Travelling south from Leek a passenger of past times would first encounter the junctions at Leek Brook. Technically this is the northernmost limit of today's Churnet Valley preserved line. The preservationalists aim to extend their services to Leek but they have to assume that Morrisons, on the former station site, are unlikely to want to move ...
... so proposed development near to Leek's popular car boot sale site is to include a station. The junctions at Leek Brook are also included in far reaching plans with a separate company aiming to rebuild westbound to Stoke.
The first station southbound isn't there and never was!
Leek Brook platform only served the northbound lines; and brave folk wishing to travel south towards Uttoxeter would need to travel to Leek, do a U turn and travel back south. The halt never appeared in timetables and is often badly shown on maps.
So why build an unadvertised station there?
The "main line" junctions are mapped upper right, but there is an additional line curving away westwards at the bottom of the map extract.
This was constructed to get workers and materials up the hill to build the Cheddleton Lunatic Asylum, later the Cheddleton Mental Hospital and (thankfully) ultimately named St Edwards Hospital.
The substantial facility included a small power station to generate its own electricity, so it made sense, once the building work was complete (in 1899) to electrify the line (220 volts!) and purchase an electric locomotive. This would convey coal trucks to the boiler house ...
... with a second hand tram body for staff and occasional visitors. This set-up began operations in 1903.
Passenger services ceased in the 1920s and coal trip trains ran until 1954.
Trains were obliged to zig zag twice past the chapel to get up the hill.
By 1956 the line was lifted and nothing remains today. fbb could not find any visual record of the passenger car. The Churnet Valley Railway has rebuilt the "interchange" platform.
Next south is the station for Cheddleton itself.
This is the northern terminus of normal preservation train operation
This has become the operations HQ of the line with sidings, workshop ...
... and parking for lots of railway "stuff".
.Next comes the little halt at Consall.
It is picturesque and has a waiting shelter cantileverd out over the river Churnet.
The administrative base of the line is at its current southern terminus, Kingsley and Froghall.
Here another delightful station is at your disposal ...
... plus the inevitable tea toom!
Track remains in place southwards as far as the sand siding at Oakamoor mentioned in yesterday's post. After the sand conveyor, there is a short tunnel which remains intact ...
... but the station is gone.
Under ideal circumstances and with access to much fine gold, the Churnet Valley Railway would love to keep going as far as Alton Towers station (map bottom right).
The Dukes of Shrewsbury insisted that the station was a grand affair with long platforms and adequate buildings on both. There was even a loop where special excursion trains could be stored.
The station buildings included private waiting rooms for his lordship ....
... and just a few yards up the road was a modest and inconspicuous back gate ...
... all of which ensured that the nobility stood little chance of coming into contact with the snivelling minions who served them so faithfully.
The station is now available for holidays lets in the hands of The Landmark Trust.
The waiting room is a bit upmarket, even for His Lordship!
All round it does look as if the Churnat Valley Railway is well worth a visit - which is exactly what Northampton correspondent Alan did last Sunday.
Next Variety blog : Saturday 15th August
The Intalink website has had a makeover . . . perhaps fbb would like to investigate and comment?
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