Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
| Ecclesbourne Valley Railway | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Wirksworth Station as it is today. | |
| Locale | Derbyshire, England |
| Terminus | Ravenstor Duffield |
| Commercial operations | |
| Name | Wirksworth branch |
| Built by | Midland Railway |
| Original gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Preserved operations | |
| Operated by | WyvernRail plc |
| Stations | 5 (to be 6) |
| Length | 9 miles (14 km) |
| Preserved gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Commercial history | |
| Opened | 1867 |
| Closed to passengers | 1947 |
| Closed | 1964 (freight) 1989 (completely) |
| Preservation history | |
| 1992 | WyvernRail is formed |
| 1996 | Light Rail order granted |
| 1997 | Derby and Wirksworth Railway Association is formed (later to become EVR) |
| 2000 | Volunteers start clearing vegetation from the line |
| 1 October 2002 | Wirksworth re-opens and its passenger trains begin |
| 2003 | WyvernRail and Network Rail agree fifteen-year lease-purchase deal |
| 2004 | Gorsey bank reopens and 1⁄2 mile (0.8 km), passenger trains begin |
| 1 September 2005 | Ravenstor opens and 3⁄4 mile (1.2 km) passenger trains on 1 in 27 (3.7 %) incline (of the same name) begin |
| 2007 | Iridgehay level crossing reinstated and later reopened |
| 8 March 2008 | Idridgehay reopens and 3+1⁄2 miles (5.6 km) passenger trains begin |
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The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway is a heritage railway in Derbyshire. Its operations are based at Wirksworth station. It is currently planned to extend the railway along the former Midland Railway branch line which joined the main-line at Duffield.
When complete it will be one of the few Heritage Railways that operates a whole branch line in its original form and entire length.
The line is operated by diesel locomotives, which haul former multiple unit trailer cars and also uses heritage diesel multiple units.
History
[change | change source]Origin
[change | change source]The "Wirksworth Branch" was the product of early nineteenth century railway rivalry. Since 1835 Wirksworth's citizens had been promoting the idea for a branch line from the North Midland Railway (later the Midland Railway) at Duffield. The Midland was initially uninterested, but then realised that the branch could be extended to Rowsley. This was difficult, but the branch could avoid the section from Ambergate, on its Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway, which was shared with its rival the London and North Western Railway.[1]
References
[change | change source]- ↑ Sprenger, Howard (2004). The Wirksworth Branch. London: Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-625-6.
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