Curves and Deviations on the Cromford & High Peak Railway

Welcome to the 9th part of the Cromford and High Peak Railway series. We're travelling down the disused Derbyshire railway line, this week on a bicycle.
We're starting at Parsley Hay and the old station. On this episode we're travelling to the next station at Hurdlow. The main focus for today is the intruiging and sometimes severe deviations in the trackbed. Back when the line was designed & built in the 1820s, it followed a canal building mindset. The alignment of the railway, was to cling to contour lines to avoid any gradients. This led to some severe curves along the way. As railway innovation progressed, these curves became somewhat of a hinderence to newer locos and work was carried out to re-align and ease the radius of many curves along the way. The London & North Western (LNWR) took over the line in the 1860s and soon set about bypassing sections and building alternative deviations.
When the Buxton to Ashbourne line was built, a lot of the railway was modernised and realigned further to what we see today.
When we reach Hurdlow, we see the site of the two former generations of stations and the newer road bridge that replaced the level crossing.
***
On this series we'll be following the disused railway line the 33 miles from Cromford in the Derbyshire Dales over to Whalley Bridge in the High Peak. In the first part we look at the section of the railway that was extended to meet with the main railway line.
During the conception of the Cromford and High Peak Railway, canals were in fashion and railways hadn’t really taken off yet. The line exists as there was a desire to connect the Peak Forest canal (Manchester's industry in the West) to the Cromford Canal and the various industry in the East Midlands. A canal was considered but the number of locks to cross the peak district would be enormous.
So instead, a tramroad, or tramway was decided to be the way forward. Horse drawn with rope inclines at several locations to pull the wagons up the steep gradients.
An extremely ambitious venture at the time coming only a handful of years after the Stockton and Darlington railway. This makes it one of the world oldest railways. The 33 mile long line opened at the turn of the 1830s connecting the two canals and shortly after the horses were replaced with steam engines. The inclines were powered by static steam engines that we will see in later episodes.
We’ll see as we progress down the line, various challenges that ultimately led to the line's closure. Apart from a few quarry lines, the railway closed in stages up to 1967.
These days a large portion of the line is accessible as the High Peak Trail.
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[@martinmarsola6477]

Thank you for the walking tour this day. Thanks again in conjunction with the weather. Enjoy your rest of the weekend, and see you on the next, Paul. 😊😊

[@WobblyRunner]

Thanks Martin. The irony this weekend over here, we are in Wales and it is 24 degrees and 🌞

[@chrischapman7514]

Another great one Paul keep up the great work enjoyed it once again.

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers Chris 👍

[@andrewmarriott4033]

Thanks

[@WobblyRunner]

Thanks Andrew. Very much appreciated

[@keithtanner2806]

You should have tried it on Boxing Day 1963 when 4 of us set off from Buxton Station after waiting an hour for the train a diesel railcar to set off due to the snow. We travelled through tunnels and bridges with the train breaking huge icicles. After heading up Long Hill we decided that the snow was too heavy to continue our original walk route. At the top we turned left to drop down the High Peak and Cromford alignment inadvertently crossing a small frozen pond! Even heavier snow made uo choose to walk through the tunnel. Fortunately, the door was unlocked, we had no lights and just hoped that the opposite end would be open. For what seemed forever we stumbled around and over fallen masonry from the roof. Fortunately, the opposite end was open. We headed back to the station to find the same train still sitting with its engine running, they daren’t stop it. It was the only train in ir out of Buxton that day and there were no others for several days after!

[@WobblyRunner]

Wow Keith, what a story. I suppose just as surprising is the phrase train on boxing day. Where were you trying to get to?

[@Olleetheowl]

Excellent again 👌

[@WobblyRunner]

Thanks a lot 😊

[@owencarlstrand1945]

Walked the whole length about 25 years ago, Cromford to Whaley Bridge staying at the Bull i’Thorn pub (sadly no more).

[@richardbird4702]

Was there on April 30th 1967 when the last train ran (my 22nd birthday!). Like the drone shots. Did you see the notice some way South of Minninglow which stated that horses for the Great War were loaded onto the trains. Don't know if it's still there. Be sure to have a look at the triangular head shunt on the original course of the line, West of and close to the south portal of Hindlow Tunnel. Triangular layout like the American "Y" system. Thought to be for keeping end tipping trucks in the right orientation for the different facing inclines.

[@WobblyRunner]

Thanks Richard. What a great thing to have witnessed 👍 I'll keep an eye out for that. Hopefully doing that next section within the next few weeks.

[@richardbird4702]

You may like to do a KZbin search for "Cromford and High Peak Railway 1831 - 1967.Reminiscences of the 1960s & later". (some of my photos)

[@briancooper562]

Like you say the first design principle for the route was as a canal. First locos after horses would have been two axle for the tight corners. However for speed and stability 3 axle locos would start to be used requiring larger radius curves and a smoother alignment. I think a part LNWR express ran Buxton to London via Ashbourne and Rugby coaches added at key stations, So an average about 60 mph would be the minimum expected?

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers Brian. 👍 Railway innovation playing out right there.

[@maestromanification]

Great video Paul, pure dedication doing it in that weather! You need to check out Rosedale branch

[@WobblyRunner]

Cheers Russ. I drove up through Rosedale a few months ago. Would love to spend a few days up there touring

[@maestromanification]

@@WobblyRunner let me know if you want to do that, I'd be up for that

[@Carolb66]

Thanks paul, for braving that awful weather! 😮❤

[@WobblyRunner]

Thanks very much Carol. 2 months later I think I've warmed up only just. 😄

[@Carolb66]

@@WobblyRunner yes hope so it's been gorgeous today! 🤩

[@alastairmacdonald6223]

Thanks

[@WobblyRunner]

Thanks Alastair. Very much appreciated. Hope you enjoyed the video.