Some Local Railways this Easter

Don’t forget – Chasewater Railway details on the ‘Home’ page!

Ecclesbourne Valley Railway

Sunny day at Wirksworth Station

Easter Weekend
Fri 18th, Sat 19th, Sun 20th, Mon 21st April 2014
Our normal timetable will operate on the Wirksworth and Duffield line. The Wirksworth and Ravenstor line will be operating an increased timetable also.
There will be an Egg Trail on Saturday, Sunday and Monday around the station at Wirksworth.
Day Rover Fares
Tickets are valid for all day travel on both the Duffield and Ravenstor lines.
Adults Concessions Children Family (2+3)
£12.00 £11.00 £6.00 £29.00

Churnet Valley

Kids Go Free This Easter

Posted in Contributors Blog on 7th Apr 2014
“Kids Go Free” this Easter at the Churnet Valley Railway with its Steam hauled Easter “Eggspress” trains….
Plus on Easter Sunday Children can enjoy complimenatry Easter Activities which will include an Easter Egg Hunt, Egg Painting, Hunt the Rabbit and Make & Take Children’s Activity Tables.
Trains will be running over the Easter weekend, Saturday, Easter Sunday & Bank Holiday Monday and Wednesday 23rd April. Our “Kids Go Free” offer which allows one Child to travel FREE with each full fare paying adult is valid every day over the Easter holiday. Trains depart each day at 11:32, 12:57 & 14:22 from Cheddleton Station and 12:10, 13:35 & 15:00 from Kingsley & Froghall Station. No booking is required just come along.
As usual our “Goods Shed” tea room at Cheddleton Station and our award winning traditional tea rooms at Kingsley & Froghall Station will be open on all running days providing snacks, hot meals and a huge selection of homemade cakes. And don’t forget to visit one of the best railway souvenir shops around.
Happy Easter!

Amerton Railway

Running daily throughout the Easter Holidays, mainly diesel hauled but with steam on Easter Saturday, Sunday and Monday

Fares (held for 2014): Children £1.50, Concessions £1.70, Adults £2.20

Peak Rail

19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd & 23rd April – Easter Treasure Hunt
Fun for all the family with clues on the train and at Rowsley South and Matlock Platform 2 Stations. Plus your chance to win tickets for our hugely popular Santa Specials.
For a Easter treat every child bringing along a teddy bear can travel free over this five day event.
Normal timetable and fares will apply for this event.
Please contact 01629 580381 for further information.

Severn Valley Railway

During the school Easter holidays, timetable B operates from April 14th – 27th excepting April 19th – 21st when timetable C is in operation.

With timetable B, 3 steam hauled trains are in operation throughout the day. An additional train, which is not shown here, operates on Sunday and is available for pre-booked diners only.

Why not try one of our suggestions below and get the most out of your day?

For the Kids: Collect an entry form and a FREE pack of crayons when you arrive, and take part in our ‘Chicks & Bunnies’ observation competition all the way along the line. Prizes for the best entries!
There will also be fun art and craft activities (Decopatch) by Crocodile Creations at The Engine House on April 19th, 20th & 21st (additional charge applies).

Fantastic Fares: Our Fantastic Fares discount offer is available on April 18th & 25th. Prebook your tickets now and save up to 30% off the normal fare

Great Central Railway

Foxfield Railway

Foxey’s Easter Specials 2014

18th – 21st April
Spring is not just great for seeing rows of daffodils but also a great chance to explore the great British countryside and what better chance to do it by steam train.
With Easter to look forward to Foxfield will be providing plenty of steam hauled trains so that more people can see how glorious the surrounding Staffordshire countryside really is.

Throughout the Easter weekend visitors will be able to take part in Face Painting, Egg hunt and also our much loved activity carriage where everyone can get can to grips with games.Commenting on the busy weekends “Richard Barnett” said, “Spring is always a great start to the season for us, people just want to get out, especially after the extremely cold winter period we have had”.
Over the weekend Foxfield’s great facilities will be open with the buffet offering cold and hot refreshments and our very own award winning real ale bar offering a fine selection of beers.

 

Telford Steam Railway

Welcome to Telford Steam Railway

2014  Our railway will be open on Sundays and Bank Holidays from Easter 2014

A couple of visits to other railways

 

 

Some Early Lines – Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway

Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway

  This view of the Headstone Viaduct across Monsal Dale typifies the country through which the line passed.  Date 31 March 2009. Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by User:Mato using CommonsHelper.  Author Rob Bendall (Highfields)

 Sketch map of the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Railway and connections

The various routes followed by the Midland into Manchester

The Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway ran from a junction with the Midland Railway at Ambergate to Rowsley north of Matlock and thence to Buxton.

In time it would become part of the Midland Railway’s main line between London and Manchester, but it was initially planned as a route from Manchester to the East of England, via the proposed Ambergate, Nottingham, Boston and Eastern Junction Railway which would meet it a little further north along the North Midland line at Ambergate. The Act for a line from just south of Stockport to Ambergate was passed in 1846.

Kirtley Goods No.2777 in the picturesque setting of England’s ‘Little Switzerland’.

Ambergate to Rowsley

The initial plan was for the line to proceed from Ambergate where the ANB&EJR terminated, through Matlock and Buxton to a junction with the Manchester and Birmingham Railway just south of Stockport which would allow it to run into Manchester. It received Parliamentary Assent in 1846.

The line opened as far as Rowsley in 1849, but went no further, having run out of money giving its promoters something of a problem.

Matlock Bath had long been a tourist town. Since the station at Ambergate had been opened, tourists had been brought in by coach and canal. Around thirty coaches had passed that way each day, with sixty or seventy thousand visitors going on to Chatsworth House. The aim then was to develop the trade further.

The Midland Railway had held shares in the line since it had been first proposed in 1845, its interest being an extension onto its route to London. The Manchester and Birmingham had for some time been looking for a route of its own, and had considered a line through the Churnet Valley (later built by the North Staffordshire Railway), but had instead supported the alternative Matlock route with a substantial shereholding. However in 1846 it had merged with other lines to become the LNWR, which clearly could not contemplate a competing London line. In 1852 the two companies agreed to lease the line jointly for 19 years, In addition, the Midland would work the line and pay a rent on it, and also take over the Cromford Canal.

Excursion Train near Miller’s Dale leaving Clee Tor tunnel on Easter Monday, 1956.

Rowsley to Buxton

In 1853, a junction was made to the southern end of the Cromford and High Peak Railway now LNWR-owned, at High Peak Junction, and with the latter’s support, the Stockport, Disley and Whaley Bridge Railway connected Manchester to the northern end. In 1857, with the LNWR’s barely concealed support, the SD&WBR then gained permission to extend to Buxton. It did so by a roundabout route along a massive escarpment to the east of the Goyt Valley, such that it could never become a through express route. Nevertheless, in 1860, the Midland gained permission to build a line from Rowsley to meet it at Buxton.

It was the first time the Midland had built in such difficult terrain, with steep hills and deep valleys, Buxton itself being some 1000 feet above sea level. The line followed the River Wye as far as Bakewell, with the complication of the cut and cover Haddon Tunnel, and reached Hassop in 1862 There then followed two viaducts – at Millers Dale and Monsal Dale – and eight tunnels, reaching Buxton in 1863  at almost the same time as the LNWR reached it from Whaley Bridge.

All this time passengers were having to change at Ambergate, but in the same year, the Midland added a south-facing junction and moved the station to allow through travel from Derby and the south. However, there was still the problem of the joint control of the line.

For many years, the town of Wirksworth had been campaigning for a branch line from Duffield. The CH&PR was interested, but had insufficient funds. The Midland was initially unenthusiastic, but then realised that the branch could be extended to Rowsley, avoiding the section to Ambergate, being unsure about what might occur when joint lease expired in 1871.

However, the LNWR gave up its share of the line when the lease expired. It was, after all, remote and isolated from the company’s main system. The Midland was therefore relieved of the necessity of extending from Wirksworth over a very difficult piece of terrain. The branch opened to Wirksworth in 1867 but was not carried further.

Blackwell Mill, Miller’s Dale in 1932, showing a freight train with class 4 goods No.4043

Later history

The Midland at last had its route into Manchester from London. Over the years it made some improvements. The route from Romiley through Hyde entailed a long detour, so in 1875 a new more direct line was opened through Reddish.

In 1865 the Midland had become a partner of the Cheshire Lines Committee which opened Manchester Central railway station in 1880. Therefore the MIdland transferred most of its trains there, at first reaching it through Stockport Tiviot Dale. However the route became increasingly congested and was hardly suitable as an express route, so in 1897, the Midalnd opened a new line from New Mills through Disley Tunnel and Heaton Mersey.

Closure

The line from Matlock to Buxton was closed in 1968 by the Labour Minister for Transport, Barbara Castle, not as it is often thought by the Beeching reforms. Continuing support is being given by a heritage group Peak Rail who have restored the section from Matlock to Rowsley. The line from Matlock to Ambergate, plus the section of the Midland Main Line to Derby, are now referred to as the Derwent Valley Line. Meanwhile, the Wirksworth branch still exists and is currently being restored as the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway.

Current status

Although the track has been lifted between Rowsley and Buxton and is now part of the Monsal Trail, plans to re-open it are still proposed from time to time, and the Derbyshire County Council has pledged to keep the trackbed free of development.

Part of the line has been re-opened by the heritage railway organisation Peak Rail who run services from Matlock to Rowsley, at a current distance of 4 miles in length.

There are plans to extend to Bakewell via the site of Rowsley railway station and a Proposed Haddon halt as part of the Buxton extension project. It will involve reinstating the whole section and Bakewell railway station to their former use once planning permission has been granted, plus full restoration of the old Haddon Tunnel and both Coombs Road and Rowsley Viaducts (along the way between both Bakewell and Rowsley themselves).

Dore & Totley tunnel, second longest in the British Isles, 3 miles 946 yards, on the direct route between Manchester and Sheffield.

A Quartet of Four tunnels ‘(Headstone, Cressbrook, Litton and Chee Tor) all located between Great Longstone and of course both Peak Forest & Blackwell Mill’ were re-opened to walkers and cyclists in May 2011

Britain’s fourth longest tunnels, 3 miles 313 yards, are through the same Pennine range, on the old Great Central, also between Manchester and Sheffield.  This view, taken in 1947, shows a Great Northern ‘Atlantic’ leaving one of the original tunnels, now closed and replaced by two new adjacent bores to accommodate electric working.

Half-Term Railways

Some Railways running at School Half-Term

25th to 31st October

The narrow gauge Rudyard Lake Steam Railway will be running each week day and at the weekend.

Go to the blogroll for their website

Sat nav: ST13 8PF

Rudyard Lake Station

Originally a station on the main railway line from Leek, Rudyard has been reopened in recent years as a home to a narrow gauge tourist railway. The line runs for about one and a half miles along the east shore of Rudyard lake.

© Copyright Mike Bardill and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

The Severn Valley Railway is also running each day and the weekend.

Go to the blogroll for their website.

Arley Station, Severn Valley Railway

Trains passing at Arley Station on the Severn Valley Railway

© Copyright David Stowell and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

The Peak Rail railway at Matlock will be running on Tuesday and Wednesday, 26^th and 27^th October – and the weekend.  Steam hauled.

Go to the blogroll for their website – Sat nav for Matlock, DE4 3NA

Rowsley South Station

Part of Peak Rail

© Copyright Gordon McKinlay and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Obviously the Thursdays in the above information will be of no use to you – you will be at Chasewater!

WS8 7NL

Also:

Halloween Special – Saturday 30th October

A whole host of spooky activities can be enjoyed this Halloween at Chasewater Railway including Ghost Train Rides, Spooky Stories and Fiendish Face Painting!

Trains will run at 6.00pm and 7.30pm with tickets available from the Booking Office.

Plus normal timetable Sunday 31^st.