Excitement for Peterborough's Railworld as historic railway station to be relocated to tourist attraction

Railworld Wildlife Haven is set to receive a star new attraction following planning approval to relocate a historic railway station to its site.

Railworld and the Nene Valley Railway have seen their joint proposal to relocate the historic Wansford Road Station building to the site just off Oundle Road approved by Peterborough City Council.

The building- which was constructed in 1863- was set for demolition to make way for the new dual carriageway linking scheme between the A47 and the A1 at Wansford and Sutton.

The station will be dismantled brick by brick and then be rebuilt next to the Peterborough Nene Valley station “with sympathetic restorations of some of the original features that have been lost over the years.”

The building itself will include a welcome hall, a cafe with indoor and outdoor seating, a shop and toilet facilities.

Wansford Road station was located midway between the villages of Sutton, Wansford and Upton and was located on the Stamford & Sibson branch of the Stamford & Essendine Railway.

The line opened in 1867 and was built at a time when Stamford was envisaged to be included as part of the East Coast Mainline, however, cheaper land available being available in Peterborough saw those plans changed and the station never became well used.

The line closed to passengers in 1929 before closing completely in 1931.

National Highways have donated over £200,000 towards the cost of the move.

Brian Pearce MBE, Volunteer and Trustee at Railworld said: “It is fantastic news.

"It’s a shared ownership project and we just asked if it could be used again once we heard that it was set to be demolished.

“Once it is finished and rebuilt it will look really nice. It really is another piece of history saved.”

The application added: “Through the reconstruction of Wansford Road Station on this site it is hoped that a more efficient visitor experience is provided and that the three attractions in which the building will serve will now have a suitable frontage, giving the site an identity.”

Two station buildings will also be demolished to make way the for station’s relocation.

The plans can be viewed on Peterborough City Council’s planning portal using reference 23/00675/FUL.