Photo Northampton Station's UK Railway Water Tower Survives

Photo: Charles Moorhen

Rusting Relic From The Steam Days

Since steam-hauled passenger and freight trains passing through Northampton station came to an end in the 1960's, it seems virtually nothing tangible has survived in the area to testify to the existence of the 'Great Days of Steam'.

The locomotive shed, once covering an area where part of Northampton Castle formerly stood, was cleared to make way for an ugly, metal, two-tiered car park.

The coaling-plant was blown-up, signal box numbers '1' and '2' were demolished and the large semaphore signal gantries have long since disappeared.

However, tucked away close to the corner of a bridge truss, one relic from that romanticised era did manage to survive pretty much intact. A line-side UK water tower that over many decades quenched the thirst of thousands of steam locomotives.

So, how did this example manage to escape extinction?

When studying the tower's location, the reason for its survival becomes clear.

Northampton Station Water Tower 
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Standing adjacent to the track running into the former Northampton sidings, and close to the main running lines into and out of Northampton station, it is logical to assume that removal of the tower would cause major disruption to both freight and passenger rail traffic on this busy stretch of track.

 

 

 

Without doubt it would require the temporary removal of overhead power lines. 
The entrance to the few remaining weed-strewn sidings, where Class 66 diesel locomotives can often be seen and Loram rail-grinding trains can sometimes be spotted, would be completely beyond use.

Add to this is the fact that the water tower stands only a few metres away from the busy Spencer Bridge Road bridge - a main artery of Northampton town - and the entry road leading to 'Martin's Yard', a small industrial area, its removal would no doubt cause serious traffic-flow problems in the area.

Northampton Station Water Tower
 Photo: Charles Moorhen

Red asterisk identifies Water Tower location accessible to public     Courtesy: Google Maps

So, for the time being at least - much to the delight of many rail travellers, railway enthusiasts and railway historians alike - it looks as though this relic from the glory days of steam will remain where it is for the forseeable future.

 

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Photos Grade II Listed Victorian Railway Goods Shed Wellingborough Station

  
Railway Station Goods Building

Wellingborough Station Victorian Goods Shed on Platform 1
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Time Capsule at Wellingborough Railway Station

Amid the stark modernity that is becoming more glaringly obvious on Britain's railway stations today, it is somewhat heart-warming to see that not everything has completely vanished from an age that has past into history. And the former UK goods shed adjacent to platform 1 at Wellingborough station, on the former Midland Railway, is one such example.

Although in a small way it has been a target for vandals, the evidence for this in two broken lattice windows, the overall structure is in remarkably good condition for a Victorian station building.

 

Wellingborough Station Goods Shed Platform 1

Photo: Charles Moorhen

 

But, what is even more remarkable is that the interior, (unfortunately blocked from public access), far from being stripped or damaged, looks much as it did during its working life.  

The solid wooden-planked unloading platform is still in place, as are the two original hand-operated loading cranes, once used for unloading the open wagons that were commonplace for decades.

 

Wellingborough Goods Shed Interior Showing Wooden Platform and Two Lifting Cranes

Photo: Charles Moorhen

                                     

 

The large disc near the base of the upright is an electric motor, a relatively modern (possibly 1950s or 1960s) addition to make the manual work of loading/unloading wagons easier.

Wellingborough Goods Shed is a Grade II listed building. 

A few historical facts about Wellingborough station: 

The station was built by the Midland Railway in 1857.  It was known then as Wellingborough Midland Road.

The station and buildings were designed by C.H.Driver.

Wellingborough station once had a large locomotive depot with two roundhouses

 

Former Wellingborough Engine Sheds

 

On the 2nd September 1898, the station was the scene of a serious rail accident when a luggage trolley ran off a platform into the path of a Manchester express train.  The crew and six passengers were killed and 65 people were injured.

The once-busy station originally had five platforms but only two now remain open to passengers.

In 2005 Wellingborough station was featured in the film 'Kinky Boots', but renamed temporarily as Northampton.

Another interesting artefact, a railway water tower from the Great Days of Steam, can also be seen here.

Don't forget to subscribe to  'Along These Tracks' railway blog to get all new posts and updates sent directly to you.

Blog update:

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All blog posts are now listed alphabetically on the right side of your screen; under the heading, 'Previous Photo Posts'.


"I hope this makes your search easier".