NORTHAMPTON BRIDGE STREET STATION

Map Ref. SP 745 596 (Photographs 1 to 3 on map below)

Northampton's first station opened by the London and Birmingham Railway on the 2nd June 1845 as part of their Blisworth to Peterborough route. Passenger services were withdrawn and the station closed in 1964.

Unfortunately this architectural Jacobean style gem was demolished in 1969 but a single line is still in situ to the disused Permanent Way Depot.

The accompanying views were taken on the 14th April 1962 and 19th February l959. Each of the trains is seen heading an eastbound Northampton Castle to Peterborough East service, hauled by Class B1 61095 and Class 5MT 45270 respectively.

Please note the typical road vehicles of this period.

NORTHAMPTON BRIDGE STREET JUNCTION

Map Ref. SP 752 596 (Photograph 4 on map below)

Situated approximately 1/4 mile west of Bridge Street Station. The view is taken from the access footbridge to the Northampton MPD which also crossed the now defunct original Blisworth to Peterborough line.

It shows eastbound Class B1 61204 and westbound D5631 on Northampton Castle/Peterborough East trains passing on the east link spur of the triangle enclosing the  MPD. (seen on the left) on the 3rd June 1961. Today there is still a single line in place which served the former PW Depot .This private site can be viewed from the flyover of the new Towcester Road. 

NORTHAMPTON DUSTON WEST JUNCTION LOW LEVELMap Ref. SP 745 59  (Photograph 5 on map below)

East and westbound freight trains pass on the Blisworth to Northampton Bridge Street section of the Peterborough line.

On the 5th October 1963, former Crosti class 9F 92025  heads an iron ore train from the Wellingborough area to South Wales.

The class 8F 48600 draws a Blisworth to Northampton Castle Yard pick-up goods and is about to take the west spur of the triangle towards Castle Station.

NORTHAMPTON DUSTON WEST JUNCTION HIGH LEVEL   Map Ref. SP 743 594 (Photograph 6 on map below)

English Electric Type 4 D382 is seen just south of the Duston West signal box on the high level line with a southbound  express on a Wolverhampton to London Euston working during a WCML  diversion on 22nd June 1962.

NORTHAMPTON DUSTON WEST JUNCTION HIGH LEVEL   Map Ref. SP 743 596 (Photograph 7 on map below)

Coronation class Pacific 46221 is seen heading a southbound express over the '15 arch' viaduct approximately half a mile south of Castle Station early in 1962

This viaduct bridges the west branch of the River Nene and forms part of the Roade to Rugby loop line opened in 1881.

NORTHAMPTON STATION (Formerly Castle Station) Map Ref. SP 747 605 ( Photograph 8 on map below)

This view taken from platform 1 shows a northbound EMU 319012 operating a CONNEX  Brighton to Rugby service at platform 2. Both this service and the Train Operator are now defunct.

A SILVERLINK TRAINS class 321 EMU can be discerned at platform 1 on a Birmingham New Street to London Euston service. The Birmingham to Northampton section of this route has now been taken over by CENTRAL TRAINS.