Peak Rail General Discussion

Having just been reading another thread about a well known heritage railway, I am concerned about these occurrences.

 

I remember it at NYMR many years ago, it worked hard then as well but it was superseded by the main-line stock now filling the sheds.

 

Apart from tuesdays visit to fit a sighting disc to number 2 ground doll in darley Dale station and a lot of maintenance, I also had a visit wednesday to finish off some Paving now Rodney has removed the offending concrete with his Hilti hammer drill, much appreciated and the pavers have been put in and just need a few cutting at an angle to finish off by the Rowsley box door

The main reason for being back down Wednesday was to assist with a bit of an international bit of public relations , having been contacted by a chap who posts on the bakewell railway forum on social media , a friend of his whose dad used to work at Rowsley south box when he was fourteen had sadly passed away a few weeks back and his son had come over from Ohio to his dads funeral but would like to have seen what his dad did and visit the box in line with this before going back to America , add to that a colleague who was the last fireman out of Rowsley shed also attended so there was probably more historic knowledge between the whole party than even I knew but it was great showing them around what a signalbox does, chatting about his dads history and giving as much information about the signalboxes at Rowsley as we could.

I’m glad they can go with good memories back over the water and wel see our other local colleagues again sometime soon.

that done the department are back to replacing the old telephone exchange at darley Dale with a modern digital version which will occupy us over the next few weeks , the pway have been out and about with the works train doing lineside tree maintenance as well.

in the shed 5553 is having a sand down ready for its repainting.

 

That’s a nice thing to do and hopefully brought some comfort to the chap’s son.

Regarding the exchange upgrade, will it handle all of PR’s internal network? Is there space to preserve the old (Strowger?) gear, it has done a sterling service over the years with some TLC!

 

I think your memory is suspect! I have no recollection of it ever pulling a passenger train and I don't think it even steamed very often other than running up and down within station limits at Pickering, before the railway opened. However, I'm sure that some other long-serving NYMR volunteers will remember more clearly!

 

It is quite possible that my memory is suspect, it is 40 years ago. But I thought it had been used on the trips up to the Summit sometimes.
I thought it was quite well regarded whilst there.

 

!

IIRC it's nickname at the NYMR was "Useless Eustace"........!

 

Well, that is a surprise to me but proves that my understanding and/or memory has been in error.
It does, however, indicate that it has been transformed in later life, if it is being Useful Eustace now!
Maybe it was not able to cope with the incline/gradients at NYMR.

 

Anyone know why Peak Rail cancelled all services yesterday? Looks from calender no further services in September

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Plc Shareholders are probably still absorbing the 2020 Annual Report in dismay. More of the same from the Board, unfortunately. Peak Rail made a £120k loss in 2020 “because of Covid”. However it also made losses pre-Covid despite the best endeavours of the accountants, 2019 £87k loss, 2018 £51k profit, 2017 £112k loss, 2016 £8.5k profit.

The Board rarely reveals passenger / visitor numbers or explains how its special events, catering or retail operations are performing so it’s difficult to get beyond the headlines (a copy of the full accounts is available on request though).

A shareholder asked a lot of good questions at the (closed) Sept 2020 AGM. A point to note is that the Board currently does not have any intention of extending the line northwards.

2020 Highlights:

0-6-0 Austerity Royal Pioneer’s long running overhaul is on hold until finances improve. Any steam locos will need to be hired in for the foreseeable future.

Renewal of trackbed lease is still to be concluded with Derbys Dales District Council. Discussions have seemingly been underway since the last Ice Age.

We’re all looking forward to the Strategic Business Plan after many years of waiting. Hopefully one improvement will be open and transparent communications using 21st century technology…

After 40 years of occupying Matlock Station building the Board has confirmed that it can’t run a successful retail operation at a transport interchange in a tourist hotspot, and it has given up the shop lease. We extended services to Matlock in 2011 and our visitor facilities are a wooden platform shelter and a loose surfaced platform.

The good news is that Derbys Dales DC is going to resurface Rowsley access road. Various Covid related grants have been received (initiated by the Peak Railway Assoc, I believe).

Bridge 35 storm damage has been completed and PR has received some additional modest but very welcome Covid grants. However these are 2021 activities and not part of the 2020 Accounts.

The Covid bounce back loan is due to start being paid back in 2021. Oh yes, and page 22 reveals that a pre-action claim has been lodged by a loco owner for an alleged breach of contract. No further details.

Lets see what the AGM brings although I doubt regime change is on the agenda.

 

I didn't want to 'like' your post as I don't want anyone to think I like the news therein, but I do like that you posted it. Thank you.

 

I checked last night and nothing but noticed today services start again tomorrow. Looks like a one off but unsure I should plan to visit or not now next Tuesday as would be disappointing to make the trip for nothing.

 

I heard it was Covid related so maybe they were being very cautious.

Dave

 

Perhaps one or more of their staff got 'pinged'.

 

Just been for another look and it appears that the desktop version of the site doesn't show any calendar entries, but the mobile version does. Hopefully they will be running Tuesday.

 

Yes it’s warm, so far I’ve managed most of the year in shorts and i don’t intend to change yet

Andrew and myself spent today going round marking up cables and rodding lineside and checking over the treadles

We also fixed the errant handrail at church lane and bumped into Jacob who’d been linesiding there yesterday and done a cracking job strimming down the foliage

Some more block work has been laid up at Rowsley but we’ve left the angled ones till we can cut them properly with the grinder and make a neat job

Thanks to Rodney who broke up the concrete for us and has also trimmed the access at riverside and took the foliage away too

John Peter and Deborah have been swapping over the darley exchange wiring and equipment and next is to erect a location cupboard to put the remaining cabling and equipment into which should be getting dropped off soon from Rowsley on the works train

That apart, the class 25,Prarie and jaywick are all progressing , the latter being put back together now by the Ashover light railway folks and testing of the cylinders today meant she can move again albeit of compressed air just whilst testing

 

Interestingly PR’s website also says that PR has stopped its online ticket purchasing and reverted to turn up and pay at Rowsley or on the train. It’s a shame because I do think it’s important to offer a number of purchasing channels nowadays. Hopefully the website will be updated soon because it still promotes Matlock Station shop and Bill Hudson Books (the business closed over 2yrs ago)

 

Bill Hudson books still trades. Mostly online but used to see regularly at model railway exhibitions. Just not at Matlock Station. https://www.billhudsontransportbooks.co.uk/about-us/ Exited Matlock pre covid (2019).


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Thank you, I should have been clearer about Bill Hudson Books. I try to keep things factual to stay within the bounds of the thread but my exasperation with the regime does very occasionally surface…

It’s the Plc AGM on Sat 25th but sadly I’m away on a trip so I’ll be unable to question the Dear Leader in person.