Peak Rail at Matlock.

quarterjack:

Assuming the turntable is the same as in steam days, it is a 60ft table, at least according to the Foxline book about Rowsley MPD.

Not sure about the Barrow Hill turntable, but if it helps it is a Cowans Sheldon product of 1931, no. 5231. I suspect in might only be 50 or 55 ft, because to turn the Jubilee off I recall extension plates are used.

46118

 

Thanks 46118, that useful info. Even at 55' you'd be hard pressed to turn a Jubilee (don't know the wheelbase). In days gone by you could turn a Manor on a 55' 'table provided the tender was full. Either way it's just one more reason for me to visit Barrow Hill as my better half loves my books on sheds and particularly roundhouses.

Sorry to hijack this thread. The Peak District is somewhere we've never been to and Rowsley MPD seems to be a very good reason to book a b&b one weekend.

 

There is plenty of railway interest in Derbyshire. Apart from Peak Rail at Rowsley there is the Midland Railway Centre at Butterley, Barrow Hill engine shed near Chesterfield, the National Tramway Museum at Crich near Matlock, the modern recreation of the Midland Railway Wirksworth Branch, known as the "Ecclesbourne Valley Railway" (http://www.evra.org.uk), and places of interest along the former Cromford & High Peak Railway, particularly the Middleton Top winding engine (http://www.derbyshire-peakdistrict.co.u ... ktrail.htm)

All these are within a relatively compact area for travelling. Too much for a weekend though!

46118

 

we turned up to middleton top one day on a running day, got there and it was closed ](*,)

we asked why and they said gas in the room, sorry
we had a walk on the C&HP anyway and they detoured to MRC where duchess of sutherland was running, so all was not lost

 

Yes, plenty to look at in Derbyshire railwaywise, Monsal Head and Millers Dale well worth a visit as well. Getting back on topic, I finally paid a visit to Matlock to look at the new arrangement on a beautiful sunny evening and took a few pics: the NR station from the Sainsbury's side with the new groundframe on the left; the NR loop looking south with the new store - their cafe would be a great place to watch the trains if there were any; and the north end of the loop with Peak Rail's Riverside station on the right

Cheers
Dave

[attachment=2:1evq955p]mat01.jpg[/attachment:1evq955p][attachment=1:1evq955p]mat02.jpg[/attachment:1evq955p][attachment=0:1evq955p]mat03.jpg[/attachment:1evq955p]

 

From the pictures added in the last post, I see that no connection has been made to Peak Rail, and the mainline just ends with some buffers and derelict land behind them. Can someone in the know, tell me whether Peak Rail are going to be joined up to the mainline again? I thought this was the original plan?!?

 

discussions are reaching an end i think, should be in the station this year i would of thought.

 

theyre certainly getting nearer to the conclusion, thats only half the job though, the next bit is the rebuilding of the platform etc, and both network rail and us have a bit of work to do in the area.

cant say anymore on that,but in due course an anouncement will be made when the time comes, rest assured im not sat on my laurels, im busy on the paperwork and its quite a thorough submission.wonder how the lads at chinnor,eridge,swanage and leek are getting on with theirs, hopefully well!

best to you all out there in royston vasey land !!

 

The NR loops looks lovely - but what is it going to be used for?? I though problems with bridges meant loco hauled trains couldn't us the line to Matlock.

Has anyone got a current basic track plan of Matlock station?

 

The line is getting a bit of well needed maintainance this year or next to allow loco hauled services i think.
its going to be 10 times better getting on at matlock, well worth all the effort

 

yep three bridges and some track replacement which should see the branch upgraded to RA8, so you should see medium to light locos and dmus back on the branch,the bridges definitely need doing by now, the trackwork will be upgrading for the future, part of the branch is in an ssi area (scientific interest) due to the nature of the limestone and flora and fauna.

i did hear there were plans to alter the current no signaller system for something else, but this rumour has died off, personally i cant forsee any benefit unless the frequency went up above three trains an hour ,then maybe single line system with in.out controls from east midlands scc would be worthwhile.

speaking of which it opened this week, well done to all involved, shame to see the old boxes go though. 8-[

 

some basic realignment at riverside and on NR metals will be needed, this is still being discussed, the plan would be to keep riverside if we can,there is sufficient room to realign the loop to meet,remember low speed moves are planned not a 125mph running railway. [-o<

there is a rising grade upto sainsbury`s then a fall into the platform, that was maintained when the loop was relaid,the large gap between the loop of NR and the edge of the boundary is due to the plans being changed and altered during the building works, it was originally planned to have the trackworks fully complete at the time but complications from outside prevented it being attained,the infratructure though is easily altered or added.

 

kestreleyes:
Which "old boxes" are you referring to? Not sure which resignalling you are talking about.

Thanks

46118

 

oops sos, think i got pinxton mixed up there, isnt there some boxes to go under the final part of the scheme though,out towards trent way?

 

Shed looks fantastic

http://www.peakrail.co.uk/news.htm

 

Lets hope that the nice new shed will make it easier to attract a summer steam visitor now. The Austerity must need a rest sometime soon!

46118

 

Can anyone think of another line where just one loco has done all the work for about five years? Economical for the company but boring for the enthusiast!

Ralph

 

..... unless you like the Austerity...... 8-[

 

Thats why they built a shed \/