A glorious summers day, June 22, 1977 finds 25031 leading a train of limestone empties at Peak Forest.

During the 1960's the former Midland route through the Peak District was a busy line. The electrification of the West Coast Main Line saw the diversion of much traffic on to this route and it was also visited by many of the early diesels from the Modernisation Plan. In particular the almost unbroken climb from Rowsley to Peak Forest was a solid test of any locomotive's capabilities.

But times changed, the WCML electrification was completed, Beeching's axe was in heavy use, the private motor car fleet knew no limits. And so in 1967 the line between Matlock and Millers Dale was closed, as a passenger route it now became two truncated branches, Derby - Matlock and Buxton - Manchester with through travellers now required to use the Dore & Totley / Cowburn line.

However the mining of limestone in the Buxton area prevented complete closure of many lines, allowing for the taking of many of these views.

Millers Dale

	With a veritable train of ancient stone wagons in tow LMS 4286 gets away from Millers Dale on May 13th 1947. The train is heading towards Buxton, Millers Dale station is barely visible in the background. Photographer unknown at this time.
	An undated view of LMS 9674 at Millers Dale Junction where the line from Derby splits with one route to Buxton and the other to Peak Forest and Manchester Central, which is the route taken in this view. Behind the photographer is the tiny Blackwell Mill Halt. Photographer unknown at this time.

Buxton

	No details on this view but the skyline is still very similar to the view below. The train is coming off the LNWR Ashbourne - Buxton line. The center of the train is crossing the bridge that carried the LNWR line over the Midland route from Millers Dale into Buxton. Photographer unknown at this time.
	40028 and 25027 arrive from the Millers Dale direction, no doubt heading for Buxton depot. This view is taken from the formation of the LNWR line to Ashbourne.
	25124 rests by the fuelling point on a sunny June 19th 1983 at Buxton depot. Photograph courtesy Russell Saxton.
	A rather tatty looking 25049 rests alongside the depot on June 19th 1983. Photograph courtesy Russell Saxton.
	40096 & 25094 rest at Buxton depot, September 16 1979.

Hindlow

	Its April 16th 1994 and a most unusual visitor to the Hindlow branch is a railtour powered by 37407 & 37429. Interestingly 37407 (with 37417) was on railtour duty the next day working the 'Creamed Leek' tour over the Cauldon Low branch, as the crow flies only a few miles south west of this view! Photograph courtesy Adrian Healey.
	A second view of the railtour as it proceeds gingerly onto the sidings leading to Dowlow Works (which also mark the end of the remaining route to Ashbourne). The well used line curving round to the right leads to the nearby Hindlow Quarry. Photograph courtesy Adrian Healey.
	A short freight led by 25266 heads back towards Buxton after traversing the Hindlow branch. The date is September 6th 1985, exact location is somewhere south of Buxton. Photograph courtesy Mike MacDonald.

Great Rocks

	On a gloriously damp April 24 1979 45035 uses the crossover at Great Rocks Jct. Whilst dodging the many raindrops here a gung-ho security person advised that photographs were not permitted here. This being a marked public highway, with a number of marked footpaths crossing the local scenery, we were somewhat amused by the statement. In the end it was the Derbyshire rain that sent us on our way, leaving the security person to keep an eye on the suspicious looking sheep.
	40182 and a short freight drift down from Peak Forest past Great Rocks Jct on April 27 1979. To the right of the locomotive used to be a small yard complete with turntable for servicing steam locomotives.
	Another view from April 29th 1979, this time with 25197 arriving with another train load of empties, this service taken the well worn crossover into the ICI Works.

Peak Forest

	25104, with a banker, gets to grips with twelve loaded ICI hoppers on 23 November 1978. It was during August 1964 that D5274 - 5279 & 7586 were allocated to Trafford Park (9E) to take over the ICI company stone trains from the Northwich & Heaton Mersey based 8F's. It was not until April 1986 that the Class 25's were displaced from these arduous duties.
	Peak Forest lost its train service from March 6 1967 but the station buildings still remain. Here 25106 eases by with a train of covered hoppers on June 22 1977. It is easy to forget that this line once hosted the original 'Peaks' (D1 - D10, Class 44) and the Blue Pullmans.
	On June 23 1977, an apparently glorious day in the High Peak, a train of empties led by 40111 eases past the giant shadow created by buildings belonging to the Buxton Lime Company. A few minutes earlier the train had been running through the notorious Dove Holes Tunnel.
	The crew of 40153 send a friendly wave to the photographer as another train load of empties arrives, September 16 1977.
	The first of the English Electric Type 4's, 40122 (D200) waits for its next turn of duty at Peak Forest, standing pretty much where the 'Up' platform used to be.
	After a short layover 40122 draws onto the main lines to make up its next train of stone hoppers. During August 1963 Longsight based 227 & 228 were tested on the stone trains, being loaded to a maximum of sixteen wagons, however it would be seven Class 25's that were used the following summer to dieselise the ICI company trains.
	Peak Forest proved to be the last resting place for D5278, the first Class 25 withdrawn. It had been involved in a collision in the area, and was deemed unfit to travel, so was broken up at Peak Forest during October 1971 by Cohen's of Kettering.
	A late afternoon view during January 1982 finds 45074 running light towards Manchester. A recent snowfall has turned the normally green Derbyshire landscape into something quite different, a most welcome change.

Dove Holes

After working the Hindlow branch earlier this day (September 6th 1985), 25266 continues its duties, now with more wagons in tow, by heading north towards Manchester. This view is shortly after leaving Dove Holes Tunnel. Photograph courtesy Mike MacDonald.

Chinley

	On an overcast Derbyshire day 8F 48495 pulls yet another train of mineral wagons through the Derbyshire scenery. Photographer unknown.
	Its 3.30pm on August 5th 1977 as an unidentified Class 25 - possibly 25198 - approaches Chinley station with another set of empty hoppers bound for Tunstead. Photograph courtesy Larry Goddard.
	An empty limestone train heads eastwards through Chinley on September 24th 1977 behind 25137. Photograph courtesy Larry Goddard.
	Eleven loaded bogie hoppers rest on the drawbar of 25141 as it drifts down from Chinley North Jct on August 3rd 1977. Photograph courtesy Larry Goddard.
	A lengthy train of loaded wagons heads west through Chinley behind 47200 on June 18th 1984. Photographer unknown.
	Beeching's axe reduced the once sprawling station at Chinley to little more than a 'paytrain' halt on the Sheffield - Manchester route. The intact platforms here suggest days of a finer grandeur, when expresses from St Pancras connected with locals to??? But now on a dull October 2 1977 a returning set of limestone empties led by 25103 is all that rattles the former glories of the windswept platforms.
	October 2 1977 finds 40181 heading west through Chinley, possibly bound for the large APCM plant at Hope. In the background a Sheffield - Manchester dmu continues its journey westwards.
	An SLS/MLS special stands at Chinley on August 24th 1952. On the extreme left a gang of workers are busy working on the track. The tender is still lettered for the LMS. Photographer not known.

New Mills South Junction

	Its a glorious June 7th 1984 as 31426 negotiates New Mills South Junction with the 10.41 Manchester Piccadilly - Sheffield. Photographer not known.
	Another view from June 7th 1984 finds 40001 heading east with a loaded ballast train. Kingmoor allocated 40001 has about a month left in service before withdrawal. Photographer not known.

Whilst motoring up the A6 on February 24th 1980, a foggy Sunday morning bound for a day's adventures in the Manchester area all eyes went right as the form of a derailed train lingered in the poor visiblilty. Taking the first right turn possible (one that didn't require the use of a tracked vehicle) the location of the unfortunate event was soon reached. No locomotive could be found so it is presumed that it was not affected by the derailment.

New Mills

	20057 & 20131 head east past New Mills Junction signalbox with empty limestone hoppers destined for the Tunstead area. Photograph courtesy S. Houlker.
	45031 approaches New Mills Central with the loaded 6J32 ICI limestone hoppers on September 11th 1985. Photograph courtesy S. Houlker.
	47481 cranks it up out of New Mills Central on Saturday April 26th 1986 as it takes the 1E87 eastbound and sends a plume of engine exhaust high into the air. Photograph courtesy S. Houlker.
	Another view from September 11th 1985 at New Mills Central finds 45032 heading back to Tunstead with another empty set of ICI hoppers. Photograph courtesy S. Houlker.
	A small group of passengers wait for September 21st's 1975 1M51 09.45 Manchester Piccadilly - St Pancras to come to a halt at New Mills Central. 45114 is in charge of the train this day. 'Progress' in later years would see New Mills lose its through service to London. Photographer not known.
	A well loaded freight heads east past New Mills Central station on September 21st 1981 led by 25179. Photograph courtesy J Davenport.

Great Rocks & Peak Forest views from the camera of Tony Sayer

During the last week of May 1981 a visit was made to North Derbyshire, prinicipally to photograph the Class 76's working over the Woodhead route. A couple of visits were made to Great Rocks & Peak Forest to capture the various stone train workings. Despite the wonderfully liquid North Derbyshire summer weather, Tony persevered long enough to capture a number of hard working Class 25's on workings that they had covered for sixteen years. In the first three views 25274 & 25308 are seen at Great Rocks Junction in the process of lifting eighteen loaded wagons, on extremely damp rail, to the 980' summit just beyond Peak Forest station. Despite the damp air one presumes the surrounding Derbyshire hills echoded mightily to the sound of these two locomotives as they got to grips with their train. (May 28th 1981) In the fourth view 25274 drifts downhill towards Great Rocks Junction with eighteen empties in tow. The rusty sidings in the foregound were once part of a small facility established to service the steam locomotives that once plied these rails. The last view shows 25320 arriving with a train of empties for the ICI South Works plant. A little bit of sun has breached the storm clouds to highlight the train's arrival.

From the overbridge by the former Peak Forest station a Northwich bound train of twelve loaded ICI hoppers headed by 25320 and banked by 25308 are on the last mile to Peak Forest summit. (May 28th 1981)

In the fourth view 25274 leaves the deep cutting that forms the approach to Dove Holes tunnel. The other view shows 25320 marshalling a train in the yard just to the right of 25274's train in the previous view.

Last updated April 30th 2008

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