Ecclesbourne Valley Railway: Tickets now on sale for Reopening Gala in April

We are very pleased to announce that tickets for the opening event are now available to purchase on line.

The first public train will be a DMU and depart Wirksworth at 11:20 on Friday 8th April, returning from Duffield at 11:10. The following train (12:20 ex-Wirksworth) will be steam-hauled in the charge of Standard Class 2 no. 78019 (courtesy of the Loughborough Standard Locomotive Group). There will be two more services on the Friday and this pattern will be repeated on the Saturday and the Sunday. Class 20 D8001 will also be used during the gala although I do not have precise details of when just yet.

Tickets will cost for £20 standard class and £50 for first; the latter offering travel in inspection saloon M999504 with a steward in attendance. Tickets will only be available in advance and can be purchased form our website: http://www.e-v-r.com/opening2011/ .

The webpage will give you the details, but highlights include:

1. The first passenger trains from Duffield to Wirksworth since 1986 (Wirksworth Phoenix) and first timetabled services since 1947.

2. Nine miles of railway in beautiful scenery, connecting with East Midlands Trains services at Duffield and travelling to Wirksworth, which is a fascinating destination; both the station and yard and the town itself (two Good Beer Guide pubs). There are also many excellent photographic vantage points thanks to some pretty comprehensive vegetation clearance.

3. Steam operation on the Ravenstor Shuttle: 1/2 mile, mostly at 1 in 30, tightening to 1 in 27.

We are all rather excited about this as you can well imagine. It's taken us 10 years to complete the line but things are finally falling into place and we hope that Duffield to Wirksworth will be one of the highlights of 2011.

Kind regards,

Neil Ferguson-Lee

 

Oops! Got my timetables in a twist! Correct details are:

Train 1: Wriksworth dep. 10:20, Arrive Duffield 10:50, dep 11:10, Arrive Wirksworth 11:40

Train 2: Wriksworth dep. 12:20, Arrive Duffield 12:50, dep 13:10, Arrive Wirksworth 131:40

Train 3: Wriksworth dep. 14:20, Arrive Duffield 14:50, dep 15:10, Arrive Wirksworth 15:40

Train 4: Wriksworth dep. 16:20, Arrive Duffield 16:50, dep 17:10, Arrive Wirksworth 17:40

We are considering up to two extra services if demand requires and don't forget the Ravenstor steam shuttle will be operating an intensive service at Wirksworth.

Kind regards

Neil

 

A bit of an update:

1. The whole line is being tamped as we speak: expected completion will be this Friday;

2. Ferrybridge No.3 passed its annual boiler exam yesterday and celebrated with a little light shunting at Wirksworth.

3. Next activity will be putting a tarmac surface on Duffield's branch platform.

Will start posting daily updates for you.

Neil

 

Thank you for your kind wishes Martin! Meanwhile, here's today's news: note reference to a stolen Bance. If anybody is offered one with no questions asked, just check it for Smartwater!

Dear all

Another incredible day with some 60 people involved in a range of projects to speed us towards the opening. All eyes were on the Permanent Way Teams today as the tamper moved steadily forward to Duffield. Team one started at "Willow Crossing" north of Shottle and had the very unenviable task of clearing the sleepers of years of accumulated mud from soil washed down from adjacent fields. This team deserves a vote of thanks and I am sure they will benefit from Radox baths this evening ( and maybe a tincture). Another part of the Permanent Way team took the Works Train ahead of the Tamper and deposited more white gold beyond Postern Lodge Crossing before exposing the track fittings at Postern Lodge and Hazelwood so that the operator could see the sleeper spacing. The Tamper itself managed the section between the south of Shottle and the approach to Hazelwood, some 1 3/8 miles. Works Train and Tamper returned somewhat late for the EVR having had the joy of great achievements.

The LMSCA were in full cry with seat frames fitted in the small compartment and window glazing bars sealed. All glazing mouldings were fitted and the welding of bogie struts achieved.

The was a sealing of vents on the Mark 1 BSK as part of a long term project to return this vehicle to service and the Booking Hall continued to process a steady stream of bookings for the opening weekend. Hat's off to Tom Tait who has been walking the streets of Belper, Allestree and Quarndon to spread the opening word by leaflet drop. He has even talked his son into leafleting central Derby.

To replace stolen items a happy opportunity arrived from Develop Training in Derby to purchase a replacement "Bance" and "disc cutter". More money out but at least we have the necessary equipment again. Many thanks to David for pulling this together in amongst the welter of other activities.

Well done to everyone involved in today's work. Part of the end product is to see a railway that looks extremely good with smooth lines and gentle curves that we can be truly proud of.

Lots more to do in the next four weeks but I am sure we are up to it.

 

JUST THE TICKET!
ECCLESBOURNE VALLEY RAILWAY POSTER LAUNCHING AT EAST MIDLANDS TRAINS STATIONS TO PROMOTE THROUGH TICKETING AND MAIN LINE CONNECTIONS


Wirksworth, 8th March 2011: In the run-up to the opening of the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway on 8th April, innovative posters designed in Wirksworth will be appearing at East Midlands Trains’ stations to promote the railway and its connections.

The posters, with the strapline “Wirksworth, Derbyshire – It has that effect” have been designed by local design consultancy Orange Box Design in a style which complements the hugely successful and distinctive East Midlands Trains format. Featuring a stylised and smiling train from the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, the poster design spearheads a campaign to raise awareness of this new railway amongst rail passengers travelling through many of East Midlands Trains’ stations.

“With connecting services and even the ability to buy a ticket to our railway from any East Midlands Trains booking office, we really have something to shout about and Wirksworth is a great destination for visitors looking for a new, friendly and downright quirky place to visit” remarked Neil Ferguson-Lee, spokesman for the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway.

East Midlands Trains has supported the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway in re-establishing Wirksworth as a rail destination. The EVR service connects at Duffield on the Nottingham and Derby to Matlock route and East Midlands Trains has set up Wirksworth and the intermediate station of Idridgehay as ticketing destinations which are available from any National Rail station as an add-on ticket. From 23rd May, passengers will have the added benefit of being able to buy a through ticket from any East Midlands Trains’ station.

David Horne, Customer Service Director for East Midlands Trains, added: “We’re very pleased to be working with the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway to help promote the new services from Wirksworth. Over the last two years, we have worked hard to bring some significant improvements to the line between Matlock, Derby and Nottingham, and passengers are now benefiting from direct hourly train services as well as improved connections with our services to London. We welcome the launch of the new Wirksworth service and are confident it will encourage even more people to give the train a try.”

Having a poster designed by a local design company was a high priority for the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway. Wirksworth has a reputation for being a highly-creative town, with a growing population of companies in the creative sector. Located in the foothills of the Peak District, the town is famous for its annual Welldressings, held in late May and an internationally-recognised arts festival in September. “Having lived and worked in Wirksworth for over 15 years, it’s great to able to promote the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway and help bring visitors to town. Wirksworth is a special place – it boasts some fascinating architecture, enjoys a picture perfect rural setting and is home to some truly creative and passionate people, and the opening of the railway is a perfect example of what the town is all about” remarked Paul Carr, Director of Orange Box Design.

With the creative support of companies like Orange Box Design and the logistical support of East Midlands Trains, Wirksworth is destined to become famous as the home of one of the country’s most picturesque and well-connected community railways.

Ends.

Note to Editors:
A sample of the poster can be downloaded from the following location:
http://bit.ly/evr-poster

About the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway:
WyvernRail plc is working with the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Association to reopen the Duffield to Wirksworth railway in the heart of Derbyshire.
The line passes through the beautiful Ecclesbourne Valley to the award winning and beautifully restored town of Wirksworth, nestling at the foothills of the Peak District.
The line is a time capsule, with its intermediate stations largely intact and the layout at Wirksworth virtually unchanged since the days of steam.
There are nine miles of single-track railway, which meet the Midland Main Line at Duffield Junction near Derby. There are five station sites, two level crossings, a yard with extensive sidings and a mineral branch to the old Middlepeak quarry at Wirksworth. Since 2004, 4½ miles of the line have been reopened and it will complete the reopening on 8th April 2011.
For more information, visit www.e-v-r.com

 

For those of you that pass the EVR on the Midland Main Line you will see a great deal of activity at Duffield next week with fencing and a flag pole being erected together with an instant lawn. Surfacing of the new platform to follow the week after. On line ticket sales are going very well for the opening weekend but there are still opportunities!

 

Those of you who are thinking of paying us a visit after the opening, tickets are now available to book in the Royal Saloon. Buy online at http://www.e-v-r.com/book/saloon

 

This raises an interesting point - does a coach, any coach, an LMS inspection saloon in this case, automatically become 'royal' because it's had one royal bum sitting in it?

Lordy

 

Indeed it does and for the pedants the Saloon was built by BR at Wolverton in 1959. Rejoice that the Railway is reopening after years of slumber and perhaps purchase a ticket to help secure its future.