Peak rail, Matlock station extension

[Michael Delamar]

Peak rail have got a nice new website, on it it mentions the extension into the platform at Matlock.

 

http://www.peakrail.co.uk/Projects.html

 

"The first phase of the work is to get the line reconnected at Matlock Riverside and we are clearing the site of vegetation to facilitate slewing our existing track over to meet that of Network Rail. Signalling work will include the installation of the Luffenham Signal Box which is currently being restored at Rowsley"

 

sounds good to me.

 

has anyone been recentley? got any up to date photos of this work?

 

Mike

[bennyboy]

It looks like their nice new website is having problems.

[Unknown Warrior]

I can confirm that the ground work has started so shouldn't take too long!

[Michael Delamar]

good stuff, look forward to seeing some pics, and hearing how theyre going to work the second platform at Matlock.

[Leander]

There's an engineers' train down at Matlock Riverside most mornings and I can confirm that work has started on the Peak Rail side of the NR boundary fence. No evidence yet of any track slewing taking place but vegetation has been cleared on the west side of the run round loop to reveal the loading dock used to load wagons of limestone from Cawdor Quarry. No work started yet at Matlock Station either.

[Michael Delamar]

theres some more photos of the track slewing at Matlock on the Peak rail website.

 

 

 

http://www.peakrail....k/Projects.html

 

 

nothing on fotopic or similar yet.

 

Mike

[Michael Delamar]

this recent pic, shows the clearing up at Matlock riverside, I wonder if any of the brickwork on the right will have to go?

 

http://andrewsheritagetransport.fotopic.net/p64783537.html

 

Mike

[Unknown Warrior]

I was at Peak Rail today and looked at the alignment from the approach path to Riverside Station. The piles of rubble will have to go but they may be there to build up the ground level to conect with Network Rail. Removing the walls would probably require moving quite a bit of spoil from behind them. Progress seems to be painfully slow.

[Michael Delamar]

Progress seems to be painfully slow.

 

A lot of projects on preserved railways usually are slow,

 

 

and Im sorry about going off on a bit of a rant here,its not so much a rant, just sharing some of my thoughts.

I dont want to upset hard working volunteers, but Peak rail sadly Ive noticed always seems to take a long time on projects, whatever its down too, lack of money, people. look how quickly the Churnet valley has sprung up.

 

its one of my favourite railways Peak rail, and have always had a huge interest in the line, and followed its progress since the buxton days, a lot of the interest is from the potential it could have, if it were to get back to Buxton.

or even just Matlock NR station to Bakewell station would be nice, 2 tourist towns. rather than outside of them as now.

 

sadly I think theyve got a problem unlike that of say the East lancs, Peak rail is in an area which is already heavily touristy. the National park are not interested as they have enough to draw tourists in. so money and help is hard to come by, If the peak national park was an old derelict wasteland then Im sure the railway would have been resurected by now.

 

one thing, I remember being a bit dissapointed when I heard they where building a narrow gauge line at Rowsley, I just thought there was something in that that was lacking say what other preserved railways would do. one things is its taking man power away from other projects.

 

The quality of restorations there is as good as anywhere, the heritage shunters, diesels and LMS carraiges, although they only have one mainline steamer which would pull in enthusiasts aswel as families, and they went and put a lot of enthusiasts off by painting it red.

 

Ill go off on another rant here about another line, the Midland railway centre, Ive only been once and wasnt too blown away by the railway itself if Im honest, although they have nice museum, artifacts and steam locos.

 

Ive always thought it would be a good idea if the Midland railway centre and Peak rail merged.

with the midland centre moving to Rowsley, plenty of steam locos a lot more man power and the potential for a 20 mile railway.

 

Mike

[lmnp]

A lot of projects on preserved railways usually are slow,

 

Ill go off on another rant here about another line, the Midland railway centre, Ive only been once and wasnt too blown away by the railway itself if Im honest, although they have nice museum, artifacts and steam locos.

 

Ive always thought it would be a good idea if the Midland railway centre and Peak rail merged.

with the midland centre moving to Rowsley, plenty of steam locos a lot more man power and the potential for a 20 mile railway.

 

Mike

 

Hi Mike,

 

I have to agree with you here about the midland railway centre. Somehow it just doesn't seem professional when compared with the likes of GCR Loughborough. They also don't have enough track or the availability of land to expand.

 

Living in Matlock, I would really like to see Peak Rail make it into Matlock station. I think it will be the boost the town and the railway needs. I do hope they do a good job of restoring their side of the station, as it's a real mess at the moment. Then I think the real big push should be to get running rights, or lay additional track to get to Matlock Bath, that is after all where most of the tourists go. That would have to be good for the railway, the more folks they can get to ride, then the more money they will get to eventually make the push to Bakewell.

 

Regards

 

Richard

[Michael Delamar]

Yes Matlock bath is lovely.

 

Perhaps they could do something along the lines of the NYMR does to Whitby?

 

again, with regard Midland centre. Itd probably never happen, it was just an idea.

 

another reason being is I dont think that Peak rail, if they where to say, have the line re-opened to Buxton in a mamoth quick job like what happened with the Welsh highland, I dont think theyve got enough rolling stock.

 

all just head in the clouds thoughts there from me.

 

Mike

 

 

 

[Leander]

I can't see Peak Rail running to Rowsley Old Station as it's been incorporated into the Peak Village outlet shopping development. They'd also have to cross the A6 (which was formerly on an overbridge) and, from memory, I think that the former trackbed to Rowsley Old has been lost to an industrial development.

[37079]

As I understand it there are still some formal procedures to be gone through and signed off before Peak Rail will be able to access Matlock station although I doubt there are any showstoppers in there.

 

If indeed it were part of the plan (which I am not aware of), the chance of Peak Rail being able to run onto the national network are slim as the current timetable and signalling on the Matlock branch would preclude any other services between Mondays and Saturdays. You probably could fit additional trains on the branch on Sundays but even then the existing service is pretty reasonable and I would have thought sensible connections for Peak Rail at Matlock would be a better bet.

 

For me, the Midland Railway Centre is clearly not in the same league as the Great Central as a visitor attraction BUT making the comparison is a bit unfair as the two occupy different niches - for the MRC it plays a far more valuable role as a custodian of historic buildings, rolling stock and archives (yes the Swanwick site is a bit untidy but it's also an absolute treasure trove of interesting curios for the committed rail enthusiast which maybe aren't so interesting to the general visitor). Railway preservation is a broad church and it would be a terrible loss for enthusiasts if the MRC didn't exist.

 

Mike

[Michael Delamar]

it is a little unfair on them, that wasnt the intention.

 

but was mainly saying that I think if Peak rail did have the opportunity for major expansion to Buxton, I think they would need someone to merge with them, so they had more rolling stock, locos, track and staff,

 

and the mrc being relatively close,the peak line being midland, plenty of land to build more sheds at Rowsley like at Swanwick only bigger, MRC bring signalboxes and signals etc, seems quite logical.

 

but thats just my dream world idea there would probably be politics there aswel.

 

Mike

[Unknown Warrior]

There is of course a "new kid on the block" in Derbyshire - The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway reopening the Duffield to Wirksworth Branch. It is hoped that the whole branch will reopen next spring. Already 4 miles of track are in use including the incline up to the old quarries, at 1 in 30 the steepest standard gauge passenger line in Britain.

 

The EVR launches it's first opperational steam engine (Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST) at the end of this month.

[Michael Delamar]

some archive shots and info on Matlock station

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/m/matlock/index.shtml

 

Mike

[Michael Delamar]

this makes for interesting reading, network rail info..

 

http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2010/02/peak-rail-dissent-will-not-be-tolerated.html

 

Mike

[Unknown Warrior]

Thanks for the links Mike, both very interesting!

[Michael Delamar]

Ive come across the national preservation forum pages while searching for info, some stuff I suggested earlier in this thread, other people have said, but I have only just found this forum, first time Ive read it.

 

 

 

and it doesnt make for pleasent reading.. along such lines as

 

Volunteers unhappy with the paid board of directors at peak rail, the head 2 cannot be voted out for a start.

 

some basics...

 

the directors wouldnt pay for the use of the 8f, would rather use theyre own austerity tank as it doesnt cost them to hire. so the 8f is off away.

 

directors not having a clue with regards enthusiasts wants,(whats a deltic and should we hire one?) .would rather cater for familes.

 

directors not interested in extension of line, happy to carry on as is.

 

directors forcing out experienced volunteer project leader of turntable restoration when nearing completion.

enforced own computer generated structural tests which told them to modify it, but later computer evaluation proved wrong,

 

censoring discussion groups, and forcing out people who dont agree with theyre views, volunteers moving to other lines.

 

and the list goes on..

 

I really feel sorry for the volunteers at this line, many who have been there since the 70s, it turns out they have plenty of volunteers, but from what Ive read,for example no actual organised permenant way department, so they have plenty of volunteers restoring locos and other projects, but not alot on the line itself.

 

a few of the threads.

 

it seems its all down to the board.

 

 

http://railways.national-preservation.com/showthread.php/22789-48624

http://railways.national-preservation.com/showthread.php/21275-Rowsley-Turntable.

 

Mike

[pete_mcfarlane]

the directors wouldnt pay for the use of the 8f, would rather use theyre own austerity tank as it doesnt cost them to hire. so the 8f is off away.

That's the main reason I don't go very often - it's always the same loco. This is probably fine if you are a family on a one off visit, but it's not going to encourage enthusiasts to visit very often. Frankly, it's a bit boring.

[AMJ]

The shunt operation into the p2 at Matlock should be carried out just like the WHR when they first got to Rhyd ddu. If you lay in a loco release road for the first train of the day you run it double headed with a steamer and one of HST's (Heritage Shunter Trust) diesel locos. Release the steamer, haul the stock in to platform road with the diesel. Steamer backs onto the stock and takes it away. The shunter remains at Matlock all day and the goes back on the tail of the last train.

 

For a while the NYMR used to take the train loco off and then haul the train in with a diesel shunter - I had the class 14 they once had on that.

 

Shunter enthusiasts would like that - a bit like in the 1980's the NorthEast SouthWest trains joined in Sheffield the 45 came off the West Yorks section an 08 pulled the stock from one platform onto the rear of the section from York & Newcastle.

 

Evidently it would be cheaper for them to hire in the HST loco for the limited mileage than the cost of an extra steam loco. On quiet days they can still operate one loco in steam, busy days with 2 sets of stock 2 steamers.

 

 

[Poor Old Bruce]

That's the main reason I don't go very often - it's always the same loco. This is probably fine if you are a family on a one off visit, but it's not going to encourage enthusiasts to visit very often. Frankly, it's a bit boring.

Stopped off at Rowsley this morning. As Pete says, it's always the same loco except now it has had a repaint and is disguised as 68013 WOW!!!

 

Those other comments about the (mis)management of the line could explain why the 8F was run on the Saturday and Sunday of the Mayday BH weekend but not the Monday.

 

Richard

 

p.s. don't get too carried away at the prospect of through running onto Network Rail, the Matlock branch was declared 'railcar only' umpteen years ago, presumably for major bridge work requirements. When Flying Scotsman visited the line it was taken in and out by road and the coaches for it were delivered by 0-6-0PT 9600 as the only available main line certificated loco light enough.

 

p.p.s. it's been turned round as well.

[lmnp]

p.s. don't get too carried away at the prospect of through running onto Network Rail, the Matlock branch was declared 'railcar only' umpteen years ago, presumably for major bridge work requirements. When Flying Scotsman visited the line it was taken in and out by road and the coaches for it were delivered by 0-6-0PT 9600 as the only available main line certificated loco light enough.

 

 

Hi,

 

 

There has been some extensive work done on relaying sections of the Matlock branch line with welded track. The bridge at Whatstandwell was also structurally strengthened, along with one of the other bridges too.

 

There was a class 60 and a couple of 66s (66248 and 66136) put down the branch in 2009.

 

Regards

 

Richard

[Michael Delamar]

just wondering if anyone knows of any progress at Matlock?

 

Mike

[lmnp]

just wondering if anyone knows of any progress at Matlock?

 

Mike

 

Hi Mike,

 

Don't know if anything is going on behind the scenes, but there appears to have been no progress where the vegetation clearance was taking place, it was Sunday night last time I went past.

 

Richard