1. New Year's day on the NLR (well not quite!)-02.01.22

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2022 > 1. New Year's day on the NLR (well not quite!)-02.01.22

I am not at all sure as to why the Northampton and Lamport Railway (NLR) were holding their New Year mince pie and sherry specials on the second day of the month this year but my wife and I booked tickets and went anyway in an effort to support this struggling heritage line. We took our first train ride of the year and enjoyed a little snack on board. The railway was reassuringly busy which was a positive thing.

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Images 1-5 of 5 displayed.

31289 & 82114, 11.00 Pitsford return, Bridge 14
My first railway photograph of 2022 shows 31289 'Phoenix' leading the 11.00 return service from Pitsford and Brampton station. It is passing former Greater Anglia DVT 82114 that has been a resident on the line, along with four former GA Mk.IIIs, since the spring of 2020 but none, apart from TSOB Coach 10412 that is now a fixed buffet facility, have seen any use. The photograph is taken from the NLR's bridge 14 just to the north of Pitsford and Brampton station.
Keywords: 31289 82114 11.00 Pitsford return Bridge 14 NLR Northampton & Lamport Railway Phoenix Greater Anglia DVT

31289, 12.00 Pitsford return, Pitsford & Brampton station
My wife and I travelled on this service enjoying an out and back return trip behind one of the Northampton and Lamport's resident diesel locomotives 31289 'Phoenix'. The 12.00 Pitsford return service was enhanced by us being served a mince pie and a drink. The staff make an effort and the coaches are decked out appropriately. It is events such as this that are crucial to heritage lines bringing in the customers and parting their money from them! It was also, in the case of the NLR, the last event before its 'closed' season with operations starting again on 27.03.22 with a Mother's Day special event.
Keywords: 31289 12.00 Pitsford return, Pitsford & Brampton station Phoenix A1A-A1A

764 & 200026, Boughton station
A group of hardy volunteers continue their work on the Northampton and Lamport Railway's Boughton extension that will provide an extra half a mile of track and a new and much-needed station facility. In this view long term resident 0-4-0 Ruston & Hornsby 165DS Class shunter number 764 'Sir Gyles Isham' is seen leading VAA van 200026. The latter is used for the storage of plant and tools that are used by the volunteers. When out of use it is stabled in a well-protected and secure siding/compound just behind the train seen here.
Keywords: 764 200026 Boughton station NLR Extension south Sir Gyles Isham

Boughton signal box & station
The Northampton and Lamport Railway has been working hard to extend its operation south for a number of years and it is now tantalisingly close to being completed! A glance at its website, see.... https://www.nlr.org.uk/boughton-extension/ documents the progress that has obviously, like everything else, been somewhat hampered by the two years of COVID. It looks as if it should be completed sometime this year and that once certification has been achieved trains can operate out and back with the locomotives able to run round, something that has not been able to happen since it opened in 1995.
Keywords: Boughton signal box & station NLR Northampton and Lamport Railway Boughton Extension

Tickets, mince pie & 'sherry'
Technology reaches the Northampton and Lamport Railway but not quite! My wife booked our special event tickets online with them being downloaded to our phones. Unfortunately, the ticket inspector on the train was not at all sure how to deal with this and stated that we should have 'booked in' on our arrival and then came back to double-check that we had actually bought and paid for the tickets! My wife and I enjoyed our snack as part of the ticket price but as I don't drink alcohol and with my wife undertaking dry January the Fruit Shoots were a poor alternative!
Keywords: Tickets, mince pie & 'sherry'

Images 1-5 of 5 displayed.