Moorlands and City Railway

Merlin's quote is from the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council's Churnet Valley Transport Study ref 6.8. Reading between the lines, it would appear that the District Council would ,eventually, like to see a timetabled passenger service operating between Leek and Stoke. This service would give some relief to the congested roads in the area.
As the report is dated 30. 7. 13. I am surprised that it has not been mentioned by any of the usual Churnet Valley/ MCR people posting on here.

 

What they would like to see and what could be afforded are two different things/outcomes

 

I am sure you are, quasi just asked a reasonable question

 

Unfortunately the smdc has no more power and influence than a parish council, scc hold all the cards.

 

And some, if any, monies that might be available...

 

What land are MCR trying to sell at Leekbrook Junction, not the old loco depot site and NE chord to the Cauldon Low line? I would have thought that relaying the latter would have been the easiest way to create a turning facility for incoming main line steam locos?
They must have had no luck yet in acquiring land for a station closer to Leek town centre, as I understood that they thought the Cornhill site was too far away? Presumably if Leek is the next intended destination then part of the plan must be to extend the CVR trains into the town along the relaid line, allowing it to be used as quickly as possible?

Chris

 

As a member and shareholder of the CVR who posts on a regular basis I can this is the first I have heard of this, on this thread. But as there is a CVR AGM next week I think that that will be the time when any plans that might be in existence will be announced. So not much use speculating until then.

 

Interesting that the freight link is now downgraded to possibility and the passenger link is now to the fore. I wonder what that does to the finances. Perhaps you'll be able to ask a few questions at the AGM, P/wayman.

 

Remember that from SMDCs perspective passenger traffic is the big win in masterplan terms. Freight is largely an irrelevance as it does not lead to new jobs/revenue for the area (it is existing business transported in a different way.) I would suggest this is why the former is emphasised, rather than anything MCR may have said.

 

Passenger traffic is more useful to the public if you are talking about regular timetabled services to the outside world but that won't happen without a subsidy and none will be forthcoming from the dft. Anyway, there are no unused sprinters lying around in sidings that could be used. Freight would at least take traffic off the roads but that won't happen without a very expensive and major investment in the line from Stoke to Cauldon. That does have the potential to create jobs because somebody has to load/unload the trains and maintain the sidings and level crossings and relay the line and replace the various bridges.
NetworkRail told the ORR that a return of passenger facilities to Leek was highly unlikely because of the massive costs involved

 

The freight services are still in the pipeline, hence the track is being removed from Ipstones onwards. Work on the Leek extension has always been planned, and if certain things fall into place it will be sooner than you think. But we've just got to have patience, and not expect everything overnight. If people are that interested in knowing what's said at the AGM, why not sign up yourselves and come get the info first hand? The Share Issue is still open.
http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk/support-us

 

For those of you following this thread who are not local to the Leek area, here is an excerpt from the local paper of 9th October quoting David Kemp:

"We are replacing track on the Cauldon line and work is ongoing to get the Leekbrook to Endon line running. This would allow the CVR to run trains down to Endon. We hope to have an announcement in about four or five weeks about our proposals to bring the train services into Leek."


Read more: http://www.leek-news.co.uk/Leek-News/Railway-cuts-services-amid-98k-shortfall-09102013.htm#ixzz2hjEA64A0

 

This may be more informative.
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.u...tory-19929179-detail/story.html#axzz2hjx2JpmY

 

....a loss of £98,000 last year...

 

What are the other sites being considered other than Cornhill?

 

Just been announced tonight that Permission has been granted to run trains on 12 days a year down to Endon crossing from Easter 2014

 

Excellent news! Just for clarity, is that 12 trains a year, or twelve days a year on which the trains can run?

 

to run trains on 12 days of the year.....

 

That is really good news - even if it gives us an extra few miles of PW to look after, but at least it will be a change of scene.

 

I'm curious, who would have to give permission? It's not a planning issue so surely they can run whatever they want to once the track is in a safe condition. Great news though