Watch incredible drone footage showing the latest progress at huge rail freight interchange in Northampton

Watch incredible drone footage which shows the latest progress at the major rail freight interchange development in Northampton.

The footage, from AirThreeMedia, shows an overview of the Strategic Rail Freight Interchange development at SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton near junction 15 of the M1 is being built.

It also shows the huge changes made to the road network around the Grange Park area of the town.

The new railway connection, which will be used by freight company Maritime, will see thousands of tonnes of goods switch between rail and road beside Junction 15 of the M1 motorway every day.

Once operational, four freight trains will serve the new Northampton interchange each day - with the capacity for more in future.

Teams behind the development say each freight train takes up to 76 heavy good vehicles off the road, making it a much greener way to transport economically important goods around the country.

When complete later this year, it will provide five million square ft of warehouse space and employ up to 7,000 people.

Further work will now take place with freight operators and developers with the interchange expected to be operational in Autumn 2024.

Here’s the latest update from the developers…

The freight terminal itself will be completed by SEGRO and its contractors in Autumn 2024

The first phase of work by Network Rail to install the new track, points and signalling systems to connect the terminal to the rail network were delivered in September 2023

The final phase of Network Rail work to finalise the signalling connection is scheduled to be completed around later this year.

It is anticipated that the first warehouse will be constructed and ready for operation by Spring / Summer 2025.

Network Rail expect freight trains to be able to operate from the second half of 2024, subject to all the rail works being completed.

John Williams, Maritime executive chairman, previously said: “These developments, at SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton are important, long-term commitments for Maritime to reduce our environmental footprint by developing a network of low carbon, strategic freight connections across the country to promote modal shift from road to rail for container transport and for domestic distribution, with local distribution by electric-powered trucks.”