Peak Rail General Discussion

Visited today for Bahamas family of 4 + 2 grandparents, kids 9 and 3. This post intended more as constructive feedback:

Ample parking great
Staff attitude fantastic thanks to the footplate crew for inviting the kids up!
Rolling stock clean and comfy, if a little run down outside
Station facilities good, gents toilets at Rowsley were filthy, debris all over the floor and the zip ties securing the hot water outlet pipes trapping all sorts of mould not a great look.
Buffet well stocked, however for those of us that don’t have hot drinks spending 30 mins waiting for the staff to figure out the hugely complex coffee machine and till they didn’t know how to use wasn’t acceptable.
We picnicked on the benches on the platform which was pleasant but would much rather have gone somewhere over on the grass under the trees as trying to keep grandparents and fair skinned kids protected was difficult.
Absolutely nothing for the kids to do besides train journey, can I highly suggest a playground of some description?
Journey itself was pleasant, ALOT of stop and start, most planned (I.e level crossings and dwell time) some not planned i.e 45596 getting stuck TDC at Matlock riverside. I mention this because trying to keep young kids interested and quiet whilst nothing is happening is difficult and unfortunately affects fellow passengers.

overall a solid 6/10 and certainly see much promise for the future

 

A selection of mine from Saturday's charter with thanks to Martin for organising it. The best location is Darley Daler where there is still the illusion of a double track main line

 

you’ve raised a good point about children’s facilities on heritage railways, does anyone know of good examples?
Ta

 

Off the top of my head, Steamworks at the Bluebell, the playground at Ropley on Mid-Hants. Smaller playgrounds at Mountsorrell and Wansford. Generally though, playgrounds and children attractions are lacking from preserved railways. Leighton Buzzard is handy for us and has the advantage of Pages Park with the playground right next to the station, plus a little sandpit at Stonehenge Works - easy to keep a 7 year old happy!

 

I only popped in to Darley Dale on Saturday but managed to catch Bahamas, Cathryn and Waleswood. Saw a few old faces but brother and father are not in any condition to ride. It brought back a few memories of when we were regulars, right at the start of activities there.

 

And especial thanks to the many young volunteers at Peak Rail, galas are hard work! I'm sure the Bahamas visit was a great motivator, I certainly never expected to see a Jube at PR.

 

The week before the Gala 45596 Bahamas is seen here rolling into Darley Dale station.

Nice to see station staff smartly turned out without High Vis regalia. Well done Peak Rail.

 

A few shots of the goings on on the Saturday of the gala

 

Yes, the smart turnout and the absence of hi-vis, except when absolutely necessary, was very noticeable .

 

Some of my best shots from the Sunday. Thanks to Peak rail for organising the gala, I really enjoyed it.

 

Not so far from Peak Rail is the Midland Railway Butterley which is set up mainly for kids visits. There is currently a 'train to the seaside' (a large sand pit), a playground, a signalbox they can play in, model railways to look at, outside seating areas for picnics and so on as well as a narrow gauge, miniature railway and the attractions of the west shed. I've even seen colouring pads and materials in one of the cafes at special kid size seating. Lots of space for the kiddies to run around safely in too at Swanwick,

 

Can anyone advise what is the current status of the Darley Dale down station building?

 

Yes that sounds like me!

 

What's the plan for the green 'Vickers' tank wagon (really Shell-BP A7514)?

It was the very first wagon preserved at the GCR way back in 1973 until eventually sold by private owner in 2016, moving to Fawley Hill. I see on the Wagon Survey site it's moved a couple of times since, I'd missed that.
When A7514 was last used on the GCR (1980s?) it was reported as very rough riding - suspicion that the axleboxes or guides were not in the best condition. Has anything been done to it since it left the GCR?
We were also requested (by a very elderly Mr. Vickers) to paint out the Vickers logo, however as you can see from the above photo we only ever managed to do one side of it before it left the GCR.

From the Wagon Survey site, I see that Esso 2335 has made the same series of moves (although that one didn't arrive at the GCR until 1977!). Is that the Esso one in the above photo?

Although both needed some serious TLC when they left the GCR it's a bit of a shame as the tank train has grown considerably since, and they would have fitted right in. (However I hope they have a useful purpose where they are now, I'm not offering to buy them or anything...!)

The brown one I believe is "2071" although according to the Wagon Survey this is fictitious and it should be 2210, which I assume is its Esso number. (I'm reliably told the Air Ministry number, unknown according to the Wagon Survey site, should be stamped on it somewhere near the filler, by the way, if anyone at Peak Rail is sufficiently interested to go looking for it.)

Nice picture of Bahamas, by the way. Peak Rail always seems like a missed opportunity to me, and those photos really show what potential the place holds, if only they could realise it.