If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

Ecclesbourne Valley Railway

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by martinr1, Sep 12, 2014.

  1. Ploughman

    Ploughman Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2008
    Messages:
    5,806
    Likes Received:
    2,649
    Occupation:
    Ex a lot of things.
    Location:
    Near where the 3 Ridings meet
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Did you get it with the rotator as used in the video?
     
  2. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2007
    Messages:
    919
    Likes Received:
    1,024
    Frankly, I'm blessed if I know. Mike Fairburn organised it, it arrived on the day before the lockdown and very few people have even seen it.
     
  3. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2007
    Messages:
    919
    Likes Received:
    1,024
    Many thanks to everyone who has supported or is continuing to support our appeal, we are still managing financially and slowly bringing the railway out of hibernation; gradually our method statements and risk assessments working up will meet the government restrictions coming down. The O & K machine has passed insurance tests. We already had in our stores a rotary grab which was too big for our existing Komatsu, but may fit this and may be suitable for sleeper changing. Another acquisition, financed by a supporter, is a rail end straightener, which is a powerful hydraulic jacking system which can bend rails upwards. It should be an effective solution for dropped joints. We have a number of testing contracts due to start later this summer and a limited amount of work is being authorised to enable this testing to take place; all work on the railway must be specifically authorised by the directors, and all workers must log in online and observe suitable precautions. There is no set date for either the resumption of passenger services or visits by the public.

    The cabin of Shottle Signal Box has now been installed on the base supports; it will be required for a further testing contract for a new single line block protection system. The cost of the lift was partly met by a generous donation from the testing client concerned, we also had the benefit of a good price from the lifting contractor who were sending a machine south and gave us the opportunity to make use of it on the way. Messrs TXM Plant of Doncaster did an excellent job. IMG_0562.JPG
     
    garth manor, Goldie, 48624 and 5 others like this.
  4. Vulcan Works

    Vulcan Works Member

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2018
    Messages:
    261
    Likes Received:
    711
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    England
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Excellent signs of progress Tim, and some smart work going on to develop positive relationships with commercial organisations. I’m a long suffering supporter of t’other railway over the hill, the contrast between your line’s approach to getting things done and ‘my’ line is clear to see. But we both know who the root cause is of t’other railway’s problems!
     
    48624 likes this.
  5. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2007
    Messages:
    919
    Likes Received:
    1,024
    I gather the work at Shottle has attracted a lot of interest from the technical railway press and the signalling side of the industry. Meanwhile the new toilet block has just been completed and we are working to a target re-opening date of 24th July, actual opening will be subject to confirmation, but that is the target for our planning purposes.
     
  6. Ploughman

    Ploughman Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2008
    Messages:
    5,806
    Likes Received:
    2,649
    Occupation:
    Ex a lot of things.
    Location:
    Near where the 3 Ridings meet
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
  7. Martin Adalar

    Martin Adalar New Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2018
    Messages:
    184
    Likes Received:
    64
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    5D
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    It would be great to see the junction re instated at Duffield but to alter the interlocking in the ROC and install signalling on the ground would cost millions and would therefore be out of the question for a heritage railway. The only way i could ever see that happening would be if the branch was to be used by regular timetableded commuter trains to Derby and/or beyond but then the train service would probably be too painfully slow and tedious in this day and age to be practicable
     
  8. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2007
    Messages:
    919
    Likes Received:
    1,024
    The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway will restart operations from 25th July, with diesel hauled compartment stock. We are selling "Bounce back" Tickets at £30 per compartment, up to six people may travel on each ticket. All journeys are to be pre-booked and start and end at Wirksworth; Duffield Station is closed. Tickets seem to be selling quite well.
     
  9. Paul.Uni

    Paul.Uni Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2008
    Messages:
    1,284
    Likes Received:
    584
  10. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2007
    Messages:
    919
    Likes Received:
    1,024
    Here is a link to an excellent compilation of photographs of the rescue and re-installation of Oddingley Box at Shottle, with many thanks to Don Coffey who issued it, Neil Ferguson-Lee who compiled it and Ian Bowley who provided drone footage of the recent lifting operation:
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2020
  11. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2007
    Messages:
    919
    Likes Received:
    1,024
    Wirksworth Station has been extraordinarily busy over the last few weeks; the compartment stock, normally the cinderellas of the fleet, have been thoroughly cleaned and overhauled, and "ghost trains" have been operating for re-familiarisation of staff. Radio Derby will be visiting this week for a very private opening ceremony for the new toilet block. Bookings for the bubble tickets are coming in steadily, the diesel hauled trains leave Wirksworth at 11-15, 13-20, 15-15 on Saturdays and Sundays; all tickets must be booked on line and in advance, however that does include booking by phone from the car park if seats are available.
     
    Goldie likes this.
  12. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2007
    Messages:
    919
    Likes Received:
    1,024
    Yesterday the railway reopened for passengers following the Coronavirus lockdown. Lots of hard work and training has taken place over the last month or so to prepare for today and it went extremely well.

    Visitors were very complimentary about how the railway looked, the new toilet facilities and the efforts everyone was making to help keep them safe. We know it isn't quite the experience it was before but visitors didn't seem to mind and we had some very positive feedback.
     
  13. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2007
    Messages:
    919
    Likes Received:
    1,024
    The EVRA museum and shop at Wirksworth has re-opened, fortunately it is large enough for visitors to space themselves out under the supervision of the doorman. I gather business was quite brisk.
     
    56092 and 48624 like this.
  14. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2007
    Messages:
    919
    Likes Received:
    1,024
    A constant theme in last night's EVR board meeting meeting was just how hard the staff and volunteers had been working to get the railway opening again and to produce such a high standard of operation, which has had some very positive reviews. While the fares were set low, the buffet catering has done very well. We hear the home made cakes in the buffet are well worth a visit. Sadly due to the days and nature of the operation we do not attract the government restaurant subsidy, but on the whole the picture is promising.

    The board resolved to extend the time tabled operations by re-introducing Thursday trains with effect from 13th August.

    The theory behind the Thursday operation is that the local camp sites etc. seem to be heavily booked, but the visitors are likely to be either just setting up, packing up or just lying down zonked out on Saturdays and Sundays. For the moment Tuesdays and Wednesdays are required for track maintenance, however by Thursday we think they may be in need of entertainment and there have been significant enquiries for such a service. Fingers crossed.
     
    D1039, jnc, Bluenosejohn and 2 others like this.
  15. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2007
    Messages:
    919
    Likes Received:
    1,024
    The operating rake has been strengthened to four coaches as Derek Mason's "afternoon tea brake" has returned to service. On Saturday all available compartments had been booked, though I gather there are at least some vacancies today, this is a very encouraging "first". While tickets must be pre-booked by phone or through the internet, I see we now have a pre-booking app displayed at the platform entrance.
     
  16. Vulcan Works

    Vulcan Works Member

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2018
    Messages:
    261
    Likes Received:
    711
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    England
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Sounds good. Yes I agree with the logic, when I go away with the family the weekends tend to be about setting up or packing away. Got to be worth a try for a few weeks at least.

    A railway in Derbys with an imaginative Board willing to experiment and making sensible steady improvements?! Perish the thought that the idea will catch on t’other side of the hill...
     
    staffordian and garth manor like this.
  17. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2007
    Messages:
    919
    Likes Received:
    1,024
    I have been round a fair few of the local campsites, and many of them had no 2020 leaflets for anything except a local Indian restaurant. meanwhile, back at base, the buffet has introduced a new line, the "Cake Of The Day". The Saturday offering was an outrageous confection in white chocolate sponge, worth every penny. The first Thursday service, launched without notice or ceremony, was a little over half full which is satisfactory in the circumstances.
     
  18. and60007

    and60007 Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2009
    Messages:
    533
    Likes Received:
    453
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Community Operative
    Location:
    Barton upon Humber
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Is there going to be any steam hauled services this year?
     
  19. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2007
    Messages:
    919
    Likes Received:
    1,024
    Hawksworth pannier No. 9466 will be coming on loan in October and will be staying over into 2021.
     
  20. sleepermonster

    sleepermonster Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2007
    Messages:
    919
    Likes Received:
    1,024
    The second Thursday operation went very well; however Saturday 22nd was even better, all compartments booked by Tuesday and a waiting list in case of cancellations; there were just three vacancies left for Sunday. One chap called in on the Saturday hoping to buy a ticket on the spot, which is not how we operate at the moment, fortunately just at that moment another passenger discovered she had booked two compartments instead of a compartment for two, so they were able to sort themselves out.

    The remains of 58022 arrived during the week for stripping for spares for the 10000 project. Down the line, the level crossing gates at Wash Green have been repainted by Aerial Contracting Ltd of Nottingham and look very smart. The signal box at Shottle has had the stair handrails fitted and the cladding is likely to be purchased from Messrs Allen and Orr of Chesterfield, a "go fund me appeal" to help cover the cost of the timber, and other works required should be launched on the EVR signalling facebook site shortly. The PW dept are continuing with their mid week track and drainage maintenance; recruits welcome.
     
    Bluenosejohn and jnc like this.

Share This Page