Spratton Station

When the London to Birmingham Railway was built in 1838, it by-passed Northampton and it wasn't until 16th February 1859 that the branch line was opened by the London & North Western Railway (LNWR) from Northampton to Market Harborough. Even then the branch only served the villages of Brampton, Brixworth and Lamport. It was an 18 mile single track and two trains ran each way daily.

Spratton had to wait until 1864 when the LNWR opened a new station where the line crossed the Spratton to Brixworth road, with four trains each way stopping daily. The traffic increased on the line and it soon became necessary to lay another track. The double track line was opened on 4th August 1879.
Right: Renown 4-4-0 No. 5121 Galatea passes Spratton station in 1929. Originally LNWR No. 1954, the locomotive was rebuilt from Alfred the Great in October 1924.

Spratton station closed on 23rd May 1949 but it was to be another 32 years before the Northampton to Market Harborough line itself closed.

On the final day of service, 15th August 1981, a special train ran from Northampton to Market Harborough marking the closure of a line that had served the community for 123 years.

However, this is not the end of the story. Spratton signal box has been restored at Pitsford & Brampton station and it will soon be back serving the community once again at Spratton station.

Right: It is Saturday 15th August 1981 and the Spratton name board has disappeared from the side of Spratton signal box. Local people look on as the special train approaches Spratton level crossing.