Between the Lines
The newly constructed replacement signal cabin for Darley Dale has now been installed. More details at Signal & Telegraph.
TO 7828s frame repairs to the first (worst.....?) side reached a milestone with all the replacement side members now machined up, apart from the sections required for the bottom rails (which should be easier as there are no curves). Other jobs to this side progress - corroded droplight shipping ledges are being removed for replacement, the screw holes in the roof are being filled with putty ready for re canvassing, and the internal roof components are being levelled up here and there. The ends are being primed and fittings are being replaced, and the end doors have been removed for repair and stripping. Internal panelling is being stripped. 
NEW SITE! |
John Powell continues work on the first of his Ferry Vans, end doors now being operational after retimbering and some frame repairs. A side door was recently removed for retimbering, and the runners are under repair.
Some up to date photos from Matlock, all by Brian Marsden.
Dave Timperley and John Thomas lift the engine out of the Hunslet Narrow Gauge mines loco. Henry looks on. Or - '
"During the restoration of Hunslet 8917/1979, Henry instructs John on where to find the coal that miners stored in the NCB narrow gauge mines locos". More seriously, Dave & co. have repaired and refitted the sump, the rest of the engine internals look superb, and the narrow gauge trackwork is extending.
'. 
Much clearance is taking place at the moment!
Work continues almost daily at present. 
Zebedee's overhaul continues, weather permitting work is underway replacing sections of steelwork in the cab and bunker, and the frames are getting cleaned down and repainted. This photo appear to imply the cab is just getting repainted - nothing could be further from the truth. There is a large pile of scrap bits. Besides flat areas of platework, Robin has also been rolling curved sections, and fabricating curved angles for some places. Boiler work has started, with some rivets being replaced in the firebox tubeplate, and foundation ring.
The RMB is out of traffic for cleaning, reglazing, and some repairs to buckeyes and so on that aren't possible with it in service. Here some new window parts are being machined in the LMSCA carriage shed. Work progresses on the BG, with some results now being obtained from the batteries. The roof vents have been removed, cleaned up, and rebedded. The roof has been stripped of old paint. This job took all of us a couple of months with the RBR. Now, with the advent of a machine to do it, it takes a just over a day. The gutter on one side has been removed to allow repairs to corrosion behind it. 3 doorways on the first side have had new lintels welded in from sections made up by Dave Turnock, with some other framework repairs. All the wooden doorchecks have been condemned and removed, and new ones have been machined ready to refit, from timber kindly donated by Dominic and Peter Collett. The doorway steelwork has been cleaned up and repainted. Two windows on this side are suspect, the first has had a new section welded in underneath it with new fastening studs, the glass has since been rebedded. 
Can you guess what it is yet? Work continues on the new cabin for Darley Dale.
Sainsburys and Birse continue works there, with Network Rail's new track mainly in place - here a tamper is at work under the new rail bridge.
Now the back and side walls of the shed are up to
cladding level, concrete is being laid to form the
floors. This is the first pour of many loads due to
arrive over the next couple of weeks or so. Rob is
about to demonstrate the use of the Consolidator,
Pneumatic. This is a compressor driven device much
larger than the general type described in the TV ad as
"a machine that buzzes in just one place". It shakes
the wet concrete to such an extent that it turns from
a gooey mass into a watery quicksand, at which point
the trapped air bubbles migrate to the surface.
There is no escaping the eagle eye of the
soupervisors.
Tom searches vainly for his sandwiches in the new
apron to the shed doors.
The HST's Wickham trolley, which has been out of use for
some time because it wouldn't start, has been started.
Unfortunately, it shows all the symptoms of a blown
head gasket. An approach will shortly be made to the
relevent interested parties for authority to proceed
with repair. From the number of persons present, one
wonders if perhaps a stash of gentlemens periodic
publications has been discovered?
Work on the Yorkshire Engine loco from the Briddon's stable has progressed far enough to allow it to be restarted. 
Arrivals - Mk1 BG 92314, Mk1 BSK 34133, and Mk1 FO 3086 have arrived from Crewe at last. This photo shows the interior of FO 3086. This, and BSK 34133 had their interiors sealed up in the early 1980s when they were made part of a train used as a dead weight for testing locos that were outshopped from Crewe works. The panels over the windows have protected the interiors from theft, damage, and water ingress. They have both been fitted with air brakes, but we have now purchased most of the components to refit vacuuum brakes. The likelhood is that both of these coaches will be dual braked to make them a bit more future proof. The BSK is not quite as good as the FO, as it has had some internal modifications that made it into a test coach, it fulfilled this role from the 1970s to 1980s, and did some work testing the APT-P train, as Test Car 5. We have the missing parts to repair the coach as a normal passenger BSK. This, and the BG were somewhat cheaper than the FO also - 15 times cheaper! But the rarity, usefulness, and condition of the FO reflect this. The FO was purchased by donations made to the DWVRT for the specific purpose of purchasing this carriage. http://www.dwvrt.org.uk The BG is dual braked already, and will be repaired for use next year, work thus far confined to replacing missing bits underneath and a start on rebedding roof vents and cleaning the flaking paint off the roof. Our thanks to Allelies, the original purchaser of the coaches, and staff at Crewe for facilitating all of this. 
The LMSCA continue work on the NRM's LMS TO 7828, which is having new components machined for the miriad bits of timber that are screwed to the inside of the roof, to carry cables, anchor lighting, ceiling panels, and so on. This photo shows Dave machining new roof parts. See the page in this Month's Steam Railway! 
Work on Zebedee's overhaul continues, the loco frames were split from its wheels recently. The rear wheelset journals, and tyres, look to be in poor condition. 
The dumper truck has been getting a major overhaul, including refabricating the bracket for the end of the bucket lift ram, which was underneath, and easier to get to like this! 
All things in the new operating and signalling systems ran successfully at the mixed traffic event, with the ballast train accompanying the passenger set on the Saturday, and the breakdown train unit on the Sunday. Late Saturday volunteers were observed still repainting the steam crane, servicing the 20 wheel bearings (some still ran a bit warm), and servicing and coaling and watering for the next day. The HST also managed to commission their LMS Brakevan for brakevan rides despite some last minute midnight oil burning. 
Work progresses, Alan is seen here relaying the pit floor. most of the wall brickwork is now complete, Derek, Malcolm, Peter and so on are currently working on locking pins and boxes, and the winding mechanism. | Here |
| Here |
Steam Power used for Matlock Track Recovery Trains
In connection with the recovery of trackwork and materials from the loop to
the north of Matlock Station, Peak Rail have taken the opportunity to
operate 0-6-0 Saddle Tank No. WD150 Royal Pioneer on trains recovering the old ballast, which
were operated on Tuesday 13th February 2007. This is the first time that a
steam locomotive has been used on the Matlock track recovery project and
marks the completion of Peak Rail’s involvement in this stage of the
project. 
Over an eight day period, Peak Rail staff and volunteers have recovered all
trackwork materials from the loop and the railway is grateful to all
volunteers for their assistance in this project. The track materials will
be used for the installation of additional sidings at Rowsley South yard,
whilst the better condition rails will be kept in reserve for rail
replacement on the operating line, or for the railways planned northern
extension to Rowsley South. The loop is to be re-laid on a slightly amended
formation as part of the Cawdor Quarry development, which is now well
underway.
The site of the loop has now been handed back to Birse Civil Engineers, who
will shortly be constructing an overbridge above the trackbed in connection
with extensive road alterations taking place in Matlock town centre. Work
on the preparation of Cawdor Quarry continues, with ground preparation now
taking place ready for the construction of a new Sainsburys Supermarket. A
large housing development is also planned for part of the quarry, although
work on this aspect of the development has yet to begin. Once again, Peak
Rail would like to pass on their appreciation to Birse Civil Engineers,
Sainsburys and Network Rail for their continued assistance with this
project. 
The final track materials were removed on Friday, with wagon unloading taking pace on Friday and Sunday.
A buffer stop was installed at the end of the Peak Rail line on Monday. Saturday saw Rob and the hired JCB scraping up ballast into heaps.
Steam hauled (the shunter isn't really up to it) ballast trains have been running this week to remove this, with the assistance of Birse. 
Bare ballast at the end of last week.
Following the announcement last week that privately owned class 55 Deltic
D9016 Gordon Highlander is to move to Peak Rail for an initial three year
loan, we can now confirm that the locomotive is scheduled to arrive on the
railway on Saturday 24 February. The locomotive is planned to be on display at Rowsley South for the Mixed
Traction Weekend, but will not be in use during this event. D9016 should
make its passenger debut on Peak Rail during our Diesel Weekend, which
takes place on 12 and 13 May. This event will also feature locomotives
belonging to the Heritage Shunters Trust, along with D9525, 31 270, 37 152,
and D8 Penyghent. More details of the diesel weekend will be released next
month.
Messrs Hand and Houston dismantling track. In the unfortuantely slightly blurred area to the left can be seen the now bare trackbed stretching away towards Palins. A gradient post, and fire iron have also been recovered besides plenty of track materials!
OK not an inspiring photograph, but the large mound of crushed stone is where the new track alignment should eventually be. Stone is being crushed on site, for use in the construction works. The day before rope access workers were evident on the cliff faces to the left also, removing loose stones and vegetation, although the snow seemed to put them off today. A dumper truck seen emerging from behind Palins was moving some material stored behind there. There is also the bottom of a signal ladder in the foreground. 
Messrs Sanders and Thomas loading sleepers. Access got a little tight in places. And why didn't I take photos on the nice sunny days earlier in the week? Dunno.....
PC Houston celebrating pulling the last spike.... at least that's what we thought he was doing. In fact he had another panel to do, and was celebrating as he had just had a phone call informing him that he could come tomorrow also! Such is the dedication of Peak Rail workers.
Peak Rail is delighted to announce that following several delays volunteers
have finally been allowed access to the former loop at Matlock, which is
between the Network Rail station and Peak Rail’s Matlock Riverside station,
to recover redundant track materials from Sunday 4th February. A buffer
stop was installed by Network Rail on the evening on 3rd February to the
north of Matlock station and this work signalled the start of Peak Rail’s
involvement in the project.
A strong turnout of volunteers on the first day allowed the team to make
good progress and the railway has access to the site for recovery for a
period of eight days, before the site is handed back to Birse Civil
Engineers, who are the main contractor working on a major retail and
housing development in the former Cawdor Quarry at Matlock.
Although a large proportion of the sleepers on the loop are rotten and will
be unable to be used again, a lot of the track is in reasonable condition
and will be used for the construction of sidings at Rowsley South. Some of
the better condition rail will be kept in reserve for use on rail renewals
or for the railways planned northern extension to Rowsley village.
Once cleared of track materials, a bridge and new road will be constructed
on part of the site before the railway loop is relayed on a slightly
amended track formation. The derelict Palins Goods Warehouse, which has
stood out of use to the north of Matlock Station for many years is due to
be demolished over the next couple of weeks. Stone from this structure is
being donated to Peak Rail by Sainsbury’s and this stone will be stored for
future use by the railway. 
The rails have been fitted to the turntable. 
Brickwork is also progressing rapidly. 
Some of the new Timber laid out to dry before preparation and creosoting.