We are spending today preserving yesterday, so you can enjoy it tomorrow.
Part of the Barnwell building on platform 2 houses the Station Masters office.
This has been refurbished in recent years, and here are some pictures of how it looks today.
Should you visit Wansford then take a look at this office, well worth the visit to see what can be achieved on a refurbishment with some effort.
A few months ago we published pictures of the inside of Wansford Signal Box. So now it’s the turn of the Orton Mere Signal Box.
Now I know it’s not very large, and I still remember when we had the allotment at the station a visitor asking me if it was a potting shed.
So here are some internal shots of the box.
Pictures © Keith Parkinson. My thanks to Keith for taking and sending me the pictures.
I am sure that every volunteer and visitor knows the Old Station Building at Wansford.
But we rarely get a good look at it, as often there are carriages in either or both of the main platforms.
So here is an old picture I came across in my misc collection. It shows the building some years ago.
I hope that at some stage the railway will be able to restore this fine victorian building to its original state. It’s an asset to the railway.
Should you wish to donate to it’s renovation then please contact the office.
A blast from the past here.
Taken in 2004 as Mayflower approached Castor bridge towards Peterborough.
Well the blog was one year old yesterday. How time flies.
My thanks to all who have contributed in the first year and keep eye out for more stuff in the coming 12 months.
A few people have asked me if I could post some pictures of tickets.
So here just for you are a few tickets.
Class 40 leaving Orton Mere during the 2010 spring diesel gala..
One part of the railway that’s only seen from afar by the majority of visitors is the signal box at Wansford.
There is no truth in the rumour that it is home to a group who chant, and dance around levers whilst clutching a mug of tea in one hand and a duster in the other. No, it is home to the Signalmen who work to keep the trains running and the passengers safe.
So let us take a look inside this building built upon bricks.
The Wansford Signal Box.
Now lets have a look inside.
Here is a view looking towards the station of the frame of levers that control the signals.
The view of the big outdoors in front of the box
A view away from Wansford over the river towards Peterborough. Note at the end the comfortable seating and extensive catering facilities. Ideal for a leisurely drink or a read between trains.
Here on the right you can see the wheel that’s turned to open and close the crossing gates.
Here is the diagram of the signals, points etc. controlled from the box.
Zak proudly told me that he refurbished this instrument himself. It is impressive and a lovely piece of work
© Zak Harding
So there you have it, a view inside the Wansford Signal Box. Part of the railways history that was in use when trains ran on the line many years before the Nene Railway was even thought of.
If you ever get a chance to look round the box then please do so, it’s a part of railway history preserved and in use every running day.
The Nene Valley Railway is home to a little blue engine named ‘Thomas’ by the Rev. W. Awdry author of the famous books about Thomas and Friends. On 26th June 2021 it will be 50 years since Rev. W. Awdry signed Thomas’ cab at The Nene Valley Railway & we at the railway want to celebrate this day with all of Thomas’ friends old & new.
The 0-6-0T engine No. 1800 was built by Hudswell Clarke in 1947 at about the time when Rev.W Awdry wrote his second book in which Thomas appeared. The little blue engine spent its entire working life at the British Sugar Corporation Peterborough factory pushing wagons of sugar beet up an incline until the day came when a diesel engine replaced the steam power of Thomas. The Peterborough Railway Society purchased this delightful little engine on 9th September 1973 and he was moved to the Nene Valley Railway, where he has since delighted his friends and children of all ages.
Thomas lives at Wansford and can been seen most of time in the yard when not in steam, on some occasions he is moved in the shed to let the engeineers work on him.