Churnet Valley Railway General Discussion

2023 Calendar of events now online
https://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk/events/calendar

HIGHLIGHTS :
20/21/22/23 Feb - Kids for a Quid
25/26 March - Open House
7/8/9/10 - Mad Hatters Tea Train
29/30/31 May - Kids for a Quid
3 / 10 June - Summer Saturday Specials
1 / 8 July - Summer Saturday Specials
21/22/23 July - Rail Ale Trail
5 / 12 August - Summer Saturday Specials
28/29/30 August - Kids for a Quid
2 / 9 September - Summer Saturday Specials
7/8 October - TBC
Nov/Dec - Polar Express Train Ride

 

I had a family day out on the Churnet on Sunday which was thoroughly enjoyable as ever. It was our first trip out to a HR with a 4 month old baby, and the platform & train staff we're incredibly helpful with the buggy etc.

The green timetable gives just enough time for a walk between Cheddleton and Consall before picking up the next train (even though we had to march a little as the first train was delayed). The delay was due to a clack valve issue on the S160, which was removed at Cheddleton on the first train to Ipstones, repaired and then returned to the train on the way back to Froghall. All of this relayed to the passengers - great stuff!

The one slight gripe is pricing. Absolutely fine for humans, but £10 per dog gives a very strong "not welcome here" message, unusual for a HR, especially one on the edge of a national park in prime walking country. I understand that dogs will always illicit strong opinions on either side, and I don't wish to start that debate again, but I would be interested to know if there is a rationale from the railway for this?

 

Get one of these: baby sling or carrier

It will transform your freedom of movement and sense of what is and isn't possible with a baby by making the "what do we do with the buggy" problem disappear.

(This announcement from the pages of mumsnet.national-preservation.com ...)

Tom

 

We do have a carrier, and had it with us on Sunday as well as the buggy. Insanity comes in many forms...

 

I just advise, from my daughter's first visit to a steam railway at a similar age, not standing level with a locomotive when the safety valves lift. The trauma has been lasting...

 

BTDT!

and yes, long lasting!

 

Feels wrong to like that, but thanks for the advice! We managed to avoid lifting safety valves, but a grandparent did disappear off with the baby to inspect 5197 just as it moved off shed to rejoin the train, engulfing them both in a cloud of steam from the draincocks. They both coped with the ordeal quite well!

 

This has been raised before, and it seems there are some individuals in the CVR management who are rather anti-dog, or at least, have had a bad experience and used it to tar all other dog owners with the same brush. They have posted the following on a couple of TripAdvisor reviews:

This is one of the reasons that I'm not likely to be a regular visitor to the CVR, despite it not being very far away, as we'll usually be travelling with our well-behaved dog. (She'll head straight under the table so she can lie down and get comfy before we put our feet in!)

I do wonder whether I could get away with putting her in some child clothes and buying a 'Kids for a Quid' ticket for her instead! She's quieter and generally less messy than a lot of children!

 

................... as far as you know, but time will tell!

 

Whilst I agree it seems a little extreme I fully understand where the railway is coming from. Unfortunatley there are too many these days in "the minority" that wreck things for the majority.
On dogs here in Swanage they are not allowed on the main beach in summer and signs say this, also that a warden will issue fines. My wife, who used to run a craft stall by the beach at weekends and myself when I helped her set up and then load up, stopped trying to be helpful to those who might not want a fine following the amount of abuse received if we mentioned that it was the wrong time of the year for dogs.
Likewise with children (pre Covid) I have sat in a coach at a couple of railways where there are signs saying please do not let your children stand on the seats and or dogs on the seats yet have people adjacent to me encouraging just that. These days do I want to try and politely point it out, or am I going to get abuse or worse? Years ago I would have said something, although back then probably would not have needed to either.

 

Thanks for highlighting this, the response makes for interesting reading and definitely sheds some light on the railway's rationale. I can't honestly say I agree with it; I'm not generally a fan of forming opinions or policy on the basis of the worst case scenario, but every railway has to weigh up the perceived risk and reward.

I don't bear the railway any ill will for their approach, but purely from a practical perspective it will result in us visiting less often than we would if their 4 legged ticket price was comparable to their competition.

 

I shouldn’t worry too much. I was apparently subjected to something similar by Stepney at Sheffield Park many years ago. Whilst I am said to have more noise than the engine, it doesn’t seem to have done any long term damage. Well depending on how you look at, it hasn’t.

 

I am reliably informed by my parents that my passion for steam started when, as a very small child, I was absolutely scared out of my skin by Bodmin whistling right next to me.

 

I was sitting on R.Irt, in the siding behind the shed at Gateshead Garden Festival, waiting for some of the horticultural staff to finish up so that we could resume operations in time for public opening hours.
One of them decided that leaning against the engine was a good idea, despite being given a strongly worded warning that she might blow off shortly.

A few minutes later, she did just that and said worker levitated to the top of the cutting ...

He started to whinge, but his supervisor just shrugged "Tom, you were warned ... I heard the driver tell you quite clearly"
I was too busy with the injector to laugh out loud !

 

Similar experience as a child in a push chair , 80000 tank with safety going arriving at Romsey , Hants for our trip to Nursling ..scared out of my wits ! ....I have been a devoted steam fan since then ....now 73 ....

 

Would anyone mind letting me know what the state of play is with the leek extension? I have some hours to kill at leekbrook industrial estate mid April and wouldn’t mind a look at proceedings, so if anyone in the know could tell me-
How far has the build got?
Where do the new pedestrian paths go to and from?
Can i (legally and appropriately) of course, see much of the workings from the paths, if not whats the best place to go?

ideally I’d start do a circular walk from leekbrook estate and head towards leek then back along the canal and find a path somewhere around the canal tunnel (from what I remember it doesn’t have a towpath) that takes me back to leekbrook junction and the estate. Although I live not too far away I’ve only walked around froghall/consall before so no knowledge of footpaths.

Whilst I’m here Any murmurings about attempting to venture along the Stoke line again?

many thanks,
FOM

 

Heard rumours that the turnout at the north end of the triangle should be in this week

 

North end of the triangle starting to take shape

 

Pway changing long sleepers on the turnout to Endon this week - in sunshine rather than snow for a change

 

There is a new permissive footpath provided by the CVR which parallels much of the extension. You can join it at Leekbrook (close to the sewer works) and walk up to the Barnfields area of Leek. You can see the triangle at LBJ taking shape and the trackwork that is being put back towards Birchall tunnel from it. Once in Barnfields, you can cross over the trackbed using the old railway bridge and head to the canal. Follow the footpath to the top of the canal tunnel and then a footpath to the left will take you across the LBJ to Stoke line and to the edge of the old Mental Hospital grounds. Turn left there and after a few yards, you'll find the old electric tramway (walking path) route down to the current running line of the CVR (just north of Cheddleton tunnel). Cross over the line at the foot crossing and head to the main road and then follow the road towards Leek for about half a mile before getting back to the industrial estate. A nice, fairly easy circular (legal) walk!