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Bedford Olney Northampton
Picture of the former Northampton - Olney - Bedford Rail Link Freight only extremity at the Brackmills Industrial Estate at the Northampton end of the line. BRTA wants to keep this track in situ and save the route from obliteration. (c. 1998)
An East/West rail link between Oxford, Bedford and Cambridge includes rebuilding the 9 miles between Bedford and Sandy, which BRTA supports, by the East West Rail Consortium. This will give direct access between the West Country and East Anglia and vice versa. However BRTA believes reopening the Northampton-Olney-Bedford rail link would allow through services between Birmingham, Birmingham International/NEC, Coventry, Rugby and Northampton to Bedford, Luton, Luton Airport, St Pancras, Thameslink, East Anglia and Stansted Airport and vice versa.
At present Northampton, one of the largest towns in England (population in excess of 200,000), has no rail access to the East and so is missing out on the many opportunities for travel and social and economic regeneration that such a rail link would allow. In addition Northampton is disadvantaged by not having a rail link with the Midland Mainline at Bedford. For more details see Northampton Area Group page
BRTA believes this could be achieved by reinstating 18 miles of track, mainly on former track bed between Northampton and the Midland Mainline at Bedford.
Tracks exist for 1.5 miles out of Northampton. The rest of the route, apart from bridges, is still intact except for a 0.5 mile realignment needed around the northern perimeter at Olney. The population is 6,000, plus several satellite villages making a total of 10,000 people, all of whom could use the local rail link for commuting, shopping and leisure into the nearby towns of Northampton and Bedford. Likewise this would open Olney up for more visitors, bringing sustainable economic fortunes for this attractive rural town
Shows Northampton - Bedford Freight only stub and the sprawling Brackmills Industrial Estate. BRTA needs this as a potential customer for rail freight opportunity.
The rail link would offer:
Opportunities for a cross country express diesel service from Northampton and points westwards to Bedford and beyond to East Anglia (including the East Coast resorts and ports). Allow electric trains to serve Northampton via Bedford, Luton, London, St Pancras, (Heathrow and Channel Tunnel connections) and beyond. Reduce rural and urban traffic levels and enable proposed developments of the Bedford-Milton Keynes-Northampton-Bedford triangle to be more environmentally sustainable. A major public transport facility. Buses alone cannot and do not cope! However a new local bus service could operate between Milton Keynes, Olney and Wellingborough making a handy North/South and East/West public transport facility, cutting traffic all round and linking outlying villages with the station and Olney itself. Open up places like Olney to visitors and tourism which would stimulate the local economy bringing more rural employment opportunities. It is currently a 10 mile drive to the nearest train station. A major diversionary route and short cut for freight to go by rail, taking lorries off the local and regional road network (A14, A45, A428, A6, A422 & M1 corridors) saving public money on road wear and tear, cut the number of accidents, pollution and congestion. Help achieve a comprehensive East/West rail network which put Northampton and Bedford at the centre of things rather than on the edge, economically, socially and environmentally.
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