Moorlands and City Railway

Now Judge Judy would say "don't tell me what someone said, that's hearsay"

 

You've got me puzzled there rodgedodge, mind you I did coincidently bump into fred kerr two sundays ago at Wirksworth, he posts on here and we did chat about MCR but not Foxfield where he is a volunteer driver. His profile says he lives in Southport which coincidently is where lil bear jon jon kerr lives, are they somehow related perchance?

 

I live in Preston...

 

Sorry, I've just remembered, it was fred court I spoke to, I had forgotten his name it is so many years since I last saw him, but he is my most recent connection with the Foxfield. I was told you were from southport or worked there at least.

 

Nope. Live Preston, officially work in Manchester but outposted to Preston as its closer to 'my patch'. Kind of handy after nights, within 6mins I'm in bed!

 

I don't know who C&G met at Wirksworth but it certainly wasn't me; my visits this month were 05/07 - ELR for Diesel Gala; 06/07 Hebden Bridge for Tour de France loco-hauled; 09/07 WCML for FELLSMAN and Class 92 photography; 10/07 Winwick [Warrington] for WCML photography including 70802; 12/07 Longpreston to photograph 60009; 17/07 Winwick to photograph test running of 350/3 units and Acton Bridge to photograph 92s on car train; 19/07 DRS Open Day at Crewe; 23/07 Lancaster to photograph Class 92s on WCML services; 25/07 Threlkeld Museum for narrow gauge Gala; 26/07 ELR for TeddyFest and 30/07 ELR to photograph Crab in action. The remainder of the month was spent on domestic duties attending to car accidents involving members of my family (no injuries but vehicle damage to sort out) so whoever you spoke to it wasn't me.

In addition I have no connection with Foxfield - except as a visitor - and I have no driving skills on locomotives as my car driving is considered bad enough; once my car driving is sampled no-one is prepared to let me near a locomotive except to photograph it !

You are clutching at straws Mr C&G and since you do NOT know WHO you have been talking to I must presume that your knowledge of other salient facts is equally suspect. The only fact you appear to have grasped is that because Jon Kerr and Fred Kerr share the same surname they are related but that is a family secret we try not to make public - if only to protect the innocent.

 

Can you PM me with details of who this source is? If anyone is using Foxfield's name to make accusations against anyone we would like to know who they are and what they are alleging.

 

Fred Court does like to spin a yarn or two doesn't he? Whilst he is footplate crew at Foxfield he has never been made up to a driver.

 

Please see Leekbrook To Leek Track Estimate Commentary page 5 where item 12 under the heading "Proposed Construction" states "A new single line railway using serviceable bullhead rail, chairs and fishplates bought from CVR (recovered from the Froghall - Oakamoor section.)". My reading of this is that MCR are paying CVR for the materials. Please can clog&knocker supply a reference where Jon Jon Kerr has stated otherwise.

Best wishes,
Nigel

 

Yes, when he said on a page before 95 "the Froghall to Oakamoor section is in the process of being scrapped to assist ing the financing of the extension to L

some

 

(please excuse garbled quote - it's how the original message is)

Thank you for the reference to page 95. The text in the original quoted post says "The section from Froghall Junction (South of Froghall station) to the Quarry is in the process of being scrapped to assist with the financing of the planned 1mile Northern extension to Leek." along with other useful information.

That text and the statement I quoted from the planning document are not incompatible with each other to my mind given the relationship between MCR and CVR. Please excuse me for not posting my reasons why at this time.

Best wishes,
Nigel

 

Its been a good day today weed killing on the Cauldon line with our versatile sleeper changer. We also cut back some small bushes and brambles. A couple of photos from today. 1 Cutting back. 2 End of line at Ipstones 3. Important elevensies. 4 The sleeper changer blends in well with the new Leek Brook platform.

 

Wow, I had no idea Leekbrook now looks like that. Is it expected to be open to alighting and boarding at some point in the near future?

 

All the area has been tidied up, I think there is some sort of lighting to go on the platform yet and the original drain have been found and a toilet will be put in for the signalman, that must be a relief. Dont know about alighting and boarding as there is no car parking but I see no reason that it cannot be done by walkers as the loco has to run around on normal services.

 

Thanks, good to know. I expect MCR and other more pressing things have delayed its incorporation into the CVR til recently

 

What are you on about? The mcr has had nothing to do with Leek Brook platform its a NSRC led restoration on CVR property. I only put the photo on as it looked good as it came off the Cauldon line.

 

Haven't CVR volunteers done quite a bit of the MCR stuff? I was led to understand the CVR have put a fair bit of money into it too

And then I'd have thought other works elsewhere on the line might have made an as yet unopened station less of a priority.

I'm talking in terms of how long since the line was extended to LB with the platform itself not opened

(apologies if any of this is incorrect and I'm not looking for cloggknocker to go off on one again)

 

Sorry, it is a bit complicated, We the CVR do maintain the track up to Ipstones and possibly to Endon in return we run the trains up there at no cost to us. We are involved in a joint venture to get the extention to Leek. Things might change if for exampleif we run to Alton Towers but for the moment thats as far as we are involved with MCR.

 

CVR PLC have bought Shares in MCR, as part of Share Issue 4 that was launched in 2011. CVR volunteers have also done some work on the Cauldon Branch's infrastructure to help maintain the heritage service, the biggest project being the installation of Ipstones Loop.

Leek Brook Platform has been done by Contractors (mainly) hired by the NSRC (the charitable Trust) as part of the Lottery funded "Churnet Valley Living Landscape Project" to restore a number of local attractions (not just railway related). Phase 1A was the restoration of the Signal Box, with Phase 1B being the rennovation of the platform to allow access on selected dates to the box. A formal opening for LBJ will be held at a later date.

For those interested, Phase 2 is going to see the former Hanley Water Column erected at Cheddleton and the UP Platform extended to accomodate 5 coaches IIRC.
Phase 3 will be the installation of wooden crossing gates at Cheddleton.
Phase 4 will be the completion of repairs to the landslip, that will allow the former DN line to be rebuilt.

 

Be very careful what you say otherwise the clique will tell lies about you and then get the their friend the moderator to ban you from the site.