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Wednesday 25 May 2011

Cromford and High Peak and Crich

A recent bequest of colour slides by the late JJW Richards, an early Tramway Museum Society (TMS) volunteer at Crich, includes these two images on British Railways' Cromford and High Peak line, not far from Crich.

Although undated, they appear to show the 30 April 1967 enthusiasts' brake van special (this was a freight-only route), which ran at the time of the line's closure.















In this second image, the two locos are stationary on the steep Hopton Incline, having stalled on the ascent.















Six years earlier, founder TMS member John Price had travelled on a similar special, but in open wagons. He then continued to Crich.

In the TMS members' Journal of October 1961, describing his unusual journey, he wrote:

"..........you proceed to Buxton, climb the railway embankment in the vicinity of No. 1 [signal] box. After a due wait, board the special train by means of the front van. This train will take you as far as Parsley Hay. Change there to open wagons as far as Middleton Top (inspect 1825 beam engine). Walk down incline to foot, board another wagon-train to Sheep Pasture Top, walk down Sheep Pasture Incline to Cromford Wharf, (inspect shed). Cross the valley by the path through the sewage works to the Holloway road and continue to the bus stop facing the two cottages, then continue by the E2 bus [to Crich]......"

The Cromford and High Peak's trackbed is now the High Peak Trail.