Is this an annual event or was it a one off?Except when santa turns up, and the drunk elves
And so had the elves by the sound of it!I like the Derwent Valley. Mind you, I had consumed several pints of Taddy Lager before visiting.
Is this an annual event or was it a one off?Except when santa turns up, and the drunk elves
And so had the elves by the sound of it!I like the Derwent Valley. Mind you, I had consumed several pints of Taddy Lager before visiting.
And how many of the thousands of passengers who flock to the Severn Valley, North Yorkshire Moors, North Norfolk, West Somerset, Swanage, Torbay, just to name a few , are " committed railway enthusiasts"?
The Blists Hill Clay Mine Railway isn't quite a heritage railway in its own right but it is part of Blists Hill Victorian Town part of the Ironbridge Group of Museums.
Today I visited Blists Hill for first time in 30 years and discovered the Clay Mine Railway.
The train is propelled by a mine battery loco along a short twisty length of track into what could best be described as a corrugated iron shed decked out as a mine at best a cut and cover construction.
Reminded me of the old Tommy Mann's Express tunnel on the narrow gauge line which uses to operate in the grounds of New Brighton Tower when I was a child.
In the tunnel a rather poor Son et Lumiere mining scene is played out.
Some will remember the original and now sadly removed Llechwedd Slate Mine tramway at Blaenau Ffestiniog or the Morwellham Quayine Train which I think still operates.
The Blists Hill offering was very poor.
I think they still do the santa trips before christmas which were on the go at least 30 years ago. The staff dress up as elves, hitting the sherry quite a lot. I remember it being unbelievably cold some years in the snow. I think the train is a couple of old converted goods wagons pull push with a tank engine and a class 8. Maybe it's different now.Is this an annual event or was it a one off?
And so had the elves by the sound of it!
I found the scenery at Peak Rail a little underwhelming: a lot of views of the back gardens and light industry of Darley Dale. However, the stuff at Rowsley was interesting, Matlock is a proper destination, and I loved the Class 44 they have.Are we by any chance talking of either Peak Rail or the Wensleydale Railway?....both of which run through fine scenery but have, IIRC, a 15 mph speed limit for loco-hauled trains.
Blists Hill has declined a bit into a Victorian Theme Park. But then again it could be argued that a few heritage railways have started heading in that direction as well.Yet further topic-drifting, perhaps; but a few years ago, I visited (had never before been in any way, to that "patch") the Ironbridge museums group. Was unimpressed by that whole assemblage of museums: struck me as mostly, poorly-executed and decidedly "naff" modern material, featuring relatively little in the way of genuinely Industrial-Revolution-period artefacts or structures. Felt robbed, by the considerable total amount of money parted with for admittance.
Unfortunately YRI. WR does not have a speed limit of 15 for loco hauled. 25 mph and the 33 will be doing plenty of this over the next couple of months.Are we by any chance talking of either Peak Rail or the Wensleydale Railway?....both of which run through fine scenery but have, IIRC, a 15 mph speed limit for loco-hauled trains.
The nearby Ecclesbourne Valley Railway - although not operating any steam locos - is more interesting IMO....especially at the Wirksworth end, with the white knuckle railcar ride up the steep incline to the quarry and back down again.
Wonderful....and a fantastic photo too! I'll have to try and visit again later this year.Just for the elimination of doubt, the EVR's core service is now steam with Br. Standard 4MT tank 80080 running services.
Just for the elimination of doubt, the EVR's core service is now steam with Br. Standard 4MT tank 80080 running services.
Thank you very much! Do let me know when you're coming.Wonderful....and a fantastic photo too! I'll have to try and visit again later this year.
Thanks for that! Yes, steam is an attraction although it needs to be used wisely, otherwise you're running very expensive ECS. It would be lovely to meet you both.That does look good, and as much as I enjoyed the class 33 diesel on my last visit I do like a Standard 4 Tank Locomotive. Hopefully, steam is drawing in the crowds for the line too and no doubt it is providing stiffer competition for some of the other local heritage lines.
I will also try make a visit in later this year when the line is up and running- let me know if you're going @D6130 and I'd be happy to coordinate my visit.
Great photo @nferguso
I take your point, but railways must evolve. DMUs served us very well in our earlier days but to attract serious revenue (e.g. value-added services such as events and dining), LHCS is essential and steam does brin in the families. However, this year we are not differentiating between diesel-hauled services and DMUs so that we can get our DMUs running when the opportunities arise.It's a shame to move away from Diesel Railcars after the years of work put into restoring them though.
I take your point, but railways must evolve. DMUs served us very well in our earlier days but to attract serious revenue (e.g. value-added services such as events and dining), LHCS is essential and steam does brin in the families. However, this year we are not differentiating between diesel-hauled services and DMUs so that we can get our DMUs running when the opportunities arise.
I suspect that it will be the longer ones, with excessively complicated structures, which find themselves in trouble.
Many years ago I travelled on the Weardale Railway from Stanhope to Bishop Auckland. On arrival at Stanhope I entered the beautifully restored station and waited for the first train which I thought would be of "heritage" stock. The stock arrived and it was a "Pacer" which at the time were still in service. We departed and "bounced" along the very overgrown track through the relatively flat boring countryside. Eventually arrived at their Bishop Auckland "station". The platform was built using well weathered plywood sheets. I endured the long return journey and have not wanted to return. My apologies to the society members who have restored this line but in addition to the East Kent Railway I mentioned earlier it comes under my category of one of the most boring preserved railways I have travelled on.
I have travelled over the majority of the preserved lines in the country.
Well, yes, the cutting sides are growing more vegetation as the years pass. There are some nice rock outcrops on one side where the original cutting profiles are exposed. The other side was compacted rubbish, covered with membrane while plants get established- which is now evident.I've not been down to the Bluebell Railway for some years now, so I'm hoping that the cutting to the south of the viaduct at East Grinstead has grown some vegetation. I obviously understand why it looked the way it did, having been cut through what had become a rubbish tip, but it was rather unsightly and a bit boring. Hopefully this will have changed for the better over the last few years.
Seconded, only made 1 visit to the Bluebell, really want to go again though.Well, yes, the cutting sides are growing more vegetation as the years pass. There are some nice rock outcrops on one side where the original cutting profiles are exposed. The other side was compacted rubbish, covered with membrane while plants get established- which is now evident.
A more important point though is that passing through the cutting takes only a minute or two, and the rest of the line has excellent scenery. Add in the variety of stock on the Bluebell, and the line deserves its high reputation.