Northampton St. John's Street railway station was a former railway station in the town of Northampton, Northamptonshire, England. It served the town from the mid‑19th century until the mid‑20th century and was situated on St John’s Street, close to the town centre.
History
- Opening: The station opened on 2 June 1845 as part of the London and Birmingham Railway’s original line between London Euston and Birmingham Curzon Street. At the time of opening it was simply known as “Northampton” but was later distinguished as “Northampton St John’s Street” after the construction of a second station in the town.
- Location and facilities: The station was built on the south side of St John’s Street, adjacent to the River Nene. It featured a single through platform with a small brick station building that included a booking office, waiting rooms, and a modest goods shed.
- Operations: The station handled both passenger and freight traffic, providing connections to London, Birmingham, and other regional destinations. Passenger services were operated by the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) after the 1846 amalgamation of the London and Birmingham Railway.
Decline and closure
- With the opening of a larger, more centrally located station at Bridge Street (now simply “Northampton railway station”) in 1875, passenger services were gradually transferred away from St John’s Street.
- The station continued to handle limited goods traffic for several decades but saw a steady decline in use.
- It was officially closed to all traffic on 4 May 1960, and the site was subsequently redeveloped. The original station building survived for a time and was repurposed for commercial use before being demolished in the 1970s.
Legacy
Although no longer in operation, the former Northampton St. John’s Street station is remembered as the town’s first railway terminus and a key element in the early development of rail transport in Northampton. Some photographs and architectural drawings of the station survive in local archives and railway heritage collections.
