Darley Dale railway station

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[edit] History

Lying at the bottom of Station Road in the settlement of Darley Dale, Darley Dale in its current form is not the first station to have existed upon the site. That halt was built in 1849, by the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock & Midlands Junction Railway, and existed on the other side of the level crossing. The present structure dates back to 1873, and at one time the station possessed both a footbridge and a goods yard.

The station survived into the British Rail era, but succumbed to the round of closures that followed the government economies of the 1960s. The station reopened in its current guise at the beginning of the 1990s, as a result of the efforts of heritage and preservation group Peak Rail. Since then, the latter have run heritage steam services on the former London, Midland and Scottish Railway route to both Matlock and after 1997, to Rowsley South.

[edit] Present Day

At present, only the Up platform is in use for passenger services, as the Down side requires further remedial work to allow it to meet current Health and Safety standards. Peak Rail are currently engaged in negotiations regarding its lease to their charitable concern, the Derwent and Wye Valley Railway Trust. The station building on the Up platform contains both a buffet (open on Sundays) and a shop (open most operating days), other facilities at the location include toilets with disabled access and parking for a small number of cars. Tickets must be purchased on the train however, as there is no longer a dedicated ticket office at this location.

The station also possesses a signal box at the southern end of the Up plaform, with a level crossing (Station Road) just beyond it. Contrary to first impressions, this signal box is merely of cosmetic use, with the crossing controlled by a crossing keeper's hut at road level (located on the Down side, and across the road from the station). Part of the reason for this is the visibility required to operate the crossing is unavailable from the raised signal box, a structure once located at Bamford. During 2007 the crossing keeper's hut will be replaced with a more extensive traditional structure, required as part of the increased signalling equipment on the railway. The latter will effectively split the operation into three controlled sections, allowing for better timetabling and more efficient services, while also providing the necessary infrastructure to cater for extensions to the present line.

Darley Dale also possesses a small yard, across the level crossing, on the Up side of the line. This is used to stable small amounts of rolling stock and locomotives, most of which are undergoing restoration. The yard is not open to the public, except by prior arrangement with members of the Association.