
1072:
1065:
1063:
1061:
1054:
1047:
1045:
1043:
1040:
1039:
1029:
1027:
1020:
1018:
1016:
1013:
1012:
1005:
1003:
1001:
994:
987:
985:
983:
980:
979:
969:
967:
965:
958:
956:
954:
951:
950:
945:
943:
935:
927:
926:
925:
923:
921:
918:
917:
915:
913:
906:
904:
902:
899:
898:
893:
891:
884:
877:
875:
873:
870:
869:
862:
855:
853:
846:
844:
842:
839:
838:
833:
831:
824:
822:
820:
817:
816:
813:
811:
809:
802:
800:
798:
795:
794:
791:
789:
787:
780:
778:
776:
773:
772:
767:
765:
758:
756:
754:
751:
750:
740:
738:
736:
729:
727:
725:
722:
721:
716:
714:
707:
705:
703:
700:
699:
696:
694:
692:
685:
683:
681:
678:
677:
668:
666:
664:
657:
655:
653:
650:
649:
647:
645:
638:
636:
634:
631:
630:
625:
624:
620:
619:
609:
607:
605:
598:
596:
594:
591:
590:
588:
586:
579:
577:
575:
572:
571:
568:
566:
564:
556:
548:
547:
546:
544:
542:
539:
538:
533:
531:
524:
522:
520:
517:
516:
511:
509:
502:
500:
498:
495:
494:
492:
490:
483:
481:
479:
476:
475:
470:
469:
465:
464:
455:
454:
450:
449:
439:
437:
435:
428:
426:
424:
421:
420:
418:
416:
409:
407:
405:
402:
401:
398:
396:
394:
387:
385:
383:
380:
379:
374:
373:
366:
365:
356:
354:
352:
345:
337:
329:
328:
327:
320:
318:
316:
313:
312:
307:
306:
299:
298:
289:
287:
285:
278:
270:
262:
261:
260:
253:
251:
249:
246:
245:
243:
241:
234:
232:
230:
227:
226:
216:
214:
207:
205:
203:
200:
199:
194:
193:
186:
185:
176:
174:
172:
165:
158:
156:
154:
151:
150:
145:
144:
137:
136:
127:
125:
123:
116:
109:
107:
105:
102:
101:
93:
91:
89:
82:
80:
78:
71:
70:
65:
62:
61:
56:Northampton to
55:
54:
52:
51:
44:
37:
29:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1815:
1804:
1801:
1799:
1796:
1794:
1791:
1789:
1786:
1784:
1781:
1779:
1776:
1774:
1771:
1770:
1768:
1754:
1748:
1741:
1738:
1733:
1717:
1713:
1712:
1707:
1700:
1693:
1687:
1671:
1665:
1661:
1653:
1650:
1646:
1636:
1634:
1629:
1627:
1622:
1620:
1616:
1612:
1608:
1603:
1601:
1597:
1593:
1589:
1583:
1573:
1570:
1568:
1562:
1559:
1557:
1553:
1543:
1535:
1522:
1518:
1516:
1512:
1508:
1504:
1500:
1496:
1489:
1486:
1484:
1481:
1479:
1476:
1474:
1471:
1469:
1466:
1464:
1461:
1459:
1456:
1453:
1450:
1448:
1445:
1444:
1443:
1435:
1433:
1429:
1428:London Euston
1425:
1421:
1417:
1413:
1408:
1404:
1399:
1397:
1392:
1388:
1383:
1381:
1377:
1373:
1368:
1366:
1362:
1358:
1354:
1344:
1342:
1338:
1334:
1330:
1326:
1313:
1311:
1309:
1307:
1305:
1303:
1301:
1300:
1296:
1295:
1288:
1279:
1277:
1274:
1265:
1261:
1257:
1256:
1253:
1250:
1249:
1242:
1226:
1224:
1221:
1216:
1207:
1205:
1202:
1199:
1194:
1178:
1176:
1173:
1165:
1156:
1154:
1151:
1148:
1143:
1134:
1132:
1129:
1120:
1117:
1116:
1113:
1110:
1109:
1105:
1103:
1095:
1079:
1077:
1074:
1070:
1069:
1062:
1046:
1044:
1041:
1037:
1033:
1028:
1019:
1017:
1014:
1010:
1009:
1002:
986:
984:
981:
976:
966:
957:
955:
952:
949:
944:
924:
922:
919:
914:
905:
903:
900:
897:
892:
888:
876:
874:
871:
867:
866:
860:
854:
845:
843:
840:
837:
832:
823:
821:
818:
810:
801:
799:
796:
788:
779:
777:
774:
771:
766:
757:
755:
752:
747:
737:
728:
726:
723:
720:
715:
706:
704:
701:
693:
684:
682:
679:
674:
665:
656:
654:
651:
646:
637:
635:
632:
622:
621:
617:
616:
612:
606:
597:
595:
592:
587:
578:
576:
573:
565:
545:
543:
540:
537:
532:
523:
521:
518:
515:
510:
501:
499:
496:
491:
482:
480:
477:
467:
466:
462:
461:
452:
451:
447:
446:
442:
436:
427:
425:
422:
417:
408:
406:
403:
395:
386:
384:
381:
372:
368:
367:
364:
361:
360:
353:
319:
317:
314:
305:
301:
300:
297:
294:
293:
286:
252:
250:
247:
242:
233:
231:
228:
224:
220:
215:
206:
204:
201:
192:
188:
187:
184:
181:
180:
173:
157:
155:
152:
143:
139:
138:
135:
132:
131:
124:
108:
106:
103:
99:
98:
90:
81:
79:
76:
73:
72:
68:
64:
63:
50:
45:
43:
38:
36:
31:
30:
28:
27:
24:
18:
1747:
1739:
1732:
1720:. Retrieved
1716:the original
1709:
1699:
1691:
1686:
1674:. Retrieved
1664:
1645:Grant Shapps
1642:
1630:
1623:
1610:
1604:
1591:
1587:
1585:
1571:
1563:
1560:
1549:
1492:
1441:
1406:
1403:British Rail
1400:
1384:
1369:
1350:
1329:railway line
1327:is a closed
1324:
1322:
1292:
1264:Peterborough
1099:
1066:
1006:
863:
458: │
142:Peterborough
94:
23:
1556:St. Pancras
1497:was on its
1361:Northampton
618:322 yd
463:453 yd
448:462 yd
1767:Categories
1656:References
623:294 m
468:414 m
453:422 m
97:Nottingham
1676:5 January
1511:Leicester
1468:Brixworth
1412:Leicester
1353:ironstone
1102:Blisworth
770:Brixworth
191:Leicester
1722:30 March
1649:trackbed
1633:Spratton
1626:Boughton
1546:workers.
1499:Stamford
1478:Kelmarsh
1463:Spratton
1438:Stations
948:Boughton
836:Spratton
536:Kelmarsh
1529:Closure
1515:Bedford
1473:Lamport
1420:Bedford
1405:report
1401:In the
1347:History
1333:England
719:Lamport
1378:) and
67:Legend
1503:Rugby
1270:
1246:
1125:
1106:
628:
613:
473:
443:
377:
357:
310:
304:Rugby
290:
197:
177:
148:
128:
1724:2024
1678:2009
1617:. A
1586:The
1363:and
1323:The
1262:and
1513:to
1501:to
1426:to
1331:in
1258:to
1104:and
1100:to
369:to
302:to
189:to
140:to
95:to
1769::
1708:.
1635:.
1602:.
1398:.
1367:.
1343:.
1726:.
1680:.
48:e
41:t
34:v
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
