Rowsley South railway station
Encyclopedia
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 passenger services in 1997, the station was for a time referred to as 'Northwood', which is the part of Rowsley
settlement that is near to the terminus. This 'connection' can still be observed through the name of the café that stands on the station, which is known as the 'Northwood Buffet'.
was opened in 1849 and formed a terminus for the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
line from Ambergate
. That location became a goods yard
in 1862, serving a new station built at that time, which lay on a through deviation. The latter took the line over the present day A6 road and the River Derwent
, then into the Duke of Rutland's
estate and on towards Bakewell
. This later station in Rowsley
closed in 1967 when the route itself was rationalised, prior to complete closure early in 1968.
Rowsley South is now the main centre for the activities of preservation and heritage group Peak Rail
and its various affiliated societies. The former operate a heritage steam service over some five miles of the one-time London, Midland and Scottish Railway
route to the south, with an intermediate station at Darley Dale
a halt at Matlock Riverside
and (since 2nd July 2011) terminating at Matlock Bridge
.
Built as it is by the site of Rowsley's
former Goods Yard, the station has both good access and extensive space available for future developments. Part of the Goods Yard has been restored as sidings for locomotives and coaching stock, a number of which lead to the sheds that are operated by other societies (see next section).
Other tracks from the sidings lead to Peak Rail's
locomotive shed, which is under construction, and also to a turntable
(previously located at Mold Junction) which returned to full working order on May 1st 2010, being opened in a special ceremony by Pete Waterman
.
The actual station is currently in the form of a single platform based, like the railway's other utilised platforms, on the Up side of the track. It is currently Peak Rail's
northern terminus, although Peak Rail has now secured a 99-year lease on the trackbed up to the A6 at Rowsley Village
, for the proposed Rowsley North (a north equivalent of Rowsley South itself) and with hopes of extending towards Bakewell in the future.
Parking at the station is both extensive and free of charge. Access to the station's facilities and to the yard is also without charge, though this only applies on operating days (on other occasions, the site is closed to the public). The LMSCA operate a small visitor centre inside their shed at the yard's southern end, and both they and the Heritage Shunters Trust
welcome interested visitors. However, except in the case of such visits, the yard is closed to public access.
In 2008, Peak Rail was awarded £10,000 from the National Lottery's
"Awards for All" scheme to upgrade facilities at the station itself, and this has since resulted in the construction of a new wooden station building, with new housing for a ticket office, shop and customer toilets, as well as rooms for stores and the stationmaster.
own trains are in steam.
Rowsley
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:...
, 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
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....
volunteers in the latter part of the 1990s.
Opened to passenger services in 1997, the station was for a time referred to as 'Northwood', which is the part of Rowsley
Rowsley
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:...
settlement that is near to the terminus. This 'connection' can still be observed through the name of the café that stands on the station, which is known as the 'Northwood Buffet'.
History
The initial station in 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:...
was opened in 1849 and formed a terminus for 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....
line from Ambergate
Ambergate railway station
Ambergate railway station is a railway station owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Trains Train operating company . It serves the village of Ambergate in Derbyshire...
. That location became a goods yard
Classification yard
A classification yard or marshalling yard is a railroad yard found at some freight train stations, used to separate railroad cars on to one of several tracks. First the cars are taken to a track, sometimes called a lead or a drill...
in 1862, serving a new station built at that time, which lay on a through deviation. The latter took the line over the present day A6 road and the River Derwent
River Derwent, Derbyshire
The Derwent is a river in the county of Derbyshire, England. It is 66 miles long and is a tributary of the River Trent which it joins south of Derby. For half its course, the river flows through the Peak District....
, then into the Duke of Rutland's
Duke of Rutland
Earl of Rutland and Duke of Rutland are titles in the peerage of England, derived from Rutland, a county in the East Midlands of England. The Earl of Rutland was elevated to the status of Duke in 1703 and the titles were merged....
estate and on towards Bakewell
Bakewell
Bakewell is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England, deriving its name from 'Beadeca's Well'. It is the only town included in the Peak District National Park, and is well known for the local confection Bakewell Pudding...
. This later station in Rowsley
Rowsley
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:...
closed in 1967 when the route itself was rationalised, prior to complete closure early in 1968.
Present day
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....
and its various affiliated societies. The former operate a heritage steam service over some five miles of the one-time 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...
route to the south, with an intermediate station at Darley Dale
Darley Dale railway station
-History:Lying at the bottom of Station Road in the settlement of Darley Dale, Darley Dale in its current form is not the first station to have existed upon the site. That halt was built in 1849, by the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway, and existed on the other side of the...
a halt at 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 (since 2nd July 2011) terminating at Matlock Bridge
Matlock railway station
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...
.
Built as it is by the site of Rowsley's
Rowsley
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:...
former Goods Yard, the station has both good access and extensive space available for future developments. Part of the Goods Yard has been restored as sidings for locomotives and coaching stock, a number of which lead to the sheds that are operated by other societies (see next section).
Other tracks from the sidings lead to Peak Rail's
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....
locomotive shed, which is under construction, and also to a turntable
Turntable (railroad)
A railway turntable is a device for turning railroad rolling stock. When steam locomotives were still in wide use, many railroads needed a way to turn the locomotives around for return trips as their controls were often not configured for extended periods of running in reverse and in many...
(previously located at Mold Junction) which returned to full working order on May 1st 2010, being opened in a special ceremony by Pete Waterman
Pete Waterman
Peter Alan Waterman OBE is an English record producer, occasional songwriter, radio and club DJ, television presenter, president of Coventry Bears rugby league club and a keen railway enthusiast. As a member of the Stock Aitken Waterman songwriting team he wrote and produced many hit singles...
.
The actual station is currently in the form of a single platform based, like the railway's other utilised platforms, on the Up side of the track. It is currently Peak Rail's
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....
northern terminus, although Peak Rail has now secured a 99-year lease on the trackbed up to the A6 at Rowsley Village
Rowsley
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:...
, for the proposed Rowsley North (a north equivalent of Rowsley South itself) and with hopes of extending towards Bakewell in the future.
Other societies
Other societies on the site include:- London, Midland and Scottish Carriage Association
- Heritage Shunters TrustHeritage Shunters TrustHeritage Shunters Trust is a trading name of The South Yorkshire Railway Co. Ltd. which was founded in 1989. HST is a railway preservation society and is the only preservation society that solely specialises in the preservation of diesel shunters in the UK...
(South Yorkshire Railway Co Ltd) - Renown and Repulse Preservation Group, who are currently restoring a brace of Class 50 locomotivesBritish Rail Class 50The British Rail Class 50 is a diesel locomotive built from 1967-68 by English Electric at their Vulcan Foundry Works in Newton-le-Willows. Fifty of these locomotives were built to haul express passenger trains on the, then non-electrified, section of the West Coast Main Line between Crewe,...
.
Facilities
Facilities at the location include a Ticket Office (open many operating days), the 'Northwood Buffet' (open all operating days), and a shop (opening times as Buffet), along with disabled access toilets.Parking at the station is both extensive and free of charge. Access to the station's facilities and to the yard is also without charge, though this only applies on operating days (on other occasions, the site is closed to the public). The LMSCA operate a small visitor centre inside their shed at the yard's southern end, and both they and the Heritage Shunters Trust
Heritage Shunters Trust
Heritage Shunters Trust is a trading name of The South Yorkshire Railway Co. Ltd. which was founded in 1989. HST is a railway preservation society and is the only preservation society that solely specialises in the preservation of diesel shunters in the UK...
welcome interested visitors. However, except in the case of such visits, the yard is closed to public access.
In 2008, Peak Rail was awarded £10,000 from the National Lottery's
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
"Awards for All" scheme to upgrade facilities at the station itself, and this has since resulted in the construction of a new wooden station building, with new housing for a ticket office, shop and customer toilets, as well as rooms for stores and the stationmaster.
Narrow gauge line
At the station's northern end is a small park, a play-area and also the narrow gauge line of the Derbyshire Dales Narrow Gauge Railway Group. These are located on the other side of the line as the station, and can be accessed by a level crossing. The latter attraction is usually in operation in the summer and also on many Sundays when Peak Rail'sPeak 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....
own trains are in steam.