NVR Wagon Group

Welcome to the website of the Nene Valley Railway Wagon Group

The pages of this site are here for you to find out about us, our fleet, and what drives us to restore these once ubiquitous vehicles.

Using the menus above you can find information about our current restoration projects and the freight rolling stock based on the railway, this includes progress updates, and information on how to contribute to our cause, whether physically or financially. We also organise freight driving experience courses and photo charters.

Regular updates can be found on our ‘News’ page.

We are also on Facebook
Please click the logo below or on any page you see it to link to the relevant part of our Facebook page.

Whilst the Nene Valley Railway is probably best known for its collection of locomotives and rolling stock from continental Europe, the NVR is also fortunate to be a home base for over 70 ex-BR wagons, mostly of 1950s/early 1960s vintage, but also including a small number built by the pre-Nationalisation (pre-1948) and pre-Grouping (pre-1923) railway companies.

This large collection has turned out to be both a blessing and a curse, as for a number of years, the very limited manpower that was available to look after the combined passenger and wagon fleet was somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer number of vehicles. Maintaining the passenger-carrying carriages understandably came first on the list of priorities, and it was not really possible to do much more than the ‘bare minimum’ required to keep a small selection of wagons running safely. Spurred on by the steadily deteriorating condition of much of the wagon fleet, in late 2011 a small number of NVR working members got together to resurrect the volunteer-based NVR Wagon Group, which had lain dormant for some time. This has had the benefit of allowing the paid staff within the Carriage and Wagon department to concentrate on maintaining and restoring the NVR passenger-carrying stock, whilst the volunteer Wagon Group manage, fundraise and undertake the works on the goods wagons.

Arguably the collective centrepiece of the NVR wagon fleet is the sheer number of ordinary four-wheeled goods vans on the railway, which were once a common sight in goods trains on Britain’s railway network. With over 20 suitable vans resident on the railway, the NVR has a unique opportunity to recreate an authentic block van train typical of the 1950s/60s period…

Unfortunately, the group suffered a blow when one of our founders and the driving force behind the re-invigoration of the block van train was taken from us. In his memory and as a tribute we continue his vision.