Rushden railway station

This article is about the historic station. For the proposed 'park and ride' station, see Rushden Parkway railway station.

Rushden
Rushden station viewed from the road, in 2023
General information
Location	Rushden, North Northamptonshire England
Platforms	1
Other information
Status	discussed by council of rushden
History
Original company	Midland Railway
Post-grouping	London, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
1 May 1894	Opened
15 June 1959	Station closes to passengers [1]
1 September 1969	Station closes completely [1]
1996	Bought by Rushden Historical Transport Society [2]

Rushden railway station is a railway station that once served the town of Rushden in Northamptonshire, England. It is now a heritage station at the end of a short running line.

History

The station was an intermediate stop on the Higham Ferrers branch line, originally established by the Midland Railway. It closed completely in 1969, British Rail having withdrawn passenger services ten years previously.

In 1996 the station was bought by the Rushden Historical Transport Society. Since then the station has been restored, and forms the headquarters of the society and includes the Rushden Station Railway Museum. The heritage railway now operates as the Rushden, Higham & Wellingborough Railway.

Since the late 1990s, Rushden Station bar has been home to a series of resident cats. The most recent station cats, Alfie and Thomas, have achieved minor fame on social media. ^[3]

Stationmasters

• Henry Pitt 1893 ^[4] - 1914 (formerly station master at Finedon, afterwards station master at Cheltenham)
• John Charles Gregory 1914 ^[5] - 1929 (formerly station master at Hitchin)
• C.V. Bunker from 1936 ^[6] (formerly station master at Pye Bridge)
• Station Cat 1997 - 2006 ^[7]
• Alfie (station cat) 2007 - 2017 ^[3]
• Thomas (station cat) 2020 - present ^[3]

See also

• List of closed railway stations in Britain
• Rushden, Higham and Wellingborough Railway
• Rushden Parkway railway station

Preceding station	Heritage railways			Following station
Terminus		Rushden, Higham & Wellingborough Railway		Prospect Avenue Terminus
Proposed extension
Wellingborough Terminus		Rushden, Higham & Wellingborough Railway		Higham Ferrers Terminus
Disused railways
Wellingborough Line closed, station open		Midland Railway Rushden, Higham & Wellingborough Railway		Higham Ferrers Line and station closed

References

1. "Disused Stations: Rushden Station". www.disused-stations.org.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2010.
2. Rushden Historical Transport Society: Rushden station Accessed 1 July 2010
3. "Rushden Station cat Thomas welcomed after Alfie cat's demise". 15 March 2020.
4. "1881-1898 Coaching". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 875. 1881. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
5. "Hertfordshire" . Luton Times and Advertiser. England. 14 August 1914. Retrieved 26 December 2021– via British Newspaper Archive.
6. "Rushden" . Northampton Mercury. England. 27 March 1936. Retrieved 26 December 2021– via British Newspaper Archive.
7. "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 7 February 2025.

52°17′41″N0°35′53″W / 52.29460°N 0.59818°W / 52.29460; -0.59818