A direct rail link from Oakham to London is to open in December at the same time as the first trains will be leaving the new Corby station for the capital.

As the two stations will be on the same line, campaign group Railfuture was hoping the Oakham service would stop at Corby for the first time in 42 years.

And it looks likely to go ahead after the group received a letter from rail bosses confirming the plan, although East Midlands Trains is remaining tight-lipped on the subject. The new service would mean Corby residents could catch the train north to Oakham and from there travel to Birmingham, Leicester and Peterborough.

In a letter to Railfuture East Midlands in August, commercial director of East Midlands Trains David Horne said: "The proposed Oakham to London service will serve Corby and it has been made possible by the new Corby service."

Branch member of Railfuture East Midlands David Fursdon said: "I don't think you can get a much more definite answer than that.

"This is a start and if we could get more services it would open up more journey opportunities."

In the letter, Mr Horne also confirmed Corby station is set to officially open on Monday, December 15, with a special journey on one of the first scheduled services.

Contractors are working on the station in Station Road and regeneration bosses are hoping for a direct hourly line to London.

Mr Fursdon said: "We are absolutely delighted that the route north of Corby will have a passenger service on it, even if it's just one a day at the moment, but it's a start and we can build on that. Back in 1966, before the route closed, it was a main line from Corby up to Nottingham.

"We are very much looking forward to it. We have waited for 42 years, which is a long time, and the special journey is going to be a fun way to celebrate."

A spokesman for East Midlands Trains said the company is still not in a position to confirm the service, despite the letter from Mr Horne.

She said: "We want to do it if we can but there are a few pieces to go ahead yet."