Tracing the Wellingborough to Rushden Railway with bonus footage (Re-uploaded from P.R.A Feb 2022)

[@davidsheppard190]

Awesome Purple before the Greenway was developed the old line was overgrown and my family would go blackberry picking along the line.

[@nealesmith1370]

Thanks Purple, enjoyed watching this footage again. In the mid-1970's, I walked the entire (intact) track bed from Wellingborough to Higham. Back then no Rushden Lakes, slurry pit or that road driven through the middle of the Rushden station site. A memorable journey. BTW the bridge next to Rushden station was notorious for its low clearance with the road. I once read that a local bus company had to let down the tyres of its double-deckers to get them underneath!

[@PurpleVision23]

Thanks for sharing

[@iNireus]

A most excellent walk, and pieces of puzzles orientated into the areas jigsaw. Thx again

[@chevoneflowers4754]

My old Dad who was born in Rushden in 1942 has always said Ditchford Treacle Mines were at Ditchford Station. He always worked in Rushden but lived in Wellingborough and would walk home daily. I remember meeting him at the 14 arches. Great content Purple 👌

[@PurpleVision23]

Thank you for commenting. Yep mines are near ditchford yes

[@wardrobespice]

That brings back so many memories of Rushden and visiting my grandparents, we used to walk over that bridge on Washbrook Road and Grandad used to lift us up to see the railway line, it looks so different now. Thank you for an awesome video 😍

[@PurpleVision23]

Thanks for sharing

[@peterrobinson903]

Quite a few years ago I went to a talk on the Rushden branch given by a guy called Peter(?) Butler. It was held in the Saxon Hall Raunds. The plan was to continue through to Raunds and build a new station in the town centre then progress further north. The reason why it stopped at Higham was because a local farmer wouldn’t sell them the land. The guy giving the talk had copies of the plans for the new station at Raunds that never got built. It was a very interesting talk. I think Mr. Butler has written some books about local railways.

[@Ramdoncontentmadness]

Man I Remember Andrew driving his first car and now he is a bus driver! Great video! 💜

[@PurpleVision23]

So cool!

[@peterbradbury1592]

Hi Purple, that was some walk you did, loved it as .I wouldn’t be able to do that. Chris & myself went on the short ride at the Rushden museum on a afternoon tea adventure. Only a short run, but they run back & forth twice. That was in 2022. Just loved seeing all of that video.

[@PurpleVision23]

Glad you enjoyed it. One day the greenway will be extended

[@jordanm5674]

Nice to see you up my neck of the woods this time. Born and bred in Wellingborough in 1983. Then in 2007 moved to Rushden to the housing estate at 30:00 of the vid and witnessed the rebuilding of the heritage line and greenaway. (I'll have to dig out some photos of the old overgrown cuttings) Now live up the line in Higham. Always love to watch your videos to reminisce on the old times of the Boro.

[@PurpleVision23]

Ah thanks Jordan. I'll come up pass that way soon in a walk

[@lesallen2313]

Another great video Purple, there is another footbridge (walking access only) going under this old track at the right hand side of Dove House Motor services on Crown way, Rushden. I used to do blue light response for EMAS and was going to a call in Rushden, the sat nav took me into Crown way and tried to send me under this bridge in the car. The bridge is just visible if you go on street view on Google Earth and take the roadway to the right hand side of the building. The footpath comes out onto Paddock Road, Rushden.

[@PurpleVision23]

Ah awesome. I'll include it in the visit next time I'm there. Cheers

[@trumpetrider565]

Thanks for sharing mate. I’ve been past that slurry pit loads of times to access the railway up under the viaduct. Didn’t know what the building work was on the right but now I do! I thought it was houses! The signal box used to be at leicester yard for training signalling technicians and it was scrapped and saved and moved to Rushden. It’s in Midland Railway colours. 😊

[@PurpleVision23]

Nice one

[@robertcaves3797]

You got me again! Still best part of the track you missed that you would have loved to have seen back in the day ,was were the line met the midland main line, such a large cutting then it opened up ,as a kid wondering were the hell I was then to see a train thunder past going round the curve to Bedford and another going to Wellingborough blew me mind.wish I had a drone back in the day.

[@PurpleVision23]

Yh I'm not standing up there with that stink, I'll send the drone up

[@comeoutdoorswithus4406]

Hi purple it's Wes from come outdoors with us, the Greenway does follow the line of the RHTS. But if you go down the path towards the station you are not physically walking on the railway line because it is up on the bank as seen where the bridge was taken down on your right side but it emerges in front of you to go under the washbrook road bridge to the station. The track at the station is in its original position towards Higham which meets a proposed station in Higham and was situated where the warehouse is on Kimbolton Road Higham Ferrer's.

[@PurpleVision23]

Wow Wes that's some great info there. Thank you

[@pjkeywoodbellamy5174]

Alright Purple, love this video mate you just don't realise what it was like 70 yrs ago and what bits of history are still.around. I never realised the Greenway was there for the old railway, very interesting and thanks for showing us what is out there.

[@PurpleVision23]

Yh it's crazy what was. I wish I got to see it as your father saw it all. Means a lot you commenting and watching. Big respects to you and the family

[@martinp3018]

The 'Well rusty wagon', and the two next to the cement wagon, are now part of the 6 wagon Iron ore tippler rake at The Northampton & Lamport Railway :)

[@PurpleVision23]

Haha you noticed. I may have to bring you the stills for NLR to use

[@pgknighton]

On the section between Rushden and Higham as children we used to net butterflies and play in the cornfields at the side of that track, (late 50's early 60's). Some of the drivers, back in the day, would give us rides from just outside Rushden station up towards the engine sheds at Higham. Just had to beware of the Station Master at Rushden station. Back over in the cornfield there was a large newt pond nearer the Higham end of the track. Now all built on...😕

[@PurpleVision23]

The drivers were legends. Shame its all developed now. I would have loved to have seen it back then

[@comeoutdoorswithus4406]

Thanks for tracing the line for us purple

[@PurpleVision23]

Big love Wes

[@josephhealy]

Another cracker Purple. I've been meaning to walk those bridges you can see from the A45 (Wellingborough to Rushden line) after seeing your video on it. Great to see the whole journey pieced together including that small bridge you found that I've seen when at Rushden lakes. Would be amazing to go back a 100 years and see everything working as it did!

[@PurpleVision23]

Would it be awesome just to see it all as it was

[@zeberdee1972]

That was an epic walk . Those bridges you can see from the A45 . Always wanted to get there as a kid but never did . Thanks for showing us and cool video as always .

[@PurpleVision23]

Thanks for watching

[@markcastro78]

Hi Purple, I know where the “treacle mines” are, it’s a great walk and I can show you

[@markcastro78]

(between Finedon and Ditchford)

[@PurpleVision23]

I know where they are bud. Its all in had thank you

[@williamwoolhouse6506]

I think that you may have got your dates mixed up rather..The Higham Branch was opened on the 1st Of May 1894 not 1984.It was originally intended to extend this 3.5 mile branch from Wellingborough to Raunds to link up with the Kettering to Huntingdon line.But a local landowner refused to sell his land,so the line was only built to Higham Ferrers.Goods traffic commenced on 1 Sept 1893 and passenger services on 1st May 1894 until June 1959.

[@PurpleVision23]

Of course thanks for pointing that out

[@benmtb6801]

This is spot on mate, thanks 👍

[@PurpleVision23]

No problem 👍

[@NunoLima1337]

Pretty cool that route. For some time I've been looking for a nice and safe way to cycle to Stanwick Lakes and beyond, and ended up following the other rail line, the one to Peterborough. That trail from Embankment - Chester House - Ditchford will hopefully be better maintained in the future as Stanton Cross develops, as right now the litter and weeds are just awful. My route takes me around the north of Rushden Lakes, too close to the water treatment plant (52.30920630510905, -0.6184850787092921). I will certainly try to take this Rushden branch instead and then try to find the trail back to Stanwick and Thrapston. The dream would be to have a car-free route all the way to Graftham Water :)

[@keithbeddoe305]

Hi purple👋 TWAINNNNS 🚉🚋🚋🚋 x more TWAIIIINS 🚂🚃🚃🚃 Loving the artwork on Washbrook Road bridge👍have done most of that journey with my dog🐕Really liked the Irchester bonus section at the end😁😁😁

[@PurpleVision23]

Thanks Keith, I thought I would add in the PurpleVision video at the end. Thanks for watching all the way through. That's a true supporter. Legend that you are.

[@fenpikey]

Chettles!! The aroma from there was rather pungent enough to make an onion cry 😉

[@PurpleVision23]

😂😂😂

[@daveanderson70]

The takeaway from this video is Purple was born around 100 years too late to enjoy steam to its fullest! 1986…you made me laugh (I feel so old!)😂

[@PurpleVision23]

Yh the year of chernoybl 😄 🤣 definitely born in the wrong era

[@comeoutdoorswithus4406]

If you continue to the path you would end up as it shows on board where the Northampton to Peterborough railway is

[@PurpleVision23]

This is last year's video Wez. I still haven't revisited yet

[@iNireus]

You two know how to give your ladies a good time 😂 slurrypitt dating, it might catch on

[@PurpleVision23]

I know right, I don't think Donna and Leanne have been out railway Hunting with us since 😂

[@jo22571]

Not 100% but the "treacle mines" story i think comes into same category as sky hooks, a long weight and tartan paint lol

[@PurpleVision23]

Hmm I'll have a look into that

[@joshua9044]

Hello