Ferry Meadows railway station

Ferry Meadows is a station on the Nene Valley Railway between Wansford and Orton Mere. The current station has one platform, and has no car park of its own. In 2004, a new station building was added. Previously at Fletton Junction on the East Coast Main Line, the building was dismantled, moved to Ferry Meadows and rebuilt brick-by-brick in its current location. In the Nene Park close by, there is a watersports centre as well as three children's play areas, three lakes and a miniature railway. The Park is open throughout the year, but most facilities such as the miniature railway and pedaloes only run from Easter to the end of October. Ferry Meadows station is on the site of the former Orton Waterville station.

Ferry Meadows
Station on heritage railway
British Rail Class 24 no. 24081 prepares to depart the station with a westbound service.
General information
LocationOrton Waterville, City of Peterborough
England
Coordinates52°33′32″N 0°18′08″W / 52.5589°N 0.3023°W / 52.5589; -0.3023
Grid referenceTL151970
Operated byNene Valley Railway
Platforms1
History
Original companyLondon and Birmingham Railway
Pre-groupingLondon and North Western Railway
Post-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
2 June 1845 (1845-06-02)Opened as Overton
1 August 1913Renamed Orton Waterville
5 October 1942Closed for regular passenger trains
28 December 1964closed for freight
1 June 1977Reopened
1 June 2017Renamed Overton for Ferry Meadows
Nene Valley Railway
Peterborough East
Peterborough North
Peterborough Nene Valley
Longville Junction
Orton Mere
Overton for Ferry Meadows
Ham Lane
Castor
Old Great North Road
Wansford
Wansford Tunnel (616 yards)
Yarwell Junction

On 1 June 2017, Ferry Meadows was renamed to its original name of Overton as part of the Nene Valley Railways 40th anniversary celebrations.[1]

Ferry Meadows appears briefly in two James Bond films, GoldenEye and Octopussy.

History

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Orton Waterville railway station served the villages of Orton Waterville and Orton Longueville in Cambridgeshire. It was on the London and North Western Railway Northampton to Peterborough line. The station was originally called Overton. The station was closed to regular passenger trains in 1942 but was used by railway staff until the Wansford to Peterborough section closed in 1966 and subsequently the station was demolished. A new station Ferry Meadows was constructed on the same site and was opened with the line in 1977 by the Nene Valley Railway. On 1 June 2017 it was renamed Overton for Ferry Meadows

Night Mail

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Ferry Meadows Station will be the site of the Nene Valley's Travelling Post Office (TPO) Museum. 'Night Mail', The International Story of Mail by Rail,[2] will be unique in telling the story of mail across the Continent thanks to the NVR's unique collection of Mail and European rail vehicles. The museum will house both British mail carriages, a number of road vehicles and Continental vehicles. This includes the last surviving coach from the Great Train Robbery.

The Project is being driven by 'The Friends of M30272M' and 'The International Railway Preservation Society'.[3] Construction of an initial four coach running shed is due to start in 2013.

References

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  1. ^ "Royal Scot stars at the Nene Valley Railway's 40th Anniversary", Steam Railway, 16 June 2017, NVR General Manager Sarah Piggott unveils the Overton for Ferry Meadows running-in board at the renaming ceremony on June 1.
  2. ^ "Home". nightmail.org.uk.
  3. ^ "Home". irps-wl.org.uk.
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Preceding station    Heritage railways Following station
Wansford   Nene Valley Railway   Orton Mere
  Historical railways  
Castor   London and North Western Railway
Rugby to Peterborough East
  Peterborough East
Castor   Northampton and Peterborough Railway
Northampton to Peterborough East
  Peterborough East
Castor   Great Northern Railway
Leicester Belgrave Road to Peterborough North
  Peterborough North