Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, Derbyshire: The Final Countdown to opening to Duffield.
 

The opening to Duffield is hopefully now only three months away so I have started a new thread to keep everyone up to date with the final arrangements.

We are heavily commited to the Formal Opening on Wednesday 6th April and first Public Trains on Friday 8th April 2011. So if something major goes wrong we will end up with loads of egg on our collective faces.

There is still quite a bit to do and the recent snow has not helped, but as the attached photos show it didn't stop us completely: Extending the headshunt at Duffield by half a panel 22/23 December and the completed job 27 December.

As I can release news this Forum will be one of the first places to get it starting tonight!

Best wishes,

John H-T.

It all looks good John,we should have an Formal Forum visit :).i will get there this year to have a look

All the best,Ian

I would be delighted to organise a visit for members of the Forum, ideally before the end of May while we have the Standard 2 78019 with us, so that we would have two locos in steam.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

This Press Release has just been published by the Ecckesbourne Valley Railway:

"FOR IMMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
Contact: Neil Ferguson-Lee
Tel. (01629) 822806
Email [email protected]

TIMETABLE PUBLISHED FOR 2011 REOPENING SERVICE
PUBLIC SERVICES COMMENCE ON 8TH APRIL WITH TICKETS ON SALE FROM FEBRUARY


Wirksworth, 4th January 2011: The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway will reopen the Wirksworth Branch in full to Duffield on Friday, 8th April, 2011, followed by a gala on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th. Tickets for the reopening train will go on sale in early February and be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Prior to the first public train, two days will be devoted to special services for the line’s volunteers and shareholders.

The 2011 timetable has been published and contains an exciting schedule of services and events for the 2011 season. Featuring 76 operating days, the core service provides four services per day from Duffield to Wirksworth, departing from Duffield at 11:10, 13:10, 15:10 and 17:10 and connecting with the East Midlands Trains service from Nottingham to Matlock.

The reopening gala over the first weekend will provide an exciting and intensive service featuring visiting British Railways Class 2MT locomotive no. 78019 and the railway’s rake of vintage carriages which will include a freshly-restored former London Midland & Scottish Railway vehicle that has been under restoration at Wirksworth since 2008. Services will also include the railway’s collection of vintage diesel locomotives and railcars to give a truly spectacular reopening event over the three days.

Locomotive 78019 will be resident at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway for over two months and form the core of the events programme alongside Wirksworth-based 0-4-0 ‘Ferrybridge No.3’. The exciting programme includes an Easter Eggstravaganza and May Day Bank Holiday and a series of weekend steam events in April and May.

The full timetable and events programme can be can be downloaded from the following location:
http://www.e-v-r.com/documents/2011leafletweb.pdf

All dates are subject to final approval by the appropriate regulatory authorities."

As I said I will keep you up to date as information is released.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

There's a question that's been intriguing me for a while now. How on earth do you get all your rolling stock up there without a rail connection to the network?

The 8F group haven't brought their loco with them have they?

Wirksworth's roads are pretty narrow or do you use the Duffield end at Chapel Street.

I'm just imagining the 2MT turning into Coldwell Street. :D (picture courtesy of Streeview)

Thanks for the photo Wyvern. I have to confirm that that is the way all our stock arrives! Down into Coldwell Street then left into Station Road onto the car park and the loading/unloading point. The 8F will arrive this way in about 12month's time! The Standard 2 78019 will arive in late mid March. All our coaches and DMU's also follow this route!

There is an HGV firm opposite Station Road so large lorries are a daily sight in Wirksworth.

I can also take this opportunity to reveal that tickets for the opening weekend, 8th-10th April are now on sale and we are already doing a brisk trade.

Details at:

http://www.e-v-r.com/opening2011/

Today there were over 60 volunteers on site up and down the line getting ready for the opening with work on Duffield Platform, Vegitation clearance just north of Duffield Tunnel, track work at Shottle, boiler washout for No.3 at Wirksworth, work on the LMS open 3rd and Mk1 BSK plus admin activity selling tickets. With just over 2 months to go till the opening the pace is really hotting up!

Best wishes,

John H-T.

Good job Wirksworth people are so friendly and accommodating. :)

Also quite a climb up Cromford Hill!

They are used to big six wheeled limestone lorries but an 8F on a lowloader? All I can say is "Wow!"

I cant think of any other way to do it apart from going round by Duffield.

You can get an idea from this photo why the Midland Railway's original idea of opening a line to Rowsley was somewhat desperate.

I would like to be there with my camera to record it will make good photo opportunies for getting them into a magazine

They are indeed friendly and accommodating but Cromford Hill is a no-no, not only because of the extremely steep gradient, but the limited clearance as the road goes under the former Cromford & High Peak Railway at the summit.

The route for all rail vehicles by road is along the B5023 from Duffield and apart from one low loader ending-up in a ditch at the roadside for a few hours a couple of years ago (with a London Underground battery electric locomotive on board!), it's a pretty straightforward journey.

Neil

This might be of interest: http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2008/11/oh-dear.html :)

Neil