Peak Rails Link to Network Rail at Matlock
 

Work is now progressing well at Matlock to link Peak Rail to the National Network ready to receive the proposed mainline charter on March 5th.

Some photos taken today.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

I hope the project is a success. I hope to visit April/May time.

Wish I had taken some pics now pulled into the Station at Matlock nice new double track all ready and waiting

Looks good!! :)

Sadly I have to report, according to local sources, that the proposed charter on March 5th has been put off until the summer.

best wishes,

John H-T.

Why John H-T?

Seems that someone forgot that there's a service running on that line on Saturdays, and there are no spare paths!

Difficult to say as much is based on rumour. However it does seem fairly certain that the charter has been postponed.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

It seems likely as on weekdays and Saturdays, on the single line from Ambergate to Matlock as soon as the up train leaves the branch the down enters.

The only solution I imagine is for the (replaced) extra track at Matlock Platform 1 (as was) to be made a passing loop. Another train might sneak though in the quarter hour the train stands at Matlock, but it would be tight and complicated.

There isnt time for EMT to run on to Rowsley and back even if EMT were agreeable.

http://www.uksteam.info has this re-scheduled for 22nd May (A SUNDAY!). Loco is now 70013.

Regards, 62440.

The EMT service on the branch is only two hourly on a Sunday.:)

Anyone got any timings for it's arrival at Matlock ???

http://www.railwaytouring.co.uk/inde...---050311.html

But note it still says Saturday the fifth of March so the eventual timing may be different.

Matlock arr 13:00
Rowsley arr 13:30 dep 16:40

Railway Touring Co. website is usually somewhat tardy in updating (Allegedly) and details given on it from my own experience can vary drastically from what eventually happens. Some very good tours are announced but the outcome can frequently be at odds with the first announcement, different dates/routes/locos or combinations thereof. Bear in mind that tours are in the R.T.C. Brochure which covers tours many months in advance (our copy landed on the doormat this morning) and rarely are the locos booked or routes agreed before publication.

Timings are usually only sent out to tour operators about ten days before the tour actually runs. Any times given on the websites/in the brochures should be regarded as provisional only, the actual times can and DO vary considerably from the initial estimates.

Regards, 62440.

Would it be on TRUST and do we have a mole in the railway organisation? :-)

Timings look interesting. It looks as if they plan to hold the Charter in the loop at Ambergate to allow the Matlock Train to leave the branch at 12.51. Going to be tight to get to Matlock for 13.00hrs!

Matlock branch Train is due to pick up the token at Ambergate at 13.08! arriving at Matlock at 13.24. Not much room for late running!

The return journey: Charter to leave Matlock at 17.20. Matlock Branch Train to arrive at Matlock 17.24 or is it going to be a bus! Perhaps if the Charter left at 17.30 the Branch train could go into the loop at Matlock. However the branch train is due to leave Matlock at 17.36, so the Charter will not have reached Ambergate to release the token.

Should be an interesting day!

Best wishes,

John H-T.

It's the first day of the new timetable so anyone's guess.

However is there a loop at Matlock (I haven't been to Sainsburys lately) and would the EMT be able to use it not being Network Rail metals?

I think that they are network at least up to the bridge near Sainsbury's as they have enough NR signage warning about trespass etc. there's plenty of nice photo opportunity space in the car park pity it's pay and display

Wouldn't there be some sort of boundary marker board?

Park at Cromford and take the train in. That's what a lot of people do particularly on Summer weekends.

The Network Rail Boundary is where the red stop block is, fenced in on my first photo. If my memory serves me correctly there is a NR loop by Sainsburys so the Matlock Branch Train could be held there. This all assumes that the Charter goes through to Rowsley.

My Matlock Branch Timetable is to 21st May 2011.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

All that is needed then is the ability to release the token at the Matlock end. ???

This tour no longer showing on the RTC website. Report on another forum from someone booked on it that RTC advised him today that it will now run to/from Kings Cross, out via Grantham, return via Stamford, loco will be 70000.

Regards, 62440.

I think we were both under the misapprehension that Peak Rail would run into the station.

Reading the OP again what has happened I think is simply that the connection between the lines has been upgraded. I thought it had always been present but possibly not suitable for passenger traffic.

To refurbish the station platform would entail an awful lot of work. Looking at John H-T's picture again I think he is saying that Peak Rail will instead build a new platform immediately north of the Network Rail station (Riverside being some distance further away)

This would be much cheaper as Peak Rail's loco could run round in NR's existing loop opposite Sainsbury's and it mean that passengers are not crossing the line.

A good few years ago when Peak Rail were still using Matlock station buildings (remember the Co-Bo in the Goods shed?) they were talking of rebuilding platform 2 at Matlock so they could run straight into the town centre

You answered my post while I was updating it with the photos. As I wrote there would be an awful lot of work plus passengers would be crossing the line unless the footbridge was modified which looks possible but costly (Is it council property?)

In my second picture, where the red stop block is on the right, the line used to run into a luggage siding at the top end of Platform 2 (now 1) where the white van is in the recently extended car park. I'm guessing they'll take that green fence down and put the platform there. It is just about level with the loop.

<pedant hat on>Actually Platform 1. The northbound - down- platforms along this line were always 1. The present platform used to be 2 as at Belper. </pedant hat on>:)

OK not old enough to remember seeing 2 platforms in use at Matlock 4 platforms at Clay Cross yes and our firm removed the old wood from the station plus a couple of loads of Sleepers "by accident" they stopped us on the third load of those we just sorry thought these were ours too just doing what the boss told us (the boss was driving the lorry LOL)

Peak Rail's Plan is to run into the disused platform at Matlock and for the footbridge to be modified to allow access. I notice from Wyvern's photo that clearance work has begun, the platform was very heavily overgrown when I last looked a couple of months ago. The only draw back is that a shunter will have to be stationed at Matlock to release the coaches to the loop to release the train engine. An added cost and time consuming. NR are not keen on trains being propelled in and out of the platform, even if there are no passengers on board. I believe that there is still a lot of discussion needed to work out exactly how everything will work. In the meantime Peak Rail Trains will continue to terminate at Riverside.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

John an alternative method would be to use a second proper loco rather than shunting duties just alternate loco's so the first would uncouple run into the loop AFTER the train has left wait for it to return then re-join the train at the other end
OK it could mean two loco's in steam or have one diesel operating which can be shut down between turns

All hypothetical of course

Or an autotrain :)

LINK: Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway 4-4-0Ts ( exchanged for three Midland built 0-4-4Ts) and four American Pullman carriages

The station looks better in the photo than it does in real life. At least as bad as the Duffield platform of the EVR if not worse.

Sadly it is hypothetical at the moment as Peak Rail only have one opperational Steam Loco.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

You obviously haven't seen the EVR platform at Duffield recently! The snow hides a multitude of sins but it is the most recent photo I have (22.12.2010). Further progress has since been made and it will be finished for 6th April 2011!

I enclose a picture of Idridgehay Station Masters House for Gray taken on the same day.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

Love the picture of the Station Masters House, who is it owned by now?

Sorry I meant how it used to be :o

It is privately owned now as is the Station Building. The EVR just owns the platform.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

No problem Wyvern. Just keeping everyone up to date with progress!

Best wishes,

John H-T.

They must be going use top and tail owrkings then when it goes in to the ML Station at Matlock.

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iT would be great if PR & the EVR where linked in the middle.