Helmdon Disused Railway

{{Short description|Protected area in Northamptonshire, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox SSSI

|image= Abandoned railway (South) - geograph.org.uk - 428884.jpg

|image_caption =

|name= Helmdon Disused Railway

|aos= Northamptonshire

|interest=Biological

|gridref={{gbmappingsmall| SP 588 412 }}

|area= 16.6 hectares

|notifydate= 1990

|map=[http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271005994%27 Magic Map]

}}

Helmdon Disused Railway is a {{convert|16.6|hectare|acre|adj=on}} linear biological Site of Special Scientific Interest between Helmdon and Brackley in Northamptonshire.{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1005994&SiteName=helmdon&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=|title=Designated Sites View: Helmdon Disused Railway | series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate = 19 December 2016}}{{cite web|url= http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271005994%27|title=Map of Helmdon Disused Railway|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate= 19 December 2016}}

This site is the former embankment and cutting of the Great Central Railway, which closed in 1966.{{cite web|url=http://www.helmdon.com/trail/|title =The Helmdon Trail|publisher=Helmdon.com|accessdate= 19 December 2016}} It is Jurassic grassland, and limestone spoil heaps have a very diverse floral community. Butterflies include the nationally scarce wood white and five nationally declining species. It is the only location in the county for the small blue butterfly.{{cite web|url= http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1005994.pdf|title=Helmdon Disused Railway citation|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate= 19 December 2016}}

A public footpath runs along the site.{{cite journal|url=http://www.helmdon.com/talkabout/village_voice_spring_2013.pdf|journal =Helmdon Voice|title=Clearing the way for the butterflies|date=Spring 2013|publisher=Helmdon Parish Council|accessdate= 19 December 2016}}

The route of the HS2 High Speed railway crosses the southern end of the site.{{cite book|title=High Speed Rail (London-West Midlands) Local Environmental Management Plan South Northamptonshire District Council|date=July 2017|publisher=DfT|pages=6, 16, 20, 21|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/624680/south_northamptonshire_local_environmental_management_plan.pdf|accessdate=5 December 2017}}