First the Very Good News: The Ecclesbourne Valley has just received a very substantial grant which will cover the cost of all the trackwork (rail, sleepers and ballast) and drainage material to complete the reopening of the line to Duffield. All we need to do now is do the work, including replacing 3,000 + sleepers! The target is still very firmly Autumn 2010.
This means that we can concentrate our finances on the other aspects of reopening the line which are not covered by the grant.
I believe that The Midland Railway Centre has also won a large grant for work there.
I attach a couple of photos of the work we were doing yesterday (4.2.2009) when we got the news: Installing the trap point at the northern end of the passing loop at Shottle, the crossing place when we get round to a two train service.