Ripley Branch to be reopened?
 

On this mornings East Midlands BBC News a consortium plans to reopen the old Midland Railway branch from Breadsall north of Derby to Ripley to run commuter trains.

Would it be feasible? The trackbed is still intact complete with rails over most of its length but there are eight level crossings over its less than ten mile length - admittedly all except one across minor roads.

It is still, I believe, connected to the main line but only the up goods.

I wonder if it would be possible to go on to Butterley and the Midland Railway Centre.

I certainly hope that they do reopen the branch line. I myself live in the town of Ripley. It would be so useful to many people. Those want to go shopping in Derby's Westfield Centre or going to see the rams on a saturday afternoon.
Does anybody know a website which gives more information about the proposition?

No. I've been looking but its not even on the BBC website yet.

Sounds good to see branch line being re opened.........

Try looking for the trackbed on Google Earth I can't find any track at all on any route out of Derby except the mainlines North OR any track South from Ripley but found some trackbed and it HAS been built on

It's still shown on Quail as far as Denby and you can see it diverging away from the main line as you travel just north of Derby.

However it is so overgrown that it would be difficult to spot it on Google Earth. Look for level crossings, and on Streetview.

I believe the original Ripley station was in a cutting which has been filled in however. I guess it would have to terminate at Marehay.

North of the station the trackbed I believe is a footpath.

This is how it used to run:

Have just found this. Although I like the idea, this article seems more than a little fanciful.

Rail News : Proposal-for-new-derbyshire-passenger-line/

As I pay Council Tax to the Amber Valley, I look forward to the consultation!

It will be an interesting line to opperate with all the level crossings, especially as some are close together. I have seen a video of a frieght train closing two crossings at once while the gates are being opened and closed. I assume that they will have to install automatic barriers/lights to keep trafic flowing!

Best wishes,

John H-T.

OS Explorer map shows the track bed in tact as a footpath through Nuttals Park to Ripley town centre, so there may yet be hope.

Yes. To the north the track bed is a County Council footpath. I just wasnt sure about the length through Ripley station.

There is a description of operating the route in its later years in "Derby Trainman: 1990-94" by T. J. Helme.

A history of the line called "Rails to Ripley" by Howard Sprenger (who is/was a leading light at the EVR) has just been published.

You can see many of the crossings on Streetview.

Railway scheme unveiled

Well its ambitious I must say. £45 million :eek:

It does make it clear it will be part of a much larger regeneration scheme for the whole valley.

Both books highly recommended. Howard is still involved with the EVR, although he no longer lives in the area.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

I think the Robin Hood line should act as a good blueprint for their future plans.

is this more speculation it surfased about 10 years ago along with woodhead line and waverley when i hear it from network rail will belive it

On the front page of this week's Belper News. Looks like they are really going for it!

Best wishes,

John H-T.

Link to the web site of the group behind the project:

http://www.cesgrouppartnership.co.uk/website-links

Comments/discussion about the project can be found at:

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/grou...shirerailways/

Best wishes,

John H-T.

Hi all. Lesleyholly i would'nt believe it even if Network Rail say its going to re-instate this line at least not till you see track being layed or bulldozers leveling the formation an all the prep works starting. I hope for all who live in an around Ripley that this re-opening really does happen i would love to ride into ripley by train but till the track starts going down good luck to all involved i hope it happens.

ripley branch line
 

:)Hi All,
I live on street lane which I have all my life. I have been trying to get the line reopened this last 4 years. I have collected 320 name who also want the line to be reopened but the council have stone walled me.
It seems as the council have made there mind up to rip the track up as they have already started in some spots, the coucil stated that the line would stay down till the end of the year so the money can be raised in which gave time for a 'backer' to come forward,
I have wrote to Philip Hammond about the line and also had a reply back from him HE WROTE HE IS QUITE HAPPY FOR THE RAIL LINK TO REOPEN AS LONG AS SOME ONE COMES UP WITH THE FUNDS
The council want a 'GREEN WAY' for a foot path and cycles.
Which would be better, a train to take people in to derby or a long walk way for dogs, as that will all it will be used for!!.
Please is there any of you who will help to get this line back in to use, all we need is to raise money and volounters to get this lineback

Richard

Sorry can't help with the money but just a word of warning regarding Debyshire County Council
They are NOT public SERVANTS they do as THEY like and if it breaks the law so what so just do not believe them and make recordings of EVERYTHING you do and say to /with them as you may need it later
They are not averse to doing the opposite of what they say then tell you you mis-understood

Good Luck

hi madcaravener, :)thanks for your reply,
Yes l know exacly what you mean about them saying one thing and doing the opposite. do you have any suggestions of how we can proceed, any thing would help
richard

Hello there.
If I may I would like to give a few suggestions.

Could you create a website to make your plans more readily available to the general public?
Have you considered writing to a local newspaper, and also writing to a UK wide railway magazine? My suggestion magazine wise would be either The Raiwlay Magazine or RAIL. Maybe both. This way you may gaint the support of some quite influential people who have a knowledge and interest in railways.

Hope that helped. :)

SFE :)

Hi Richard

Not any more been out of Politicing for too long - - will wish you good luck

will make the suggestion that the council can have it's dog walk as a lineside footpath similar to the one on the Nene Valley Railway into Peterborough

I hate to pour cold water on any rail re-opening scheme. What is really important at this stage is route protection.

I have been involved in a re-opening campaign myself, and whilst we failed we did get the route protected and a re-development scheme was stopped.

The chances of any smaller scale project getting seious funds are remote at the moment I fear.

The campaigners I worked with always said there were two key projects in England for re-opening that both stood up as real business backed schemes. Oxford to Cambridge, or at least Bletchley and the Woodhead route.

Once they came back the smaller schemes would follow. I still agree with that view

It seems that Network Rail have poured cold water on the scheme by dismantling the railway. Only bare trackbed remains, so I hear, back as far as Coxbench.

To add to this thread, the tracklifting gangs are currently working from Coxbench back towards Little Eaton. I have seen several heaps of lifted track alongside the Midland Mainline near the old Breadsall Crossing. A sad end to a once great railway. Incidentally if the photographer I saw at Little Eaton is reading this, please post the photos here.