Ecclesbourne Valley Railway

Well, that's it - 47406 has gone home. It made some very cheerful noises coming up the bank from Duffield and August was our busiest month ever. There was a minor hiccup on the B H Saturday when the engine was found to have two broken springs, but the alarm went out, spare springs were sourced and 47406 was back in traffic by Sunday afternoon. The diesel service will continue on the autumn timetable. Santa bookings have already started to flow in.

Autumn is also the start of the projects season; more signalling for Shottle is very important. We have managed to source some items but if any railways have mechanical S & T equipment surplus then we would like to hear from them, especially signal post furniture and signal pulleys, cranks, etc. Later this month Professor Schmid and his students will be coming up from Birmingham for a working weekend which is always a very enjoyable event.

Getting more coaches into traffic will be another urgent priority and the new workshop is very busy with this work. There are guided tours on most days when we are open.

 

I see 47406 has made the front cover of Railway Magazine.

A further major project is to be the construction of a new station building at Wirksworth; work will begin over the winter and you can help painlessly by signing up to http://www.easyfunding.org.uk/causes/tevr

The Birmingham students arrive on the evening of 15th September; the main project will be the relaying of part of the yard layout known as "The Green Siding" owing to its excessive shrubbery, much of the work should be visible on the site webcams.

 

That website link is showing the domain for sale and no info about the EVR.

Keith

 

A fundraising site that's forgotten to renew its domain registration? You'd need to be a brave person to put money into that!

Simon

 

Found this link. https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/tevr/?q=eccles&cat=cause-autosuggest

Dave B

 

Many thanks for the correction, I'm not sure what happened before, the original link seemed to work when I used it.

Meanwhile, Radio Derby will be broadcasting items from the EVR tomorrow, apparently we have been chosen as the opening base for Derbyshire Week.

 

Are there any designs for the new station building yet? I have to say it would make a much better first impression to have a proper station building rather than the current portacabins. It would definitely take the railway to the next level, I just hope it's big enough for future planning!

 

I believe it is going to be a large wooden building with a certain Midland inspiration - two sizeable blocks linked by a central unit. I will try and an image sent here at some point.

Meanwhile the Radio Derby feature has been a roaring success, generating a huge amount of interest.

 

Alas, A shame that the original building is not being recreated. Though midland stone station buildings were great (and expensive) beasts in their day, so I can see why. But I'm sure the wooden creation won't be something to be sniffed at!

 

For those that don't know, there is a pretty much daily blog that contains snippets of proceedings around the railway, http://wyvernrail.blogspot.co.uk/2017/

 

The Birmingham students returned for their annual visit two weeks ago and carried out a considerable amount of track work in the yard area at Wirksworth. last Sunday a Derby Day special carried over 300 passengers, local residents with complimentary tickets issued through Radio Derby. Meanwhile Mr Thomas has begun fabricating new signal poles for use at Shottle.

 

Artists impression of the new station design. Excavation of the foundations has just started.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/wirksworth-station


Help raise £500000 to construct a new station building at Wirksworth Station
Weʼre raising money to construct a new station building at Wirksworth Station. Support this JustGiving Crowdfunding Page.
justgiving.com

 

Oh wow. Now that doesn't look too bad!! It would add to the atmosphere as the current station doesn't give the best first impression when arriving. Let's hope it's a success

 

I wasn't expecting the building to be that large, I can see why the original is not being recreated, as the original was a fair bit smaller, perhaps it could be made a bit more in keeping with the midland style, with quoin stones and stone window trims, as at the moment the design looks value engineered. Im sure people would rather it drifted towards broadway station/Kingsley & froghall in terms of aesthetics rather than something that was designed 100% with cost and ease of construction in mind.

 

The groundwork for the new Wirksworth station building continues - you can watch it live on our webcams. Meanwhile the current edition of Steam Railway has a lengthy article on our progress.

 

EVR plans for 2018 are beginning to shape up: visiting diesel locomotives are being signed up and one definite visitor will be Hymek 7076 for a lengthy period. Final discussions for a visiting steam locomotive are under way and the summer steam programme will be similar to 2017. There will be a slightly increased number of 2 train running days, timetable to be published in due course.

 

I think the building shown is of timber construction, so quoin stones and stone window trims wouldn't really work.

Andy

 

A timber building, even if it lasts for 30 years plus, counts as temporary, so planning permission is so much simpler.

 

Fair enough, couldn't tell from the CGI image whether it was wood or not. I know the designs have already been decided upon but Bolton abbey station is a good example of a wooden midland style station building, any changes to make it look a bit more period would go a long way, as the broadway project has shown, tweaks can be made along the way to enhance the heritage aspect.

 

I believe Bolton Abbey (and indeed Broomhill on the Strathspey) are actually concrete block constructions clad to look like timber buildings.

Something perhaps to be considered.

Sawdust.