Moorlands and City Railway

Hi Barry, Welcome to the forum. I know that you have been taking photos of the Stoke line, unfortunately I have not yet explored it, still waiting to measure the rails. What do you think is going to be the hardest part of the line for the p/way gang to put right .

 

Hi Jeff,

Afraid I am no P/W expert but the landslip at Abbey Hulton looks a bit of a mess. Maybe needs a retaining wall building or something. The rails to me look pretty good all the way, as do a lot of the sleepers, especially the newer concrete ones. Of course there will be lots that I haven't actually looked at and as I repeat, I am no expert on these matters.

As you know I did a bit of an exercise to show the route on Google Earth which shows points along the line which you can click on to see a few photos so maybe if I add the link here anyone with Google Earth on their PC can see it.

It should open up GE automatically when you click on it. If not it can be saved to PC and you can install Google Earth (it's free) from Google site

Anyway here is the kml;

http://barryknapper.com/CVRF/Stokeextension.kml

Cheers.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51912667@N05/sets/72157627038900676/with/5867140237/

Some photos of the Stoke line from last week. Couldn't work out where Bucknall station was, however having consulted OS maps I think I now know where it is so may return to get a photo. However if it's where I think it is I do know it is heavily wooded so may not be much point. Also included locations on flikr map app, so if anyone wants to go looking themselves they can see where the locations are

 

Great shots, I,can see what we've let ourselves in for.I think I'll phone in sick for 12 months.

 

Isn't Bucknall Station just to the south of the road bridge at Limekiln? I remember seeing the platform behind the old Kwik Save in my younger days. Looking at an old OS map pretty much confirms this.

 

I hadn't been able to find an old OS Map, but thanks for that as it confirms where I thought it was to be correct. I know the platforms have long since gone, but you wouldn't be able to see them anyway due to the vegetation. May go and have a look in the winter lol

 

I thought I remembered it by the bridge in Ivy House Lane, there are only houses there no Kwik Save, but like my motto says.

 

Staffs Pasttrack is another good mapping source. The 1899 series shows the station as "Bucknall & Northwood Station"

 

"Bucknall & Northwood - change here for Bucknall Sands, City Farm & Finney Gardens"! I'm getting really excited about the prospects at Bucknall, especially if the local 'bus companies can connect with Hanley and Bentilee. I suspect that at least one of the platforms is still there. The station site is also just behind a large pre-cast concrete works.

 

Think this is the actual map with some good aerial pictures from the 1950's clearing showing the station to the far right of the Caldon Canal.

http://www.thepotteries.org/photo_wk/153.htm

 

Great links and photos.

I've decided to put all my photos from the Google Earth kml into a single thread on my forum as some people can't use GE (or don't have it installed).

Hope this simpler method is useful here;-

http://cvrf.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=news&thread=170

(update) - I thought this post was not going to appear for some administrative reason so I did the second post below with the special webpage. So, sorry for the duplication (as was also the effort!)

 

Some great links and photos!

Re my earlier post regarding Google Earth kml;- Because not everyone runs Google Earth, I thought I would show all the photos on my website listed in order of running from Leekbrook Junction to Stoke.

If possible it is best to use the Google Earth kml in the previous post, as it shows you precisely where the photos were taken and you can also see the run of the line on there too.

I have labelled them as per the icon names in Google Earth so that you can cross-ref if required.

The photos can be viewed here

 

A new offical website is now set up for the MCR it is http://www.mcrailways.co.uk it sets out what the railway wants to achive.

 

New MCR website launched

http://www.mcrailways.co.uk/

 

The website has been revamped by Jackson Hammond, the same company that produced the CVR Share Issue prospectus. Interesting to see the Class 66 in MCR colours.

 

On the website under Business Potental there are some things not known before. Once reconnected to Stoke the possiblity exists to utilise a network of former rail routes within the S-O-T area, to create a light transit system. Which would include a route to Festival Park and on to the City center. these routes would directly connect with the companys network. Now that is far seeing.

 

Might be just false dreams Jeff,

Remember the Cheadle branch 'reopening' announced by MCR last year? Nothing seems to have progressed on that and so all this new stuff might just be 'spin' to get people interested.

Hope not though!

 

When I asked Greg about the cheadle branch he did say he knew nothing about it. But that could be on the long term plans who knows. One rumor I did hear was the biddulph branch to congleton. Who knows what the long term plan Will be. It all depends on how successful the lines get. When are we starting on the stoke section then.

 

I find it hard to believe that Greg knew nothing about it as it was well publicised in the local Sentinel newspaper plus other newspapers. David Kemp was quoted throughout the reports and he said that it didn't seem a very expensive project to undertake as most of the track was intact.

Just at that time I did my own little 'survey' of the line and reported it in my forum, which I will add the link here in case it is of interest.

http://cvrf.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=news&thread=163&page=1

As for Biddulph branch. That is indeed news to me, and I live within 50 metres of the line in Biddulph and walk on it very day. I can't wait for THAT rumour come to fruition!

 

Some good photos of the work done on Cheddleton Crossing several weeks ago, in this weeks Raiway Herald no,273. Also one of the gate mechanism wells maybe to be used in the future.