Walks Following Steam Railways in the Southern Counties of England: Nene Vally railway walk.

Nene Valley Railway Walk - Cambridgeshire.

Taking the train from Wansford station to Ferry Meadows station and walking back - that's a
5 mile walk.

Useful maps: Ordnance Survey Explorer 227 or Landranger 142.

Railway operating days: In addition to school and bank holidays, trains run over most weekends from March to October, and in December, but not on Saturdays in March. A service also operates on certain weekdays, most often on Wednesdays from April to September, and on most days in August - except some Mondays. A timetable is available from The Nene Valley Railway, Wansford Station, Stibbington, Peterborough, PE8 6LR.
Telephone: 01780 784444; Talking timetable: 01780 784404. Web site: www.nvr.org.uk

Getting there:
By road: Wansford station is clearly signposted from the A1 three miles north-west of Junction 17 and one mile south-east of the A1/A47 junction. There is a car park at the station. It's grid reference is 092980.
By public transport: Those arriving at Peterborough main line station could take Stagecoach bus route 1 (one) from Queensgate bus station to Orton Wistow (for Ferry Meadows). It is important to alight at Ferryview, from where you should walk forward along the A605 from the Wistow Way/Brimbles Way roundabout to a path on the left. This is signposted to Ferry Meadows. The path follows firstly a river, then turns left alongside a road to Ferry Meadows station. On returning to Peterborough, wait for the bus on the same side of the road as on your arrival. Now take care that you complete the walk before the last train back from Wansford!
Queensgate bus station can be accessed from the main line railway station by walking along Station Road and over the shopping centre's footbridge.
Note that there is no car park at Ferry Meadows station, but there is one at the country park nearby.

Eating out: Light refreshments (very light!) are available at Ferry Meadows station and on the trains. Wansford station on the other hand has an excellently comprehensive cafe.

Visitor Attractions: The railway enthusiast cannot fail to delight in all that Wansford station has to offer. It's HQ is there, as is its locomotive works where engines are restored. There is also a model railway, a travelling post office exhibition, and a second-hand bookshop. The magnificent signal box at Wansford was built in 1907, and is one of the finest preserved signal boxes in use. It certainly makes an ideal subject for the railway photographer!
Ferry Meadows Country Park is easily accessed from the station of that name. There are numerous paths for walking or cycling in this area of woodland, meadows and lakes. A miniature railway, a cafe and a shop can also be found there.

Summary of the walk: Along with many views of the railway, the chief delight on this walk is the lovely river Nene, which accompanies the walk over much of its length. The walk crosses the river, as does the railway, at Lynch Bridge, and follows its course to the lovely area around the Old Mill and windmill tower at Castor. It crosses the route of Roman Ermine Street, which runs straight as a die to the site of Durobrivae, an important Roman settlement nearby; but to the casual observer there may be little evidence of it on the ground.

The walk:
1. On leaving Ferry Meadows station,cross the road alongside the level crossing and join the long straight path opposite. This runs parallel to the railway. After 1/2 .mile, the first railway bridge (not on our route) provides an excellent vantage point to observe passing trains, while an adjacent road moves off to the right (also not on our route!). Ignore a path that follows the road and one that goes slightly left across the grass ahead. That leaves one wide well-laid path that takes you straight on under a few trees. On emerging from the trees at a crossing, turn left onto a tarmac path, and stay with it when it turns right. After 100 yards you have the beautiful river Nene below you, and all around the lovely river meadows. And for ardent photographers there is the prospect of a steam train crossing the river!

2. Drop down to the river bank on the left of the railway bridge (from its far side) and continue with the walk, but now alongside the river and on the Nene Way. After 3/4 mile you will be diverted away from the main arm of the river by following one of its branches, Back Dike (yes, Dike!). Cross a footbridge on the left quite soon and circulate clockwise around a pond, entering a large field as you go. Stay more or less with the right-hand field-edge, while following Black Dike as before. After crossing another footbridge and turning left you will make a close pass of a derelict windmill before meeting the drive to the Old Mill, Castor. Dating back to the early 1800's, the windmill went out of use after 1984. That's a good life span by any measure!

3. Go right in the drive and leave it after 75 yards for a footpath on the left. The path appears to divide immediately, but our route is along the right-hand fenced branch, not along the adjacent drive. Soon cross a stile and continue forward (slightly right) with an accompanying dyke on the left, and a church spire in view ahead, distantly. Turn left with the path and take care on arrival at the next stile (and gap). Here you should ignore the path going straight on and turn left and downhill to a footbridge.
A branch of the river Nene will soon be close-by on your left, and an excellent panoramic view of the railway to your right. Keep forward now, continuing in the Nene Way for a mile and a half, while ignoring all branches - even the tempting diversion on the left, where a cascading weir (and pylons) come into view.

4. Here your forward-going field-edge path eventually turns right, passes under power lines and turns left to follow the railway. Its only a short distance now before you are home and dry at Wansford station - and fed and watered at the station cafe!

The NVR story
The railway is the eastern section of the route which opened from Blisworth via Northampton to Peterborough in 1845. Although the railway was closed down by British Rail in 1972, the seed of preservation had been sown earlier in the form of the Peterborough Railway Society. Part of the present 7.5 mile railway was purchased by the Peterborough Development Corporation for the society's use.
The railway reopened from Wansford to Orton Mere in 1977, and to Peterborough in 1986, in which time it had grown from strength to strength. With the exception of the original station building at Wansford - which is destined for other uses - all other stations have been either built from scratch or transferred from elsewhere. In 2007 a short extension from Wansford to Yarwell Junction station was opened. Since this includes a 616-yard unventilated tunnel under the A1 road, it should offer you an interesting, if smoky, experience!
Another interesting aspect of the railway is that it has been modified to the so-called 'Berne loading gauge', which permits the running of continental locomotives and stock. Through-running of charter excursions from other parts of the UK is also possible thanks to a link - the Fletton Branch - with the east coast main line at Peterborough.