Moorlands and City Railway

Quite nice being quiet. Makes a change from the situation a few months ago.

 

A very pleasant change..... no doubt things will pick up again in time, but in a more constructive and positive direction.

 

Just to copy my post from the CVR thread since it also relates to MCR......

Just spotted this in the digital edition of the Leek Post and Times -

http://www.leek-news.co.uk/Moves-bring-railway-Leek/story-26442024-detail/story.html

So this is the revised planning application by MCR to free up the cash to go towards the CVR extension into Leek. MCR's contribution to the cost of the extension is to be the value of the land sold for development but capped at £300k with the council, MCR and CVR endeavouring to raise the balance of expenditure for the extension.

 

Bradnop Station is getting a work party next month and as preparatory work we today cleared all the trees that had grown up over the access path from the bridge to the platform.
Only three in this gang so the burning will have to wait until June.

 

If anyone wants to join us on June 6th to help tidy Bradnop up please get in touch via pm

 

Up on the Ipstones line today, wet and cool, rodding out the main drains and draining off some of the surface water between bridges 9 & 1o. Good turnout considering the weather. Just a couple of photos from a wet p/way crew at least we could shelter for lunch in Bradnop tunnel or should I say wind tunnel.

 

Note L'il Bear scratching his head at https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/moorlands-and-city-railway.20904/page-111; is he wondering where his hair has gone ?

 

We were looking for a big bog brush to clean out one of the pipes but it would not fit.

 

He's just worked out that I've pinched his hat

 

And there was I thinking that he must have moulted - either that or someone sneaked in while he was hibernating and shaved off his fur.

You do see some interesting wildlife up the Ipstones trail.... Buzzards, Kestrels, we (on the Hiab) disturbed a Male Peacock not once but twice near the old Wardle factory. Ah the joys of the CVR / MCR OAPway team!

 

At least Simon you lower the OAP age to below 70, feel like a spring chicken again,

 

At 27 I'm sure I aged with you lot!

 

By way of a change a few photos of our weed killing jaunt down the line to Endon today plus a photo of the tank loading wagon that I did not know we had. Love the display of wild lupins by Leek Brook signal box that have thrived since the line was opened in 2010. the photo does not do it justice as the whites and pinks have sort of blended in

 

Notwithstanding the weeds and getting authorisation from Network Rail to operate over the line, how much work is required to bring the permanent way up to the standard required to allow passenger trains to operate to Endon?

 

We did a rough survey a couple of years ago and came up with about 1000 wooden sleepers need replacing, not sure if that was before we did Endon Station and a just over 1/4 mile south of Leek Brook, but there's plenty to change, the rest,track, fittings and track bed are sound. Just require Network Rail to get their finger out.

 

Thanks for the information.

 

Is that the work required to get the line fit for all your motive power at 25 MPH. Looking at YouTubes of the TKh literally rocking side to side up your gradients it is not exactly track friendly under power and any weaker fastening/wooden sleeper would soon fail.
However would the same amount of track upgrade be needed for just lightweight track friendly stock such as your DMUs?
This would allow an income stream to be started earlier but in knowledge the track would need further attention for loco haulage.

What involvement does NR have. Just give permission for you to do the work to your needs or do they want to specify and oversee any work themselves by NR approved contractors like they do on the Birchden Junc to Eridge section of the Spa Valley Railwork which they own and lease to the Spa.

Brian

 

I'd imagine they would be looking for an arrangement more like the Wensleydale's, which IIRC lease their line from NR.

 

The plan is to run with steam to Endon as soon as we get permission, so the initial survey was what is required to upgrade for 25mph running. The whole lot will be replaced though when MCR obtain all the necessary authorisation to reopen Cauldon. Just need Network Rail to grant us access, at the moment all we can do is the weedkilling trip.