News

Iconic Derbyshire railway footbridge set for rebirth as part of £243,000 project funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund

A grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund is set to ensure The Derwent & Wye Valley Railway Trust can restore the historic Darley Dale Station railway footbridge back to its former glory as part of a far-reaching history project.

Made possible thanks to National Lottery players, the initiative is set to fund the return of the unique double-staircase structure, originally built in 1911, to its original position spanning the track at Darley Dale Station.

This restoration is part of a broader initiative to celebrate the station's rich heritage, engaging the community and volunteers in preserving a significant piece of local history.

©Keith Miles Collection

Funding of £223,000 has been awarded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, allowing the Trust to initiate this ambitious project. Balances of the project cost are being met by the Trust (£19,000) and a grant from Darley Dale Town Council (£1,000). The restoration will not only conserve a unique part of the railway's infrastructure but also serve as a catalyst for a wide-ranging initiative which will include educational programmes, intergenerational events, community engagement, and the creation of various volunteer and training roles.

©Alan Weaver

The project will enable local people and visitors alike to connect with the station's rich past, from its bustling heydays until its closure in 1967. The restoration is part of a two-year, multi-faceted history project aimed at fostering a deeper appreciation of the area's railway heritage through various mediums, including a 'timeline' history, show and tell events, and a comprehensive booklet incorporating oral histories and research findings.

The chair of trustees, David Lathrope said: “We're delighted to have received this support from National Lottery players. This project is not just about preserving a structure but is a celebration of our local heritage, connecting generations and promoting sustainability. It’s wonderful to know that we can bring this iconic footbridge back to life, enabling it to once again stand as a beacon of our community’s rich history.”

East Midlands Railway Customer & Communities Improvement Fund

The DWVR Trust is delighted to receive a £1000 grant from EMR’s Customer and Communities Improvement Fund for improvements at Platform 2 of Matlock Station. This is the platform used by Peak Rail when trains are running into Matlock Town.

The grant will allow the purchase and planting up of four self-watering Amberol planters which are in keeping with the heritage of the station. For a number of years Platform 2 has presented a sorry sight to passengers using East Midlands Railway services on Platform 1. The original wooden barrel planters have gradually deteriorated, and proved difficult to maintain given the limited supply of water needed to sustain healthy displays.

The authentic looking self-watering Barrel Planters will have all the aesthetic appeal of a wooden barrel but without the splinters, rust and rot. Being self-watering they will sustain floral displays, and require much less maintenance. Half wooden barrels were frequently to be found on station platforms, and the Trust is grateful for this support to enable a replacement programme to begin on Platform 2 of presentational and environmental improvements. It is hoped that over time, this will provide a much improved vista for passengers and visitors alike.

It is hoped that the work will be completed by volunteers this autumn to allow winter planting initially, and the removal of dilapidated wooden barrels.

New Trustee Appointment

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Nigel Carabine to the Board of Trustees. Nigel has been an active supporter of, and volunteer on, the Peak Rail Heritage Railway for many years. Previously he has supported the DWVRT's "Tracking our Heritage '' project as a volunteer interviewer in its oral history work. He brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and enthusiasm through a number of other groups in which he is involved.

Mrs Jackie Statham (trustee)

It is with deep sadness that the trust learnt of the death on 10th February 2022 of Jackie Statham.

Jackie was the longest serving trustee having been involved since the charity’s incorporation in 2004. She has been a strong supporter of the work of the DWVRT and her contributions will be greatly missed.

New Trustees

The trust is very pleased to announce that Susan and Russell Morgan have been appointed to the Board of trustees with effect 6th October 2020. The board made the appointments at its meeting and is delighted that Russell will take over as Treasurer when Roy Mackinlay gives up this role which he has carried out to great effect for the last 6 years. Russell will take over these duties at the end of 2020. Both Susan and Russell are, amongst other things, active volunteers on the Peak Rail heritage railway.

Darley Dale Platform Lights

After a great deal of hard work by trustee Ben Riley and volunteers from the Peak Railway Association, Darley Dale Station has both the up and down platform lights shining brightly again. For the 'down' platform (where the main station building is located), this is the first time that platform lights have shone since the station closed in 1967 and the line itself closed in 1968. The lamp posts are original Midland Railway posts sourced on behalf of the trustee by Ben Riley who also replaced the 'up' platform posts (which had been Midland Railway yard posts and much taller than normal platform posts). The lamps themselves are accurate replicas of Midland Railway designs giving the whole station a very atmospheric feel when dusk falls. This is another milestone in the restoration of this unique station to a period piece to be enjoyed by visitors and local communities.

©Ben Riley

Revised Date for AGM

The 2020 AGM was due to take place on 19th May but was postponed for as along as possible during the current Covid-19 crisis. However, to comply with various statutory requirements to hold our AGM, and taking into account the latest government guidance, we can confirm that the meeting will be held on Tuesday 8th September at Darley Dale Station, at 7.30pm. Papers will be posted to members.

Members are very welcome to attend but should not feel under any pressure to do so.

If you plan to attend please bring a face covering with you and wear it in the building, unless you are exempted from wearing a face covering.

The room will be sanitised before people arrive, and we will ensure that chairs are placed in such a way to maintain social distancing.

Hand sanitisers and wipes will be available. Unfortunately we will not be offering any light refreshments on this occasion.

Answers to the Buxton to Ambergate Quiz

Following the joint quiz put together buy the Derwent and Wye Valley Trust and The Peak Railway Association, the answers to this quiz have now been published.

We hope you enjoyed the challenge and perhaps leaned more about the history of the route.

You can download a copy of the answers to the quiz by clicking here.

Postponement of AGM

Owing to the continuing restrictions relating to the Coronavirus pandemic, the trustees have agreed that the Annual General Meeting scheduled for Tuesday 19th May 2020 will be postponed.

The meeting has been provisionally rescheduled for 7.30pm on Tuesday 8th September 2020 at Darley Dale Station, Station Road, Darley Dale, Matlock. DE4 2EQ

As of 11 August 2020 it is confirmed that the revised date of the AGM is 7.30pm on Tuesday 8th September. Read more...

The Buxton to Ambergate Railway Quiz

The Derwent and Wye Valley Railway Trust and The Peak Railway Association have combined forces to put together a railway quiz in these testing times. However, we hope you have a bit of fun doing it, and that you enjoy the challenge. You may even learn one or two new things about the history of the line, and the organisations invloved in preserving our railway heritage. If you would like to learn more about becoming a member of the the Peak Railway Association please click the logo on the Weblinks to get the full details.

David Lathrope (DWVRT) and Roger Hallatt (PRA).

The answers (as we understand them) will be published on Monday 11th May 2020, but if you you have any feedback on the quiz for the DWVRT or the PRA, please let us know at dwvrtrust@gmail.com by Friday 8th May 2020.

You can download a copy of the quiz by clicking here.

Darley Dale Footbridge - Bridging the Gap

For some years, the trust has been fundraising for the restoration and reinstatement of the original double staircase footbridge at Darley Dale Station. Towards the end of 2019 a project enquiry form was submitted to the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF). This is a way of getting feedback before starting work on a full application.

The project represents an important phase of the restoration of the station, and proposes the restoration of the footbridge. It also includes the development of the ‘Tracking our Heritage Project’ by focusing the oral histories of the people who used the bridge, Darley Dale Station and its environs like the Whitworth Park. This is both a major heritage restoration piece, with an associated oral social history project.

©Sheila Rayson

The feedback from the NLHF has been encouraging. We will need to develop our ideas about the accessible digital outputs of the work (which we will make available through our website), and the NLHF wanted a clearer picture of the likely planning outcomes of reinstating the bridge.

As a result, a request for pre-application (planning) advice was submitted to Derbyshire Dales District Council in March 2020. Although a full application will have to be submitted in due course, the proposal is considered to be acceptable and does not require Listed Building Consent (not being attached to the Listed Buildings).

This is very encouraging and the trust is now minded to develop a full application to the NLHF to part fund the project. This will take some time but watch this space for updates.

UPDATE - 1 April 2020: Heritage Fund response to the Coronavirus Crisis

As part of its response, the Fund has halted new applications until at least October 2020. However, the trust had started work on a full application through the Fund’s portal, and will continue to develop the project application in the interim The Fund has halted all new Committee-level grants (£250,000-£5m) and single-stage delegated grants (£3,000-£250,000) until at least October 2020.