This page will have more images and information added in the future.
If you spot any errors or omissions, please let me know at:
jessopc_at_shaw.ca


The images on this page were taken in June 1985 by Chris Jessop.
Parts of the station had recently been visited by cleaners and painters, and looked very smart.


An unknown loco with a freight on the up slow at the north end of the platforms.

Chronology

 
1844Midland Railway formed1
2 Jun 1845Wellingborough (London Road (London Road added to name in 1924 2) station of the London & Birmingham Rlwy branch line from Northampton to Peterborough opened3,2
16 July 1846London North Western Railway formed by a merger of London & Birmingham Rlwy and Manchester & Birmingham 1,2
mid 1800'sIron Ore mining reactivated in area after 200 year hiatus2
4 Aug 1853Bill for Midland Route from Wigston to Hitchin via Wellingborough passed1
1857Wellingborough (Midland Road) Station built to designs by C.A. Driver3
8 May 1857Wigston to Hitchin route opened to passengers1,2
1863First locomotive facitlies built, but not clear a shed was built6
1868First square "roundhouse" (shed #1) built in loco. yard6
1868Midland Railway extends to St. Pancras1
1872Second "roundhouse" built in loco. yard6
1881Coaling shed rebuilt on a tapered floorplan. It sat between the two main sheds.18
1886First blast furnace enters production in Wellingborough8
1883-1893Midland Railway is quadrupled1
1890Midland Railway Act authorizes a branch line from Irchester Junction to Raunds. The line is built only as far as Higham Ferrers.1
1892Construction starts on the Higham Ferrers branch line.9
1 Sept 1893Higham Ferrers branch line opened to goods.1,9
1 May 1894Higham Ferrers branch line opened to passengers every 75 minutes.1
2 Sep 1898St. Pancras to Manchester express derailed by a luggage barrow which had rolled off the platform.1
1 Jan 1923Midland and LNWR absorbed into the LMS1
1930Garretts allocated to Wellingborough shed6
1930'sLoco facilities upgraded with new coal and ash plants, 60 ft turntable and repaired roof for shed # 16
1934No. 85 and 86 (numbers not applied until 1962) built by Peckett & Sons for Finedon quarries.4
1935Stanton and Wellingborough Iron Companies rebuild iron works8
1935Wellingborough loco shed designated 15A6
1935Coaling shed converted to a 2 track shed for Beyer Garratt locos.18
1942No. 87 (number not applied until 1962) built by Peckett & Sons for Finedon quarries.4
1948Nationalization creates British Railways1
1954First diesel shinters arrive6
13 June 1959last day of regular passenger traffic on Higham Ferrers branch1,9
1962Stewarts & Lloyds Minerals takes over iron works and Finedon quarries4
Sep 1963Loco shed looses "A" status to Leicester and becomes 15B6
2 May 1964Northampton-Peterborough branch line closed to passenger traffic1,3(According to 2 the London Road station closed to passengers in 4 May 1964)
Jul 1964Shed #1 demolished6
1 Feb 1965Wellingborough London Road station closed to freight2
1966Finedon quarries metre guage railway closes4
13 June 1966last steam engines leave sheds6
7 Nov 1966Wellingborough London Road station closed completely2
1971 (or 21 Dec 1969 1)Higham Ferrers branch line closed9
1982Northampton-Peterborough line closed2
1984Rushden Station leased and eventually owned by Rushden Higham & Wellingborough Railway9
5 Dec 1987Wellingborough Station signal box closed1
1996Privatisation, and passenger services are operated by Midland Main Line1

Locomotive Allocations

19206
2-4-0 222, 223, 224, 225, 226
Johnson Singles 4-2-2 603, 640, 658 (gone the next year), 672
0-4-4T 1241, 1252, 1260, 1329, 1372
0-6-0T 1642, 1683, 1880, 1887, 1888
0-6-0 2916, 2930, 2958, 2960, 2963, 2966, 2967, 2968, 2969, 2976, 2980, 2981,
2982, 2986, 3012, 3175, 3176, 3232, 3239, 3241, 3257, 3259, 3313, 3344,
3375, 3381, 3405, 3428, 3441, 3450, 3459, 3483, 3484, 3496, 3580, 3601,
3635, 3769, 3772, 3779, 3790, 3800, 3809, 3885, 3886, 3887, 3888, 3889,
3890, 3891, 3892, 3893, 3894, 3895, 3896, 3897, 3898, 3899, 2900, 2901,
2902, 3912, 3913, 3914, 3915, 3916, 3917, 3918, 3919, 3920, 3921, 3922,
3923, 3924, 3925, 3926, 3927, 3928, 3929


19336
This table has few running numbers. If anyone has a complete list, or information
about any other year in the '30s I would appreciate the information.
Garratts LMS 2-6-0+0-6-2 "Ten of the articulated locomotives ... were at work"
Does this mean they were shedded here or on loan, or
passing through?
0-8-0 5 of
3F and 4F 0-6-0 46 of
MR 1F 0-6-0T 1810
LMS 0-6-0T 6 of
Johnson 2-4-0 127, 203, 251
MR 1P 0-4-4T 1230, 1246, 1259


19456
Stanier LMS 3MT 2-6-2T 116
MR 1P 0-4-4T 1239, 1246, 1340
MR 1F 0-6-0T 1781
Deeley MR 3F-D 0-6-0 3796, 3797, 3808, 3830
Fowler MR 4F-B 0-6-0 3870, 3876, 3909, 3977, 3982
Fowler LMS 4F-C 0-6-0 4033, 4134, 4160, 4242, 4287, 4332, 4403, 4574, 4575
Johnson MR 3F-F 0-6-0T 7238
Fowler 3F-F LMS 0-6-0T 7264, 7265, 7279, 7333, 7446, 7543, 7554, 7636, 7642
Stanier 8F-A 2-8-0 8024, 8050, 8082, 8141, 8167, 8180, 8181, 8198, 8222, 8264, 8278, 8281,
8305, 8334, 8338, 8359, 8360, 8363, 8364, 8365, 8492, 8617, 8644, 8645,
8646, 8651, 8671, 8678, 8692, 8694, 8695, 8699
LNWR 0-8-0 9438, 9443
LMS 7F 0-8-0 9536, 9544, 963, 9596, 9599


194813,14
Johnson MR 2P-AB 4-4-040353
Johnson MR 2P-AC 4-4-0 (Fowler 1912 superheat) 40510, 40548
Johnson MR 3F-CB (Fowler 1916 Belpair) 0-6-043367
Deeley MR 3F-D (Fowler 1916 Belpair) 0-6-043796, 43797, 43808, 43830
Fowler MR 4F-B 0-6-0 43861, 43870, 43876, 43909, 43982
Fowler LMS 4F-C 0-6-0 44033, 44160, 44242, 44287, 44332, 44574, 44575
Johnson MR 3F-E (1919 Belpair) 0-6-0T 47238
Fowler LMS 3F-F 0-6-0T 47264, 47265, 47279, 47333, 47446, 47543, 47554, 47636, 47642
Stanier 8F-A 2-8-0 48024, 48050, 48082, 48128, 48167, 48180, 48181, 48192, 48198, 48222,
48264, 48269, 48281, 48305, 48334, 48338, 48359, 48360, 48363, 48364,
48365, 48371, 48374, 48492, 48617, 48625, 48627, 48644, 48646, 48651,
48671, 48678, 48692, 48694, 48695, 48699
G2A (Conv. from G1 in 1936) 0-8-0 49121, 49123, 49217, 49223, 49288, 49289, 49290, 49292
Johnson 1P-C 0-4-4T58030, 58031


195013
Johnson MR 2P-AB 4-4-040353
Ivatt 2MT-A 2-6-2T41244
Whitelegg MR 2P-D 4-4-2T41916
Johnson MR 3F-CB (Fowler 1916 Belpair) 0-6-043193, 43367
Deeley MR 3F-D (Fowler 1916 Belpair) 0-6-043797, 43808
Fowler MR 4F-B 0-6-043861, 43930, 43975
Fowler LMS 4F-C 0-6-044033, 44037, 44242, 44249, 44574, 44575
Johnson MR 3F-E (1919 Belpair) 0-6-0T47238
Fowler 3F-F 0-6-0T 47264, 47265, 47273, 47279, 47333, 47446, 47543, 47554, 47636, 47642
Stanier LMS 8F-A 2-8-0 48010, 48024, 48035, 48050, 48082, 48128, 48149, 48150, 48151, 48167,
48180, 48181, 48183, 48191, 48192, 48198, 48222, 48264, 48269, 48281,
48305, 48334, 48338, 48359, 48360, 48363, 48364, 48365, 48371, 48374,
48378, 48385, 48386, 48492, 48533, 48617, 48619, 48625, 48627, 48644,
48651, 48668, 48671, 48678, 48692, 48695
Johnson MR 1P-D 0-4-4T58045, 58085


195213
Johnson MR 2P-AB 4-4-040353
Ivatt 2MT-A 2-6-2T41277, 41328
Whitelegg MR 3P-D 4-4-2T41966
Johnson MR 3F-CB (Fowler 1916 Belpair) 0-6-043367, 43531
Deeley MR 3F-D (Fowler 1916 Belpair) 0-6-043797, 43808
Fowler MR 4F-B 0-6-043856, 43861, 43930, 43975
Fowler LMS 4F-C 0-6-044037, 44249, 44574, 44575
Fowler LMS 3F-F 0-6-0T47264, 47265, 47273, 47279, 47333, 47446, 47543, 47554, 47636, 47642
Garratt LMS (w. rotary bunker) 2-6-0+0-6-247974, 47977, 47982, 47994, 47995
Stanier LMS 8F-A 2-8-0 48008, 48010, 48050, 48082, 48107, 48111, 48131, 48131, 48150, 48151,
48180, 48181, 48183, 48191, 48192, 48198, 48222, 48264, 48265, 48269,
48281, 48305, 48334, 48338, 48359, 48360, 48363, 48364, 48365, 48371,
48374, 48376, 48378, 48385, 48386, 48418, 48475, 48492, 48533, 48617,
48619, 48625, 48627, 48644, 48651, 48668, 48671, 48678, 48692, 48695,
48721
Johnson MR 1P-D 0-4-4T58053, 58085



The iron work is nicely picked out in red and the roof panels restored to the ends of the supports. I have a number of published pictures from the 60s showing the iron-work in black and missing the last row of glazing. Does anyone know the history of the alterations to the colours, gable ends, and panels ?


The road side of the goods shed.

References

1.Bedford To Wellingborough, Goslin, Geoff, Middleton Press, 2004
2.Disused Stations Site Record: Wellingborough London Road
3.An Historical Survey of Selected LMS Stations Vol 1 Hendry, Dr. R. Preston & Hendry, R. Powell, Oxford Publishing, 1982
4.Irchester Narrow Gauge Museum
5.The Ironstone Quarries of the Midlands Part IV, The Wellingborough Area, Tonks, Eric, Runpast Publishing, 1990
6. LMS Engine Sheds Vol. 2, Hawkins, Chris & Reeve, George, Wild Swan 1981
7.Phantasrail U.K. Steam
8.Railway Images Around Northamptonshire, Coleman, Richard & Rajczonek, Joe, W. D. Wharton, 1992
9.Rushden Higham & Wellingborough Railway
10.Steaming into Northamptonshire, Coleman, Richard & Rajczonek, Joe, Northamptonshire Libraries, 1989
11.Wellingborough Marshalling Yards, Midland Record Vols. 7 & 8, Farrar, Jack, date unknown
12.Wellingborough Station, Wikipedia
13.Locoshed Index This seems to be now available only in archive form, and for how long ?
14.Rail UK
15.Metre gauge in the Midlands, Railway Bylines, Vol 10, Issue 11,524-530, Oct 2005
16.Northamptonshire Railway Stations, Rice, Alan & Swift, Andrew, Reflections of a Bygone Age, 1999
17.Five Minutes Late!: Higham Ferrers Rushden Wellingborough Branch Line, Aitken, Colin, Rushden Historical Transport Society, 1993
18.Loco Shed Index