Blisworth railway station explained

Blisworth
Status:Disused
Borough:Blisworth, West Northamptonshire
Country:England
Grid Name:Grid reference
Platforms:4
Original:London and Birmingham Railway
Pregroup:London and North Western Railway
Postgroup:London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London Midland Region of British Railways
Years:17 September 1838
Events:Station opened
Years1:1853
Events1:replaced by new station
Years2:4 January 1960
Events2:Station closed
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Zoom:13

Blisworth railway station was a junction station on the London and North Western Railway (today, the West Coast Main Line), the Northampton and Banbury Junction Railway, and the Northampton and Peterborough Railway. As well as providing interchange between the lines, the station served the village of Blisworth in Northamptonshire and its environs. The station was opened by the London and Birmingham Railway (L&BR) in 1838.

History

The station was opened on 17 September 1838.[1] In 1845 the L&BR opened its Northampton and Peterborough Railway, a line which connected Peterborough East and Northampton Bridge Street from a junction nearby. The station was rebuilt 805m (2,641feet) to the north in 1853, closer to the junction, to facilitate changing trains.

In 1846 the line, along with the L&BR, became part of the London and North Western Railway.

In 1866 a line was opened to Banbury by the Northampton & Banbury Junction Railway.[2] This railway built a small corrugated iron motive power depot at the station in 1882, together with a turntable and other servicing facilities.[3] This was closed in 1929, but locomotives continued to be serviced in the yard until the closure of the station.

At grouping in 1923 it became part of the London Midland and Scottish Railway.

During the 1950s the morning express from to stopped at Blisworth for a connection to Northampton and to make use of the water tower on the up platform.

The station closed on 4 January 1960, and was demolished soon afterward. The Blisworth Hotel facing the station, now The Walnut Tree Inn, remains in business.[4] [5]

References

52.1848°N -0.9456°W

Notes and References

  1. Book: Butt, R.V.J. . The Directory of Railway Stations . 1995 . Patrick Stephens Ltd . Yeovil . 1-85260-508-1 . R508 . 37 .
  2. J M Dunn, The Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway, Oakwood Press, South Godstone, 1952
  3. Book: Griffiths . Roger . Smith . Paul . The directory of British engine Sheds and Principal Locomotive Servicing Points: 1. . Oxford Publishing Co. . 1999 . Oxford . 157 . 0-86093-542-6.
  4. Web site: Blisworth Hotel . Blisworth Images and History . 19 September 2022.
  5. Web site: History . Walnut Tree Inn, Northampton . 19 September 2022.