Northamptonshire steam buffs chuffed to bits after landing £46,000 Government grant

Steam railway enthusiasts are chuffed to bits after receiving a whopping Government grant to get them back on track after the Covid-19 crisis.

Volunteers who run the Northampton & Lamport Railway admitted their heritage attraction could have hit the buffers without the £46,000 from the Culture Recovery Fund.

The railway, based near Northampton on the former line to Market Harborough, launched a lifesaving appeal after it was forced to shut during the lockdown.

General Mananger Adam Giles said: "Northampton Steam Railway Ltd — the NLR’s operating company — was awarded the money to help cover expenses incurred between March and July.

"The funds will also be used to carry out essential repairs and renewals that were planned for this year but put on hold when our income dried up.

The NLR was unable to open at the start of the season in March because of coronavirus. Our purely volunteer-run line remained shut for five months and began running steam-hauled train services again in August as part of a phased reopening.

"Without this funding we faced a real prospect of not being able to run trains any more because we did not have the resources left to undertake this vital work before deterioration reached a point of becoming a safety issue.

"The money will also give the NLR a chance to modernise as a business and diversify by looking at new sources of income so that we can be more resilient in future.

The Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage is part of the £1.57bn rescue package announced by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to safeguard cultural and heritage organisations across the UK from the economic impact of coronavirus.

Northampton & Lamport Railway is one of 445 heritage organisations across the country to receive a lifesaving financial boost to help them through the coronavirus pandemic.

The news comes at a perfect time following an extra blow last months from thieves stealing vital parts from the Railway's HQ near Pitsford.

Mr Giles added: "The parts were taken from our operational spare bogie sets, which are essential to keep our carriages running if a fault develops.

"Due to the amount of work involved in removing these parts, and a need for a car or van to remove them, we believe they are being stolen to order.

"Any information, including such items being offered for sale or appearing at another heritage railway with no history attached, would greatly assist us in our search for the culprits. Please email [email protected] if you can provide any information.

"NLR is run purely by our wonderful volunteers who give their spare time to help preserve our railway heritage. Incidents like this which, unfortunately, is not the first targeted theft we've ever suffered, are extremely disheartening.

"It undermines what we have worked hard to achieve and can cause a major setback in our progress, especially in what is already such an extremely challenging year."

NLR opened in 1995 and runs steam and diesel trains along its 1½-mile track from Pitsford & Brampton Station, just east of Chapel Brampton and located behind the Brampton Halt pub.