The churnet Valley Railway

Now, if we are sitting comfortably, we shall carry on our journey.

or rather… let’s just go back in time a little further… and how it began. (These are excerpts from my Souvenir guide of which i wrote).

An Act of Parliament formed the North Staffordshire Railway in 1846. Whilst it was a relatively small railway company it did become widely known as “The Knotty”, due to the Staffordshire Knot logo on its rolling stock and on staff uniforms. The headquarters were at Stoke, in the heart of the smoky Potteries, but the N.S.R. did operate a small number of scenic lines too, one of which used the valley of the River Churnet. The line opened on July 13th 1849, its double track stretching from North Rode, near Macclesfield, to Uttoxeter in the south, a distance of 27 ¾ miles. There were several handsome station buildings such as those at Cheddleton, Rushton, Froghall and Oakamoor, with the one at Alton Towers being quite exceptional. This was designed especially for the use of the Earl of Shrewsbury who lived on the nearby estate. There were few major engineering feats on the line, save for several river bridges and tunnels at Leek, Leekbrook, Cheddleton and Oakamoor. Parts of the railway line between Froghall and Uttoxeter were laid on the drained bed of the Cauldon Canal. The route provided an alternative way of reaching, say, Manchester from Derby, rather than going via Stoke from London, although using this latter route was quicker in time but longer in distance. The Churnet Valley was therefore probably more important as a diversionary route than as a passenger line (initial service was just 4 trains each way daily) the line being for the local residents and workers. There was, however, heavy excursion traffic from the mills along the route, visitors coming not only for the natural beauty of the line, to enjoy Rudyard Lake (from which Rudyard Kipling was given his name), Alton Towers and Uttoxeter Racecourse. Goods traffic was an important revenue earner too: extra trains were laid on twice a week to take livestock and agricultural produce to market in Leek, the biggest centre of population on the line. The copper works at Oakamoor, and later Froghall, provided freight as well. At Froghall Junction, a narrow gauge line went to Cauldon Lowe quarry for the movement of limestone, although this function was transferred to the Leekbrook – Cauldon branch upon its' opening in 1905. This line also provided a terminus at Waterhouses for the Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway.

Leekbrook Junction (1 mile North of Cheddleton) was also the point where the Stoke line connected with the Churnet Valley line from 1867 onwards and at one time could boast 3 signal boxes, an engine shed (closed 1932) and triangular track layout for turning locos. There was only one platform on the Churnet Valley line, on the down side, which provided access to the county asylum, via a half mile line operated by an overhead wire, electric tram. It also served the nearby Joshua Wardle factory via a barrow crossing from the works. There was another junction too, off the Churnet Valley line at Rocester, which led to Ashbourne. Just a short distance south from here lay Spath, the site of the first automatic half barrier level crossing in the world.

In 1923, the N.S.R. became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), which in turn became part of British Railways in 1948. Stoke’s NSR locomotive department produced two engineers who later transferred to London to serve a most distinguished careers under the LMS upon the merger. First was T. Coleman, who became Chief Draughtsman to Sir William Stanier and worked on the designs for the “Coronation” Pacific's of 1937. And secondly, H.G. Ivatt, the last Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the LMSR, known for his small tank and tender locomotives.

Competition, particularly from road transport, meant railway services nationally were reduced. Then in 1963 the infamous “Beeching Report” recommended the closure of over 5000 miles of track and more than 2000 stations to reduce overheads and hopefully turn a profit. The Churnet Valley fell victim to the report. The North Rode to Leek line closed in June 1964, followed by the withdrawal of all passenger services between Leek and Uttoxeter in January 1965. The remaining route was singled in 1968, followed by the closure of Leek station, the last one still open at the time for freight traffic, in July 1970. The only freight traffic now was the sand traffic, which continued for 25 years from Hepworth’s Sand quarry at Oakamoor to St Helens, Merseyside, concluding in 1988. New wagons had been purchased to speed up the sand trains only 2 years earlier. A week before the last train, a weed killing train had traversed the route. Consall, Froghall and Oakamoor stations were all knocked down. Only the waiting shelter at Consall survived into the preservation era. Cheddleton station was taken over in 1976 by the NSRS, later becoming the headquarters of the CVR. Leekbrook junction signal box was included in the purchase of the 7 miles of line from BR some 20 years later followed by the opening of the one-mile section between Cheddleton station & Leekbrook junction to preservation in 1996.

Preservation of the Churnet Valley began back in 1971, starting with the aptly named “Cheshire and Staffordshire Railway Society”. Their first meeting, led by Ken Simpson, was held on the 23rd October with aspirations to reopen a service between Congleton Wharf & Biddulph. Finding a site, however, was not to be as easy as it first appeared. Although finally setting up at Cheddleton, the course of events in getting there was long and fraught, with opposition from locals not wanting to have a steam railway “in their back yard” again. After the plans for Congleton Wharf to Biddulph fell through, attention turned in 1972 to open part of the northern section of the CVR from Leek to Rudyard Lake. However, a change of heart by the council saw them dramatically bulldoze Leek Station building in March 1973, the associated sidings were built upon. With this move to try to re-open parts of the Churnet Valley, the society changed its name to reflect their location and aims better. It became the North Stafford Railway Society during 1973. After the Leek plans were dashed, attention turned to the southern section of the line at Oakamoor, starting where the Sand sidings finished on the other side of the tunnel. Early proposals were to store standard gauge stock in the tunnel when not in use, while funds were raised from running a miniature railway along the track bed to Alton from Oakamoor station. However, after many fund raising walks, early planning meetings, both in public and private, broke down from much public opposition in the Oakamoor area, the idea came to nothing. They always say that bad luck comes in threes, and after three setbacks, a turn of good luck was about to appear in the form of Cheddleton Station. The Society were contacted in 1974 by a local parish councillor, Norman Hancock, who, aware of the societies plight, had come across the demolition squad now about to make a start on this station building. Mr Hancock managed to persuade them to stop the work whilst the society intervened with a 21- year lease being agreed in 1975.

And so it all began from there.



Here is the track map to help those follow the route better.

 

Volume 3 part 1
In Part one we see the Spring gala with locomotives 1450, 68030, 41241, 48305, and 63601. running the full length of the line between Leek Brook and Kingsley and Froghall.. Along with John Marriott on the 4th April 2004. Filmed by Michael John Ashmore, with Andy Sollis as the CVR Guide


In part 2 I visit the line on a driver experience course along with Andy Sollis, guard for the day, four train trips on board a six coach train headed by 48305 on the 27th November 2004 Michael John Ashmore

 

Cab ride in D1842 on the Churnet Valley Railway. 15th March 2007 Consall to Cheddleton.


As we depart Consall and head North we get the green flag from the guard and off we go.



I don’t have any photos at the south end of Cheddleton, but as you approach as seen on the (very low quality) video you come to the bottom of the yard and the engine shed. Just before you enter the platform on the right you would have seen (till last weekend) the signal box.





Back in 1996 this was the view at the crossing



looks like dibble in his high vis!




A few years on and we had refurbished the crossing and added a second line again in readiness to add a loop.



And the train at this time was push pull only to Leekbrook using this odd contraption..

Andy

 

To Cheddleton
Your train journey now leaves the double track loop of Consall station. The canal passes under the line (Bridge 42) following its path underneath the waiting shelter of the up platform. This then heads off to the left and merges at the top of the weir where the river Churnet and Cauldon canal become one. This meanders off parallel to the railway on our left hand side all the way to Cheddleton, with the two splitting half way up.


NSRC archive photo
We could not leave Consall without making mention of the ‘Black Lion’ public house on the right. This once had all its deliveries by either railway or canal boat as there is only a very rough cart track to the premises which even today would give a very good head to its’ ale.


NSRC archive photo.

On the far bank of the river\canal can be seen the restored limekilns at the side of the towpath. The valley starts to open out again here becoming much wider and the land between the railway and the river much more meadow like.
Much of it is in fact floodplain for the Churnet or grazing land for cattle. As we head towards Cheddleton mention should be made of the airfield that can be seen on the right hand side. Although the windsock is now gone, the large open area in the Coombes valley can be easily distinguished and a small light aircraft can sometimes be glimpsed tucked into the hedge. (It has not moved since 1998). At about the same point to the left on the other side of the valley, now a good few hundred yards away, can be made out a wooden lift bridge that takes a track over the canal after the Churnet has retaken its own course. The line then heads into a cutting passing a disused scramble bike track on the right hand side just before the engine sheds and yard at Cheddleton coming into view. At this point, the valley is at its widest point, encompassing in such a short area a public house, river, canal, road & railway.

Cheddleton

Cheddleton station is one of the few original structures of the Churnet Valley line still present. This is due to the intervention of Norman Hancock, a local parish councillor in the mid 1970’s who stepped in at the eleventh hour to stop a demolition team and save the 1849 built stone structure, reputedly by Pugin, designer of the houses of Parliament.

Photo Terry Essery collection, NSRC.
The ground floor of the building comprises a booking office, a general and a ladies’ waiting room and the station masters living room. The rest of the living quarters were on the first floor. Today the living room is a shop with the upper rooms are used for storage and also the headquarters and boardroom of The North Staffs Railway Company (1978) Ltd.

The Ladies Waiting room has been restored as a general waiting room following the commercial office staff move to Kingsley & Froghall station in January 2010, having first been used by the society as the shop and later the commercial office. The general waiting room and booking office are being restored to how they would have been in the 1960’s. The facilities at Cheddleton now and at the time of its conception were sparse and have changed little. There were two platforms, each of approximately 3 coaches in length, along with a few sidings.


Only the track layout has changed in the modern day. The engine shed was built over a few years by volunteers and completed around 1993, forming the focal point for the new sidings laid in the preservation era on land cleared and levelled following purchase from a local farmer.
photo Terry Essery Collection, NSRC.

The carriage and wagon restoration shed was completed in 2004 and its first use was as the venue for a model railway exhibition. Subsequently fitted out with coach lifting jacks and general machinery it is used for restoring the railway coaches on the line. The only other surviving original structure from the station is the old weighbridge office at the side of the signal box, although this has also been extended with a brick building, which now houses one of the 3 Strowger telephone exchanges found on our line.
Staff now use the weighbridge office building as a “Clocking on” and wash room, the weighbridge itself having long since gone.

Photo Terry Essery Collection, NSRC.

The signal box along side was moved from Elton, off the NSR branch to Sandbach where it served the road crossing. This was moved in 1977 and set up in its current location having cost the princely sum of £85.

Photo Terry Essery Collection, NSRC.

At the time of writing, it controls the link between the sidings and the main line. The original signal box, which was located where the shop now stands at the side of the level crossing, was destroyed in the early 1970s by fire. It housed a 19 lever Mackenzie and Holland frame. This signal box was moved in Sept 2024 to the site of an earlier signal box on the level crossing. The waiting shelter on platform two is also not from the Churnet Valley line, but moved and rebuilt brick by brick in 1985 from Silverdale on the Silverdale colliery line.


photo Terry Essery Collection. NSRC.

sand trains in the 1970’s awaiting the gates being opened.


photo Terry Essery collection, NSRC.
Laying tracks in the yard..

Terry Essery was one of our long standing volunteers and ex BR driver. Brother to Bob Essery of the modelling world, I had the pleasure of knowing them both. These are photos taken by Terry in the early years which I have used to represent this part of the history.

 

Cheddleton to Leek Brook Junction

As we leave Cheddleton platform the first notable occurrence is our first road level crossing, which is hand operated. This is Basford Bridge Lane and to the left we can see the river Churnet, the canal and beyond the “Boat Inn” public house. We are now running high on an embankment with station road to our right running below us as we approach "Glencotes" award winning caravan site. As we pass, a glance to the left reveals some more of the roots of past industries, what was once the site of Brittain’s paper mill is now a large industrial estate bounded again by Station Road. We cross this by bridge number 46 with a row of cottages on our left hand side as we start to enter the cutting. Now we approach Cheddleton Tunnel, all of 531 yards, thought to be the second longest in preservation. Passing the fixed distant signal post is usually the cue to turn on the coach lights as we coast on before emerging back into a steep sided cutting at the north end. This soon opens out in a few coach lengths before the beginning of the passing loop & then diving under bridge 48, the A520 Leek to Stone road bridge which is alongside a small occupational level crossing to two dwellings beside the former station.

Leek Brook Junction


Take a trip (in reverse) From Leek Brook Junction back to Cheddelton by Class 25 Tamworth Castle, Driver Reg Latham and Second man Jo Coultas.

Leek Brook Junction, was once the site of the shared exchange sidings and platform for the electric tramway to the nearby St. Edward’s Asylum at the top of the hill. Just north of our boundary fence, lies the mothballed main line to Stoke, the route to Leek and the recently reopened branch to Cauldon Lowe stone quarries.




The south signal box (an early Mackenzie and Holland Type 1 design of 1867 with a 40-lever frame), still stands guardian over the site, although out of use for over 30 years now, it has been recently restored externally and internally is ongoing to bring it back in to use. The 3 platforms were also used to serve the staff of the nearby Joshua Wardle factory, which until recently, still stood alongside the line, the area having been redeveloped as a housing estate.


The original track plan at Leek Brook formed a triangle with the 1905 Leek to Waterhouses branch (now removed) and the remaining south chord. Inside this triangle was a single road engine shed built to accommodate up to 6 engines by the NSR in 1905 and closed in 1932 under LMS ownership when the allocation of locomotives were moved to Leek.


Originally, this had an allocation of four NSR ‘D’ class locos and one of J.A. Hookham’s ‘New L’ class. For staffing, it is recorded that in 1913 there were 13 people on the books: 4 Drivers, 4 firemen, 4 cleaners and the last for washing out. For the purpose of accommodating these staff members close by, six railway cottages were built in 1915 opposite the sheds on the southeast curve to Cauldon. These faced the location of a third signal box, the 20 lever Leek Brook East box. The houses are still in use today as private dwellings. Up until the closure of the line for sand traffic, there had been 4 or 5 sidings off the Leek line for the storage of the wagons used on the stone trains. These were for marshalling of the stone trains, which were sometimes split into two due to the gradient of 1 in 40 on the Cauldon branch, before they continued on to Stoke and further afield.


With the recent re-opening of the Cauldon Lowe branch, much of the area north of the signal box has been cleared of vegetation and the former wagon sidings removed in preparation for when progress is made towards Leek and the former cattle market site. The triangle has now been reinstated after almost 100 years.


So on… to Leek?


Or Cauldon Lowe??

 

Cheers Ron. Little bit more to go. Thankfully the video is of a higher (more modern) quality

 

Todays post I will look at some of the other bits of the railway.. different angles and volunteer..

Mainly some old photos, but remind us of passed friends or how we used to do it..


First restored at the railway back in 1988, ex LMS 4F 44422 stands at Froghall.


class 33102 Sophie at Leek Brook.
44422 against the box in Cheddleton yard. Probably been coalled up.

Since gone for scrap class 03 D2070. The first loco I ever worked on on my first day. This was owned by the guy who got me interested here. We both lived in the same town (incidentally, his daughter went on to get second place on Britains Got Tallent a few years ago!
Bringing it back to life. BR standard 4MT 80136 takes her first steps for the first time since its last fire in her belly prior to Barry scrap yard.
visiting replica -Rocket.
Alex works on D8054 - it became the first restoration to start for the first time in preservation in the new millennium on 3rd Jan 2000
A friend now sadly passed. Roger Spencer. Welder, guard, driver.
how we once used to coal a loco!
Fresh in the paint shop. “Sophie” still showing her old name plates.

 

Continued.. (due to 10 Picture limit)


special events . And who never went to a Santa and Steam??? By the way, that’s my dad as The man in the red coat!

another sadly departed friend, station master Howard Gorton playing his part as the fat controller on a Thomas day. By day he was a HGV lorry driver.
what’s that coming over the hill? It’s a Red 8F… taken during the reinstatement of the Cauldon Lowe branch whilst we were on a track walk and route familiarisation runs.

our ride for today. Looking splendid as it did at the time in her LMS livery.

a view from the cab. 33 to Consall from Froghall passing though the now raised Boltons copper works.

Some memorabilia on display.
As it was in September2024 .. sat in the yard since 1977
And from October 2024 her new home.

 

And where it can all begin for the next generation…

my son Alex looking very young enjoying a ride at the CVR.
His first ever working day with his Uncle Martin.. he’s now taller than both of us.!!
a day on the cushions working with me in the guards van

looking the part.
even if your sucking your thumb watching the scenery go by..
But, as you get older interests change and Alex went with his grandad to Peak rail.
However he still enjoys a visit to the CVR (during the gala in 2024)
But now works as a volunteer on the platform at Rowsley until he is older to start on the footplate etc. (he’s 16)
Until then, he shares his passion with his younger brother when not fighting!! With Zack at Matlock station. ​

 

Which I suppose then brings it on to me..
What have I done?
Well back in January 1996 as said above I took my first visit to the CVR, or the North Staffs as it was also known back then, an hour long journey with my pal Rob, who owned the class 03 diesel shunter. In the afternoon I began in carriage and wagon stripping out the insides of a compartment of a Mk 1 BSK coach. I didn’t even know what one was at that time, and realise now how much I’ve learnt, code, safety, rules…
So here we go.. here’s me..

so after a year or two with C&W I was old enough to become a guard. Unlike others I managed to skip doing crossing gates although I did cover that once or twice. Sadly by the time I had qualified, the push pull driving days had done as the run round loops were now in service at both ends. So it was flag waving and cushions for a while.


With the guarding came route knowledge, and so when we looked to reopen the Cauldon Branch in 2010 it included some train rides over new routes and also site visits. Here we are somewhere near blackbroom. This section was lifted a few years later as it was not really up to traffic standard and needed a fair cash injection. One day we hope to extend back here, but until then, I have the memories.
When not guarding, I can be found working in the diesels in the yard. Our “pet” diesel is class 33 102 Sophie, but we also look after the rest of the fleet. There are about 5 or six of us. Sadly I’ve not been able to contribute as much over the last few years with having Zack, Covid and petrol costs, but slowly I’m making a return to work.
We obviously run with steam as well, although I do seem to have a lot of diesel pictures.. wonder why??
occasionally I get trusted to have a drive under supervision! I’ve driven around 6 different classes now. Well, 6 different locos.. anyway! Ha

this was when we had 47192 with us from Crewe. It’s now enjoying its life not far away at Ecclesbourne. Sadly it left a few sour grapes under the circs it left us after we had restored it from top to bottom..but that’s not for here.
I’ve even organised model railway exhibitions. This was the first in 2004 in the then new carriage and wagon shed. I’d managed to secure “Dove”
A slightly freelance loco that has until a few years earlier run during summer months on the nearby Leek and Manifold narrow gauge trackbed. A later event was held two years later in a marquee at Froghall.
I’ve also been successful with organising 3 classic car events.

Aside the dirty work, I have also as posted earlier, written or re-edited books for the line, including the CVR guide, the stock book
And then the souvenir guide. I also produced an old magazine article in to a short book which told the story of Rail Magazines trip down the line from Merseyside to the Oakamoor sand sidings where he got “Sand in my shoes”. It’s hopefully being reprinted soon! here I’m handing over the first copy of the CVR guidebook to the station master Ken Lupton. I was quite proud of these as they were totally self sufficient having raised funds to cover printing before hand in sponsorship or advertising. So any sold were profit to fund the next prints.

alex’s very first day at the railway. As a family when he was just 2 days old.


and you could say I’ve been going a long time.. this was the day we opened Consall Station building with Pete Waterman as the railways guest. As you may have suspected, it was a Victorian themed event, even though the station was in BR colours..

 

Finally there is the dressing up of special
Events..

im not one to shy away and end up
In character.. although really only for the war weekend I have done a few ghost train events.. I just can’t find the photos!


with the wife in 1943
Before children!!
and a few years later just in period dress with Churchill! (Alex on the left)

right now back to some railway stuff again as we look to tackle the 1:50 grade up
The Cauldon Lowe branch…..
and then the start on the return to Leek which is a work in progress..

 

Leek Brook Junction in May 2024.
Showing the restored signal box, the new station building, the platform has been moved since earlier photos/videos and reinstated.

also you can see the line off to Stoke (where the wagons are) and the second part shows the line to Cauldon Lowe and the new line to Leek being reinstated..


the platform was modular block faces. It was moved south by a few coach lengths to sit more in the loop. A new back was installed (originally the back side served the electric tram line up to the asylum hospital in Cheddleton.)

 

October 2010 and a trip from Leek Brook Junction to Cauldon Lowe (now slightly shorter)

climbing the bank with 33102


Run round at Cauldon Lowe

dmu view of the Cauldon Branch
Cauldon before the loop was installed for the later trips before it was lifted.
top of the hill.. you could physically see the brow of the hill inside the coaches as you crested the summit!
We had arrived!!

 

Yes


Here are some more photos from my friend Martin Pryzyna.

And the old base, which will now be demolished after nearly 50 years.

 

this has popped up on YouTube in the last few days.. interesting timing given my posts…

the below is his description..

Welcome to the second in the series of my railways from the air, today we look at the Waterhouses branch line was a railway built by the North Staffordshire Railway to link the small villages east of Leek, Staffordshire with Leek, the biggest market town in the area. The railway opened in 1905 but closed to passengers in 1935. Freight continued on the line though until 1988, when the line was mothballed as the traffic from the quarries at Caldon Low ceased.
0:00 Introduction
0:05 Gradient Profile
0:20 Leekbrook Junction
1:15 Bridge over A520
6:14 Bridge No.9 also known as Bradnop Tunnel
7:21 Bradnop Station
9:20 Possible foundations from Bradnop Station & Goods Yard
12:07 Bradnop Road & Apesford Level Crossing
17:16 Ipstones Loop
18:12 Ipstones Station
19:00 Current end of Churnet Valley Operations
22:21 Lineside View near the Peak Wildlife Park
23:27 The Casey & Ellaston Road Bridge 24:00 Winkhill Station
27:37 Duke's Lane Road Bridge
27:55 Cauldon Junction
30:35 Cauldon Quarry
32:26 Cauldon Lowe Halt
35:35 Bridge over Earlsway near Waterhouses 35:57 Waterhouses Station & Goods Shed The light railway order authorised the construction of four lines: the line from Leek Brook junction to Caldon length approximatley 8 miles, the line from Caldon into Caldon Low quarry length 48.5 chains, the line from Caldon to Waterhouses length approximatley 1 mile. In 2009 a new company, Moorlands & City Railways, was formed with the intention of re-opening the line for commercial freight traffic, and contracted with the local Churnet Valley Railway to hold a series of re-opening events that were held in November 2010. With the end of limestone traffic in 1988 the line went out of use, but was designated as a strategic freight site. In 2009 Moorland and City Railways obtained the line on a 150 year lease from Network Rail with the intention of reopening the line for quarry traffic. The local heritage railway, the Churnet Valley Railway, who already operate the line between Leek Brook and Kingsley and Froghall arranged access over the branch line with Moorland and City Railways and in 2011 started operating trains to Caldon Low exchange sidings. In 2014 MCR started the process to upgrade the track, as the condition of the track would not support modern freight engines and rolling stock, and so the rails were lifted between Ipstones and Caldon Low quarry with the intention of relaying with new track once the situation over the quarry was known. In 2014 CVR started raising funds to purchase the trackwork between Leek Brook and Ipstones, in order to ensure their operations were not affected by the ongoing uncertainty over the quarry project. By October 2020 CVR had purchased the line from MCR and most trains now terminate at Ipstones. #disusedrailwayline #disused #disusedrailway #railway #preserved #heritagerailway #quarry #churnetvalleyrailway #churnetevalley #trains #scenery #dji #djimini3pro #waterhouses #leek #leekbrook #staffordshire #cauldonlow #cauldonlowe #winkhill #drone #bradnop