| Churnet Valley Railway | |
|---|---|
| "Winston Churchill" at the 1940s weekend | |
| Commercial operations | |
| Name | British Rail |
| Built by | North Staffordshire Railway |
| Original gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Preserved operations | |
| Owned by | North Staffordshire Railway Society |
| Operated by | North Staffordshire Railway Society |
| Stations | 4 |
| Length | 5.25 miles (8.4 km) |
| Preserved gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Commercial history | |
| Opened | 13 June 1849 |
| Closed to passengers | 4 January 1965 |
| Closed | 30 August 1988 |
| Preservation history | |
| 24 August 1996 | First trains run[1] |
| Headquarters | Cheddleton and Kingsley and Froghall |
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Legend
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The Churnet Valley Railway is a standard gauge heritage railway to the east of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire. The CVR has two main operational headquarters - Cheddleton station, where the motive power department is based and where the first trains ran, and Kingsley and Froghall station, where many passengers begin their journey.
At present the railway is 5.25 miles (8.4 km) long, although trains operate over a further several miles of railway between the terminus at Leekbrook Junction and the stone quarries at Caldon Low on a semi-regular basis. This stretch of railway is owned by the Moorlands & City Railway, a commercial venture which aims to run freight trains between Caldon and the main railway network at Stoke, with an agreement that the CVR can run passenger trains over it in return for the M&CR's use of the Churnet Valley line as far as Oakamoor quarry and, in the future, Alton. This mutually beneficial arrangement will give the CVR increased prominence and status in the competitive heritage railway sector and as a tourist attractive in the North of England.
Contents |
The North Staffordshire Railway Society was formed in the 1970s and bought the old goods yard at Cheddleton Station. Workshops were created there and the first locomotives arrived in 1977, although British Rail were still using the adjacent railway to move industrial sand from the quarry at Oakamoor. British Rail ceased using the line in 1988 and the society began to arrange for the purchase of the stretch from Oakamoor to Leekbrook Junction.
The first trains ran over the preserved line between Cheddleton and Leekbrook, a distance of roughly 1 mile (1.6 km), on 24 August 1996.[1]
Kingsley and Froghall station is where many passengers begin their journey. Despite its name the station lies within Froghall village, Kingsley being a further mile away along the A52 road. At Froghall, a short walk away, is the canal wharf which is the site of some historic lime kilns.
From Kingsley & Froghall the railway passes the historic Thomas Bolton Copperworks factory (some of which is derelict with other parts still in use) and meanders through the forested valley, through Hazles Wood and Booth's Wood and on toward Consall. The station here is sandwiched between the Caldon Canal and the Churnet river. There is a nature reserve nearby, whilst the Black Lion public house sits on a bank overlooking the railway, canal and river. This pub is unusual in that there are no public roads leading to it. Access is on foot via the canal towpath or the railway. Consall is now fully signalled and the passing loop allows two trains to run on special events and during high season.
Trains leaving Consall face a stiff gradient as they begin the section towards Cheddleton. Initially this section of railway too is heavily forested but after a half-mile or so the trees fall away to reveal open farmland and moorland. Trains pass the motive power depot as they arrive into Cheddleton station, where locomotives under repair may be glimpsed in the yard. An early start of around 6AM awaits the volunteers who light up the steam locomotives of a morning here. The Grade II listed Victorian station building at Cheddleton houses a small relics museum, toilets, ticket office and waiting room. In July 2011 a new temporary catering facility was opened on the platform. A more permanent facility based on platform 2 is in the process of being funded by a public appeal with construction due to be completed by 2012. Continuing from Cheddleton, trains run past a local caravan park and through the 531-yard (486 m) tunnel, emerging at Leekbrook Junction. As the name suggests this was a junction serving railways from Stoke, Leek, Alton and the quarries at Caldon. Today there is no platform and trains terminate here. Passengers cannot alight at present. On occasion trains continue through to Caldon, using the recently reopened Moorlands & City Railway line, a distance of some seven or so miles.
The CVR also owns the trackbed between Kingsley & Froghall and Oakamoor. The railway is in situ as far as the Oakamoor sand sidings, which once served the now disused quarry. A further short stretch through the tunnel here and into Oakamoor station requires relaying before trains can run to Oakamoor once again, although this is one of the medium-term objectives of both the CVR and M&CR companies as part of the returning of trains to Oakamoor and Alton beyond.
Each station (or station site) currently served by passengers has a signal box, although only one is currently fully operational:
The railway currently mostly runs the "one train staff" system, Consall box spending most of its time "switched out". The railway is split into three sections: Leekbrook Junction-Consall, Consall-Kingsley & Froghall and Kingsley & Froghall-Oakamoor. The latter, not being used for passenger trains, is protected by a stop board south of passenger operations at Froghall. Most running days see the Leekbrook Junction-Consall and Consall-Kingsley & Froghall locked together with a single engine/train in service. On peak days they can be split, Consall box opened, and a simple two train service operated.
As the railway expands it is expected for more signalling to follow. The company has proposed upgrading works to Cheddleton as part of a wider development scheme for that station. Since November 2010, when the Moorlands & City Railway reopened the section from Leekbrook Junction to the site of the quarry and former station at Caldon Low, trains have operated on a semi-regular basis along this stretch of line, a feature of which is continuous steep gradients from the moment trains depart Leekbrook until the summit at Ipstones is reached. Throughout 2011 the CVR have operated steam services along this section roughly once a month. It is hoped that the M&CR will have restored the section between Leekbrook and Stoke to running order by 2012, at which point the CVR may also operate steam services along that line occasionally.
A third objective of the M&CR is to restore the missing line of approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) between Leekbrook Junction and Leek town, where the former station has long been demolished and the land developed upon. A new station will be built here, returning trains to the town of Leek for the first time in decades. The M&CR intend on operating a commuter service between Leek and Stoke, whilst the CVR will extend their regular services into Leek, eliminating the need to terminate at Leekbrook where there are no station facilities.
Finally, the M&CR aim to operate passenger services from Stoke and/or Leek, along CVR metals and into Alton, to connect with the immensely popular tourist resort of Alton Towers. This will require continued cooperation between both companies, upgrading the existing track between Froghall and Oakamoor sand sidings, returning rails through the tunnel and into the station at Oakamoor, and negotiating an agreement for the use of the trackbed between Oakamoor and Alton, which is currently employed as a cyclepath. The track bed is double track width, as the entire Churnet Valley line was built double track, and it is expected that trains will be allowed to operate alongside the cycle path, as has been successfully and safely achieved on other heritage railways such as the Avon Valley Railway. The station at Alton remains entirely in tact, although privately owned, and the CVR/M&CR may operate into an all-new terminus in this village.
Beyond Froghall....
Future Extension
The 2010 activities of Moorland & City Railways (MCR) in the areas north and east of the CVR's terminus at Leekbrook Junction, have triggered (or brought forward previous) redevelopment plans for the area. The initial heritage operation of MCR's Cauldon Lowe branch would require additional infrastructure in the Leekbrook area. Whilst much infrastructure remains on MCR land, the CVR side has seen enhancements during 2010 to complement the new operations. The signal box, after years of neglect, is currently (Nov 2010) receiving external restoration work to safeguard its future use. The platform and area around the signal box has been cleared of 20 years of vegetation. A ground frame is also to be installed to control the MCR turnouts and the north set of the points that form the CVR's run round loop. The same loop is also to become a signalled passing loop.
In November 2008 a investigation was undertaken for the proposed relocation of Whitebridge Crossing cottage from its present location next to the West Coast main line at Stone to the down platform at Cheddleton station. The cottage will be used as a visitor centre incorporating a cafe, toilets and a museum. It will replace existing portacabins currently used as a shop and the temporary catering facility built in 2011. It is proposed to dismantle the existing 200-year-old listed building and have it rebuilt at Cheddleton brick-by-brick with a basement to be incorporated into the proposals. Empty since the last crossing keeper left in 1998, the building has been left derelict and vandalised. Because of the building's current close proximity to the running line at Stone, it cannot be sold or put to any other use in its present location.[2] The portacabins located on the proposed site at Cheddleton were moved in early 2010, and the ground cleared ready for the relocation works to start. All other progress has been “behind the scenes” and has involved a long journey of essential meetings and paperwork to enable to project to proceed.
This project, lasting a little under two years from 2007 to 2009 involved the reinstatement of the “up” direction platform at Kingsley & Froghall station, all passenger services having used the opposite (down) platform since the station reopened in 2001. The project became possible in early 2007 following a £10,000 grant for a heritage trail between Consall & Froghall supplemented with financial backing from the North Staffordshire Railway Company.[3] The rebuilding work began with the reinstatement of the section overhanging the river (about one third of the platforms length) which had been removed during the demolition of the original station. The other main part of the project was to rebuild the wooden waiting shelter, to the original 1849 design. The brick foundations had survived intact and were deemed to be in sufficiently good order to re-use, subject to some localised repairs. The wooden structure was fabricated off site to exact measurements and then assembled on the existing base.[3] and was completed in February 2008. 2008 also saw the wall between the shelter and the end of the platform rebuilt along with the fencing covering the remainder of the platform. Resurfacing of the platform followed along with several other smaller projects including the platform lighting and signage. Access was provided with a new foot crossing at the south of the platform (there never was a footbridge), replacing a previous foot crossing at the north end deemed unsuitable for reinstatement due to safety issues regarding visibility. The project was concluded in February 2009 when the platform was used by passengers for the first time during the railway’s steam gala. Whilst the platform is now officially open, the lack of signalling at Kingsley & Froghall restricts passenger trains to the down platform except for special events.
Almost immediately after the opening of Consall station in 1998, attention turned to extending the railway’s operating line a further two miles to Kingsley & Froghall station, an important commercial decision for the growth of the railway, as previously Cheddleton was the only public vehicular point of access, and the station and car park were limiting the number of visitors that the railway could accommodate. A share issue was launched in the summer of 2000 in order to raise funds. 2000 saw vegetation clearance completed along with much of the drainage and track work required to bring the track into passenger operating condition. 14 October 2000 saw “top & tailed” diesel hauled passenger specials, followed shortly after by a slight setback in November 2000 after severe flooding damaged at least 3 sections along the extension. The following year, 2001, other works for the extension were completed, notably the run round loop at Kingsley & Froghall station, as well as final tamping of the two miles of plain track. The main down platform that was to be used for passengers, reduced to a grassy mound following demolition by BR, was also rebuilt. A car park and access to the adjacent A52 was also arranged. The extension was opened on 11 August 2001, extending the CVR’s passenger operations to 5.25 miles (8.4 km) and returning passenger services to Kingsley & Froghall after a 35-year gap.
The railway harbours a number of mid to long-term plans for expansion.
To the north, a short extension could return trains to the market town of Leek, although a new site would be required as the site of the old station is no longer accessible due to development over the years. Beyond Leek, a supermarket access road built on the original route makes further expansion towards Rudyard Lake and the main line at North Rode (near Macclesfield) financially improbable for the near future. The area of Leek where the remaining trackbed currently lies, Cornhill, is the site of a disused Cattle Market. The railway is known to be included in current regeneration talks and plans being held by the council. Approximately one mile of track would be required to link the cattle market site with the existing infrastructure in place at Leekbrook Junction. After the Froghall extension of 2001, the railway made it clear than the extension into Leek was the next priority in terms of physical expansion.
To the south, the line as far as the sand sidings at Oakamoor remains, after which there is a tunnel before Oakamoor station is reached. The track to the sidings requires upgrading for passenger use, and work on the tunnel and the rebuilding of the station site would be necessary, although it is considered viable. The railway owns the track as far as the sand sidings, the tunnel and the trackbed south being in the hands of the council.
Continuing south, the next station after Oakamoor is Alton Towers, where the station building has been restored, although it is not owned by the railway. The prospect of running trains as far as Alton is lucrative given the tourist potential provided by the popular Alton Towers which is located nearby. This is something of a long-term prospect, however, especially as this section of track now forms part of National Route 54 of the National Cycle Network.
This four mile section (from Froghall-Alton Towers) is in principle regarded as commercially viable to reopen, and has been stated as a longer term expansion aim of Moorland & City Railways.
The next station on the route south of Alton is Denstone, though no railway has any plans to extend this far. A JCB works makes expansion south to the mainline at Uttoxeter improbable without significant financial outlay.
East of Leekbrook Junction is the 8 mile Cauldon Lowe line, which serves the quarries at Caldon. It joined the line with a triangle, a single leg of which is still in situ. The line is part of the Moorland & City network (see separate section) and re-opened in a heritage capacity in November 2010. As the Churnet Valley Railway has certain running rights on the Moorland & City network, it is feasible that potential future services could use the line, however the line serves very little other than the quarries.
West of Leekbrook Junction is the 10 mile Stoke-on-Trent line. The line is part of the Moorland & City network (see separate section) and is currently mothballed pending work to return it to a usable condition. As the Churnet Valley Railway has certain running rights on the Moorland & City network, it is feasible that potential future services could use the line.
Possible extension towards Stoke-on-Trent railway station, could see the Churnet Valley Railway interchange with commuter rail services on the West Coast Main Line as time, money and finances could allow.
Moorland and City Railways is a commercial company set up by some of the directors of the Churnet Valley Railway with the aim of re-opening the line from Stoke-on-Trent to Cauldon Lowe. The company has already taken ownership of the entirety of the route with the exception of Leek-Brook junction which is owned by the Churnet Valley Railway. The company has already begun work on the section from Leek-Brook Junction to Cauldon-Lowe which opened for a steam gala operated by the CVR on 13 November 2010.
Moorland and City plans to open additional sections to a new station outside of Leek and to Alton which would serve the popular Alton Towers theme park. It would aim to operate service from Stoke (connecting with National Rail services) to Leek where services would reverse to travel either to Alton over the CVR or Cauldon Lowe.
The company will operate as a commercial profit-making venture using its own rolling stock. It has already agreed track access rights with the CVR which will provide a source of revenue for the CVR whilst the heritage railway will enjoy free access to all of the Moorland and City network.
The first non public service from the Churnet Valley Railway on to the Cauldon line left from Cheddleton station on 3 October 2010.
| Number | Type | Livery | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1827 | Beyer Peacock 0-4-0 | Lined Black | Under Overhaul | Contract Overhaul - normally based at Foxfield Railway. |
| 5197 | S160 2-8-0 | USA Black | Static Display | Awaiting overhaul, expected to commence after 6046 |
| 5199 | Large Prairie 2-6-2 | BR Lined Green | Operational | Visiting - normally based at Llangollen Railway. Due to leave in early 2012 |
| 6046 | S160 2-8-0 | N/A | Under Overhaul | Completion expected in early 2012. |
| 44767 | Black 5 4-6-0 | BR Lined Black | Operational | Visiting - normally based at NYMR. |
| 48173 | 8F 2-8-0 | N/A | Dismantled awaiting overhaul | Long-term project. Restoration likely after completion of 6046 and 5197. |
Locomotives off site and former residents
| Number | Type | Livery | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44422 | 4F 0-6-0 | BR black | Operational | Former resident locomotive. Currently at the Nene Valley Railway. May return to the CVR in the future. |
| 68030 | Hunslet 0-6-0 | BR black | Operational | On loan to Strathspey Railway. |
| 80136 | 4MT 2-6-4T | BR Lined Black | Awaiting Overhaul | Former resident. Currently at Crewe Heritage Centre. |
| 92134 | 9F 2-10-0 | BR Black | Under Restoration | Undergoing restoration at LNWR Crewe. Long-term project. |
| Number | Name | Type | Livery | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brightside | Yorkshire Engine Company 0-4-0 | Black | Under Repair | Currently dismantled for engine overhaul | |
| 6 | Roger H. Bennett | Yorkshire Engine Company "Janus" 0-6-0 | NCB Blue | Operational | ~ |
| D2334 | Class 04 | Green | Operational | ~ | |
| 25322 | Tamworth Castle | Class 25 | "Ice Cream Van" Blue | Static Display | Cosmetically restored in 2008 |
| 33021 | Class 33 | Blue | Operational | On loan from Tysley | |
| 33102 | Sophie (Unofficial) | Class 33 | Blue | Under Restoration | Receiving major bodywork overhaul. Currently the main diesel project, expected to be complete before the Autumn 2012 gala |
| 37075 | Class 37 | Blue | Operational | ~ | |
| 37407 | Class 37 | Transrail Grey | Stored | ~ | |
| 37424 | Class 37 | Transrail Grey | Stored | ~ | |
| 47524 | Class 47 | Rail Express Systems | Stored | Restoration to continue following completion of 33102 |
| Number(s) | Class | Type | Livery | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M50455/E59701/M50517 | Class 104/Class 110 | DMBS/TSL/DMCL | Green | Operational | E59701 on loan from Wensleydale Railway |
| M59137 | Class 104 | TCL | Green | Under Restoration | ~ |
| 977391/977392 | Class 101 | Departmental (PWay) unit | Yellow | Stored | ~ |
| ADB977554 | Class 104 | DTCL | Blue | Stored | Last used for demonstration Sandite trains in 2008 |
| 53437/M53494 | Class 104 | DMBS/DMCL | NSE/Blue | Stored | ~ |
Coaching Stock in use on passenger trains currently consists almost entirely of Ex-BR Mark 1 vehicles, four or five being a typical rake. A 1966 built BR Mark 2 and an LMS Period 3 coach are also used, both on loan from the Foxfield Steam Railway. These vehicles run in BR maroon livery which is historically correct for the railway’s 1950s/1960s image. Currently only one rake is required for normal services.
Two Mark 1 vehicles are also used for the railway's Moorlander dining services. One is an authentic Kitchen Car, the other being a Second Open converted into a dining coach. Both coaches have recently been overhauled and repainted (between November 2009 & March 2010) into Pullman Umber/Cream following a vandal attack in 2009.
Several vehicles built earlier and later than the Mark 1s are preserved on the line, however none are currently in serviceable condition.
| Number | Type | Livery | Set Used In | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E4354 | Tourist Second Open | Maroon | Main operating rake | ~ |
| S4392 | Tourist Second Open | Maroon | Spare rake | ~ |
| 4779 | Second Open | Umber/Cream | Dining rake | Converted into dining coach for Moorlander services. Overhauled & repainted 2009 |
| M5175 | Mk2 Tourist Second Open | Maroon | Main operating rake | On loan from Foxfield Steam Railway |
| E13236 | First Open | Maroon | Main operating rake | Entered service 20/11/10 following a 3 year rebuild (from scrap condition) including conversion from a First Corridor (FK) |
| M16155 | Corridor Composite | Maroon | Main operating rake | Repainted 2009 |
| 27249 | LMS Open Third | Maroon | Spare rake | On loan from Foxfield Steam Railway |
| M35343 | Brake CorridorSecond | Maroon | Main operating rake | Overhauled & Repainted 2007 |
| M35473 | Brake Corridor Second | Maroon | Spare rake | ~ |
| 80030 | Restaurant Corridor | Umber | Dining rake | Overhauled & repainted 2010 |
| W86197 | General Utility Van | Maroon | Used for special events only | ~ |
In addition, Mark 1 General Utility Van, W86500 is currently under restoration
Typically for a railway of this size, the CVR does not yet have a dedicated wagon restoration group, maintenance of a nucleus of essential vehicles being undertaken by the more established Coach Works. Operational wagons tend to be examples which have an essential function rather than historical importance alone.
Because of this, the operational fleet of freight vehicles is relatively small. They can be summarised as follows:
Restoration of wagons is done sporadically. The Coach Works directed its full resources towards eight wagons for a significant part of 2007, the majority of the vehicles which now form the demonstration freight set being restored during this period. The ballast rake was restored in 2001 and all other vehicles have been restored by individual owners at various times.
In April 2011, restoration work on brake van DB993707 started, this is currently (June 2011) the only wagon undergoing restoration work.
There are no particular times when any freight stock can be advertised as being in service, however the demonstration freight set sees occasional use during (some) galas, driver experience days and photographic charters.