Peak Rail General Discussion

Indeed specials are brought straight over the platform end crossover onto the Up &Dn Riverside single line at Matlock, this is on NRs side of the operational infrastructure and allows much easier transition, and ours and NRs ops staff can then meet and pilot the train about, the siding loop is not used for the connection (though potentially could be used)as the far end is secured with a bolted in fpl,to which both NR and PR must unlock the fpl before that can be used, this is more oftern used for NR engineering works on their branch but could also allow a TOC to stable something in their if neccessary with appropriate warning to all concerned.

even when Riverside comes on stream the siding will not be needed by ourselves ,so we will continue to run up the current right hand line which is known as the "Up & Dn Riverside single line" using what will then be the divisible staff, for now this is merely using our present staff key extended to cover to the buffer stops at Matlock under an agreement with NR, the most that will occur to the NR point just over the boundary is that it would be fitted with a ground frame and lock, though in al honesty looking at the standards as long as the point is secured by an FPL for facing passenger moves over these points and suitably locked to the staff then all the requirements of the standards are currently met by the use of the multi padlocked fpl, in a same thought as do the Barry Railway on their line where they use padlocked handlevers for both fpl and point drive, so having run like this for over a year now one could argue the standards allow the current system to prosper and would the justification of a ground frame be worth the desire or costs of putting one in.

 

Another loco 27097, of North British design has arrived from the Foxfield Rly for mr Briddons collection up at Rowsley, a link to his weekly blog with all the necessary gen;

http://www.weekendrails.co.uk/blog.html

On S&T half of the points at Riverside were connected up to the frame there on Friday and tested and then John Pete and myself carried on with some block joint works

 

D8 "Penyghent" and J94 "Lord Phil" will be operating services this weekend between Matlock and Rowsley South...also the Derbyshire Dales Narrow Gauge Railway will be giving free rides to those people holding a current day rover Peak Rail ticket.

 

Some more news from the Renown & Repulse group, currenty having some of their locomotives electrical machinery overhauled.

http://www.renownrepulse.com/news-reports/entry/2013/05/21/latest-restoration-pictures-added.html

The Heritage Shunters Trust site;for details of their ongoing restoration works

http://heritageshunters.co.uk/

And lastly Mr Briddons Weekend Rails site,for all the latest on his collection and restorations.

http://www.weekendrails.co.uk/blog/post/19may13.html

Elsewhere on the S&T department Riverside works continues,with more decorating,the nameboards are up on the cabin now and weve started tidying up ,painting on Darley gates and Church Lane gates is due to commence soon too.

 

Renown and Repulse group

The group have a range of new merchandise available;

http://www.renownrepulse.com/news-reports/entry/2013/05/26/rrrg-mugs-are-here.html

On S&T


Well another very busy an long day today. Pete and myself fitted out the head shunt point to riversides frame though for now I've returned it to the hand lever , all that's needed to reattach it to the frame is to turn the adjusting screw rod (PA) on the point around to meet the rod from the frame

We've now got permission to connect up the bridge end point which is the last item so wel do that on Friday 7th as long as no trains are running and at same time reconnect the headshunt , at that time all the points will then work from The frame.

Other jobs we tackled today were

Set up the mechanical detectors ( I've taken two rods from the headshunt back home to weld up and recut as these having been altered need new notches now, il drop them back on Friday morning

Pete and myself fitted a diamond plate to 6 signal, there's still one to fit to 5 signal in the platform, I've brought a bracket home to modify.

The workbench has moved under riverside now to the end wall and the space under there now is massive, Pete and myself have also shifted a load of bits backup in the car to rowsley but there's still one pile to go back next time in the car again.

I've ground out the offending bit of frame steel that was stopping six lever going back and also fitted the replacement track relay for the loop and now that's working too. Ironically we also noted track C over the bridge had then failed and traced it to a rod shorting out in the bridge points to another rubbing rod, we've ground the rub out and that now is cured too

So all in all a very very busy day not finishing till about eight pm

 

This year is the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the railway in Buxton. There is to be an exhibition of photographs at the Buxton Methodist Church on the market place on June 3,5,6,7,and 8th, 11am-4pm plus an illustrated talk on Thursday 6th June at 7-30 pm.

I am informed that the exhibition will include an O gauge model of Buxton Midland in LMS days, which should be worth seeing and will probably raise a few goose bumps for those of us who were volunteers there. In addition Mick Bentley has just published a further book on the railways around Buxton, featuring among other things the quarry systems and their locomotives. I have not seen it yet but am looking forward to getting it.

Regards,

Tim

 

An update from the Renown and Repulse restoration group

http://www.renownrepulse.com/news-reports/entry/2013/06/04/rebuilt-eth-kv10-completed.html

 

Hi, can anyone give me details of the recent announcement of 2 Dapol Private Owner wagons being made, to raise funds?
Where can I get them? What price are they and what are the postage costs?
I believe two different liveries have been released.
many thanks

 

Sleeper monster can answer more on this I think, if you look for peak rail enthusiasts on google groups you should see the answer, though tin may well have the answer on here faster than that

Matlock

The new station shelter has been erected upon platform
Two, a simple wooden affair in heritage style.

S&T

Final tarting continues at Riverside, all the points are now swapped over onto the frame at Riverside

Locos

The most recent update on the continuing restoration work on Renown and Repulse, with thanks to Mr Jackson for permission to reprint

http://www.renownrepulse.com/news-reports/entry/2013/06/08/power-unit-restoration-progress.html

 

Many thanks for the enquiry.

The Dapol wagons are: Imperial Chemical Industries (Buxton Lime Firms) 7 plank, grey with black ironwork and white letters shaded black, 2 different running numbers, choice of coal or limestone loads, Wilcocks of Chapel en Le Frith, 5 plank grey with white letters shaded black, coal loads £13-00 each. Also, Beswicks Limeworks Buxton, cream with black letters, coal or limestone, £10-50.

Postage, £3-00 for one, £3-50 for up to four, cheques payable to Bagnall Locomotive Group, 13 Trenchard Drive Buxton SK17 9JY.

"The Duke" is now receiving active attention at Wirksworth - See the "Industrial Updates" thread in Steam Traction for details.

Regards,

Tim

 

Dont forget the Peak Park Preserved Bus Gatheringn on the 16th june, around 50-60 buses on site operating free services to Chatsworth,Bakewell ,Darley Dale and Matlock, as well as our normal passenger service.

 

Well last weekends bus gathering was extremely busy by all accounts, we also saw the use of Riverside frame to run round due to a deisel loco fault.

Today ive spent a very enjoyable day in the company of David Horn our signaller at Church lane and in the company of mr Nick Pigott of "The Railway Magazine" working on an upcoming DVD of theirs upon signalling.

Apart from all that I managed to fit in a small fault and some more bits at Riverside too

 

Hi kesteleyes,

Just out of interest, why did you not connect with the other local rail-based attractions with the vintage bus service, i.e. EVR at Wirksworth, Crich Tramway and Midland Railway, Butterley? Is it sheer distance, Wirksworth is 8 miles and a bit from Rowsley South, Crich is almost 11 miles, Butterley is 14 miles, quality of roads with low bridges or a feeling of competition?

Christoph

 

The Renown Repulse Restoration group have announced their new calendar is ready , for more details see the following link;

http://www.renownrepulse.com/online-shop/2014-calendar.html

 

Interesting PR PLC agm on Saturday. Steve Latham who was joining the board couldn't be there as he was called away to Carnforth to fix the K4!
A 9F boiler has arrived to be worked on by Steve's team at Rowsley, not sure if it's from 92203 or 92245.
There will be a through ticketing deal with EMT in the autumn.

Dave

 

9F boiler might be from 92134?

 

I was told it is from 92245. Incidentally I had the great pleasure of giving Keith Miles a quick tour of the Rowsley site today - he was the Rowsley shedmaster from 1950-1955 when it was a very busy place indeed. He said "I only write about them (locomotives) these days" which is the case as he has had many articles published, particularly in British Railways Illustrated, and he has one coming up on Peak Line Jubilees which I am looking forward to.

Dave

 

S&T

John and Pete and myself spent last weekend in the good company of our Independant competent person testing out the locking frame, pleased to say it worked well though a few extra rods have been added at the request of the ICP which we were working on last night and will finish on Sunday

Apart from a good tidy up going on its that busy il do a proper write up as soon as I can

Elsewhere

Darley South Yard has been cleared out and the stock moved so that Test holes could be made for Andys shed. A set of large lifting jacks has also arrived for Andys collection which will be used there once the sheds built

 

Finished off installing the mechanical route indicator at riverside today and fitted the white crosses to the remaining signals. Then nipped upto rowsley to do some more fettling before bumping into Andrew and his dad who were awaiting the delivery of an ex MSC Hudswell shunter and another sentinel shunter too. Work continues on the home fleet in the shed and the lads were hard at it stripping bits down before cracking on with rebuilding and putting it all back together again.

 

Locomotive news

According to information released upon "Facebook" 44422 is coming to the railway for a five year period while it undergoes its 10 year overhaul, being a derby built engine its nice to see it near to its home again, following its restoration trial running and timetabled operations on our line are planned.

more information can be found on 44422loco.wordpress.com


Renown and Repulse Group


the gang have been busy restoring the radiator Louvre Grills and slats,ready to go into 50030,electrical work has also continued apace.

for more information http://www.renownrepulse.com/news-reports/news-categories/categories/listings/working-party-news.html#sthash.6yDYiioG.dpbs

S&T

We were visited last weekend by a large party of seventy odd guests from the Institute of Railway Signal Engineers, who had came to view the Matlock Riverside signalbox,its signals and also to have a dinner upon the dining train, among the guests were Mr Tunley- the last signalling engineer to close the previous signalbox at Matlock back in the 70`s who also performed an opening ceremony on the new cabin alongside Mr Ian Alinson, another leading engineer who arranged the visit and presented us with a placque to go within the signalbox.

our gratitude to the IRSE for their visit.