Matlock railway station

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Matlock National Rail
265px
Matlock Station, 2011
Location
Place Matlock
Local authority Derbyshire Dales
Grid reference SK296602
Operations
Station code MAT
Managed by East Midlands Trains
Number of platforms 2 (1 National Rail) (1 Peak Rail)
DfT category F1
Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections
from National Rail Enquiries
Annual rail passenger usage*
2004/05 92,333
2005/06 Decrease 91,435
2006/07 Increase 91,808
2007/08 Increase 92,941
2008/09 Increase 110,548
2009/10 Increase 155,536
2010/11 Increase 166,784
2011/12 Increase 178,232
2012/13 Decrease 175,942
2013/14 Increase 187,312
2014/15 Increase 208,174
History
Key dates Opened 1849 (1849)
National Rail – UK railway stations

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Matlock from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year.
Portal icon UK Railways portal
File:Matlock Station Down freight geograph-2775708-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg
View from 1961 showing the original footbridge

Matlock Railway Station is a railway station owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Trains in the town of Matlock, Derbyshire, England. The station is the terminus of both the Derwent Valley Line from Derby and Peak Rail who operate heritage services to Rowsley South. Both lines are formed from portions of the Midland Railway's main former line to Manchester. Through running is technically possible but is not done in normal service.

History

Leaving Matlock Bath, the line immediately passes into the series of High Tor tunnels, 321 yards (294 m), 58 yd (53 m) and 378 yd (346 m) long on the east side of the river, cut into the cliff side. Crossing the river and the main A6 road, the line passes through Holt Lane Tunnel (126 yd or 115 m) before entering Matlock Station. Being cut through limestone, these tunnels have required a deal of maintenance over the years.

Originally called "Matlock Bridge", it was opened by the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway in 1849, the station buildings being designed by Sir Joseph Paxton, opening in 1850. The station is now grade 2 listed. until now, it acted as a single platform terminus until the former (down) side platform 2 reopened on 2 July 2011 allowing the use of trains of the preserved Peak Rail service to operate into Matlock itself.

A double track railway line used to continue from Matlock via Bakewell and Millers Dale, with a branch to Buxton, and on through Peak Forest to Chinley and ultimately Manchester. This section of the former Midland Railway's main line to Manchester was closed to passengers in 1968 (the same year mainline steam came to an end) as a consequence of the Beeching cuts and the recent electrification of the West coast route from London Euston to Manchester.

File:1975 with Riber Castle in background.jpg
British Rail Class 104 BRCW dmu in 1975 with Riber Castle in background.

The last day of operation beyond Matlock was on Saturday 29 June 1968 (two months before regular mainline steam was fully abolished). Part of this route is now preserved as a heritage railway by the railway preservation group Peak Rail.

At present, the heritage line currently operates from Rowsley South through Darley Dale and nearby Matlock Riverside and now terminates at Matlock station in the Down platform (2), a distance of a little under Lua error in Module:Convert at line 452: attempt to index field 'titles' (a nil value). in length. Having, (from 2 July 2011 onward), extended a further third of a mile into the Down platform (2) of the Main station itself, Matlock is now (currently) the terminus of the heritage line, interchanging with rail services on the Derwent Valley Line.[1]

Recent History

Before 2004, former train operating company Midland Mainline ran through services into London St Pancras whilst Central Trains have previously run trains to/from Birmingham New Street. The current practice of through running to/from Nottingham began in late 2008.

Work within the adjacent Cawdor Quarry has resulted in a new superstore for Matlock being opened in 2007, and several hundred new homes are planned to be located nearby. Matlock bus station has also been relocated so as to be adjacent to the railway station, thus giving Matlock a true transport interchange. In the year 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 journeys from the station had increased by 40.70%.[2]

The full range of tickets for travel for any destination in the country are purchased from the guard on the train at no extra cost, however in June 2009, an automatic ticket machine was installed on the platform, enabling passengers to buy or collect tickets bought in advance.

From 2 July 2011 onward, Peak Rail now operate steam trains into the "now fully restored 'down' platform (2) having signing a fifty year lease with Network Rail on Christmas Eve 2008 almost 3 years before".[3]

Station layout

The station has two platforms. The former up platform is used by the Derwent Valley Line while the former down platform is used by Peak Rail. The network rail platform is accessed from the station car park while the Peak rail platform is accessed by a small ramp at the north end connecting to a footpath alongside the station. A footbridge at the south end of the station connects the footpath to the car park. The station building (which is located on the former UP platform) is occupied by Peak Rail's transport book shop.

The track in the network rail platform is connected at both ends while the track in the Peak rail platform is only connected at the north end. To the north of the station is a run-round loop for Network Rail engineering trains. One line of this loop also servers as the access route for peak rail trains to run into the station.

File:Matlock Station front.jpg
Matlock station, 2005

Services

The station is served by East Midlands Trains Local, who operate an hourly service from Nottingham to Matlock (via Derby) on weekdays and every two hours on Sundays.[4]

Services are formed using diesel multiple units of Classes 153, 156 or 158.

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ GB National Railway Timetable 2013-14, Table 56

External links

Preceding station   National Rail National Rail   Following station
East Midlands Trains Terminus
Heritage Railways  Heritage railways
Terminus   Peak Rail   Darley Dale
Historical railways
Matlock Bath
Line and station open		   Midland Railway
Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway		   Darley Dale
Line and station open

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Matlock_railway_station&oldid=4503104"