Nene Valley Railway
The NVR is a standard gauge railway, which runs for seven and a half miles between Yarwell Junction and Peterborough in Cambridgeshire. Its headquarters are based at Wansford beside the A1, the old Great North Road, and are easily accessible from a large part of the country.
The first railway to arrive in Peterborough came from Blisworth, via Northampton, Thrapston, Oundle and Wansford with the very first passenger train along the Nene Valley departing Peterborough at 7 o'clock on Monday 2 June 1845. The Nene Valley railway of today is the eastern section of this line.
The NVR is more than just a train ride. It offers many different types of visitor experiences to make your day even more exciting and enjoyable.
On many weekends of the summer you will find a vintage bus (or two) working from Wansford station, or the Travelling Post Office carriage set demonstrating how mail used to be moved and sorted at night.
At other times you will find days when both steam and diesel traction work alongside each other to allow you to sample both forms of attraction in one day. Don't forget that as an International Railway you will also be able to see both locomotives and coaching stock from all over Europe - something that can't be seen anywhere else.
NIGHT MAIL: The NVR is one of the few locations in the UK where the operation of exchanging mail on the move can be performed and you can experience what it was like to be part of "Night Mail". The NVR has a small fleet of Travelling Post Office (TPO) coaches that are used to demonstrate the sorting of mail on the move and the exchange of mail bags, known as pouches, using equipment fixed to the lineside.
The 'Continental Experience' is unique to Nene Valley Railway. We offer the opportunity to ride through a film set or travel behind an engine used in 'Poirot' and in the same coaches used as part of the Circus Train in 'Octopussy' all in a single day. The NVR brings the continental experience closer to your home as you could be travelling through France, Italy or Sweden on board one of NVR's 'Day Continental' services in the UK!
For over 30 years the NVR has built up a collection of vehicles from all over Europe. Vehicles that operate on the NVR come from France, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Sweden, Poland and of course Britain.
This varied and unique collection enables the NVR to demonstrate how people from around Europe used the railways to transport themselves to work and on holiday alongside those from Britain.
VISITORS INFORMATION:
NIGHT MAIL:
Operating Dates
The Travelling Post Office set will be operating on the following dates:
Rail Mail 2010 (SC & YC) - 10th & 11th July 2010
Thomas and the Travelling Post Office (YC) - 4th & 5th September 2010
TPO Operating Days - 18th April (YC), 15th & 16th May, 12th & 13th June, 14th & 15th August & 16th & 17th October 2010
Notes (Apparatus in use):
SC - Sutton Cross (Half a mile to the east of Wansford)
YC - Yarwell Cutting (Short walk from Yarwell Junction station)
Bus Service :
A bus service is available to Stibbinton village
Parking :
Parking available at Fair Meadow Car Park (Charge applies)
Disabled Facilities
Full access is provided to most locations for disabled persons and most trains have a specially adapted carriage. Special toilet facilities are available at Wansford.