The Railway Comes to Thrapston (1845)

Northampton to Peterborough, via Thrapston

November 1845

A special train, conveying a party of Directors and their friends left the London Terminus on Saturday morning at half past nine o’clock for the purpose of  opening  and inspecting this additional  line of  traffic (i.e new railway track)

New Line

 The new line is is entered, at a short distance from the Blisworth Station, about 63 miles from the metropolis and  traversing a level track of pasture land, it reaches in 4¾  m,  a neat station on the south side of the populoustown of Northampton.  Here the party received an accession,  by the arrival of the mayor and other  corporate authorities.   

Along the Nene

The train, now increased to 15 first class carriages, proceeded on its route following the meanderings of the beautiful River Nene. We passed unfinished stations at Castle Ashby, Wellingborough, Ditchford, Higham Ferrers and Ringstead and again paused at Thrapston, Then past stations at Thorpe  and Barnwell  and  another  call at 0undle and  came  to Wansford after traversing the only tunnel on the line about ¼ m  long 

 Peterborough

The  Reception of the  party by the inhabitants of Peterborough indicated no great interest in the undertaking.   The  new  line,  comprising only a  single line of rails between Northampton  and  Peterborough has been completed in 15 months at a cost of about £10,000 per mile, considerably under the estimates.  

 Opening  the line

 The  Line was formally opened  on Monday last, The number of passengers on Monday  and  subsequently, have  greatly  exceeded  the  expectations  of  and  indeed  the means provided by the Company. Numbers at every station on the line have been left behind. Considerable inconvenience has been  experienced  from  the curiosity of parties at the various small stations.

 

          Northampton Herald 1845

This page was added on 23/10/2014.

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