LNWR Northampton & Market Harborough Line authorisation?

[Bright Boy]

Does anyone know when the LNWR Northampton & Market Harborough line was authorised ?

Hello, by the way, I'm new on here!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Does anyone know when the LNWR Northampton & Market Harborough line was authorised ?
Hello, by the way, I'm new on here!

Hi, welcome to the forum.
Malcolm Reed's excellent history of the LNWR says it opened to passengers on 16 February 1859, with the caveat: "construction of this single track branch proceeded slowly in the difficult financial circumstances of the later 1850s".
This book is normally very good about detailing the Acts approving construction, but not in this case. Sometime after 1853 anyway.
The line was doubled in 1879 based on an Act of 1874 which authorised the LNWR and GNR joint line northwards to Bottesford.
Hope this helps.

 

[Bright Boy]

Thanks LNW-GW Joint

A little helpful, I know about the opening date already, but I did not know about the doubling date. The date of first authorisation still eludes me though, despite a lot of research

I am currently studying the History of the LNWR, starting with all its constituents, and its own built lines, I'm also trying to find the date for the authorisation of the L&BR Northampton to Peterborough line, so if you have any idea about that or where I might find out about both, I would be most grateful

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Thanks LNW-GW Joint

I am currently studying the History of the LNWR, starting with all its constituents, and its own built lines, I'm also trying to find the date for the authorisation of the L&BR Northampton to Peterborough line, so if you have any idea about that or where I might find out about both, I would be most grateful

Blisworth to Northampton and Peterborough was authorised on 4 July 1843.
It was opened to Northampton on 13 May 1845 and to Peterborough on 2 June 1845, initially as single track.
All this and a lot more is in The London & North Western Railway by M C Reed, Atlantic Transport Publishers, 1996.
It's especially good at describing the machinations between the LNWR and its competitors in the early days.

 

[Bright Boy]

Hey Thanks a lot

and thanks for the book idea, I have not read that one, I will certainly look it up, it sounds ideal for what I am looking for, You are a great help.

Cheers mate

I'll look out for you on here, if I can help you in return, I won't hesitate

Mick

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Was this line first proposed by the London and Birmingham Railway ?

 

[Bright Boy]

Not as far as I understand, the information I have read is that it was first proposed by the LNWR in 1851, to tap into iron ore deposits discovered in the area. However seeing as the L&BR amalgamated into the LNWR in 1846, 5 years earlier, it is possible that they had the idea for that ?, but it is a little early.

I assume you are asking about the Northampton & Market Harborough line

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I assume you are asking about the Northampton & Market Harborough line

The thread title just states "N & mhr" (sic).

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Was this line first proposed by the London and Birmingham Railway ?

Indeed it was.
My first-ever WCML journey involved running over the Blisworth-Northampton line during electrification works.
The L&B also acquired the locally-promoted Cheddington-Aylesbury and Leamington-Coventry branches before the merger into the LNWR.

 

[Bright Boy]

According to what I have read part of the original line from Dustan triangular junction to Roade Junction, Northampton was open for freight until 2005, can anyone confirm that or knows the date it was last used ?

Does anyone know what it was used for and to where until that date ?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

According to what I have read part of the original line from Dustan triangular junction to Roade Junction, Northampton was open for freight until 2005, can anyone confirm that or knows the date it was last used ?

Does anyone know what it was used for and to where until that date ?

My old Quail map (1990) shows the line terminating west of the main Euston line at sidings called Briar Hill Tamper Training School.
So an internal BR site.
I don't think there was ever a junction towards Roade, just Duston South and Bridge St towards Northampton (Castle).

 

[Bright Boy]

Roade Jct, Northampton (not to be confused with Roade Jct on the WCML) was just before Northampton Castle station facing north, as the 'new' spur from Roade arrived there, it was built in conjunction with the line to Rugby, from Rugby Jct which is just after Northampton Castle station on the same line, both were opened in the 1880's and now form the 'Northampton loop'.

You are correct in that there was no connection or spur that would take trains travelling north from the Dustan junctions south onto the Roade spur, it was not needed as trains in that direction could use the N&P line to/from Blisworth Jct.

It is the part of line south from Roade Jct, Northampton to Dustan East/West Junctions on the Northampton & Peterborough line just east of Northampton Bridge St station that that I am interested in, I read somewhere that it was still open up to 2005 for freight from a part of the Northampton & Peterborough line that was also still open (somewhere between Brackmills and Camp Hill, Northampton, I Think), also for storage ?

The Northampton & Market Harborough line ran northwards from the Dustan Jct triangle on the former N&PR through Northampton, Pitsford, Brixwoth and Kelmarsh to Market Harborough, Roade Jct, Nothampton and Rugby Jct were opened from this line later for their lines off to Roade and RugbyThe part between Roade Jct, Northampton and Rugby Jct is the only part of the Northampton & Market Harborough line still in mainline use, at Pitsford the Northampton & Lamport Railway have opened a short stretch as a Heritage line though.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The Quail maps show that after 5.18 miles from Blisworth on the Peterborough line, the remaining mile in use in the 90s to Brackmills (Geismar) was part of the Midland route from Bedford.
(MP 70.76-69.48 from St Pancras).

 

[Bright Boy]

Thanks LNW-GW Joint

I agree, I read about that somewhere also

I also read that after that until 2005, either all of that, or just part around the Dustan Jcts area was still in use, I don't know if it was for a freight flow, engineers or just for storage, it might not have been until 2005 ?

 

[thewiltog]

Does anyone know when the LNWR Northampton & Market Harborough line was authorised ?

Hello, by the way, I'm new on here!

According to Ernest Carter - A Historical Geography of the Railways of the British Isles it was authorised on August 4th 1853.

 

[Bright Boy]

According to Ernest Carter - A Historical Geography of the Railways of the British Isles it was authorised on August 4th 1853.

That date fits well into the time period, so its probably correct, Thanks very much, that's very helpful

I have not seen that book, can you tell me the Author, Publisher and ISBN no please, if it's not too much trouble. Maybe I can find one

 

[thewiltog]

That date fits well into the time period, so its probably correct, Thanks very much, that's very helpful

I have not seen that book, can you tell me the Author, Publisher and ISBN no please, if it's not too much trouble. Maybe I can find one

Author - Ernest Carter
Publisher - Cassell
Published 1959 - no ISBN

You can probably pick up a copy via Abebooks

 

[zn1]

if you want to go digging through the undergrowth at brackmills viaduct - there considabale amount of the bedford branch still in situ...its overgrown with vegetation now...but the line was abandoned and left to nature...me and 3 of my colleagues fought our way through it....sadly its good rail and the sleepers that are visible are good also...it just needs clearing, some remedial maintenaance and it would be ok to run at low speed

 

[Bright Boy]

Author - Ernest Carter
Publisher - Cassell
Published 1959 - no ISBN

You can probably pick up a copy via Abebooks

Cheers for that, You’ve been very helpful.
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if you want to go digging through the undergrowth at brackmills viaduct - there considabale amount of the bedford branch still in situ...its overgrown with vegetation now...but the line was abandoned and left to nature...me and 3 of my colleagues fought our way through it....sadly its good rail and the sleepers that are visible are good also...it just needs clearing, some remedial maintenaance and it would be ok to run at low speed

Thanks for that Kev
I’m keen on discovering/adventuring on old lines, however Northampton is a bit off my patch, I’m just studying it through books/intenet/ at present. But if ever I’m down that way I will take a gander.

They could do with re-opening that line, along with the Peterborough line, now that would be something eh.
Mick

p.s. I don’t suppose you know when that part of the line finally closed do you ?

 

[Mvann]

There was a local history book written about the Northampton to market harborough in the 1980s. Can't remember the exact title but there was a copy in Market harborough library. I saw it there in the 1990s, but you couldn't borrow it. I'll see if I can find the title.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
The book is called the Northampton & harborough line by john gough published by the canal and railway society.

 

[Bright Boy]

Thanks Mvann

You're right I can't borrow it, and Market Harborough is a long way to go for a book, I'll see if I can find it in a second hand book shop, there are plenty to choose from which I can access from the internet, and I can also try the Canal & Railway Society to see if they have a copy left. That's very helpful.

 

[Mvann]

According to worldcat, there is a a copy at Manchester university main library, which looks to be near you.

 

[Bright Boy]

Yes it is, I'll take a look, I still can't borrow it though, not being a student any more !! ,

Thanks Again