Peak Rail

Rowsley South Station: Refreshments, shop, picnic area

Darley Dale Station: Refreshments, shop, museum

Matlock Station: Book, gift shop, main line

In 1975 the Peak District Preservation Society was formed, they opened a steam centre in Buxton of the site of the former Midland Railway station. There was 300 yards of track, restoration facilities and a signal box. Efforts to extend the rail track at Buxton were not successful but permission was granted in 1988 to reopen the track from Darley Dale to Matlock. A great deal of renovation and undergrowth clearance was required as no trains had run for 20 years.

The first passenger services ran in December 1991 from Darley Dale for one mile towards Matlock. Work continued with the construction of a temporary station in Matlock by the River Derwent. Full operation to the new station started in May 1992, giving the railway a length of  2 miles. The final stage to Rowsley South was completed in 1966.  

Peak Rail has now extended the line to Matlock main line station where they use platform two. Trains will no loger stop at Matlock Riverside station. Now that there is a connection to the main line the railway hopes to attract rail tours which will be able to use the turntable and maintenance facilities at Rowsley South. The next project will be to lay track to Rowsley village.

Peak Rail has one steam locomotive in service which is No.7136 Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn 'Royal Pioneer' 0-6-0ST there are number diesel locomotives also available.

Midland Railway

Address: Butterley Station, Ripley, Derbyshire DE5 3QZ
Telephone: 01773 747674  Visitor Information: 01773 570140 
Email: data@midlandrailwaycentre.co.uk
Line Length: 3½ miles  Gauge: 4ft 8½ inches
Route: Hammersmith to Riddings  Journey Time: 60 minutes (round trip)
Service: Saturday & Sunday / February 21 - 27 / April 18 - 22, 25 - 29 / August every day / September 1, 2 / October 24 - 28 / December 8, 15, 22, 23, 27 - 31
Tickets: Entrance to the Butterley site is free, Train rides vary - Adult £9.50 - £15.00
Parking: Butterley station DE5 3QZ   
Website: www.midlandrailwaycentre.co.uk    YouTubevideo    location map

Butterley Station: Refreshments, shop, two model railways

Swanwick Junction Station: Refreshments, miniature railways, museum (extra details in the text below)

Ecclesbourne Valley Railway

Wirksworth Station: Refreshments, gift shop, children's play area, narrow gauge railway, picnic area, museum, model railway

The first trains ran on the Wirksworth Branch in 1867, the line had three intermediate stations between Duffield and Wirksworth. Built by the Midland Railway it connected to the Derby line. A major source of revenue for the branch was the transport of limestone with milk, textiles, farm produce also carried in large quantities 

Passengers services were ended in 1947 with only freight being carried after this date. Aggregate continued to be hauled from the quarries up to 1989. At this time a new company purchased the aggregate business and they decided that a rail connection was no longer required

A group of rail enthusiasts were granted permission in 2000 to have access to the line with the idea of eventually running trains again. Since closure nature had taken its toll with all track buried under a thick layer of undergrowth. Work started on the task of track clearance and repairs to rotting sleepers.

In 2004 a ½ mile section reopened from Wirksworth to Gorsey Bank. A short spur of the branch with a 1 in 27 incline that connected to the quarries was the next part to open in 2005. This track never carried passengers but a new halt at Ravenstor encourages visitors to the National Stone Centre and the High Peak Trail. In 2008 services were extended to Idrigehay a distance of 3½ miles. The Grand Opening Weekend for the line to Duffield took place on Friday 8 April - Sunday 10 April 2011 with No.78019 BR Standard Class 2MT 2-6-0 steam locomotive visiting from the Great Central Railway.

The passenger fleet comprises of a number of DMUs, one off which is a BR Derby Single Car Unit "Iris",  there are a few diesel locomotives as well. In 2010 the first working steam locomotive arrived on the railway, No.2360 Barclay "Brian Harrison" Ferrybridge No.3 0-4-0ST, which has been used on the shuttle service to Ravenstor.

Address: Lakeside Station, Kings Road, Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire DN35 0AG
Telephone: 01472 604657  Email: office.cclr@btconnect.com
Line Length: 2 miles  Gauge: 15 inches
Route: Kingsway Station to North Sea Lane Station  Journey Time:
Service: January 1 - October 28 Saturdays & Sundays / April 2 -15 / July 23 - August 31 / October 29 - 31 / November 1 - 4  •
Parking: Pay and display car parks close by DE35 0AG
Website: www.cleethorpescoastlightrailway.co.uk     YouTubevideo     location map

Lakeside Station:  Refreshments, shop, gifts, souvenirs, pub, museum, loco shed, workshop

Kingsway Station:  Gift Shop

After World War II Cleethorpes Council were seeking to have a miniature railway at the resort. Two people approached them, keen to run the project, it was awarded to William Botterill who opened a railway on 17 July 1948. The 10¼ inch line had 300 yards of track which started from the swimming pool and ended close to the seafront. In 1949 by agreement with the Council the length of track had been increased to 700 yards. A new company operated the miniature line from 16 April 1954 using battery powered electric locomotives.

The Council ran the railway from 1959 onwards with diesel engine locomotives. After another extension in 1972 the terminal stations were at the swimming pool and zoo with an intermediate stop at Thrunscoe. Severn-Lamb supplied the locomotives which had a steam outline and used propane gas, the gauge was changed to 14½ inches.

By the early 1990s the railway had been vandalised and was in a run down condition. Chris and Deborah Shaw purchased the line from the Council for a nominal sum. There followed three years of hard work by the new owners to bring the railway to the required standard. All track was re-gauged from the unusual 14½ inch size to standard 15 inch and in 1994 trains were running once again.

Extensive improvements  have been made in recent years. In July 2000 at the northern terminus, a new Kingsway station opened. A National Lottery grant funded the purchase of a number of locomotives which had formerly been at the Sutton Miniature Railway and had been in storage for 40 years. Track length increased by 900 yards in 2007 to a new station called North Sea Lane built in Humberston.

Passenger trains are usually hauled by steam engines some came from the historic Sutton Miniature Railway collection. The locomotives available include No.1 'Sutton Belle' 4-4-2; No.2 'Sutton Flyer' 4-6-2; No.24 2-6-2; 'Effie' 0-4-0; No.111 'Yvette' 4-4-0; 'Mountaineer' 0-4-0 and No.6284 2-8-0. A ticket for the railway includes free admission to the 'Rails to the Sands' exhibition which is next to the Lakeside Station.

Lincolnshire Wolds Railway

Address: Ludborough Station, Station Road, Ludborough, North East Lincolnshire DN36 5SQ
Telephone: 01507 363881 
Line Length: 1½ miles  Gauge: 4ft 8½ inches
Route: Ludborough to North Thoresby  Journey Time: 15 minutes
Service: March 18, 25 / April 7 - 9, 15, 29 / May 6, 7, 20 / June 3 - 5, 17 / July 1, 8, 22 / August - Wednesdays, Sundays, 27 / September 8, 9 , 30 / October 14, 24 28 / November 3, 25 / December 8, 9, 15, 16 / January 1  •
Ticket: Adult £6.00, Child £3.00, Family £15.00 (2 adults and 4 children) unlimited travel on day of issue
Parking: Ludborough Station DN36 5SQ
Website: www.lincolnshirewoldsrailway.co.uk     YouTubevideo     location map

Ludborough Station: Refreshments, shop, gifts, souvenirs, engine shed, museum 

Construction commenced on the railway line from Louth to Grimsby in 1847. Although the first train ran on 17 September 1847 it was not until 1 March 1848 that a passenger service started. Fourteen miles in length, there were six stations, Louth Keddington Road, Ludborough, North Thoresby, Holton-le-Clay, Waltham and Grimsby. The route was next extended from Louth to Firsby and became known as the East Lincolnshire Line. Six halts were added later to the section between Louth and Grimsby. Originally operated by the Great Northern Railway in 1923 it became part of the London North Eastern Railway.

Fish from Grimsby became the main source of freight. From 1905 passenger services used steam railmotors, a small engine attached to a single coach. Diesel Multiple Units replaced steam after 1956. Passenger services ended in 1970 although freight continued to be carried until complete closure in 1980.

A group formed in 1978 to try to stop the line closing but unfortunately they were not successful. The Grimsby Louth Preservation Society was set up to reconstruct the line. British Rail removed all the track, so the task would be that much harder. Although the Society wanted to keep all the route from Louth to Grimsby this was not possible. They did manage to purchase the trackbed between Louth and Waltham, a distance of 10 miles.

Based at Ludborough Station the Society started rebuiilding the line in 1984. Passenger trains ran once again in 1991 over ½ mile of track. The Lincolnshire Wolds Railway (LWR) now has another station at North Thoresby which opened in August 2009. At Ludborough station there is a signal box and engine shed.

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