![Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Railway and connections (diagram)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Manchester%2C_Buxton%2C_Matlock_and_Midland_Railway_and_connections_%28diagram%29.jpg)
The Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway ran from a junction with the
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844. The Midland was one of the largest railway companies in Britain in the early 20th century, and the largest employer in Derby, where it had its headquarters. It am ...
at
Ambergate
Ambergate is a village in Derbyshire, England, situated where the River Amber joins the River Derwent, and where the A610 road from Ripley and Nottingham joins the A6 that runs along the Derwent valley between Derby to the south and Matloc ...
to
Rowsley
Rowsley () is a village on the A6 road in the English county of Derbyshire. The population as at the 2011 census was 507.
It is at the point where the River Wye flows into the River Derwent and prospered from mills on both. The border of the ...
north of
Matlock and thence to
Buxton
Buxton is a spa town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.[London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...]
and Manchester, but it was initially planned as a route from
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
to the East of England, via the proposed
Ambergate, Nottingham, Boston and Eastern Junction Railway
The Ambergate, Nottingham and Boston and Eastern Junction Railway was a British railway company, which hoped to connect Lancashire with the port of Boston, in Lincolnshire. It was authorised in 1846 but was unable to raise much money. It opened ...
which would meet it a little further north along the North Midland line at Ambergate. The Act for a line from just south of
Stockport
Stockport is a town and borough in Greater Manchester, England, south-east of Manchester, south-west of Ashton-under-Lyne and north of Macclesfield. The River Goyt and Tame merge to create the River Mersey here.
Most of the town is within ...
to Ambergate was passed in 1846.
Currently, the section north of Millers Dale is open as the
Great Rocks freight line, Derby to Matlock still holds passenger services as the
Derwent Valley line, Matlock to Rowsley is the
Peak Rail
Peak Rail is a preserved railway in Derbyshire, England, which operates a steam and heritage diesel service for tourists and visitors to both the Peak District and the Derbyshire Dales.
The preserved railway line is over 3½ miles (5.6 km) ...
heritage line, and Rowsley to Buxton has become the
Monsal Trail
The Monsal Trail is a cycling, horse riding and walking trail in the Derbyshire Peak District. It was constructed from a section of the former Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway, which was built by the Midland Railway in 1 ...
for cycling, horse riding and walking.
Ambergate to Rowsley
The initial plan was for "An Act for making a Railway from the Manchester and Birmingham Railway at Cheadle in the County of Chester to or near to the Ambergate Station of the Midlands Railway in the County of Derby, to be called "The Manchester, Buxton, Matlock, and Midlands Junction Railway" The Bill received Parliamentary Assent in 1846.
The line opened as far as
Rowsley
Rowsley () is a village on the A6 road in the English county of Derbyshire. The population as at the 2011 census was 507.
It is at the point where the River Wye flows into the River Derwent and prospered from mills on both. The border of the ...
on 4 June 1849, but went no further, having run out of money
[Kingscott, G., (2007) ''Lost Railways of Derbyshire,'' Newbury: Countryside Books] giving its promoters something of a problem.
Matlock Bath
Matlock Bath is a village and civil parish in Derbyshire, England. It lies in the Peak District, south of Matlock on the main A6 road, and approximately halfway between Buxton and Derby. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census wa ...
had long been a tourist town. Since the station at Ambergate had been opened, tourists had been brought in by coach and canal. Around thirty coaches had passed that way each day, with sixty or seventy thousand visitors going on to
Chatsworth House
Chatsworth House is a stately home in the Derbyshire Dales, north-east of Bakewell and west of Chesterfield, Derbyshire, Chesterfield, England. The seat of the Duke of Devonshire, it has belonged to the House of Cavendish, Cavendish family sin ...
.
[Williams, F.S., (1874) ''The Midland Railway: Its Rise and Progress'' Derby: Bemrose and Son] The aim then was to develop the trade further.
The Midland Railway had held shares in the line since it had been first proposed in 1845, its interest being an extension onto its route to London. The Manchester and Birmingham had for some time been looking for a route of its own, and had considered a line through the Churnet Valley (later built by the
North Staffordshire Railway
The North Staffordshire Railway (NSR) was a British railway company formed in 1845 to promote a number of lines in the Staffordshire Potteries and surrounding areas in Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Shropshire.
The company was based ...
), but had instead supported the alternative Matlock route with a substantial shareholding. However, in 1846 it had merged with other lines to become the
LNWR
The London and North Western Railway (LNWR, L&NWR) was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. In the late 19th century, the L&NWR was the largest joint stock company in the United Kingdom.
In 1923, it became a constituent of the L ...
, which clearly could not contemplate a competing London line. In 1852 the two companies agreed to lease the line jointly for 19 years, In addition, the Midland would work the line and pay a rent on it, and also take over the
Cromford Canal
The Cromford Canal ran from Cromford to the Erewash Canal in Derbyshire, England with a branch to Pinxton. Built by William Jessop with the assistance of Benjamin Outram, its alignment included four tunnels and 14 locks.
From Cromford it ran ...
.
[
]
Rowsley to Buxton
In 1853, a junction was made to the southern end of the Cromford and High Peak Railway now LNWR-owned, at High Peak Junction, and with the latter's support, the Stockport, Disley and Whaley Bridge Railway connected Manchester to the northern end. In 1857, with the LNWR's barely concealed support, the SD&WBR then gained permission to extend to Buxton. It did so by a roundabout route along a massive escarpment to the east of the Goyt Valley
The River Goyt is a tributary of the River Mersey in North West England.
Etymology
The name ''Goyt'' may be derived from the Middle English ''gote'', meaning "a watercourse, a stream". Derivation from the Welsh ''gwyth'' meaning "vein" has b ...
, such that it could never become a through express route. Despite an LNWR petition against the Bill and opposition from the SD&WBR, the Midland Railway (Rowsley & Buxton) Act of 25 May 1860 authorised a [Railway Magazine October 1963 pp. 675–684 Peter E Baughan: Buxton Centenary] line from Rowsley to meet the SD&WBR at Buxton.[ Work started in September 1860, under Frederic Campion,] the Midland Railway's Southern Division engineer, then under Alfred Andrew Langley (from 1883 Midland's Chief Engineer).
It was the first time the Midland had built in such difficult terrain, with steep hills and deep valleys, Buxton itself being some above sea level. The line followed the River Wye
The River Wye (; cy, Afon Gwy ) is the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, fourth-longest river in the UK, stretching some from its source on Plynlimon in mid Wales to the Severn estuary. For much of its length the river forms part of Wal ...
as far as Bakewell
Bakewell is a market town and civil parish in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England, known also for its local Bakewell pudding. It lies on the River Wye, about 13 miles (21 km) south-west of Sheffield. In the 2011 census, ...
, with the complication of the cut and cover
A tunnel is an underground passageway, dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, and enclosed except for the entrance and exit, commonly at each end. A pipeline is not a tunnel, though some recent tunnels have used immersed tube cons ...
Haddon Tunnel
Haddon Tunnel was built by the Midland Railway in 1863 when extending the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway from Rowsley to Buxton in Derbyshire, England.
The tunnel was constructed to hide the railway from the view of t ...
, and reached Hassop
Hassop is a village in the local government district of Derbyshire Dales in Derbyshire, England. It is in the civil parish of Great Longstone
It developed around a number of lead mines, with such names as "The Brightside", "Backdale", "Harry Bru ...
in 1862 There then followed two viaducts – at Millers Dale
Millers Dale (Ordnance Survey: Miller's Dale) is a valley on the River Wye in Derbyshire, England, where there is also a hamlet of the same name.
It is a popular beauty spot in the Peak District of England, much of the area being preserved a ...
and Monsal Dale
Monsal Dale is a valley in Derbyshire, England, in the White Peak limestone area of the Peak District National Park. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) (1) and part of a Europe-wide network ...
– and eight tunnels, reaching Buxton in 1863[ at almost the same time as the LNWR reached it from ]Whaley Bridge
Whaley Bridge () is a town and civil parish in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England. It is situated on the River Goyt, south-east of Manchester, north of Buxton, north-east of Macclesfield and west of Sheffield. It had a population ...
. In 1884 John Ruskin
John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English writer, philosopher, art critic and polymath of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and pol ...
complained of the effect on the dales, saying, "your railway drags its close clinging damnation".
All this time passengers were having to change at Ambergate, but in the same year, the Midland added a south-facing junction and moved the station to allow through travel from Derby and the south. However, there was still the problem of the joint control of the line.
For many years, the town of Wirksworth
Wirksworth is a market town in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England. Its population of 5,038 in the 2011 census was estimated at 5,180 in 2019. Wirksworth contains the source of the River Ecclesbourne. The town was granted a mar ...
had been campaigning for a branch line from Duffield. The C&HPR was interested, but had insufficient funds. The Midland was initially unenthusiastic, but then realised that the branch could be extended to Rowsley, avoiding the section to Ambergate, being unsure about what might occur when joint lease expired in 1871.
However, the LNWR gave up its share of the line when the lease expired. It was, after all, remote and isolated from the company's main system. The Midland was therefore relieved of the necessity of extending from Wirksworth over a very difficult piece of terrain. The branch opened to Wirksworth in 1867 but was not carried further.
To Manchester
In the shifting alliances and rivalries between the various companies, the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (MS&LR) was formed in 1847 when the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway joined with authorised but unbuilt railway companies, forming a proposed network from Manchester to Grimsb ...
also wished to keep the Midland away from the coalmines which it served and, in 1859, was planning a line from Hyde just outside Manchester to New Mills
New Mills is a town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England, south-east of Stockport and from Manchester at the confluence of the River Goyt and Sett. It is close to the border with Cheshire and above the Torrs, a deep gorge cut t ...
and Hayfield. The company was also being courted by the GNR that planned to run London trains through Retford
Retford (), also known as East Retford, is a market town in the Bassetlaw District in Nottinghamshire, England, and one of the oldest English market towns having been granted its first charter in 1105. It lies on the River Idle and the Chesterf ...
. Meanwhile, the MS&LR's manager Edward Watkin
Sir Edward William Watkin, 1st Baronet (26 September 1819 – 13 April 1901) was a British Member of Parliament and railway entrepreneur. He was an ambitious visionary, and presided over large-scale railway engineering projects to fulfil his b ...
had his own plans to reach London through Sheffield
Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...
.
It seemed the Midland's only chance was a circuitous route with the help of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR) was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways. It was the third-largest railway system based in northern ...
, except that it transpired that latter had an agreement with the LNWR not to handle other companies' trains. In 1861, the Midland sent their manager James Allport and some of the directors on a scouting trip around the area, and came by chance upon a party of MS&LR directors riding in a dog cart. The upshot was that Allport who had previously worked for the latter company should arrange a deal. Since it was clear that the Midland was determined to go ahead, it would be better not to have two lines running side by side.[
On 7 November 1861] it was formally agreed therefore that the Midland would join the MS&LR partner's Marple, New Mills and Hayfield Junction line at New Mills, an agreement which was put into statutes, later including the Sheffield and Midland Railway Companies' Committee
The Sheffield and Midland Railway Companies' Committee was incorporated by Act of Parliament in 1869 as a joint venture between the Midland Railway and the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway.
Origins
For many years the Midland had b ...
in the "Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway Act" of 6 August 1872.
To do this, it built a junction at Millers Dale
Millers Dale (Ordnance Survey: Miller's Dale) is a valley on the River Wye in Derbyshire, England, where there is also a hamlet of the same name.
It is a popular beauty spot in the Peak District of England, much of the area being preserved a ...
, which effectively left Buxton on a branch. Thus railway politics deprived what was (particularly at that time) the largest town in the Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in England at the southern end of the Pennines. Mostly in Derbyshire
Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands, England. It includes much of the Peak District National Park, the southe ...
of a through main-line station. The Midland's line proceeded to the east of, but parallel to, the LNWR's line until it reached a summit at Peak Forest
Peak Forest is a small village and civil parish on the main road the ( A623) from Chapel-en-le-Frith to Chesterfield in Derbyshire. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 335.
The village grew from the earlier settlement of ...
. It then plunged under the LNWR through Dove Holes Tunnel
Dove Holes Tunnel is a tunnel built by the Midland Railway between Peak Forest Signal Box and Chapel-en-le-Frith in Derbyshire in 1860–64, now carrying the Great Rocks Line.
In the mid-nineteenth century, the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and ...
with stations at Chapel-en-le-Frith
Chapel-en-le-Frith () is a town and civil parish in the Borough of High Peak in Derbyshire, England.
It has been dubbed the "Capital of the Peak", in reference to the Peak District, historically the upperland areas between the Saxon lands (belo ...
, and joining the MS&LR at New Mills
New Mills is a town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England, south-east of Stockport and from Manchester at the confluence of the River Goyt and Sett. It is close to the border with Cheshire and above the Torrs, a deep gorge cut t ...
to run into Manchester London Road
Manchester Piccadilly is the principal railway station in Manchester, England. Opened as Store Street in 1842, it was renamed Manchester London Road in 1847 and became Manchester Piccadilly in 1960. Located to the south-east of Manchester city ...
, opening in 1867. This section of route is still open for stone freight trains serving the Buxton lime industry
The Buxton lime industry has been important for the development of the town of Buxton in Derbyshire, England, and it has shaped the landscape around the town.
Geology
The White Peak area of the Peak District is named after the limestone pla ...
as the Great Rocks Line
The Great Rocks Line is a freight railway line in Derbyshire, England, that runs between the Hope Valley Line at Chapel Milton and the stone quarries and sidings at Peak Dale and Peak Forest, before looping around to the town of Buxton. It takes ...
.
Later history
The Midland at last had its route into Manchester from London. Over the years it made some improvements. The route from Romiley
Romiley is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. Historically part of Cheshire, it borders Marple, Bredbury and Woodley. At the 2011 census, the Romiley ward, which includes Compstall, Bredbury Green ...
through Hyde entailed a long detour, so in 1875 a new more direct line was opened through Reddish
Reddish is an area in Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. south-east of Manchester city centre. At the 2011 Census, the population was 28,052. Historically part of Lancashire, Reddish grew rapidly in the Industria ...
.
In 1865 the Midland had become a partner of the Cheshire Lines Committee
The Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC) was formed in the 1860s and became the second-largest joint railway in Great Britain. The committee, which was often styled the Cheshire Lines Railway, operated of track in the then counties of Lancashire a ...
which opened 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 has been converted into an exhibition and conference centre, originally know ...
in 1880. Therefore, the Midland transferred most of its trains there, at first reaching it through Stockport Tiviot Dale. However the route became increasingly congested and was hardly suitable as an express route, so in 1897, the Midland opened a new line from New Mills through Disley Tunnel
Disley Tunnel was built by the Midland Railway in 1902 on its line between New Mills South Junction and Manchester Central, which was more direct than the congested and difficult lines through Stockport Tiviot Dale.
It was the most expensive wo ...
and Heaton Mersey
Heaton Mersey is a suburb of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. It is situated on the north-western border of Stockport, adjacent to Didsbury and Burnage in Manchester.
Heaton Mersey is a mostly residential area and commuter zone for Manche ...
.
Closure
The line from Matlock to Buxton
Buxton is a spa town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.[Peak Rail
Peak Rail is a preserved railway in Derbyshire, England, which operates a steam and heritage diesel service for tourists and visitors to both the Peak District and the Derbyshire Dales.
The preserved railway line is over 3½ miles (5.6 km) ...]
who have restored the section from Matlock to Rowsley.
The line from Matlock to Ambergate, plus the section of the Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway line in England from London to Nottingham and Sheffield in the Midlands. It comprises the lines from London's St Pancras station via Leicester, Derby/Nottingham and Chesterfield in the East Midlands ...
to Derby
Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...
, are now referred to as the Derwent Valley Line. Meanwhile, the Wirksworth branch still exists and is now painstakingly restored as the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway is a long heritage railway in Derbyshire. The headquarters of the railway centre on Wirksworth station, and services operate in both directions between Wirksworth and Duffield and from Wirksworth to Rave ...
.
Current status
Although the track has been lifted between Rowsley and Buxton and is now part of the Monsal Trail
The Monsal Trail is a cycling, horse riding and walking trail in the Derbyshire Peak District. It was constructed from a section of the former Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway, which was built by the Midland Railway in 1 ...
, plans to re-open it are still proposed from time to time, and the Derbyshire
Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands, England. It includes much of the Peak District National Park, the southern end of the Pennine range of hills and part of the National Forest. It borders Greater Manchester to the nor ...
County Council has pledged to keep the trackbed free of development.
Part of the line has been re-opened by the heritage railway
A heritage railway or heritage railroad (US usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) i ...
organisation Peak Rail
Peak Rail is a preserved railway in Derbyshire, England, which operates a steam and heritage diesel service for tourists and visitors to both the Peak District and the Derbyshire Dales.
The preserved railway line is over 3½ miles (5.6 km) ...
who run services from Matlock to Rowsley
Rowsley () is a village on the A6 road in the English county of Derbyshire. The population as at the 2011 census was 507.
It is at the point where the River Wye flows into the River Derwent and prospered from mills on both. The border of the ...
, at a current distance of in length.
There are plans to extend to Bakewell via the site of Rowsley railway station and a Proposed Haddon halt as part of the Buxton extension project. It will involve reinstating the whole section and Bakewell railway station to their former use once planning permission has been granted, plus full restoration of the old Haddon Tunnel and both Coombs Road and Rowsley Viaducts (along the way between both Bakewell and Rowsley themselves).
Four tunnels (Headstone, Cressbrook, Litton and Chee Tor) between Great Longstone and Peak Forest and Blackwell Mill were re-opened to walkers and cyclists in May 2011.
In March 2018, it was announced that a consortium of quarry companies and the heritage railway Peak Rail
Peak Rail is a preserved railway in Derbyshire, England, which operates a steam and heritage diesel service for tourists and visitors to both the Peak District and the Derbyshire Dales.
The preserved railway line is over 3½ miles (5.6 km) ...
is investigating reopening the line between Matlock and Buxton. This section has been identified by Campaign for Better Transport as a phase 2 candidate for reopening.
In March 2020, a bid was made to the Restoring Your Railway fund to get funds for a feasibility study into reinstating the line between Matlock and Buxton. This bid was unsuccessful. In March 2021, the bid was re-submitted as part of the third round of the Restoring Your Railway fund.
In June 2022 it was announced that funding would not be allocated at this time.
The proposal to reinstate the railway, a campaign led by Manchester and East Midlands Rail Action Partnership (MEMRAP), continues to grow support. Working with the Promoter, Peaks and Dales Railway and supported by the Goodshelter Group, the plans include a re provisioned Monsal Trail as well as the return of the railway.
See also
* Rail trail
A rail trail is a shared-use path on railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed, but may also share the right of way with active railways, light rail, or streetcar ...
References
External links
British Railways 1960, Trent to Manchester Central
County Council Feasibility Study ''This report also has detailed plans of the line.''
Friends of the Derwent Valley Line
Monsal Trail description
{{DEFAULTSORT:Manchester, Buxton, Matlock And Midland Junction Railway
Closed railway lines in the East Midlands
Early British railway companies
Midland Railway
History of Derbyshire
Rail transport in Derbyshire
Railway companies established in 1846
Railway lines opened in 1849
1849 establishments in England