Ecclesbourne Valley Railway: Countdown to Opening on 8th April"

Re: Ecclesborne Valley Railway, The Dash To Duffield!

Apologies if this has been asked before, but are there any plans to reinstate the main line connection? Would that not be beneficial to the test track business, as well as the other benefits it gives?

 

The main line connection was taken out around 2002 when the track was upgraded to faster running. This was done with our agreement. For the foreseeable future there are no plans to reinstate the connection.

 

I called in at Duffield on Saturday to borrow a few tools for the Mountsorrel project for the day. This gave me a rare chance to drive down the valley and follow the line. The way the lineside has been opened up and cleared is fantastic. I gather that wagon loads of logs have been delivered to lineside customers on a regular basis. There should be plenty of new opportunities for the photographers once the line is open.

Tim

 

A small but significant update.

Today, I received from East Midlands trains (the Best TOC in the World) a scanned set of sample tickets to Wirksworth and Idridgehay from Derby. Essentially, these are the first ‘ordinary’ tickets to these destinations since 1947.

Through tickets will be available from soon after the line’s opening and should be obtainable from any National Rail station.

More progress toward the opening!

Kind regards,

Neil

 

are there any plans to run "commuter" style services during the week with a DMU?

 

From my experience I agree with you

 

Tony,

Initially, we plan to run for 76 days this year; mainly weekends and holidays. It's a big task to ramp up to a full service and we are coming from a base of zero traffic, so it's very difficult to call. Nonetheless, the close tie-in with East Midlands Trains might prove to be the stimulus for further growth.

As an aside, here are three useful links for you:

The base timetable for 2011: http://www.e-v-r.com/timetable/

Our events diary: http://www.e-v-r.com/events/

Our (rather attractive) brochure: http://www.e-v-r.com/documents/2011leafletweb.pdf

Do come and see us when we are open!

Kind regards,

Neil

 

Forget everything you read elsewhere about TOCs being hard to work with. These guys have been an inspiration and their MD, Tim Shoveller, has even offered to act as guest editor for our next e-newsletter. You can't ask for more...

 

How about doubling up the 158's to 4-cars on the Norwich-Liverpool route?

Only joking, it is very pleasing to hear that you are working well with the TOC that you are effectively linking into with the Duffield connection.

 

I like this idea, as I have recently become a volunteer at North Norfolk. Now just make them call at Duffield and I can get from one to the other and back again :tongue1:

On a serious note and back on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, the new website is now up at the same address as before (www.e-v-r.com). The website will of course be improved over time.

Another activity that is needed to further the advances being made, is the refurbishment of a BSK. I am personally involved although I have yet to do much work due to being at home and not at university. There will be pictures and a blog of this once things start to happen more quickly.

 

''How about doubling up the 158's to 4-cars on the Norwich-Liverpool route?''


I would settle for having the tea trolley back!

 

Well come to the EVR then... We dont have a tea trolley, but we do have a drinks/snack trolley to sell these things on board the train at a reasonable price! Not 80p each or whatever the ridiculous prices are on the mainline.

And for tea you could always visit the buffet car and there should be tea facilities at Duffield too, most likely in the form of a coffee machine to start with.

 

I am very much looking forward to visiting the EVR in April. However I think I can just about last without a tea between Duffield and Wirksworth, (although a beer would be nice).

The EMT Norwich - Liverpool Lime Street Service is a different matter though!

 

I see your point, as a regular traveler from Nottingham to Norwich I know what it is like especially in the summer. However I do like East Midlands trains and find them to be very very good, even though their owning company (stagecoach) and other franchieses run by the same owning company like South West Trains are pretty bad in comparison. I think a lot of the TOCs could learn from East Midlands Trains, especially given their support for the EVR and the ease that Neil was able to arrange through ticketing. I am not sure how much this will do for people. I can see a lot of cyclists using the line since Duffield is at the end of Derby cycle network and just a short uphill walk from our own Ravenstor station is the High Peak Trail. With the line connecting the two cyclists can avoid the dangerous narrow roads that run from Duffield to Wirksworth.

 

I dont see that announcing it here now can do any harm since it is already on the website. The visiting engine is 2MT no 78019 from the Great Central Railway, although I agree that the 4F would be better since it hauled the last train from Wirksworth in 1947. Next year however the 4F would be a good idea since it is 65 years since closing. We could also hire in the same class of diesel loco that hauled the last stone train (although I do not know what this was) and have a special closing weekend. But for now our focus has to be firmly on the opening and Shottle station without which the frequency of trains is not ideal.

 

Now then Christopher, I'd really rather have an opening weekend than a closing one!

The final freight train ran on Monday, 4th December 1989 and 47373 was in charge. I know, because I was there.

Neil

 

Alright then, a celebration of the "Temporary" closure? Might be nice to get 47373 for the opening period.

 

Unfortunately 47373 departed this world back in '94 - sadly she's more likely to give you a shaven face than turn up at a future gala...

Any idea what livery she was in when she pulled the last train up the branch btw?

Chris

 

Today, the mega shunt was begun, but could not conclude before dark! The Gat Ex coaches were switched around to allow the second class to act as overflow seating for the buffet car during the busy opening weekend. This entailed the removal of all the wagons, DMUs a 31 and a carriage, all using our trusty shunter L.J.Breeze. Unfortunatley during the week a brake van was left seperating the dogfish and these could not be shunted out in time ot the dock, where they will be filled with ballast for Duffield. Work on the center can continued with more door backs finished. Things in the bookinghall were repriced and stock checked ready for the rush of sales for the opening and also so that some of it can be sent to duffield (by rail of course!) The entire BSK luggage compartment was transformed over the day, from grey to white undercoat. Hopefully this will be ready for the opening as we will need the extra seats, but this will require a lot of welding before then. Some signs were errected to mark the authorised walking routes in the yard and alot of pot holes filled in.