Matlock railway station
Encyclopedia
Matlock Railway Station is a railway station owned by Network Rail
and managed by East Midlands Trains
. It is located in the Derbyshire town of Matlock in Derbyshire
, England
. The station is now currently the terminus of both the Derwent Valley Line
from Derby
and Peak Rail
who operate heritage services to Rowsley South
. Both lines are formed from portions of the Midland Railway
's main former line to Manchester
. Through running is technically possible but is not done in normal service.
, the line immediately passes into a series of tunnels, 321 yards (293.5 m), 58 yd (53 m) and 378 yd (345.6 m) long on the east side of the river, cut into the cliff side. Crossing the river and the main A6 road, the line passes through Holt Lane Tunnel (126 yd (115.2 m)) before entering Matlock Station. Being cut through limestone, these tunnels have required a deal of maintenance over the years.
Originally called "Matlock Bridge", it was opened by the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
in 1849, the station buildings being designed by Sir Joseph Paxton
, opening in 1850. The station is now grade 2 listed. until now, it acted as a single platform terminus until the former (down) side platform 2 reopened on 2 July 2011 allowing the use of trains of the preserved Peak Rail
service to operate into Matlock itself.
A double track railway line used to continue from Matlock via Bakewell and Millers Dale
, with a branch to Buxton
, and on through Peak Forest to Chinley and ultimately Manchester. This section of the former Midland Railway
's main line to Manchester
was closed to passengers in 1968 (the same year mainline steam came to an end) as a consequence of the Beeching cuts and the recent electrification of the West coast route from London Euston
to Manchester.
The last day of operation beyond Matlock was on Saturday 29 June 1968 (two months before regular mainline steam was fully abolished). Part of this route is now preserved as a heritage railway
by the railway preservation group Peak Rail
. At present, the heritage line operates from Rowsley South
through Darley Dale
and nearby Matlock Riverside
and now terminates at Matlock station in the Down platform (2), a distance of a little under five miles (6 km). Having, (from 2 July 2011 onward), extended a further third of a mile into the Down platform (2) of the Main station itself, Matlock is now (currently) the terminus of the heritage line, interchanging with rail services on the Derwent Valley Line
.
ran through services into London St Pancras
.
Work within the adjacent Cawdor Quarry
has resulted in a new superstore for Matlock being opened in 2007, and several hundred new homes are planned to be located nearby. Matlock bus station has also been relocated so as to be adjacent to the railway station, thus giving Matlock a true transport interchange. In the year 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 journeys from the station had increased by 40.70%.
The station building is occupied by Peak Rail's well stocked transport book shop.
The full range of tickets for travel for any destination in the country are purchased from the guard
on the train at no extra cost, however in June 2009, an automatic ticket machine was installed on the platform, enabling passengers to buy or collect tickets bought in advance.
From 2 July 2011 onward, Peak Rail now operate steam trains into the "now fully restored 'down' platform (2) having signing a fifty year lease with Network Rail on Christmas Eve 2008 "almost 3 years before". Reconnection of tracks have been made, the Down Platform rehabilitation is now complete, with the section finally re-opened on Saturday 2 July 2011.
, who operate an hourly service from Nottingham to Matlock (via Derby). Services are formed using diesel multiple unit
s of Classes 153
, 156
or 158
.
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
and managed by East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
. It is located in the Derbyshire town of Matlock in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The station is now currently the terminus of both the Derwent Valley Line
Derwent Valley Line
The Derwent Valley Line is a railway line from Derby to Matlock in Derbyshire.The line follows the Midland Main Line as far as Ambergate Junction, which is just south of Ambergate railway station, continuing to Matlock, following the course of the River Derwent.*Derby*Duffield**Former branch line...
from Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
and Peak Rail
Peak Rail
Peak Rail is a preserved railway in Derbyshire, England, which operates a steam service for tourists and visitors to both the Peak District and the Derbyshire Dales....
who operate heritage services to Rowsley South
Rowsley South railway station
Rowsley South railway station lies approximately a mile short of Rowsley village, the location of the settlement's previous stations. This makes Rowsley South the third station to be built in the area, constructed as it was by Peak Rail volunteers in the latter part of the 1990s.Opened to...
. Both lines are formed from portions of the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
's main former line to Manchester
Manchester Central railway station
Manchester Central railway station is a former railway station in Manchester City Centre, England. One of Manchester's main railway terminals between 1880 and 1969, it now houses an exhibition and conference centre named Manchester Central.-History:...
. Through running is technically possible but is not done in normal service.
History
Leaving Matlock BathMatlock Bath railway station
Matlock Bath railway station is a railway station owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Trains Train operating company . It is located in the village of Matlock Bath in Derbyshire, England...
, the line immediately passes into a series of tunnels, 321 yards (293.5 m), 58 yd (53 m) and 378 yd (345.6 m) long on the east side of the river, cut into the cliff side. Crossing the river and the main A6 road, the line passes through Holt Lane Tunnel (126 yd (115.2 m)) before entering Matlock Station. Being cut through limestone, these tunnels have required a deal of maintenance over the years.
Originally called "Matlock Bridge", it was opened by the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
The Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway ran from a junction with the Midland Railway at Ambergate to Rowsley north of Matlock and thence to Buxton....
in 1849, the station buildings being designed by Sir Joseph Paxton
Joseph Paxton
Sir Joseph Paxton was an English gardener and architect, best known for designing The Crystal Palace.-Early life:...
, opening in 1850. The station is now grade 2 listed. until now, it acted as a single platform terminus until the former (down) side platform 2 reopened on 2 July 2011 allowing the use of trains of the preserved Peak Rail
Peak Rail
Peak Rail is a preserved railway in Derbyshire, England, which operates a steam service for tourists and visitors to both the Peak District and the Derbyshire Dales....
service to operate into Matlock itself.
A double track railway line used to continue from Matlock via Bakewell and Millers Dale
Millers Dale railway station
Millers Dale railway station was a station situated in Millers Dale in the Peak District. It was built in 1863 by the Midland Railway on its extension of the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway from Rowsley....
, with a branch to Buxton
Buxton
Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Located close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park"...
, and on through Peak Forest to Chinley and ultimately Manchester. This section of the former Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
's main line to Manchester
Manchester Central railway station
Manchester Central railway station is a former railway station in Manchester City Centre, England. One of Manchester's main railway terminals between 1880 and 1969, it now houses an exhibition and conference centre named Manchester Central.-History:...
was closed to passengers in 1968 (the same year mainline steam came to an end) as a consequence of the Beeching cuts and the recent electrification of the West coast route from London Euston
Euston railway station
Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line...
to Manchester.
The last day of operation beyond Matlock was on Saturday 29 June 1968 (two months before regular mainline steam was fully abolished). Part of this route is now preserved as a heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
by the railway preservation group Peak Rail
Peak Rail
Peak Rail is a preserved railway in Derbyshire, England, which operates a steam service for tourists and visitors to both the Peak District and the Derbyshire Dales....
. At present, the heritage line operates from Rowsley South
Rowsley South railway station
Rowsley South railway station lies approximately a mile short of Rowsley village, the location of the settlement's previous stations. This makes Rowsley South the third station to be built in the area, constructed as it was by Peak Rail volunteers in the latter part of the 1990s.Opened to...
through Darley Dale
Darley Dale
Darley Dale, also known simply as Darley, is a town in Derbyshire, England, with a population of around 6,000 people. It lies north of Matlock, on the River Derwent and the A6 road.- History :...
and nearby Matlock Riverside
Matlock Riverside railway station
Matlock Riverside was the terminus of Peak Rail, a preserved steam railway of approximately 4 miles in length. For many years Peak Rail had planned to run trains into Matlock station, shared with the main line from Derby ....
and now terminates at Matlock station in the Down platform (2), a distance of a little under five miles (6 km). Having, (from 2 July 2011 onward), extended a further third of a mile into the Down platform (2) of the Main station itself, Matlock is now (currently) the terminus of the heritage line, interchanging with rail services on the Derwent Valley Line
Derwent Valley Line
The Derwent Valley Line is a railway line from Derby to Matlock in Derbyshire.The line follows the Midland Main Line as far as Ambergate Junction, which is just south of Ambergate railway station, continuing to Matlock, following the course of the River Derwent.*Derby*Duffield**Former branch line...
.
Recent History
Before 2004, former train operating company Midland MainlineMidland Mainline
Midland Mainline was a British train operating company owned by the National Express Group and based in Derby. It was created after the privatisation of British Rail. Midland Mainline services operated from April 1996 to November 2007....
ran through services into London St Pancras
St Pancras railway station
St Pancras railway station, also known as London St Pancras and since 2007 as St Pancras International, is a central London railway terminus celebrated for its Victorian architecture. The Grade I listed building stands on Euston Road in St Pancras, London Borough of Camden, between the...
.
Work within the adjacent Cawdor Quarry
Cawdor Quarry
Cawdor Quarry is a dis-used quarry in Matlock, Derbyshire. Much of it is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.The Peak District is renowned for its quarrying, and stone from Cawdor Quarry was used in the construction of both Hyde Park Corner and the Thames Embankment in London.Around...
has resulted in a new superstore for Matlock being opened in 2007, and several hundred new homes are planned to be located nearby. Matlock bus station has also been relocated so as to be adjacent to the railway station, thus giving Matlock a true transport interchange. In the year 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 journeys from the station had increased by 40.70%.
The station building is occupied by Peak Rail's well stocked transport book shop.
The full range of tickets for travel for any destination in the country are purchased from the guard
Conductor (transportation)
A conductor is a member of a railway train's crew that is responsible for operational and safety duties that do not involve the actual operation of the train. The title of conductor is most associated with railway operations in North America, but the role of conductor is common to railways...
on the train at no extra cost, however in June 2009, an automatic ticket machine was installed on the platform, enabling passengers to buy or collect tickets bought in advance.
From 2 July 2011 onward, Peak Rail now operate steam trains into the "now fully restored 'down' platform (2) having signing a fifty year lease with Network Rail on Christmas Eve 2008 "almost 3 years before". Reconnection of tracks have been made, the Down Platform rehabilitation is now complete, with the section finally re-opened on Saturday 2 July 2011.
Services
The station is served by East Midlands Trains LocalEast Midlands Trains
East Midlands Trains is a British passenger train operating company. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and between the East Midlands and London...
, who operate an hourly service from Nottingham to Matlock (via Derby). Services are formed using diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s of Classes 153
British Rail Class 153
The British Rail Class 153 Super Sprinter is a single car diesel multiple unit converted from British Rail Class 155s.-Description:These units were originally built as two-car Class 155 units by British Leyland from 1987–88, but were converted by Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock from 1991-92...
, 156
British Rail Class 156
The British Rail Class 156 Super Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train . 114 of these units were built from 1987 to 1989 by Metro-Cammell at its Washwood Heath Works in Birmingham...
or 158
British Rail Class 158
British Rail Class 158 Express Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train, built for British Rail between 1989 and 1992 by BREL at its Derby Works. They were built to replace many locomotive-hauled passenger trains, and allowed cascading of existing Sprinter units to replace elderly 'heritage' DMUs...
.