Peak Rail General Discussion

I went to the gala today and enjoyed it, a very wide selection of Motive Power.
The steam locos were superbly turned out and a very good selection of wagons in the freight.
A pity the weather became so awful in the afternoon.
By my reckoning the last gala at Peak Rail was the Blazing Saddles event in March 2013.

 

A few shots from the gala on Saturday

 

There was a Mixed Traffic weekend on 10th/11th August 2019 when Lambton Tank 29 visited.

 

Now that the vile 24hr Mc-ASBO has been approved on the buxton Aldi site directly below the (now hemmed in) peak rail site in buxton, I wonder if PR put up even a whimper of resistance or an alternative use for the site?

 

The joint diesel gala with our colleagues at the Ecclesbourne is again on this year, on 11,12&13th April (thursday,Friday,Saturday )


https://www.peakrail.co.uk/category/peak-rail-calendar/twin-peaks-gala/

 

my above post was from 2023 , since then work has started on pulling down the less than 30 years old Aldi, the site would’ve been perfect for a PR private car park, parking is often an issue in buxton during the tourist season, many council car parks are being sold off for housing, purchasing the land would’ve been steep but would’ve bought in revenue with little overheads and the site would be secure for future uses.
To your second point PR has always officially claimed they want to re-establish a presence in buxton and I believe they re founded the buxton branch of the PRA when the buxton water plant redevelopment was getting underway, they certainly have a few stalwarts on the platform when the spa express charters come through, ready to answer questions and keep PR’s buxton presence in the consciousness.

in other news another consultation is forthcoming on reinstating a rail service, this time for walkers/cyclists to access the Monsal trail and hindlow, they want to use the PR site to stable the train, this seems less barmy than the ‘peaks and dales railway’ consultation, and theres money behind it this time, and the ‘sustainability/net zero/green travel’ lobby is a lot stronger. As we know PR did it before, how they will overcome what dashed PR’s hopes, freight signalling rather than passenger on the line I do not know. They want to use this company’s train, which is on test on the old iron bridge power station sidings.

https://revolutionvlr.com/

 

Now on national news,
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crg66p74e62o

 

Twin Peaks Diesel Gala

Guest loco 69011 and crew have been confirmed as attending the gala on the Peak Rail side now, details being updated on the website soon

 

69008 replacing 69011 at the Peak Rail side of the gala

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbi...m.7606438992712401&idorvanity=454197587936613

 

Peak Rail will be hosting ex-LMS Jubilee 45596 Bahamas for an extended stay this July / August. The loco will arrive by the mainline connection with its support coach, which was previously restored at Rowsley.

It must be nearly sixty years since a Jubilee ran on the Matlock to Rowsley section of the Peak Line.

 

Is there any chance of the pointwork being changed at Matlock station and platform 2 being extended so services can run round at Matlock as proposed by the Peak Rail Action Group?

It's not like Network Rail services will ever need to use the run round loop as charter trains now go to Rowsley and any test trains are all push-pull now.

This would also allow for the removal of Matlock Riverside station to reduce maintenance costs and shunting manoeuvres and allow for the straightening of the line between the run round loop and River Derwent bridge.

 

I'm not familiar with the layout but if it involves running on NWR metals it creates a whole load of complications as I understand it.

 

It does, and there would be!

 

Not to mention £££££

 

What would these complications be?

Peak Rail already run on Network Rail track to access platform 2.

A trap point at the end of platform 1 would prevent any runaways onto the run round loop.

 

If your steam loco is to set wheel on any part of the network while in steam, it has to have AWS, or TWPS (not sure which), and has to have passed main line certification, which is to a higher standard than preserved lines. Basically, it costs a fortune, for each engine.

 

TPWS is the legal requirement. AWS is down to Network Rail.

 

Impressive loco, being Derbyshire whilst at the same time working mainline tours to Dorset, Somerset and Yorkshire. Although of course we know it will not now be doing any of the latter.

 

Shed tours this weekend and a look at Bahamas footplate

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