The Heritage Lottery Fund has given a grant to the railway to enable the installation of equipment for mail bag exchange at Yarwell station.

The Nene Valley Railway has the longest preserved mail train in the country five coaches which includes the Post Office Sorting coaches with the nets to catch the mail as the train passes and the Post Office Tender carriages in which the mail was stored once it was sorted.

The new equipment was being commissioned today and visitors will be able to see mail being swapped this weekend.

Passengers travel from Wansford station through the tunnel under the A1 to Yarwell Junction station and walk along the new footpath to the mail bag exchange equipment.

The mail train then passes three times and gives passengers a bird’s eye view of the swap taking place.

Passengers who want to see the mail train in action can travel for £5 adults and £2.50 children.