Churnet Valley Railway General Discussion

I dont think brunel got that far north with the G.W.R.

 

Tut Tut ! GWR reached Birkenhead with a warehouse in Liverpool's Albert Dock - I think that's a bit north of Leek !

 

Not Brunel though, and not Broad gauge, which was the original point being made ...

Tom

 

Where is the headshunt and platform to be built proposed for leek to be located at?

 

At the end of the line, Cornhill area, with station on the west side

 

Centre of this satellite view, on the site of the old factory.

 

http://publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet?PKID=68194

 

Or more particularly - http://publicaccess.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/portal/servlets/AttachmentShowServlet?ImageName=85420

 

More positive news!

https://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co...k-project-gets-a-boost-from-the-local-council

 

Whoo hooo!!!!

When I joined OAPWay almost 4 years back one of the motivations was the thought that I might be involved in actually laying track (as opposed to "simply" maintaining it).

Even if this is just a few hundred yards it will still be a very visible statement of intent and the linkage to the new share issue is very obvious. (Incidentally I remember seeing flyers for a share issue back in about 1993 when I worked at Britannia).

Looking forward to bending my back a bit on this, any other volunteers (including maybe Matt Adalar?) will be very welcome too...

 

Who mentioned broad gauge, certainly not the OP.

 

See post 1239:

From which the next few posts refer.

Tom

 

The Leek extension is worth supporting as for a modest increase in route mileage, and therefore future maintenance cost, the railway can be so much better "connected" to its local destinations that it has been previously. I read the positive funding progress for this with interest and wish those directly grafting on the works the best of luck.

As for all the rest of the extension aspirations I remain to be convinced. In common with all heritage railways, the CVR will have to raise millions over the next 50-100 years just to maintain and develop the existing five mile railway from Leekbrook to Froghall. Given the existing passenger numbers, sustainable operation will be a challenge - even if income were to treble through Leek and other commercial growth. What would be so wrong with a well developed and healthy 6 mile line from Leek-Froghall?

Until the CVR finds a way (I don't have the answer) to simply get more bums on seats during non special events, then I just can't see how having a 15+ mile railway is a good idea. Having said all that, I believe Leek is the most sensible attempt to create an access point to get more visitors in, so for that reason I believe it to be a very worthy development for the railway.

I try to be pro CVR and realistic at the same time!

Sent from my HTC U Play using Tapatalk

 

Is the passenger numbers owt to do with poor public transport to either froghall or cheddleton cos when i went to the caley winter gala i cycled from blyth bridge r,way station to froghall and back to blyth bridge sta and 4 fellows who had also come back from the C.V.R. gala at froghall had caught a taxi, I think theres a good bus service from stoke but i always come down from leeds via derby. Pheraps it puts people off who dont have a car and rely on public transport why visitor numbers are sometimes low Davo 56F.

 

Out of all the heritage lines i know C.V.R. is hard to get to without your own transport.

 

This should get better (crosses fingers as to exactly when...)

To the best of my knowledge, once the Barnfields development (the old Hughes Concrete site) finished there will be a bus stop/station put in there. (Barnfields is the bit between the trackbed and the main road to Stoke, it will include the refurb of the Canal Basin, the Station Buildings, Car Park and North Staffordshire Railway Museum. The bit from the trackbed across to the Cheddleton road out of Leek is part of the separate Cornhill development, and will include our run round loop and, I believe, the initial platform. Our trackbed is the dividing line - sensible perhaps when looking on a map, not so much from our perspective, questions please to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council!).

 

Certainly doesn't help. Theres only the no16 bus from Hanley to Leek (and on to Buxton) that now goes anywhere near CVR, passing through Cheddleton with stops at Basford Bridge Lane (and a walk down the steep hill) and next to Castros restaurant (pretty walk along the canal). But it's a poor service on Sundays, and so not always much use! Getting to Leek should improve this, with a bus stop anticipated to be located on Sunnyhills Road, and bus routes slightly diverted to include this. Time will tell...

 

Oakamoor does make sense though, with the development of Moneystone. The plans for that are huge (and I included the link in the press release so people can find it easily). If you've got 100+ visitors staying in the area, and the locals don't want them using their cars - what other options are there? Putting a station that allows them to explore the valley - visit Froghall and the Wharf (which is meant to be getting developed at some point), Consall and explore the woodlands, Cheddleton and see the restored Station with all the extras that are currently being formulated (await further announcements) or get to Leek, the biggest market town in the area - it does make sense. A 8.5 mile line is not that hard to look after, will give a reasonable journey time in terms of single round trip, but also enable a full day out.

Leek will be the game changer, and push us over the 100,000 passenger mark. Once this is achieved then we can start developing things, and the CVR will really come into its own.

 

Makes sense to me ..... These are the self same arguments deployed when (then) SoS John Prescott overturned the local planning application refusal to go ahead with theWHR/RhE and more recently in the successful L&B application, albeit with strings attached.

 

Other railways such as the SVR have a much longer run, operate far more trains, carry far more people and make a lot more profit than CVR so I cannot see your logic that 5 or 6 miles of railway is the optimum. A railway of that length is just one engine in steam.