Ecclesbourne Valley Railway

The only way to find out properly was to have trialled the loco.
Embsay used their HC side tank for many years, 5 miles long but much more demanding because of the gradients.

 

Jennifer entered service in1981 at which time I think the Grosmont-Goathland shuttles had finished. It didn't stay on the NYMR too long after it entered service, seemingly because the owner fell out with the railway (no surprise there). It was pictured on the front cover of the April 1981 Moors Line with George Wright driving. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25503701...b-n89gWR2mppWJLuPCxZ4sLls7-Q6S9hoC9BUQAvD_BwE

 

My memories of that period are sparse but I'm pretty sure that by 1981 most, if not all, steam-hauled trains were running between Grosmont and Pickering (I think services were only extended to Levisham for a single season before being extended to Pickering). That being the case I'd have thought that Jennifer's water capacity would have been a significant issue as a decent water supply wasn't available for the first few years. I did travel on a train to Pickering around that time hauled by "Ugly" 62 during its brief visit and I think it only just made it on the water it had - it had to be toppewd up with a garden hose and it took so long that its return train was cancelled and combined with the following train, hauled by K1 2005 IIRC. Even then 62 only had enough water to be hauled back in light steam by 2005! Had the Grosmont-Goathland shuttles continued perhaps Jennifer would have found a niche on them but I think it would not have seen any significant use otherwise. Its owner, on the other hand, seemed to be completely unable to grasp the fact that whilst it had a tractive effort that he claimed was equivalent to an LMS 4F and should therefore be able to work interchangably with one, it did not have the coal, water or bearing sizes to do so reliably on an 18 mile run.

 

Extract from an EVR operating notice:

"The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Association are holding the 1st ever East Midlands Large Scale Model Show in Wirksworth town this weekend.

In support of this, there is a special early diesel service from Wirksworth departing at 08:30 and leaving Duffield at 09:20, arriving at Wirksworth at 10:00 when the show opens. There will be a walk-up cafe style breakfast service on board this train. The yellow timetable with steam will then commence as normal.

A copy of the timetable has been uploaded to the days on HOPS but is also available for download at https://www.e-v-r.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/modelevent_jul23_tt.png

Normal fares apply, however we shall be selling tickets for the show at the ticket office and a 20% discount on a day rover can be obtained for the customer who is purchasing both."

I think I shall try to be early and enjoy yhe breakfast.

 

Water wasn’t a problem at Pickering, certainly by 1978 when I had my first throughout footplate trip on GNR 1247 which also had a limited capacity. I remember that day well as we struggled up through Northdale and it took three attempts to get up the steep bit by Carters House . I’m on holiday at the moment and away from my relevant notebook but I certainly had one day on No. 62 and I’m sure it was through to Pickering. We certainly ran into the up platform at Goathland. I know this as it is etched in my memory. Although I was the fireman, I was driving and we were short of steam with the brake coming on with the last coach still over the catch points. Trains terminating at Goathland always have to run into the down platform and you aren’t allowed to detach the loco whilst in the station due to the gradient so have to run into the loop to run round.

 

Conversely, the NVR use their HC 0-6-0T very sparingly on service trains. It's not the most pleasant thing to travel behind for 7 1/2 miles on flat track. Might be better when working up a gradient though.

 

From Ecclesbourne valley Facebook.

We are pleased to announce that with effect from Monday, 7th August, Simon Scott will assume the role of the EVR’s General Manager.
This news is probably no surprise to many of our team, especially as Simon has been a regular sight at Wirksworth as he is both our Chief Mechanical Engineer and the same at the Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust where he is their official representative for locomotive 80080.
Simon brings with him a wealth of experience of railway operations on both the main line and in preservation and we look forward to him joining our team in a senior management role.

 

Latest Chairman's blog here:
https://fromthe54thfloor.wordpress.com/2023/07/30/hard-work-pays-dividends/

 

A lot of effort is being putn into clearing the lower car park in readines ons for the Diesel Gala next weekend. If you are coming and thinking of arriving early, take a look at the timetable for Driday and Saturday, a full english breakfast will be available in the LMS open on the first return trip from Wirksworth to Duffield and back. Definitely an experience to savour, no pre booking required.

Meanwhile, the Apollo Bar now serves draft Bass. Initial impressions are that this is very good, but further regular testing is required.

 

An interesting read, particularly the section on rolling stock policy, growth and project control...

As an aside, has the EVR ever had a long term loco/railcar strategy, detailing the numbers of each type required for the intended business model going forward? Such a policy can be useful, though the Achilles heel is always how many of any traction type does one allow "on site" in order to ensure that X are available in traffic at any one time to meet the railway's needs... Answers on a postcard!

Sent from my moto g(8) power lite using Tapatalk

 

Not formally and that has been a weakness. Read more here: https://fromthe54thfloor.wordpress....r-is-vanity-profit-is-sanity-cash-is-reality/

 

The recent rainstorm has caused a fresh slip on the same site near Duffield, which we have been watching carefully since April, but the reaction has been very positive:

On Monday of this week, there was a site meeting with several parties, including the Council, structural engineers and representatives of an insurance company. This has provided a great deal of clarity and, importantly, some timescales toward resolution.


The details remain confidential but what we can tell you is that a large part of the cost is likely to be covered by the insurance of a third party and work to rectify may commence as soon as December. One unknown at this stage is precisely how much funding the railway may have to find to support the works. Although insurance is likely to cover the majority of costs, we may still have t provide some funding of our own although we too are talking to our insurers.


The heavy rain of last Friday had caused the landslip to slump further and this has caused the ‘Lego blocks’ placed earlier this year to move by a few inches, while both ends of the slip have extended beyond earlier boundaries.


The net effect of this means that we will run only to Shottle until further notice. Fortunately, we are close to the end of our operating season, so the financial impact can be minimised (but not eliminated).


There is also one very important message which we would be very grateful if you would pass onto anybody who is interested:


SANTA SERVICES ARE COMPLETELY UNAFFECTED BY THE LANDSLIP. As in previous years, we only run from Wirksworth to Shottle and so there is no interruption whatsoever to our December programme.

 

The 2MT 78018 has been working trains in November and has attracted a lot of interest. It will be working Chgristmas trains and will also feature at the New Year Steam Gala with 80080, and other locos working between Wirksworth and Shottle, the target is to get Bagnall 2746 The Duke into action for that event. Meanwhile the new ashpit has been dig out, shuttered and concreting is well under way.

 

Here is a picture of the new ashpit, taken on 11th November, the concrete is being left to cure before the rails are laid on top. The pit is around 75ft long; we don't have a visiting 8F of 5F at the moment, but one day we might have one, and then we shall have a pit big enough. Also, in the workshops is a lowmac under repair and about to get a new timber deck.

 

If the pit is drained, it doesn’t seem to be working!

 

Could I ask what species of wood you guys are using for the replacement deck on that lowmac?

 

I do not know their timber species but on the NYMR we have just retimbered a plate wagon in treated Larch from a local sawmill.
A previous redeck on a Lowmac was Longitudinal Oak as per spec.
Generally we get about 15 - 20 years between redecks from our Civil Engineers working wagons, not the display vehicles.

 

I also own a Lowmac, which I re-timbered in about 2008 with poplar from what used to be Victoria Sawmills at Darley Dale. That is said to be a semi-hard timber, "we always used to supply that to Derby Works in the old days". It has lasted very well.

At the moment the pit is drained by an electric pump, there is only so much of the yard we can dig up at once without blocking all access to the maintenance shed. The planned ground works on the site behind the camera include an inspection pit, foundations for a 3 road steam running shed and the drainage system.

 

The latest news on the pit is that a fresh excavation has begun for the installation of an oil trap and drainage. The lowmac is to be fitted with a steel plate deck to provide a firm base for a bridge inspection platform.

Meanwhile, we had our first Santa train on friday night. This was a dress rehearsal with guests, advertised to locals at a concessionary fare and it seems to have gone very well. Christmas bookings to date are a few pounds over the final total for last year, which is very encouraging at this stage.

The next significant date for enthusiasts will be the New Year Steam Gala, 30/31st Dec, more details to follow but personally I am hoping that The Duke will be pottering about in steam though not working trains. EVRA will be particularly pleased to see you as they now have an absolutely enormous stock of second hand railway books at keen prices.

Registration of the transfer of the freehold ownership of the Railway to WyvernRail Plc has now been completed by HM Land Registry. This will assist grant applications and especially the construction of Phase 2 of the Wirksworth Station building