Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway
Encyclopedia
The Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway (L&MVLR) was a narrow gauge railway in Staffordshire
, Great Britain
that operated between 1904 and 1934. When in operation, the line mainly carried milk
from dairies
in the region, acting as a feeder to the standard gauge
system
. It also provided passenger services to the small villages and beauty spots along its route. The line was built to a gauge of and to the light rail
standards provided by the Light Railways Act 1896
to reduce construction costs.
The route of the line is now a foot- and cycle- path
.
's branch from Leek ended at Waterhouses (53.0484°N 1.8647°W). The L&MVLR continued from an end-on junction with this line. It ran for 8.25 miles (13.28 km) down the valley of the River Hamps
as far as Beeston Tor, before turning up the limestone
gorge that the River Manifold
had formed, through to Hulme End (53.1310°N 1.8470°W). The line had a large number of stations in a relatively short distance, and there were refreshment rooms at Thor's Cave and Beeston Tor. In all the line crossed the river Manifold dozens of times - including nine times in the short section between Sparowlee and Beeston Tor.
All stations had rather grand signs (sometimes grander than the facilities) and platforms were just 6 inches (152 mm) high. All stations had sidings except for Beeston Tor and Redhurst Halt.
Authorised in 1898, this was the narrow gauge section of the Leek Light Railways. The railway ran for 30 years, from 1904 to 1934. Its engineer was Everard Calthrop
, a leading advocate of narrow gauge railways and builder of the Barsi Light Railway
in India. A private concern, it was run by the North Staffordshire Railway on a percentage basis, but it later came under the control of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
in 1923.
The line was constructed to a high standard, Calthrop applying lessons learned on his other railways. Rail used was 35 lb/yard (17.28 kg/m), and the quality of trackwork is reflected in the fact that no re-laying was ever necessary.
The line was a single line, and most services (which began from Hulme End, where the locomotive sheds were) only involved the use of one engine in steam. There was passing loop at Wetton Mill, but it was never used as such.
At Waterhouses the timetable allowed for connections from Leek.
Trains ran at a maximum speed of 15 miles per hour (24.1 km/h), and most halts were run on a request basis. More than this, the train would also often stop to pick up passengers at other places on the lineside footpath, if requested. Timetables mostly show single journey times of 50 minutes (with some showing an hour).
Most outbound freight consisted of milk, in both churns and bulk tankers, and the products of the dairy goods factory at Ecton. In all, some 300 milk churns were handled daily at Waterhouses, and from 1919 a daily milk train ran from Waterhouses to London specifically for this traffic. Latterly milk tanks were used, carried on the transporter wagons. Passenger traffic was minimal - the settlements were mostly some distance from the line - except on Bank Holidays when all the line's rolling stock was used to run frequent services to handle the crowds.
There was some talk of extending the line northwards, whereby Hulme End (and its engine shed) would become the half-way point of the line, but this never materialised.
Ts, built by Kitson & Co.
of Leeds
in 1904, which were the first 2-6-4T locomotives to run in Britain - the first standard-gauge examples being the Great Central Railway
's Class 1B
of 1914. Number 1 was named E.R. Calthrop, after the line's engineer, and number 2 was named J.B. Earle (the resident engineer). Due to the influence of Calthrop, the locomotives had a somewhat colonial appearance with large headlights which were never used. They also had fittings for cow catchers - again never fitted, and they sported rerailing jacks by the smokebox. The locos were originally painted brown with gold and black lining, after the grouping
replaced by crimson lake with gold and black lining. Latterly, after the Great Depression
had set in, they ran in plain black.
There was no turntable on the line, and engines ran chimney first towards Waterhouses, despite initial concerns (usually engines on a gradient run the other way, to keep the water over the firebox crown) about the steeper down section (1 in 40) out of Waterhouses. In latter years E.R. Calthrop returned from repairs in Crewe
facing the other way, as can be seen in later photographs.
There were four coaches; two first class and two brake composite thirds. These were originally painted primrose yellow, and later repainted in LMS Midland red.
Freight wagons consisted of one box van and two open wagons. These open wagons were built by the Leeds Forge Company and were largely designed for the transport of loose milk churns.
Additionally there were also five (four short and one long) transporter wagon
s, technically "low side bogie goods wagons". These were supplied by the Cravens Railway Carriage & Wagon Company at a cost of £315 each. Uniquely in Britain, in a piggy-back style these were capable of carrying standard gauge wagons - particularly milk tankers and coal
wagons - to standard-gauge sidings along the route. However, the extra height and width of the loading gauge caused by this arrangement (such as seen in the dimensions of Swainsley Tunnel) undid some of the benefits of using a narrow gauge. This arrangement also meant that standard gauge lengths of track (on sidings) had to be constructed level with the rails of the low transporters.
After opening, there were initially three trains daily in each direction. This increased to four on Thursdays and Saturdays (and later to five).
After an attempt by the North Staffordshire Railway as early as 1904 to reduce the service during the winter months to a service only on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the Manifold Company secured an agreement that there should be a minimum of two trains in each direction throughout the year.
On Bank Holidays there were some seven trains daily, and at peak times both engines and all carriages/wagons would be in use - planks and awnings were placed on the open wagons to make them usable by passengers, albeit rather rudimentary. It is recorded that in Whit week in 1905 some 5000 passengers were carried, and the most intensive service saw trains operating from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday services began in 1905, but stopped in 1930, thus losing much tourist revenue.
Dairy, and re-routing some milk collection to road transport. The loss of this milk trade removed most of the goods traffic from the line. Furthermore, the developing motor bus services served the villages much better, these settlements being largely on the hills, and often some distance from the line itself. The railway closed briefly in consequence, to re-open briefly in 1933, but closed finally to all traffic on Monday March 10, 1934.
J.B.Earle was cut up at Crewe, whilst E.R. Calthrop was used in the track-removal train, which worked south from Hulme End, before being itself cut up at Waterhouses. All that remains of the engines are 3 name plates.
Had the line survived until the 1950s, it is possible that it might have been saved by a preservation society, as happened with some other lines during that decade.
The Manifold Valley footpath and cycle way (now called the Manifold Way) was opened in July 1937 after the LMS handed over the trackbed to Staffordshire County Council. It continues on to Waterhouses, via Hulme End, as a bridle path, and, being tarmacked throughout, is ideal for wheelchair users, prams, etc. For about 1.5 miles (2.4 km), near Wetton Mill, the route is shared with motor traffic where the B-road has been diverted, and this section includes Swainsley tunnel, built by Sir Thomas Wardle who, despite being a shareholder in the railway, did not want to see it crossing his land. Some spectacular scenery can be found along the eight-mile route, including Thor's Cave, Wetton Hill and Beeston Tor. Many consider that this section bears comparison with the better-known Dovedale
a few miles to the east. (The National Trust
own several of these sites, as part of their South Peak Estate
.)
The Old Railway Hotel at Hulme End is now called the Manifold Inn. There are campsites at Hulme End and Wetton Village.
At Ecton Hill a 4,000-year-old copper mine lies along the route; there is still evidence of the railway's loading platforms along the route of the old railway. A dairy once stood here and you can still see where milk churns were once loaded onto the morning milk train. The Ecton dairy was famous for its Stilton cheese.
Meridian Models recently produced an (009) scale locomotive body in white metal
to fit on a (Minitrix) chassis and Worsley Works
produce a basic scratch kit for the carriages, requiring addition of bogies (where applicable), couplings, door handles, and interior to complete. A third company has apparently produced the transporter cars/wagons in this scale.
Roundhouse http://www.roundhouse-eng.com/homepage.htm has produced a live steam model in 1:19 scale, (16mm/foot), of the Kitson
2-6-4 locomotive in the NSR livery.
There is a model at the visitors' centre in Hulme End
along one wall inside the former station building. This shows a representation of Hulme End station, yard and nearby buildings in (009) scale with a short run (scaled down distance) to a model of Butterton
station.
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
that operated between 1904 and 1934. When in operation, the line mainly carried milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
from dairies
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
in the region, acting as a feeder to the standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
system
Rail transport in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom consists of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and previously consisted of Great Britain and the whole of Ireland. Rail transport systems developed independently on the two islands of Great Britain and Ireland, and most of the railway construction in the Republic of Ireland was...
. It also provided passenger services to the small villages and beauty spots along its route. The line was built to a gauge of and to the light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
standards provided by the Light Railways Act 1896
Light Railways Act 1896
The Light Railways Act 1896 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Before the Act each new railway line built in the country required a specific Act of Parliament to be obtained by the company that wished to construct it, which greatly added to the cost...
to reduce construction costs.
The route of the line is now a foot- and cycle- path
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
.
Route
The North Staffordshire RailwayNorth Staffordshire Railway
The North Staffordshire Railway was a British railway company formed in 1845 to promote a number of lines in the Staffordshire Potteries and surrounding areas in Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Shropshire....
's branch from Leek ended at Waterhouses (53.0484°N 1.8647°W). The L&MVLR continued from an end-on junction with this line. It ran for 8.25 miles (13.28 km) down the valley of the River Hamps
River Hamps
The River Hamps is a river in Staffordshire, England. It is tributary of the River Manifold, which itself flows into the River Dove near Ilam. For its entire length the river flows through the Peak District National Park.- Etymology :...
as far as Beeston Tor, before turning up the limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
gorge that the River Manifold
River Manifold
The River Manifold is a river in Staffordshire, England. It is a tributary of the River Dove ....
had formed, through to Hulme End (53.1310°N 1.8470°W). The line had a large number of stations in a relatively short distance, and there were refreshment rooms at Thor's Cave and Beeston Tor. In all the line crossed the river Manifold dozens of times - including nine times in the short section between Sparowlee and Beeston Tor.
All stations had rather grand signs (sometimes grander than the facilities) and platforms were just 6 inches (152 mm) high. All stations had sidings except for Beeston Tor and Redhurst Halt.
- Hulme End station was a large building, with adjacent engine and coach sheds (two roads in each). On the timetable it was described as "Hulme End for Hartington". Hartington being some 3 miles (4.8 km) distant.
- Ecton station had both a standard gauge and narrow gauge siding, with a narrow gauge extension to the milk factory. The presence of the railway did not kick-start the local mining industry, as hoped.
- Butterton station (also known locally as Ecton Lea) had a waiting room. There was a siding.
- Wetton Mill station had a station with waiting room, and a standard-gauge siding. (It had ceased to be a working mill before the railway was built.)
- At Redhurst Halt an old coach served as a waiting room. There was no siding here.
- Thor's Cave station largely served Wetton village. It had a waiting room. Its refreshment room was moved to Wetton in 1917.
- Grindon station, located at Weags Bridge, had a loop containing a 75 feet (22.86 m) standard gauge siding.
- Beeston Tor station had no siding, but a refreshment room.
- Sparrowlee station served Lee House Farm, but nowhere else, and there was not even a waiting room here. The siding included a 60 feet (18.29 m) standard gauge section.
- At Waterhouses station the platform had booking offices, and there was a goods shed. There were two short loops, and three short sidings which joined with standard gauge lines. (A road-widening scheme in the 1960s has subsequently removed much of the evidence.)
History
Everard Calthrop
Everard Richard Calthrop was a British railway engineer and inventor. Calthrop was a notable promoter and builder of narrow gauge railways, especially of gauge, and was especially prominent in India. His most notable achievement was the Barsi Light Railway; however he is best known in his home...
, a leading advocate of narrow gauge railways and builder of the Barsi Light Railway
Barsi Light Railway
The Barsi Light Railway was a -long, -gauge railway in western India. It was the brainchild of British engineer Everard Calthrop, and regarded as having revolutionised narrow gauge railway construction in India.-History:...
in India. A private concern, it was run by the North Staffordshire Railway on a percentage basis, but it later came under the control of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
in 1923.
The line was constructed to a high standard, Calthrop applying lessons learned on his other railways. Rail used was 35 lb/yard (17.28 kg/m), and the quality of trackwork is reflected in the fact that no re-laying was ever necessary.
The line was a single line, and most services (which began from Hulme End, where the locomotive sheds were) only involved the use of one engine in steam. There was passing loop at Wetton Mill, but it was never used as such.
At Waterhouses the timetable allowed for connections from Leek.
Trains ran at a maximum speed of 15 miles per hour (24.1 km/h), and most halts were run on a request basis. More than this, the train would also often stop to pick up passengers at other places on the lineside footpath, if requested. Timetables mostly show single journey times of 50 minutes (with some showing an hour).
Most outbound freight consisted of milk, in both churns and bulk tankers, and the products of the dairy goods factory at Ecton. In all, some 300 milk churns were handled daily at Waterhouses, and from 1919 a daily milk train ran from Waterhouses to London specifically for this traffic. Latterly milk tanks were used, carried on the transporter wagons. Passenger traffic was minimal - the settlements were mostly some distance from the line - except on Bank Holidays when all the line's rolling stock was used to run frequent services to handle the crowds.
There was some talk of extending the line northwards, whereby Hulme End (and its engine shed) would become the half-way point of the line, but this never materialised.
Locomotives and rolling stock
The company only had two locomotives: outside-cylindered 2-6-42-6-4
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, a 2-6-4 locomotive has two leading wheels, six coupled driving wheels and four trailing wheels...
Ts, built by Kitson & Co.
Kitson & Co.
Kitson and Company was a locomotive manufacturer based in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.-Early history:The company started as James Kitson at the Airedale Foundry, off Pearson Street, Hunslet in 1835 with Charles Todd as a partner...
of Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
in 1904, which were the first 2-6-4T locomotives to run in Britain - the first standard-gauge examples being the Great Central Railway
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
's Class 1B
GCR Class 1B
The GCR Class 1B was a class of 2-6-4T locomotives on the Great Central Railway. They were notable as the first locomotives of the 2-6-4T wheel arrangement to be used by a British standard-gauge railway; there had been two narrow-gauge examples on the Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway since...
of 1914. Number 1 was named E.R. Calthrop, after the line's engineer, and number 2 was named J.B. Earle (the resident engineer). Due to the influence of Calthrop, the locomotives had a somewhat colonial appearance with large headlights which were never used. They also had fittings for cow catchers - again never fitted, and they sported rerailing jacks by the smokebox. The locos were originally painted brown with gold and black lining, after the grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
replaced by crimson lake with gold and black lining. Latterly, after the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
had set in, they ran in plain black.
There was no turntable on the line, and engines ran chimney first towards Waterhouses, despite initial concerns (usually engines on a gradient run the other way, to keep the water over the firebox crown) about the steeper down section (1 in 40) out of Waterhouses. In latter years E.R. Calthrop returned from repairs in Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
facing the other way, as can be seen in later photographs.
There were four coaches; two first class and two brake composite thirds. These were originally painted primrose yellow, and later repainted in LMS Midland red.
Freight wagons consisted of one box van and two open wagons. These open wagons were built by the Leeds Forge Company and were largely designed for the transport of loose milk churns.
Additionally there were also five (four short and one long) transporter wagon
Transporter wagon
A transporter wagon, in railway terminology, is a wagon or railroad car designed to carry other railway equipment. Normally, it is used to transport equipment of a different rail gauge...
s, technically "low side bogie goods wagons". These were supplied by the Cravens Railway Carriage & Wagon Company at a cost of £315 each. Uniquely in Britain, in a piggy-back style these were capable of carrying standard gauge wagons - particularly milk tankers and coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
wagons - to standard-gauge sidings along the route. However, the extra height and width of the loading gauge caused by this arrangement (such as seen in the dimensions of Swainsley Tunnel) undid some of the benefits of using a narrow gauge. This arrangement also meant that standard gauge lengths of track (on sidings) had to be constructed level with the rails of the low transporters.
Frequency of service
Trains started and finished at Hulme End, at the northern end of the line, where the engine sheds were located.After opening, there were initially three trains daily in each direction. This increased to four on Thursdays and Saturdays (and later to five).
After an attempt by the North Staffordshire Railway as early as 1904 to reduce the service during the winter months to a service only on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the Manifold Company secured an agreement that there should be a minimum of two trains in each direction throughout the year.
On Bank Holidays there were some seven trains daily, and at peak times both engines and all carriages/wagons would be in use - planks and awnings were placed on the open wagons to make them usable by passengers, albeit rather rudimentary. It is recorded that in Whit week in 1905 some 5000 passengers were carried, and the most intensive service saw trains operating from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday services began in 1905, but stopped in 1930, thus losing much tourist revenue.
Closure
In 1932 the Express Dairy closed its Ecton Creamery, concentrating on its new RowsleyRowsley
Rowsley is a village on the A6 road in the English county of Derbyshire.It is at the point where the River Wye flows into the River Derwent and prospered from mills on both.-Overview:...
Dairy, and re-routing some milk collection to road transport. The loss of this milk trade removed most of the goods traffic from the line. Furthermore, the developing motor bus services served the villages much better, these settlements being largely on the hills, and often some distance from the line itself. The railway closed briefly in consequence, to re-open briefly in 1933, but closed finally to all traffic on Monday March 10, 1934.
J.B.Earle was cut up at Crewe, whilst E.R. Calthrop was used in the track-removal train, which worked south from Hulme End, before being itself cut up at Waterhouses. All that remains of the engines are 3 name plates.
Had the line survived until the 1950s, it is possible that it might have been saved by a preservation society, as happened with some other lines during that decade.
The line today – The Manifold Way
- See main article : Manifold Way
The Manifold Valley footpath and cycle way (now called the Manifold Way) was opened in July 1937 after the LMS handed over the trackbed to Staffordshire County Council. It continues on to Waterhouses, via Hulme End, as a bridle path, and, being tarmacked throughout, is ideal for wheelchair users, prams, etc. For about 1.5 miles (2.4 km), near Wetton Mill, the route is shared with motor traffic where the B-road has been diverted, and this section includes Swainsley tunnel, built by Sir Thomas Wardle who, despite being a shareholder in the railway, did not want to see it crossing his land. Some spectacular scenery can be found along the eight-mile route, including Thor's Cave, Wetton Hill and Beeston Tor. Many consider that this section bears comparison with the better-known Dovedale
Dovedale
Dovedale is a popular dale in the Peak District, England. It is owned by the National Trust, and annually attracts a million visitors. The valley is cut by the River Dove and runs for just over between Milldale in the north and a wooded ravine near Thorpe Cloud and Bunster Hill in the south...
a few miles to the east. (The National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
own several of these sites, as part of their South Peak Estate
South Peak Estate
The South Peak Estate of the National Trust comprises several land holdings in the Southern Peak District. Some of these, like Shining Cliff Wood and Alport Height, are just outside the National Park boundary...
.)
The Old Railway Hotel at Hulme End is now called the Manifold Inn. There are campsites at Hulme End and Wetton Village.
At Ecton Hill a 4,000-year-old copper mine lies along the route; there is still evidence of the railway's loading platforms along the route of the old railway. A dairy once stood here and you can still see where milk churns were once loaded onto the morning milk train. The Ecton dairy was famous for its Stilton cheese.
Modelling
Slater's Plasticard http://www.slatersplastikard.com/ produce an O16.5 scale kit of the locomotives, with Dorset Kits offering brass coach construction kits to match in this scale. Port Wynnstay http://www.ngtrains.com/Pages/Port_Wynnstay/portwynnstay.htm models of Derby offer a resin outline of the short wheelbase transport car/wagon, but there does not appear to be a maker of the flat wagons or the single box van.Meridian Models recently produced an (009) scale locomotive body in white metal
White metal
The white metals are any of several light-colored alloys used as a base for plated silverware, ornaments or novelties, as well as any of several lead-base or tin-base alloys used for things like bearings, jewellery, miniature figures, fusible plugs, some medals and metal type.Some of the metals...
to fit on a (Minitrix) chassis and Worsley Works
Worsley Works
Worsley Works, is a manufacturer of kits for model railway carriages and locomotives, owned and run from Worsley, UK, by Allen Doherty.Worsley Works is well-known in the finescale modelling world, especially in less-popular scales, including British HO scale and 3mm-scale models along with...
produce a basic scratch kit for the carriages, requiring addition of bogies (where applicable), couplings, door handles, and interior to complete. A third company has apparently produced the transporter cars/wagons in this scale.
Roundhouse http://www.roundhouse-eng.com/homepage.htm has produced a live steam model in 1:19 scale, (16mm/foot), of the Kitson
Kitson
Kitson may refer to:People with the surname Kitson:*Kitson Other:* Kitson & Co., locomotive builders* Kitson Meyer, an articulated locomotive* Kitson , a fashion boutique with stores in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A....
2-6-4 locomotive in the NSR livery.
There is a model at the visitors' centre in Hulme End
Hulme End
- Introduction :Hulme End is a small hamlet in Staffordshire, England. It is located in the Peak District National Park about 10 miles north of Ashbourne...
along one wall inside the former station building. This shows a representation of Hulme End station, yard and nearby buildings in (009) scale with a short run (scaled down distance) to a model of Butterton
Butterton
Butterton is a small village in the Staffordshire Peak District of England . It is west of Wettonmill in the Manifold Valley and north of Grindon. The village is just to the west of the limestone area, and so is mainly built of local sandstone...
station.
Further reading
- Jenkins, S.C. Leek and Manifold Light Railway (video)
- Porter, L. (1997) Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway ISBN 1-873775-20-2
- Gratton, R. (2005) The Leek and Manifold Light Railway ISBN 0-9538763-7-3
- Keys R and Porter L (1972) The Manifold Valley and its Light Railway, Moorland publishers
External links
- The Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway Pages - a comprehensive site
- Staffordshire Past Track has several photographs and a video of the railway in operation
- BFI footage (1930), including the loading of a transporter wagon
- Narrow Gauge Pleasure page
- Details of operating models of the steam locomotives at nearby Rudyard Lake
- Pathé News film of the line in 1933