Steeple Grange and Wirksworth
On the banks of the Peak
25 September 2005
There are two active railways in the vicinity of
Wirksworth - although at first sight very
different, they have some common features
and some commonality of origin. The 18" gauge
Steeple Grange Railway follows the course of
the former "Killer" branch, a standard gauge
line serving the quarry at Middleton, with a
ruling gradient of 1 in 27. The (very) recently-
opened standard gauge line to Ravenstor from
the Ecclesbourne Valley's Wirksworth station was formerly
used solely for quarry traffic, and has a gradient of 1 in 30.
And in both cases, an ex-BR diesel locomotive would propel a
single-coach train up the bank.
We'd been to Steeple Grange before - back in May 2001 (see
Geoff’s Rail Diaries
"Steeple Grange and Rudyard Lake"), when the
working locomotive was a (fairly strange) little
petrol-engined thing. Much better known is
"ZM32" - an 18" gauge Ruston (416214 of 1957)
which spent its formative years at the ex-L&YR
Horwich works. This nicely-restored loco was in
action on the passenger train - for the princely
sum of £1 each, we were pushed up the bank to
the current far end of the line. Here, the driver
gave passengers a short explanation of the railway's origins and
objectives, before hauling us (I suspect, given the gradient, that
it was the passengers that propelled ZM32 down the line) back to
Steeple Grange.
Halfway up the line, there is a siding where some stock is stored
- we had passed a few younger members of the railway's staff
shuffling about with a "Greenbat" battery electric
locomotive. Shortly after ZM32 had departed up the line
with the next train, the Greenbat came down, and after
propelling its short train into a siding, began to shunt up
and down. I think the idea was that members of the
public could "have a go" for a small fee.
It occurred to me that the Steeple Grange railway has a
goodly number of younger members - the average age of
those present must have been much lower than that of
most other railways. I felt it was rather encouraging
that, at a time when "trainspotter" is a term of abuse,
this little railway could encourage the younger
generation to come and do something positive.
Link:
Steeple Grange Light Railway
Ruston and Greenbat...
...a selection. ZM32 is seen propelling a train away
from Steeple Grange - returning a little while later.
Next, a ride up the line. Lastly, the battery-electric
arrives and (with some nimble footwork and a shove
or two) shunts back towards the engine house
We drove the short distance to Wirksworth station
as a heavy shower of rain began to fall, and
dashed into the Portakabin booking office (given
that passenger services on the branch ended in
LMS days, it is hardly surprising that the original
buildings are no longer in existence). Tickets
obtained (not quite such good value as Steeple
Grange - but the money is going to a good cause)
we joined the train - a single DMU car, propelled
by ex-BR 03 D2158, bearing the name "Margaret Ann", standing in
the recently-constructed bay platform.
The journey up to Ravenstor is short, but of some interest in
that the line climbs beside the railway's main storage sidings,
before crossing under the Wirksworth - Cromford road and
terminating at the (also newly-constructed) Ravenstor platform.
Beyond the platform, the gradient of the track bed suddenly
steepens - there was once a cable-hauled incline up to the
Cromford and High Peak line. A display using a standard gauge
open wagon and three narrow gauge V-skips, represents the
transfer arrangements from the quarry to the main line.
Like so many lesser railways, it would have been possible to walk
back to the starting point - potentially it would have been an
interesting stroll. The rain had stopped some time earlier, but
there was every chance of another heavy shower... We rejoined
the train.
Conclusions? - an interesting afternoon, taking a look at two
lines with lots of potential - the Ecclesbourne Valley's main
objective is to reopen for passenger services down to Duffield
and, ultimately, on to Derby. The Steeple Grange plans to extend
eventually to Middleton village - and also to open a spur to the
National Stone Centre. Clearly a part of the world to keep an
eye on.
Links:
•
The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
•
Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Association
