Peak Rail

Peak Rail
Derbyshire
Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST at Matlock station
Gauge:	4 ft 8½ inches
Built:	1992
Grid reference:	SK276622
Location:	53°9’24"N, 1°35’17"W
No. of stations:	3
Track:	4 miles
Headquarters:	Matlock station
Information
Operated by:	Peak Rail
Website:	www.peakrail.co.uk

Peak Rail is a preserved, heritage railway in the south of the Peak District, in Derbyshire. It operates a steam and heritage diesel service for tourists and visitors.

The preserved railway line is over 3½ miles long and operates train services from Matlock railway station (shared with Derwent Valley Line services from Derby), though the site of the old Matlock Riverside Station and Darley Dale station to Rowsley South.

Peak Rail intends to extend its operational services northward to Bakewell when resources allow, extending to a total of 4¼ miles. Beyond Bakewell, the railway trackbed is used by the Monsal Trail.

History

The Buxton Steam Centre in March 1990, before closure

In 1975, the Peak Railway Preservation Society was established and opened a site at the now-closed Buxton Steam Centre with restoration facilities and a 300-yard operating line. Proposals were put forward to extend the operating line onto the single-track freight line towards Peak Forest, but were not met with success. However a bridge was purchased and installed over Charles Street to reconnect to Network Rail's Ashwood Dale route. The bridge was never used as the whole site was sold to Buxton Water who built a factory shortly after Peak Rail moved to Darley Dale using funds from the sale. The factory was demolished in 2011 and the site is vacant again and so available should Peak Rail ever reach Buxton. The BBC reports that the station site was proposed for redevelopment in 2014.

The Buxton Advertiser reported in June 2019 that a meeting had been held to reoccupy the Buxton site and start a new Buxton Branch within 2 months with the first priority being to clear the site. The Peak Rail Association news quotes the support of the local MP however the builder of a new development is causing difficulties with access.

In the 1980s, Peak Rail relocated its headquarters to Darley Dale and by 1991 the railway had reopened the section of line between Matlock Riverside and Darley Dale.

In 1997, the line was extended within a half-mile south of the Derbyshire village of Rowsley itself. A new station was constructed next to the site of the former loco shed at Rowsley South. The station was capable of holding long incoming charter trains and had a car park to accommodate a large number of cars and other vehicles. The station at Rowsley South has also been used for local charity events and cycle races, as well as steam and vintage vehicle rallies.

After the construction of the Matlock by-pass, and the new Sainsburys supermarket in the former Cawdor Quarry, a new track alignment and track layout was installed between Matlock Riverside and Matlock to provide a new connection to the national network.

Discussions regarding access to the Matlock down platform have resulted in an agreed 50-year lease, including the re-connection of the Network Rail and Peak Rail metals. The rails were originally disconnected due to a rearrangement of Network Rail track as a part of other redevelopments in the area south of the present Matlock Riverside station. The extension to Matlock re-opened on 2 July 2011.

Future developments

In 2004, the council published a study which concluded that reopening the former line for a local service was technically feasible and that the track bed should remain clear of development, but it was not an economic possibility in the near future.

Negotiations for the lease of the mile of trackbed to the north have resulted in the offer of a 99-year lease, from Rowsley South to Rowsley village. However, the extension is dependent on the required finance being raised or bequeathed.

Monsal Trail

Derbyshire County Council and the Peak Planning Board supported a scheme to develop the trackbed from Bakewell to Blackwell Mill as a cycle track, the Monsal Trail. With a stated aim to extend to Rowsley as part of the White Peak Loop Trail, the plans make no mention of the proposed railway extension beyond Rowsley village toward Bakewell.

Signalling on the railway

The signalbox at Matlock Riverside

There are four signal boxes on the route. Two boxes control the only two level crossings on the old Midland Railway main line route from Manchester to London St Pancras. The crossings are both in the Darley Dale area on the Peak Rail line. The third signal box at Rowsley is being commissioned to control the sidings and be a public viewing exhibit. This is the former Bamford signal cabin from the Hope Valley. There are plans at Rowsley South for refurbishment and future operational use.

The fourth cabin at Riverside came from Luffenham: it controls the Matlock connection to the national network. It is an original British Rail cabin, now restored and mounted on a non prototypical stone-block base with an internal staircase to protect the box from vandalism (required due to its isolated location. The 19-lever frame was recovered from Glendon North Junction near Kettering.

180pxDarley Dale signalbox

The box at Darley Dale Crossing controls the section from Darley Dale to Matlock Riverside. Based on an LMS ground level design, it was erected in 2007 to replace the older Midland style replica cabin which had become life-expired.

Darley Dale footbridge

In mid-2009, the original ex-Midland Railway Darley Dale footbridge was purchased from the Midland Railway - Butterley with an aim towards restoration and eventual repositioning at its original location at Darley Dale.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Peak Rail)

• The Peak Rail
• Today's Railways February 2007 article on Peak Rail
• Peak Rail's Signalling Department website
• Friends of the Derwent Valley Line
• The Andrew Briddon loco collection
• Unique tandem locos saved - YouTube