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Moorlands and City Railway

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Guest, Oct 14, 2009.

  1. Woodster21

    Woodster21 Member

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    Is it the intention (in the short / medium term) to run through trains from Kingsley to Ipstones or is it going to be the case that it will be change at Cheddleton for the Cauldon branch?
     
  2. desperado

    desperado Member

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    If I look at how long it took the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire to install the loop at Laverton then installing a loop seems to be a lot of work.
    How much effort will it take to install a loop at Ipstones? When is it likely to be commissioned?

    I can understand the station at Ipstones as it's been suggested this means you don't have to charge VAT on the fares.

    In all the discussions that were removed, I believed the postings from the railway volunteers, that this was just a relaying job and that the track would be back to Cauldon Low quickly.

    If putting in a loop at Ipstones is a lot of work and it's worth doing then that makes me wonder if the track really will be back to Cauldon Low any time soon.

    I'm not trying to re-open the (far too heated "debate") but can somebody please help me understand what I'm missing here.
     
  3. 37026

    37026 New Member

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    Would the loop at Ipstones not be more beneficial to the railway once the line is rebuilt Stoke to cauldon by giving them s passing place for freight and passenger trains in the future?
     
  4. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

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    Here is the text of the announcement from the CVR website. This is as much as we (the p/way volunteers) know. The highlighting in bold is mine ....

    "Shareholders and regular visitors to the railway will be very familiar with the Cauldon branch which the CVR has, by arrangement with our colleagues at MCR, been using periodically for the last 2 ½ years at no cost to the CVR.

    This branch is part of MCR's route to the main line at Stoke and we have always been aware that a further substantial upgrade and replacement of much of the outdated track will be needed before MCR can run regular freight trains. MCR have recently told us that they will be starting very shortly on the first section of this work by removing the track, ballast etc over the section from Ipstones to Cauldon and this section of the line will therefore not be useable by CVR until the new track is installed, most probably next year.
    We are aware that this section of track is not in particularly good condition and would otherwise require significant expense on repairs which cannot be justified by occasional heritage use.
    In the meantime, trains on the Cauldon branch will terminate at Ipstones adjacent to the B5053. This is an attractive location set in open countryside and we intend, with the co-operation of adjacent landowners, to re-establish the original platform so that detraining is possible. This will enable passengers to access the local footpath network and other nearby attractions such as the Beaver Hall Equestrian Centre. There will be NO vehicular access to Ipstones. Our arrangements with landowners have been negotiated on the basis of visitors arriving by train.
    Both rail companies feel that ultimately the best permanent terminus on this branch would be to reinstate the line into the largely intact former Waterhouses station site. This is not a technically difficult approach but will require landowner co-operation. If achieved, this would be an attractive location, in an accessible main road position with good parking and direct access to local attractions such as the Manifold Valley.
    The current Cauldon site is not particularly attractive, has no public facilities and detraining there will not be possible once industrial operations have started. In these circumstances, Ipstones is a better temporary solution.
    Please keep up with developments on all of this via our website. There will also shortly be some interesting new announcements to be made by MCR about the development of their network so please look out for these over the next few weeks." Ends.
     
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  5. nigelss

    nigelss Member

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    Looks like we can expect some activity on the line to Endon any day now (he said hopefully) given what I just read in Leek Post & News "At A Glance" dated Friday 26th July 2013 - see http://www.leek-news.co.uk/Leek-News/At-a-glance-24072013.htm - relevant section quoted below:

    "THE Moorland and City Railway company and the Churnet Valley Railway have recently announced that they have resolved several long standing issues between themselves and the Network Railway property board. Funding is now in place and it is intended to re-sleeper the Leekbrook to Endon section this summer. This will enable a token service of passenger trains to run over this section of track in early autumn of this year. The more substantial work will be carried be carried out once the Leekbrook/ Endon work has been completed. This will re-establish the main line link to Stoke and enable through running of passenger trains and the reintroduction of freight traffic from Cauldron Low and Waterhouses to all parts."

    Get the oven on and start unwrapping the pies...
     
  6. Paulman265

    Paulman265 New Member

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    Great news, however I can't see the announcement anywhere else and isn't on the CVR or MCR website. I would imagine contractors will be bought in to do this section and the Ipstones to Cauldon lifting as I would imagine the CVR lads will have their work cut out on the Ipstones loop.
     
  7. rogdodge52

    rogdodge52 New Member

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    not doubting the story in the paper but I would rather have the official announcement first before we all start celebrating...
     
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  8. Paulman265

    Paulman265 New Member

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    My thoughts exactly. Cant really fathom why MCR haven`t bothered to place this news on their website (or indeed the upgrading of the Ipstones ro Cauldon section as this was left to the CVR) as this should be seen as positive news after months of silence. It doesn`t take much time or effort to update a website surely.
     
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  9. NeilL

    NeilL Well-Known Member

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  10. allhan

    allhan New Member

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    Nothing been posted on here for nearly a month now.
    Does that mean nothings happening or is it just the holiday season?
    Is there anything to report on any further MCR work/plans.
    I've been following this right from the beginning and waiting to be able to catch the first train out of Stoke up to Leek. I hope the plans haven't fallen down.
    Some weeks back, before all the furore over the bad mouthing of MCRs plans we were told there would be some interesting announcements coming along which would dispel everyone's doubts over the scheme.
    They haven't been very forthcoming.
     
  11. lil Bear

    lil Bear Part of the furniture

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    Things are happening, but I myself have been put off updating this thread following last month's incident as to be quite frank why should I make such an effort when known troublemakers are given free reign on here to bad mouth the whole project? Even when we tried to point out the individual's past and explain that the photographic evidence was actually from an unused section of track, myself and other CVR volunteers still had our posts editted or deleted whilst the troublesome posts were left as they were. So we have kind of lost interest in updating this thread seeing as people are more interested in controversial posts that generate more clicks, rather than factual and informative posts from those at the sharp end.

    As you've asked some clearance work has begun at Ipstones, but we are awaiting delivery of some machinery which has been delayed due to the holiday season. Once this arrives work on Ipstones Loop will begin in ernest. The other 2 announcements are waiting for i's to be dotted, and t's crossed, so until this happens we wont be making anything public. I myself have been shown the plans for one of the announcements, and all I can is wow as I don't think any other railway has announced such a scheme on the scale planned. Was hoped to have it all ready for announcing this month, but sadly we are going to have remain a little more patient.
     
  12. philw2

    philw2 Member

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    I for one enjoy reading yr updates and am disappointed when there's no news on this major project.

    Please don't let a few trolls put u off..
     
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  13. desperado

    desperado Member

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    Thank you for providing the interesting information. There are people here who appreciate your postings even if some do not.
     
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  14. NeilL

    NeilL Well-Known Member

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    From a few weeks ago (just to show something is happening)- clearance of vegetation at Ipstones to facilitate the loop reinstatement.
    DSCF2102a.jpg DSCF2103a.jpg DSCF2104a.jpg DSCF2105a.jpg DSCF2108a.jpg
     
  15. allhan

    allhan New Member

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    I'll second that.
    I'm not in a position to get involved myself, much as I would like, and any information is really appreciated.
     
  16. lil Bear

    lil Bear Part of the furniture

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    It's not so much the trolls that disapointed us, as no matter what the project is on whatever railway there will always be doubters.

    It was more those incharge altering/removing/ignoring posts by people like myself, sheff and Chris Meadowcroft whilst allowing a new poster to write pretty much what he wanted and then leaving them as if they were the truth. This despite the fact I have posted over 4,000 times, Sheff has over 4,000 posts and Chris has over 100 and in them we have continually tried to provide informative posts for you all to read.

    Including all the CVR members who post we probably have over 10,000 posts between us all yet this counted for nothing when a new poster, who joined solely to stir trouble, was allowed to do so no matter what we said. It was only when we took things higher were the posts removed, but by then the damage was done.

    The top of this forum states this a place for "Bringing The Heritage Community Together", but in last months instance that was far from the truth. We want to support our railway, and show people all the good things that are happening, not provide a place to see our every effort knocked. Therefore I certainly wont be going out of my way to update this thread, and some of my fellow CVR volunteers have said similar. We will still answer the odd question if we have time, but don't expect updates all the time as before.
     
  17. glennr2007

    glennr2007 New Member

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    Thank you from my little neck of the woods too for the updates. I too am not in a position to get up and help due to various ailments but I really appreciate them, the work you guys are doing and hope that the big announcements and the continued work and support you get keeps you going :)
     
  18. nine elms fan

    nine elms fan Part of the furniture

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    As i have said before in other sections there seem"s to be an inner and outer circle on this site, I personally prefere to be on the outside looking in, it"s much more amusing, I use another site the Airfield Information Exchange it"s a much more grown up site, nobody stamping their feet when they cant get their own way.
     
  19. p/wayman

    p/wayman Member

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    Lil Bear does not speak for all the volunteers on the CVR. I to was disappointed with the slowness of the Moderators and it has taken several weeks to get over some of other peoples comments on the MCR/CVR work that has gone on so far. Yes I hoped that work would have progressed at a greater pace but remember that this is a completely new thing a private railway taking over a Network rail line there have been a lot of things that have had to be ironed out. Just take one example all the railway bridges, the line is only leased, ok but they are over 100 years old.whose responsability is it if one is weakened say by a road vehicle? I will be posting as and when things happen but it is a delicate position right now, so I do have to see if what I post is in the best interests of both railways. So please bare with us in the situation as it is at the moment. P/wayman.
     
  20. lil Bear

    lil Bear Part of the furniture

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    I have never said I speak for all volunteers Jeff, and never would. People can make their own choices as to what they do/do not post. But there is more than just you & me from CVR who post on here.
     

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