Heritage Railways: The Nene Valley
This time, something a bit different. My travels include occasional visits to Heritage Railways, as here with a recent day out on the Nene Valley Railway in Cambridgeshire, based at Wansford near Peterborough.
On the day of my trip, BR Standard Class 7 No 70000 “Britannia” built in 1951 was operating services whilst visiting the NVR as part of the “200 Years of Railways” celebrations in 2025. Seen here arriving at Wansford Station with a service from Peterborough comprising Mark I coaches.
The new station building is on the right, opened in 1995, which neatly blends in with the traditional signal box and gantry on the left.
The Line
The Nene Valley Railway (NVR) is a 7.5 mile preserved line in Cambridgeshire, running between Peterborough Nene Valley and Yarwell Junction. In addition to the two terminals, there are intermediate stations at Orton Mere, Overton and Wansford. The main centre of operations is at Wansford, where the workshops and sheds are located. A pictorial map of the route is included at the end of this article.
The original station building at Wansford is on the opposite side of the line from the modern one and is currently awaiting restoration.
This was built in 1844/5 in Jacobean style for the opening of the railway.
History of the Line
Today’s NVR lies on part of the former Northampton & Peterborough Railway, a 47 mile line which was opened in 1845 by the London & Birmingham Railway, later becoming part of the London & North Western Railway (LNWR). It largely followed the course of the River Nene through mainly agricultural country. Despite being regarded as a secondary main line, traffic never really built up and It closed to passenger services in 1964 and to freight traffic in 1972.
In addition, there were branch lines from Wansford to Stamford and from Yarwell to Rugby, which both closed earlier than the main route.
A nearside view of “Britannia” at the head of its train at Yarwell Junction Station, the western limit of the line.
This location was the former junction between lines to Northampton and Rugby. Note the small station building on the right.
Preservation
In 1974, Peterborough Development Corporation bought the Nene Valley line between Longville and Yarwell Junctions, leasing it to the then Peterborough Railway Society, which morphed into the Nene Valley Railway. Passenger trains began running in 1977, unusually using mostly foreign steam engines and rolling stock at first. At this time the eastern terminus was Orton Mere, but the extension to Peterborough Nene Valley adjacent to the East Coast Main Line opened in 1986.
Here is “Britannia” again, this time beside the water tower at Peterborough Nene Valley Station, the eastern terminus of the line, as it prepares to run round its train.
The bridges in the background are just south of Peterborough National Rail Station and take the East Coast Main Line above the NVR trackbed.
The Ride
My trip over the NVR began at Wansford, where I boarded the first departure of the day at 10.00, settling into a comfortable well padded seat on a BR Mark I open carriage. This was a real treat compared with the day-to-day experience of travelling on so-called ergonomically designed modern rolling stock which seems to be anything but! I was surprised to see a good crowd on the train at that time of day, but despite a chill in the air, there was a blue sky with sunshine which no doubt prompted many to attend.
Services were being operated by visiting steam locomotive No 70000 “Britannia”, a preserved Standard Class 7 built by British Railways in 1951. This was the first of 55 similar engines intended for express passenger work and famously hauled the funeral train of King George VI from Kings’s Lynn to London following his death in 1952. Sadly, these modern steam locos were destined for a short working life, being obsolete almost as soon as they entered service, with diesel and electric replacements being already on the horizon. “Britannia” was withdrawn by BR in 1966 and so has been in preservation around 4 times longer than in main line use. Over the years, it has been based at the Severn Valley Railway, the Nene Valley Railway and Crewe. Owners have included The Britannia Locomotive Co Ltd, Pete Waterman, Jeremy Hosking and the Royal Scot Locomotive & General Trust.
The ride began with a 1 mile or so trip west from Wansford Station to Yarwell Junction, passing under the A1 road in a short cutting before entering Yarwell Tunnel. At the other end, we emerged into sunlight and drew into Yarwell Junction Station, set amid trees and lakes. Originally, trains simply reversed here, but in 2007 a platform was built with a small station building, which is linked by footpaths to nearby villages. There is no vehicular access.
After a 15 min or so break, during which Britannia ran around the train and attached to the other end, we returned back through Yarwell Tunnel to Wansford. After a short pause, we continued across the level crossing over the old Great North Road past the impressive signalbox built by the LNWR in 1907, originally with 60 operational levers. Then followed a pleasant section through open countryside following the course of the River Nene, which the railway crosses twice on bridges.
The line also passes through the disused station at Castor, before arriving into the next stop at Overton (for Ferry Meadows). This is located near the site of Orton Waterville station and provides access to the nearby country park, which was busy with visitors. Many on and off at this stop.
Continuing through woodland, we arrived at Orton Mere station, a more simple affair situated partly beneath a dual carriageway concrete viaduct, providing access to the eastern end of Nene Park. A few alighted here. Just beyond the station is Longville Junction, which links to the nearby East Coast Main Line.
However, we continued on the NVR past housing on our right and a footpath on our left on the last mile or so to the eastern terminus at Peterborough Nene Valley station. This was built in a new location as the original Peterborough East station site could not be accessed, but is just short of the ECML which passes over the NVR trackbed at right angles on a girder viaduct just beyond the buffer stops. The station includes a ticket office, small shop and toilets. Railword Wildlife Haven is situated beside the NVR station, which is around a 10 min walk from Peterborough National Rail Station and the city centre.
After watching “Brittania” run around the train once more, we departed back the way we had come after another break of around 15 min. A busier trip than the earlier one, with most seats taken and many standing for all or part of the journey. Arrival back at Wansford was around 11.30, end to end travelling time for the entire line being in the order of 30 mins each way.
A quiet scene at Wansford Station between services, with the level crossing gates open for road traffic.
Also a close up view of the signal gantry with its traditional semaphores and large manual signalbox.
Wansford Station
Wansford is the headquarters of the NVR where most of the facilities are based. The current station building was opened in 1995 and contains a ticket office, shop, cafe and toilets. There is a period style waiting room together with staff rooms on the same platform. The original station building built in 1845 is located on the opposite platform and after being in private ownership was purchased by the railway in 2015, although it is currently awaiting restoration.
The locomotive sheds and workshops are located at the end of the yard beside the station and have a visitors viewing gallery above. The yard includes a turntable and a model railway, with a small museum adjacent covering the history of the line with appropriate artifacts.
Wansford Station has been the location setting for various films and TV series - famously featuring in the 1983 James Bond film “Octopussy” starring Roger Moore when it posed as somewhere in East Germany, then in the later Bond film “Golden Eye” in 1995 when a Class 20 loco was disguised as a Russian engine pulling an armoured train. Various scenes were filmed here in the 1970s for the wartime drama “Secret Army” doubling for stations in Belgium.
The Waiting Room at Wansford Station is well appointed and in traditional style. It is of LNWR wooden construction and was moved from the former Barnwell Station to Wansford in 1977.
Originally built for use by members of the royal family when visiting nearby Barnwell Manor, the only thing missing is a nice fire in the grate!
Locomotives & Rolling Stock
The NVR has a collection of resident steam locos, the main ones currently operational being:
Polish 0-8-0T Class Slask/TKp No 5485 built in 1959
Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T No 1800 “Thomas” built in 1947 for industrial use, converted in preservation to “Thomas The Tank Engine”
Danish 0-6-0T Class F “Tinkerbell” built in 1949
Visiting steam locos at the time of my visit were “Britannia” and “Flying Scotsman”, as mentioned elsewhere in the article and photo captions.
Operational diesel locos comprise a BR Class 14, a Class 45 and two small Sentinels.
There are also two Class 43 HST Power Cars, a BR Class 143 “Pacer” undergoing driver training and a Swedish Y7 diesel railcar.
Various other locos are undergoing restoration or stored awaiting restoration.
Coaching stock comprises the usual BR Mk I and II carriages often seen on preserved UK railways, together with prewar stock from France, Belgium, Italy, Norway and Denmark.
Danish 0-6-0T Class F No 656 “Tinkerbell” is one of the NVR’s resident locos and is seen in Wansford Yard.
This engine was built in 1949 and returned to service in 2024 after overhaul. Note the “Pacer” diesel unit to the left sticking out of the shed.
The NVR has a full scale replica of Thomas the Tank Engine, seen here on the turntable in Wansford Yard. This is a Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T former industrial loco from 1947.
After conversion, the engine was named by Thomas’ creator Rev W Awdry in 1971 and runs at certain special events.
We end with another famous visitor to the NVR, LNER Class A3 no 60103 “Flying Scotsman”. Unfortunately not in service on the day of my visit, it is seen being moved in Wansford Yard by a diesel shunter.
Built in 1923, the loco is restored in British Railways brunswick green with German style smoke deflectors.
Getting There
For those travelling by road, car parking is available at Wansford Station, just off the A1. For those arriving by rail, Peterborough Nene Valley Station can be accessed by a short walk from Peterborough National Rail Station. Alternatively, local buses connect Peterborough Bus Station with Orton Mere and Overton Stations. Yarwell Station has only footpath access.
Watton
