Moorlands and City Railway

Got to agree with you. The way SMC had gone on about this in the masterplan I was expecting a lot more. Parking is inadequate for starters, and can't see any new residents being happy when visiting cars overspill onto their estates. I was expecting something more along the lines of Burton Marina as Sheff says, think we need people to e-mail these suggestions into the Consultants.

 

The Leek extension is only just a mile long! There is Birchall tunnel just North of LBJ that is 69yards long (according to Wikipedia) and then the trackbed is very straight directly into Leek across an embankment. We reckon that once the embankment has been cleared for the tracks you will more than likely be able to see the tunnel from the proposed station, and maybe even through it. Have a Look at Google Maps, the trackbed is not hard to spot.

 

It's not immediately obvious from the wording but the whole area by the station marked "public square" is actually a car park. (This was confirmed to me by one of the representatives of the developer at the event.) Note that everything here is indicative of course, so that could change substantially.

 

On the 'Design Framework Plan' part of the public square is circled in orange and designated as 'arrivals area'. I took this to be architect speak for 'car park/bus stop/bike rack' !

 

A couple of photos from Google Earth showing the tree cutting that has been done on MCR this year. One is of Bradnop where the trees have been cut on the south side to allow the light in, the other is of the triangle at Leek Brook.

 

You can also see where trees have been cut at Bridge 5 if you zoom in. Bradnop Station though still hidden...

 

Are there plans to use Bradnop Station?

 

Not in the short to medium term for sure. We did is at part of a tree clearance programme in the cutting there, and added the station sign out of our own pockets, to create a flavour of what used to be, and as a point of interest for passengers.

 

Officially no, MCR have no reason to and CVR have more pressing concerns.

Unofficially, there is a small number of us CVR volunteers who would like to see it become something like Eardington one day. We do have permission to do further work in addition to what we completed over the summer, but it is to be done out of our own pockets. However all of us have other commitments elsewhere on the rly, so until we get more manpower I'd afraid the station sign is the best we'll get at present.
http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk/news/bradnop-station-renamed

 

The big push to get the loop at Ipstones is underway, hopefully the weather will be favourable to get it complete in time. Any help in getting it done will be welcome, contact CVR if interested.

 

Moorland & City Railways website has been updated (for the first time in a long time?). Let's hope the updates are a little more regular from now on.

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

 

It still requires updating.

 

A update is better than no update!
http://www.mcrailways.co.uk/page/reconnect-leek

http://englishrailway.co.uk/

 

The website has now had an extensive revamp and shows a plan of how Leekbrook is intended to be developed including reinstatement of the north curve.

 

Nice to see some detail on the scheme to reconnect to Leek. I cannot help wondering to what extent potential house purchasers will be discouraged by the close proximity of the railway and the possibility of heavy freight trains rumbling by at some point in the future. I wouldn't have thought the passenger variety would be a problem. I hope the planning application goes smoothly. Does anyone know the planning reference so it can be looked up?

 

Don't think the planning application has been submitted yet.

 

I think this is Gerald Nabaro all over again.

 

What chance the land being sold inside the triangle and developed for housing ? Even in overcrowded London there are several track triangle layouts like this where the land has never been developed. It would hardly be described as an attractive place to live.

 

But there are places where it has been done too.

 

Portsmouth railway triangle (at Drayton) had four houses on it only accessible by a footbridge until it was developed as an industrial estate. At least now the residents can drive their cars up to their front gates.