ashover light railway

ASHOVER BUTTS

Ashover point 2001 copyright C Lea. (Source)

Peggy working on the ALR

Mixed train on the line. (Source)

Ashover Butts station. (Source)

Clay Cross station. (Source)

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One little known narrow gauge line in England was the Ashover Light Railway which was opened as late as 1924 and closed - quite late for this sort of line - in 1950. It's a shame it didn't last a few more years as it could have become a candidate for early reopening as a preserved line.

More info from Wikipedia.

Ashover Light Railway
Locale	England
Dates of operation	1924–1950
Successor	abandoned
Track gauge	1 ft 11 1⁄2 in (597 mm)
Length	7 1⁄4 miles (11.7 km)
Headquarters	Clay Cross

[hide]Ashover Light Railway

Legend North Midland Railway Clay Cross Erewash Valley Line Clay Cross and Egstow Clay Cross Tunnel Ashover Butts Holmgate Salter Lane Springfield Fallgate Proposed Heritage railway Clay Lane Dalebank Stretton Woolley North Midland Railway Section flooded by Ogston Reservoir The Ashover Light Railway was a 1 ft 11 1⁄2 in (597 mm) narrow gauge railway in Derbyshire, England that connected Clay Cross and Ashover. It was built by the Clay Cross Company to transport minerals such as limestone, fluorite, barytes and gritstone to its works at Clay Cross and for transport around the country by the LMS.

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History

One of the Baldwin engines at Ashover, ca. 1948

George Stephenson surveyed the route for the North Midland Railway between Derby and Leeds in the 1830s. The route passed close to Ashover where Stephenson saw the potential for the development of a colliery. He formed George Stephenson & Company in 1837 and built a colliery and coke ovens at Clay Cross which opened in 1840. The company passed to his son Robert Stephenson on George's death in 1848, and in 1852 he sold his shares, the business becoming the Clay Cross Company, which was at one time the largest independent employer in the UK.

The company continued to develop its mining interests and in 1918 it purchased the Overton Estate at Fallgate with the aim of extracting minerals. An order under the Light Railways Act was obtained in 1918 to build a standard gauge railway between the Midland Railway station at Stretton and Ashover, with a 2 ft (610 mm) gauge rope-worked mineral railway serving Alton colliery. This railway was not built because the cost estimates were too high. Instead in 1920 H. F. Stephens, the consulting engineer for the line, proposed building the entire railway to 2 ft (610 mm) gauge. This considerably reduced the costs of construction and the plan was approved.


Construction started in 1922 and the railway opened to goods traffic in 1924.^[1] The formal opening to passenger traffic took place in March 1925. The line was built using surplus equipment from the War Department Light Railways. Although the line was built principally to carry mineral traffic, its passenger service proved successful during the mid-1920s, but competition from buses saw numbers decline and Winter services ceased in 1934. All passenger services were withdrawn in 1936.
The mineral traffic continued but the railway declined through the 1940s. In 1949 the railway's last remaining contract with Butts quarry was terminated and the quarry closed in 1950. The railway closed on 31 March 1950. Most of the rail remained in place through October of that year when a last inspection trip was made. After that the majority of the railway was lifted. However a short length was left in place around the Fallgate works. This remnant track continued to be used until 1968.

Preservation society

In 1996, the Ashover Light Railway Society was formed with the aim of saving the surviving features of the railway. They carried out a track-bed survey, and found that most of the track-bed between Ashover and Ogston Reservoir was largely intact. This changed the direction of the society from preserving the lines remaining artifacts, to reopening at least a short section of the line.


So far, the society has had much support from the local population and the council for the area. In 2007, they bought 'Where the Rainbow Ends' cafe, and have since dismantled it and put it into storage for future use.

Locomotive

Name	Builder	Wheels	Works Number	Built	Notes
Guy	Baldwin	4-6-0 T	44370	1917	Worn out after constructing the line
Peggy	Baldwin	4-6-0 T	44743	1917
Hummy	Baldwin	4-6-0 T	44370	1916
Joan	Baldwin	4-6-0 T	44720	1917	Out of service by 1948
Bridget	Baldwin	4-6-0 T	44737	1917
Guy (II)	Baldwin	4-6-0 T	44695	1917
Amos	Dick Kerr	4wPE			In 1947 Amos was converted to standard gauge and used at Bloxham Ironstone pits
Planet	Hibberd	4wDM	3307	1948	Now running on the Ffestiniog Railway, named Ashover
	Ransomes & Rapier	4wDM	82		Some parts used to restore similar RR80, now at the Amberley Museum Railway.

The route

The line started at Clay Cross Works, just above the northern portal of the Clay Cross Tunnel. From here, the line swung northwards out of the town, then curved westwards through 180 degree to avoid going through Clay Cross town centre. The problem with this route was the Chesterfield Road, now the A61, and crossing it required a steel girder bridge spanning 45 feet. The height had to be 16 feet above road level, which required a half-mile long approach embankment to be built. The bridge and embankment were the only major pieces of engineering on the entire route between Clay Cross and Ashover. The bridge support on the west side of the road can still be seen today. Shortly after the opening of the railway, the Pirelli Tyre Company at Burton-upon-Trent had a large advertisement painted on the bridge therefore it became known as ‘The Pirelli Bridge’. Several stations were provided along the line, with the main terminus and headquarters being Clay Cross & Egstow within the Clay Cross Works. Four further stations named Chesterfield Road, Holmgate, Springfield and Clay Lane were erected within the town boundaries of Clay Cross, with the next station being at Stretton. At this point the line was still continuing southwards, but soon swung westwards again to follow the picturesque course of the River Amber as far as Ashover. Stations along this section were Hurst Lane, Woolley, Dalebank, Milltown, Fallgate, Salter Lane (for Ashover), and Ashover Butts.

St Edwards Hospital Tramway

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St Edwards Hospital tramway

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St Edwards Hospital tramway
Overview
Type	Tram
Status	Closed
Locale	Cheddleton, Staffordshire
Termini	Leek Brook St Edward's Hospital
Operation
Opening	1899
Closed	1954
Owner	Staffordshire County Council
Technical
Line length	0.75 mi (1.21 km)
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification	Overhead catenary

The St Edward's Hospital tramway was a tramway built for Staffordshire County Council for the construction of the St Edward's County Mental Asylum at Cheddleton, Staffordshire. Opened in 1899, the line ran until 1954 before being closed and scrapped.

Contents

  1 Construction

• 2 Operation
• 3 Route
• 4 Notes
• 5 References

Construction

The County Mental Hospital, also known as St Edward's Hospital, was built in the late 1890s by the Staffordshire County Lunacy Committee to relieve overcrowding in other institutions.^[1] The hospital was located on a spur of land overlooking the River Churnet and the Caldon Canal at Cheddleton Heath just north of Cheddleton. Designed by the London architects Giles, Gough and Trollope, construction began in 1895.^[1] To assist in construction of the hospital the contractors, W Brown & Son,^[2] laid a 0.75 miles (1.21 km) line from the North Staffordshire Railway's (NSR) Churnet Valley Line at Leek Brook to the hospital site.^[3] Brown's used a small 0-4-0 Tank engine called Weaver (Manning Wardle H-class 1072) to transport both men and materials to the construction site.^[2]

Operation

Upon completion of the hospital in 1899, Staffordshire County Council took over the line and converted it to an electrically powered tramway, an overhead wire system was erected and the electricity, operated at 220 volt DC,^[4] was supplied from the hospital boiler house.^[5] Once electrification work was completed, in 1903,^[6] a new platform was constructed at Leek Brook station on the down (towards Leek) Churnet Valley line to allow passengers to alight from NSR trains and cross the platform to use the tramway to visit the hospital. The council purchased an electric locomotive from Wolverhampton and an old London horse tram was converted into a passenger coach; both vehicles were painted with the letters SCC to indicate their ownership by the county council.^[5] Although a passenger service was supplied, the principal function of the tramway was the supply of coal to the boiler house. About 200 long tons (203 t) was required each month, the NSR would deliver loaded wagons of coal to a siding at Leek Brook and the tram engine would propel the wagons, two at a time, to the boiler house with the empty wagons being returned to Leek Brook for collection.^[5]


After the First World War with the growth in bus and private car transport, there was a decline in passengers using the tramway so passenger services were discontinued in the 1920s.^[5] The coal traffic however continued until December 1954 when delivery by road took over and the line was closed^[5] and by May 1957 the line had been lifted.^[7]

Route

Map of tramway and connections to the NSR

From the platform at Leek Brook, the tramway swung to the right alongside the exchange sidings from the NSR. Railway engines were not allowed further than these sidings under the various agreements between the NSR (and its successor the London, Midland and Scottish Railway^[7] and also because being lightly built the tramway could not take the weight of railway locomotives.^[5] Past the sidings the line climbed steeply with a maximum gradient of 1:16.6 (6%) being encountered.^[4] The line then proceeded by way of a switchback arrangement to terminate at the rear of the main hospital building.

Notes

1. ^ Jump up to: ^{a b} Chadwick & Pearson (1993), p. 3.
2. ^ Jump up to: ^{a b} Jeuda (1986), p. 32.
3. Jump up ^ Jeuda (1999), p. 75.
4. ^ Jump up to: ^{a b} Jeuda (1999), p. 79.
5. ^ Jump up to: ^{a b c d e f} Voice (2007), p. 88.
6. Jump up ^ Jeuda (1986), p. 33.
7. ^ Jump up to: ^{a b} Jeuda (1999), p. 77.

References

• Chadwick, Max & Pearson, David (1993). A History of St Edward's Hospital, Cheddleton. Leek, Staffordshire: Churnet Valley Books. ISBN 978-1-897949-01-6. 
• Jeuda, Basil (1986). Memories of the North Staffordshire Railway. Cheshire Libraries. ISBN 0-904532-21-6. 
• Jeuda, Basil (1999). The Churnet Valley Railway. Lydney, Gloucestershire: Lightmoor Press. ISBN 978-1-899889-05-1. 
• Voice, David (2007). Hospital Tramways and Railways (3rd ed.). Brora, Sutherland: Adam Gordon. ISBN 978-1-874422-67-9.

Bridport reawkening ...

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I do think it's time to start seriously looking at rebuilding this branch throughout from Maiden Newton to West Bay. Bridport is far too large not to be rail served, and the need will only increase in the future. This line always struck me as very rural (except in Bridport itself) which suggests there is little if any encroachment and the cost of purchasing the route would not be ridiculously high. As well as offering a full passenger and freight service it would surely make an excellent heritage style line as well. It is in a busy tourist area but the nearest steam line is a good hour away, so it's an open market. Bridport itself should provide plenty of volunteers. British seaside resorts are seeing a huge revival and West Bay would be an excellent terminus for this fantastic line. In 1975 even the Dorchester to Castle Cary route was a struggling single line, it now is much busier. It's this line's time!

 

train travel 2050 style

 

We took the Cathedrals Express to Ludlow yesterday, picking it up at Bath.

 

We topped up with water at Magor.

 

REAL carriage interior!

 

Hereford stop.

Britannia at Bristol Temple Meads. 

 

Perhaps the most enduring image of the day ...

 

 

We took our first ever steam excursion yesterday, taking the Cathedrals Express from Bath to Ludlow. I wasn't sure what to expect. I have of course travelled by steam on the main line before, but don't have any memories of it! And apart from a few brief glimpses of steam in the sixties - at Waterloo, Ryde, Lyminster and a few other places that was it! Seen plenty on heritage lines, but that's a whole different experience.

 

All in all it was a great experience but what struck me really strongly was how much a look into the future it is. A busy train, real coaches with space to sit and windows to look out of, superb service and, of course, all pulled by a locomotive that can run on sustainable fuel. The most striking example of this future experience was when we ran alongside an allotment in south Wales, with rows of compost bins looking over vegetables and good soil with a steam train in the background!

 

On the return we got a taste of the past, or what will soon be the past - a diesel loco heading the train. Britannia stayed on to provide (rather ineffective!) steam heating, but the diesel was doing most of the work.

 

As always I urge people to get out and travel behind diesel and photograph them as much as possible - it won't be many years before they are replaced by electric and steam locos, and once they are gone they really will be gone forever.

 

But the highlight of the day, for me and many others standing on the station, was watching - and listening - to Britannia reversing through the main station and vanishing in the dark on its way to London.

how the future will look

(© 23.5.1987 The Rail Thing)

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Switzerland is spot on with public transport. A superb national rail network links to dozens of private lines, many narrow gauge, as well as numerous funicular railways, cablecars and urban tramways. Where there isn't rail there is trolleybus or even old fashioned diesel buses. Basically you can get anywhere you want in the country, quickly, cleanly and cheaply. Nobody needs to own a car.

 

This is the Forchbahn, a suburban light railway which links several small towns and villages to Zurich. It's a single track line but has a very intensive service. The last mile or so is on Zurich city tram tracks, the trains get right into the city centre.

 

Yet back in the late 1950s this line was under threat of closure. Back then it was a rickety rural tramway, but the Swiss saw sense and rather than close the line modernised it. It's now an absolute showpiece and should become the model for rural and suburban transport throughout Europe,

 

When the oil runs out the Forchbahn will keep running. House prices will remain the same, people will still be able to get to work, to the shops and indeed anywhere else they need to be by changing to the rail network at Zurich.

 

This is a roadside route so the land footprint is tiny. The line is electrified using hydro power so is sustainable. The vehicles looked modern even back in 1987, they will almost certainly be running for many decades yet.

 

This is the future, 1987 style, and we should all be doing everything we can to bring this to the towns and villages of Britain.

 

 

 


 


 

the road thing

Imagine you were standing at Templecombe station in 1952, on a summer Saturday. If I'd told you then that the busy line to Bath and Bournemouth, on which at that time there was a constant stream of passenger and freight trains, would be closed within 14 years and that the very busy station you were standing on, served by both the Somerset and Dorset Railway and the main line from Waterloo to the west of England, would also close on the same day, you'd have probably dismissed me as a nutter! Yet all this came to pass.

Now think about today, think about our busy road network and what is your reaction if I was to say that within 20 years it would nearly all have gone? Pretty much the same I would think!

But think about this. Our rail network wasn't destroyed because the fuel to run it no longer existed. In fact there is still plenty of coal underground in the UK and, more importantly, plenty of commercial forests. But we saw fit to destroy our country's resilience so we could IMPORT oil to run our trains and, of course, our cars, lorries and buses. It was a short term political decision masquerading as an economic one. True, diesels were easier to run and much more comfortable for the people running them. And cars, lorries and buses gave us greater flexibility. Up to a point  ...

But take a look at the picture above. This was our trip into Bristol Friday morning. Two miles, it took about half an hour. Should we have taken the bus? Not really, because look what is a few vehicles ahead of us!

Think of all these stationary vehicles, burning precious oil. Think of it happening all over the world. Oil is a finite resource and most commentators now accept that we have already used more than is left in the ground. And at the same time we are burning more than ever before, not just in road vehicles, but in diesel locomotives, ships, aeroplanes, making plastics and growing food. Our whole economy is built on it, yet within twenty years almost all of it will be gone. Yet to look around you'd think there was an unlimited and renewable supply!

So what exactly do planners and politicians imagine we WILL be using in twenty years' time? They waffle on about exotic things like biofuels (hopeless as they depend on huge fossil fuel INPUTS to grow, and compete with food growing anyway), hydrogen (an energy sink as it is only an energy carrier, not a fuel, so the energy would still need to be generated), electric cars - really, with the power companies already warning us that we face electricity blackouts into the future? Imagine all those electric cars charging up as well! The fact is there isn't a serious contender, and when the oil runs out (or more precisely becomes too expensive for most of us to afford) road transport will come to a stop. There's nothing we can do about this, it's inevitable.

So if we want to keep things moving we need to switch to rail. Some will say 'but doesn't that need energy as well?' Of course it does, but the inherent energy efficiency superiority of rail means that we can move far more freight and people with the same amount of energy. This will become the ONLY factor considered in future transport planning. Rail also has a huge advantage in that the energy can be transmitted to the locomotive, through wires, conductor rails, stubs, conduits etc. This simply can not be done with road vehicles (with the exception of trolleybuses, but they may as well be trams anyway!) - it means both flexibility of delivery system and also (very important in an energy-poor world) the traction units don't need to carry on board fuel.

So the roads may seem busy today, and perhaps look like they will always be there, but return to Templecombe in 1952 and you'll see looks can be deceptive. The roads will begin to empty, less and less money will be available to maintain them (asphalt needs oil for example), people will start demanding an alternative way to get around and all of them will look to rail.

As for Templecombe itself? The station reopened in 1982, the line, which was savagely singled in the 60s, is gradually being returned to double track, soon trains will go beyond Exeter via Okehampton to Plymouth, and even the Somerset and Dorset is gradually being rebuilt. We are already seeing the switch from road to rail happening in this little corner of the world, soon it will be happening everywhere.