Helmdon Disused Railway

Helmdon Disused Railway is a former rail line converted into a nature conservation area featuring limestone spoil heaps and extensive Jurassic grasslands. The route passes through overgrown platforms and retains the linear structure of its original trackbed.

The line opened in 1899 as the final major railway route built from northern England to London and closed in 1966. Its construction marked the end of Britain's great railway expansion period.

The station served visitors to Sulgrave Manor, the ancestral home of George Washington's family during the 16th and 17th centuries.

A public footpath runs along the former railway line and allows free access to the site year-round. Sturdy shoes are recommended due to uneven ground and overgrown sections along the route.

The site is the only location in Northamptonshire where the small blue butterfly species still survives. This butterfly relies on specific plants that thrive in the grassland habitat.

GPS coordinates: 52.06700,-1.14300

Latest update: December 14, 2025 20:01