Popular children's train set to return to Abington Park eight years after arson attack

A much-loved train once popular with children in one of Northampton's biggest parks is finally set for a comeback - eight years after vandals set fire to it.
The Abington Park train fire on November 8, 2008, taken by a passing policemanThe Abington Park train fire on November 8, 2008, taken by a passing policeman
The Abington Park train fire on November 8, 2008, taken by a passing policeman

The Abington Park train will be making a return next year as part of Northampton Borough Council’s promise to improve play equipment across the borough.

The train was removed from the park in 2008, after it was left gutted by arsonists that November.

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Making the announcement at the full council meeting last night, cabinet member for environment, Councillor Mike Hallam, said: “Many Northamptonians remember playing on the train in Abington Park while they were growing up, so I am delighted to announce that it will be returning to the park in 2017 as part of our wider commitment to improving play equipment.

The previous train being moved from the a nursery in Moulton to Abington Park, replacing one destroyed by fire.The previous train being moved from the a nursery in Moulton to Abington Park, replacing one destroyed by fire.
The previous train being moved from the a nursery in Moulton to Abington Park, replacing one destroyed by fire.

“The new train will be of a more resilient design and the specific plans will be discussed with the Abington Park Management Committee at a meeting later this week.”

The first of Abington Park’s trains stood in the grounds for 12 years, before it was destroyed in July, 2003 by vandals.

The new train re-opened the following September after Northampton Borough Council spent £10,000 repairing it, but arsonists struck again and burned down the entire middle section of the attraction in 2004.

In 2008 it was set ablaze by vandals again and has not been replaced since.

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