Monsal Rail - a Dinky Railway!
providing “Access for All” to the Monsal Trail between Bakewell and the Monsal Valley
The iconic view of the Monsal Viaduct spanning the Wye Valley in Derbyshire
3 Map of Monsal Rail between Monsal Valley and Bakewell
6 Monsal Rail - Small.. but functional!
7 Monsal Viaduct boasts a unique combination of features
8 (Peak) Accessibility - try getting to Monsal Viaduct in a wheelchair..
15 SSSI - Sites of Special Scientific Interest
16 SUSTRANS - guidance for Shared Path widths and clearances
17 Battery Powered Locomotives
22 Proposed “Halts” (Stations)
23 TERMINUS STATION" - BAKEWELL ECHO BRIDGE HALT
24 Location - "Historic" Bakewell Station
25 Location - Pineapple Bridge Stream
26 Location - Hassop Engine Shed
27 "STATION" - HASSOP VALLEY HALT
28 Location - "Historic" Hassop Station
29 Location - “Main Street Stop”
30 "STATION" - THORNBRIDGE & LONGSTONE HALT
31 Location - "Historic" Great Longstone Station
32 Location - The Headstone Tunnel Eastern Cutting
33 Location - The Headstone Tunnel
34 Location - “Headstone Tunnel Crossover”
35 “TERMINUS STATION” - MONSAL VALLEY HALT
36 Pedestrian routes between Bakewell and Bakewell Echo Bridge Station
42 Freehold, Construction Access and Tasks
43 Getting to Monsal Rail - Transport Hubs
44 Organisations with an interest (or potential interest) in Monsal Rail
45.1 The Speed of some Cyclists is too fast, particularly when the trail is busy
45.2 MEMRAP wants to close the Monsal Trail
45.3 Poor drainage at the eastern portal of Headstone Tunnel
46 “Main Line” reinstatement proposals and the consequential closure of The Monsal Trail
47 “Crossing” Locations on Monsal Rail
48 List of Bridges, Tunnels and Gradients
49 Public Transport Connections
50 Narrow & Standard Gauge Railways in some of the UK’s National Parks
“Monsal Trail” is a shared use path which was created in 2011 on the trackbed of an old railway line.
The Trail currently runs for 8.5 miles (13.5 km) from Blackwell Mill in the west to Coombs Rd Bridge ( about 1 mile east of the Original Bakewell Station) in the east.
It is owned and maintained by The Peak District National Park Authority and is not a legal right of way.
“The Trail” refers to “The Monsal Trail”
“Trail Users” refers to all the different types of existing users of the Monsal Trail. These include: Walkers, Cyclists, Runners, Mobility Scooters, Horse Riders and Wheelchairs users.
Monsal Rail will be a dinky (small!) railway, to be powered cleanly, and sustainably by batteries, and running alongside the section of the Monsal Trail between Bakewell and the Monsal Viaduct in the Derbyshire Dales.
The total distance is 31/2 miles with intermediate “stations” at Hassop and Thornbridge.
In this relatively short distance there are 2 grade II listed former railway stations, 2 Sites of Special Scientific Interest, a long tunnel, rocky railway cuttings, a large bistro style cafe and accommodation, 2 cycle hire locations and most impressive of all a spectacular viaduct with insurmountable views of the Wye Valley.
Nearby, and accessible to walkers, are some of the oldest factories in the world, (the cotton mills of the Cressbrook and Litton), beautiful meadows, an impressive weir, the site of an ancient Iron Age fort, Fin Cop, more cafes and the impressive grade II listed Thornbridge Hall and gardens. In addition, there is a wealth of flora and fauna and great views all without having to cross one road!
This route is without doubt one of the most scenic in the UK and best of all it can be enjoyed at a pace suiting the visitor, whether that is walking, running, cycling and with Monsal Rail, by train with a top speed which will be relatively slow (slower than a cyclist) in order to be sympathetic with existing Trail Users and be safe.
People with mobility issues will be able to experience the beauty of Monsal Dale at close hand for the first time by using “Monsal Rail”.
Graphic showing “Monsal Rail” positioned on one side of trackbed in order to maximise space for the shared path
The trackbed generally provides for a minimum “gap” of 7.2m between “Solid” structures such as bridges and tunnels
The profile in this diagram shows how erosion over 60+ years has “rounded off” the edges of the trackbed
Map of Monsal Rail showing the proposed route and Halts (stations)
Schematic showing the location of Monsal Rail Halts relative to Monsal Viaduct and the original stations
Monsal Rail is committed to a low-carbon and sustainable future for travel and “Access for All” for its route within the Peak District National Park.
The electricity to be used for charging the batteries which will power the trains will be contracted from sustainable sources.
Solar panels will be fitted on the large roof of the Engine Shed.
Significant consideration will be given to the environmental, visual and noise impact of Monsal Rail (see appropriate “Impact” see sections later )
Every effort will be made to minimise the carbon generated during the construction phase. Consideration will be given to “offsetting”. (It is appreciated that there is a lot of debate about “offsetting” at the moment)
Ideally some form of vegetation would be grown within the outline of the Trackforms. The relevant authorities will need to be consulted as to whether this would be allowed. There are alternatives to grass which require less maintenance see more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_track
Grass is allowed to grow between the tracks at Edgbaston tram stop on the West Midlands Metro
By Mark Percy, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=131352775
These benefits can be achieved whilst still allowing access to all the existing users of the Monsal Trail. The “human size” scale and slow speed of Monsal Rail would not intimidate the existing users, nor would it make their experience any less enjoyable than it currently is.
A carriage with wide doors and level access allows disabled users to enjoy the “15 inch” gauge Bure Valley Railway in Norfolk
Certainly not the main benefit of Monsal Rail.. however icicles in the Headstone Tunnel in winter periodically cause it’s closure to Trail Users for safety reasons.
Monsal Rail could hopefully be fitted with an “Icicle Scraper” to periodically knock off growing icicles and prevent the closures
Most railways in the national network (and most of the rest of the world) have been built to the “Standard” gauge. “Gauge” is the distance between the rails and for “Standard gauge” this is the famous 4 feet 8.5 inches distance. Smaller railways, traditionally built in places such as quarries and mines are collectively known as “Narrow gauge railways”.
A variety of different gauges have been used with certain gauges becoming more popular than others and one of these is the “15 inch” gauge.
Well known “15 inch” gauge lines include the Ravenglass & Eskdale and The Romney & Hythe lines. The nearest Narrow Gauge railways to Derbyshire are the Apedale Valley Light Railway (Newcastle Under Lyme, “24 inch” gauge) and The Sherwood Forest Railway (Mansfield, “15 inch”)
There is a big difference in the carriage size between a “15 inch” and “Standard” gauge carriages!
Ravenglass & Eskdale “15 inch gauge ” railway is certainly dinky compared to the Standard Gauge Mainline
photo by Adrian Padley
Monsal Rail will be based on the "person sized" proportions as demonstrated in the "15 inch" gauge railways. This will mean that the Monsal Trail trackbed can accommodate both “Monsal Rail” and allow plenty of space for the existing Trail Users.
The size of a Monsal Rail Carriage compared to a Standard Gauge Carriage (Great Longstone Station)
Monsal Rail will be able to benefit from using a wider gauge of “3 feet” which will give improved stability and ride quality. The “3 feet” gauge is currently most widely used in the global mining industry and so manufacturers of locomotives are currently producing battery locomotives for that gauge.
The original railway trackbed was built to allow a clearance of at least 7.2m between structures at the side of the tracks. (One exception found so far is Great Longstone Station at 6.4m) Allowing 2.5m for the Monsal Rail train ( which is 1.3m wide) this leaves a minimum of 3.5m for shared path use (n.b. the current tarmaced path in the tunnels is 3m wide)
Diagram showing typical “position” of Monsal Rail on the Monsal Trail
Even before the railway, the qualities of the view from Monsal Head had been recognised. In 1827 the Reverend Richard Ward described: “any traveller standing on the brow of a lofty and steep mountain, and casting his eyes to the bottom of it, will be struck with the highest admiration by a complete view, suddenly presented, of the charming Monsal Dale, stretching to the right and left immediately beneath him”
When Monsal Viaduct was built in 1863 the great British writer John Ruskin was not happy, He wrote:
“There was a rocky valley between Buxton and Bakewell...You Enterprised a Railroad through the valley – you blasted its rocks away, heaped thousands of tons of shale into its lovely stream. The valley is gone, and the Gods with it”
Monsal Viaduct (“official name”: Headstone Viaduct) may not be the longest or highest, but it and its surrounds have a combination of features which probably make it the most interesting and attractive of all the viaducts in the UK (and maybe the world?)
Steam trains used to “burst out” of the Headstone tunnel which is half way up a steep hillside, straight onto the viaduct that bridges across a bend in the steep sided winding valley. The viaduct spans a meandering river and grass meadows.
The railway continues through a cutting and then contours along the “Putty Hill” before entering another series of tunnels, passing historic cotton mills on the way. Rocky white limestone outcrops adorn the hillsides and sheep graze the grass.
This combination of features has long captured the attention of artists and photographers alike.
Here are just a couple:
Midland Railway Poster from the “Holiday Resorts Series” 1935
A postcard of Monsal Viaduct from 1909
Monsal Viaduct can be admired from above, from below or walk, run, or cycle over it..
Is there another viaduct anywhere else where you can get all of this?!
If online, you can see images and facts about UK viaducts (past and present) on Wikipedia at this page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_railway_bridges_and_viaducts_in_the_United_Kingdom
(Monsal Viaduct is listed under its official name of “Headstone Viaduct”)
Ribblehead Viaduct is very imposing and Glenfinnan Viaduct received some “Harry Potter” magic but.. you can’t walk over them! they don’t have a pretty river running through them and nor can you (easily) look down on them from above!
In his TV series “Walking Britain's Lost Railways”, Rob Bell describes Monsal Viaduct as “The country's prettiest viaduct!” (and he’s walked over a lot of them!)
The Peak District National Park Foundation is:
“a registered charity established to raise funds to care for The Peak District National Park and make it more inclusive...” (http://peakdistrictfoundation.org.uk/about-us)
They go on to say:
“Our right to enjoy the National Park was hard won by ordinary folk. In that spirit, let’s fight to make it ever more accessible, for everyone to enjoy.”
One of the beauties of the Viaduct is that you can walk over it and admire the views from it, but gaining access to the Viaduct itself is virtually impossible for anyone with more than mild mobility issues.
Even viewing the viaduct from Monsal Head is impractical for wheelchair users.
Wheelchair users are effectively limited to viewing from the very small car park at Monsal Head. This car park is set back from The viewpoint because of a road which descends from Monsal Head to Upperdale.
An adventurous wheelchair user could try crossing the road (no crossing and it’s quite wide because the road is on a bend.. There is one small semi circular “bay” which the wheelchair user must move into where they will still find the view partly obscured by a wall. It is not possible for a wheelchair user to proceed any further.
This is the view a wheelchair user gets from the small car park at Monsal Head:
A wheelchair users “view” of Monsal Viaduct
What “non wheelchair” can see...
Monsal Viaduct is relatively close to Monsal Head but it, and this view are inaccessible to wheelchair users
What about people who have limited mobility, can they get to Monsal Viaduct?
In a word, “No”
The path that descends from Monsal Head is very steep, has huge rocky steps and the polished limestone becomes extremely hazardous when wet.
The “North Face” of Monsal Head - competent climbers only!
There is a path from the very small car park at Upperdale (with a bus stop in summer - if the bus can get through!) It is a very steep and rough ascent.
There are a few level access points along the Monsal Trail. The nearest one to Monsal Viaduct is next to what was Great Longstone Station. It only has “on street” parking and is over a mile (1.7km) away. There is a steep descent from the road bridge (no path on the road) which leads to the old and (and now) narrow platform which has a steep drop on one side. After negotiating a way along the platform there is another fairly steep descent to the trackbed.
“Hassop Station” does have level access to the Trail from the public car park but this is now 21/2 miles (4 km) from Monsal Viaduct which makes a round trip distance of 5 miles - not really feasible in a wheelchair.
“Millers Dale Station” also has level access but this is over 3 miles (5km) from Monsal Viaduct.
In summary, it is virtually impossible for anyone in a wheelchair or with limited mobility to get to, or view Monsal Viaduct without significant assistance.
“Monsal Rail” would give “Access for All”!
The original railway between Rowsley and Chinley was built by the Midland Railway in 1863 in order to link their existing network with Manchester. The “easiest” routes were already taken, so the Midland was forced to take a challenging route through the Derbyshire Dales and indeed the route is sometimes referred to as “The Peak Line”. It was built with two tracks, and as well as freight traffic it carried express trains between Manchester and St Pancras in London.
The line closed to rail traffic in 1968. In 1981 parts of the line were reopened to walkers, but the three longest tunnels remained closed. Frustratingly this meant that significant diversions had to be made by anyone following the original “Monsal Trail”
Luckily, following a grant from The Department for Transport, the tunnels were made safe and then the four longest tunnels were re-opened in 2011, thus completing the 8.5 mile “Monsal Trail” as we enjoy it today.
Looking west inside Headstone Tunnel showing the 3m wide shared use tarmac path
also seen is one of the workmans “safety refuge” (they must have been thinner back then!)
The Trail is managed by the Peak District National Park Authority and has become hugely popular attracting over 300,000 visitors a year!
Safety is the primary concern for any transport system
There are two main aspects for the safety of people (and animals) :
a) on the Monsal Trail
and
b) travelling on Monsal Rail
A typical cross section of trackbed showing Monsal Rail and “Trail Users” on a narrow embankment section
Pedestrians and cyclists already co-exist with “full size” Trams in some of the UK's city centres (and hundreds in Europe). These trams operate without the need for barriers or fences.
Clockwise from top left: Edinburgh, Croydon , Sheffield (“Tram Train”) and Manchester
These are some of the features that enable Trams to operate safely in these busy pedestrian areas:
Monsal Rail will have all of these features as well as some additional ones which will help to segregate it from the existing Trail Users...
When approaching and leaving “Stations”,“Halts”, crossings and the tunnel, Monsal Rail will be restricted to 5 mph (a brisk walking speed)
The maximum speed of Monsal Rail in other areas is expected to be about 10 mph which is a “brisk running pace” ( or “leisurely cycle pace”) and is “very slow” by “Heritage Rail” standards which allows a top speed of 25 mph
The speed differential between Monsal Rail and a person walking would be significantly less than that currently experienced between walkers (2-4 mph) and fast cyclists ( 20+ mph )
The railway is to be built using prefabricated Trackform sections which incorporate a number of features which will aid the segregation between Monsal Rail and Trail Users
(See Section “Prefabricated Trackform Track” later for more detail )
The Monsal Rail track will be laid as close as possible to the edge of the existing trackbed to maximise the amount of space for the shared path
The “shared path” side of the Trackway has a “Kerb” which:
Crossing points will be maintained at all the locations where currently a path or track joins or crosses The Monsal Trail.
See section “Crossing points of the Monsal Trail”
On most sections of Monsal Rail, Trail Users will not need to cross onto the Monsal Rail track.
Trail Users will be “discouraged” from walking along the rail track itself by “Cross Beams” which exist every few metres.
Risk Register
a list of all the known “risks” is maintained along with the actions to be taken to mitigate them.
This is maintained in a separate document and a copy can be requested by emailing:
In summary:
There are 5 particularly “Busy points” at (or near) Bakewell, Hassop (x2), Thornbridge & Longstone and Monsal Valley stations
At each of these points, the Headstone Cutting and Headstone Tunnel the speed of Monsal Rail will be restricted to a maximum of 5 mph
There are an additional 10 “crossing points”
There are 5 points where the line goes above a steep drop and so strengthened barriers are required.
There is a risk of rock fall at the Headstone Tunnel Cutting - a proposal for mitigating this risk is discussed in the section “Headstone Tunnel Cutting”
To the immediate west of the end of Monsal Rail at “Monsal Valley Halt”, there is the “world famous” Grade II listed Monsal Viaduct. The importance and sensitivity of this structure is recognised as well as the iconic view of it from Monsal Head.
As Aesop famously warned: “Don’t kill the goose that laid the golden egg”!
To the east of the end of Monsal Rail at Bakewell Echo Bridge Station. There are significant physical obstacles.
These include (from west to east):
Haddon Tunnels - Over 900m of shallow, unstable “Cut and Cover” construction - currently closed
Park Lane (nr Rowsley) - underbridge “missing”
Church Lane at Rowsley - underbridge “missing”
Rowsley Viaduct - Grade II listed and currently in poor condition
Rowsley A6 - underbridge “missing”. This cannot not be reinstated with the same trackbed level as the original because there would not be enough clearance for today's “high HGV’s” on the A6. The conventional technique of lowering the road is not possible as the River Derwent (which floods regularly) is “in the way”.
Rowsley - “old station site” - currently used as a car park
The ownership of the sections above is believed to be held by a number of freeholders who are not public organisations.
Rebuilding these structures would require a colossal amount of money and it is not clear whether it’s even possible to rebuild the “Rowsley A6” bridge whilst still allowing high HGV’s to pass underneath.
Want to know more about Monsal Rail or would like to help?
Drop an email to MonsalRail.info@gmail.com for more information
Thanks!
For regulation purposes Monsal Rail may be conceptually similar to a “Tram”
The main publication applying to Trams is currently “Railway Safety Principles and Guidance Part 2 (RSP2)”
currently available at: https://uktram.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Tramway-Principles-Guidance-Final-2.pdf
It is ultimately the UK Office of Rail and Road (ORR http://orr.gov.uk ) who determine under which rules Monsal Rail would operate under and it will be expected that significant discussions would take place with them.
Some extracts: with [emphasis added]
DEFINITION OF TRAMWAY
1.11 For the purposes of this guidance, ‘tramway’ means a system of transport used wholly or mainly for the carriage of passengers, which employs parallel rails which provide support and guidance for vehicles carried on flanged wheels, and in respect of which:
(a) the rails are laid wholly or partly along a road or in any other place to which the public have access; [emphasis added]
and
(b) on any part of the system, the permitted maximum speed of operation of the vehicles is limited to that which enables the driver of any such vehicle to stop it within the distance he can see to be clear ahead (in this document, referred to as ‘operation by line-of-sight’). [emphasis added]
CLEARANCES BETWEEN TRAMS AND STRUCTURES
2.14 The clearances between a SE [Swept Envelope - the maximum extent of the tram] and other highway features or fixed structures should be as follows:
(a) to the edge of a traffic lane - 200 mm; [emphasis added]
PEDESTRIAN FOOTWAYS AND CROSSINGS
3.26 In streets which have high densities of pedestrians, the pedestrians should be encouraged to use defined crossing points over the tram track. The crossings should have dropped kerbs and appropriate tactile marking.[emphasis added] These crossings should be designed so that they are obviously the safest crossing point.
CYCLE/TRAMWAY INTERFACE
PLATFORM HEIGHT
5.12 Differences in height between tram floor and platforms must not exceed 50 mm at doors [emphasis added] which are intended to be used by mobility-impaired passengers
There are 2 sections of the proposed Monsal Rail that lie within the Wye Valley (Derbyshire) SSSI area and so the planning application will need to be accompanied by an “Environmental Impact Assessment”.
“Natural England” (Sponsored by DEFRA) are the body with a particular interest in SSSI’s
SSSI Area 1
“The Wye Valley -Derbyshire” includes the “Cutting” area and hillside at the western portal of The Headstone Tunnel
from https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx
MAGIC = Multi-Agency Geographic Information for the Countryside
Diagram showing the area of Monsal Rail within the SSSI at the western tunnel portal
The SSSI includes all the land seen beyond the Monsal Viaduct embankment (approximately beyond line shown in yellow)
SSSI Area 2.
“The Wye Valley -Derbyshire” also includes the long cutting leading up to the eastern portal of The Headstone Tunnel
The “Rocky Cutting” leading to the eastern portal of The Headstone Tunnel
Diagram showing theWye Valley (Derbyshire) SSSI cutting at the eastern portal of The Headstone Tunnel
Image of the Wye Valley (Derbyshire) SSSI cutting at the Eastern Portal to the Headstone Tunnel
The SUSTRANS (SUStainable TRANSport) organisation is the custodian of The National Cycle Network which is currently over 16,000 miles (including The Monsal Trail). SUSTRANS is a large enterprise, having a turnover of over £50m a year, employing over 600 people. It is the lead organisation in the UK promoting “traffic free” paths.
Their “Vision”
“We have a clear vision for the future
Our vision is a society where the way we travel creates healthier places and happier lives for everyone.
Our mission is to make it easier for everyone to walk, wheel and cycle.”
from their website at https://sustrans.org
Their “design guidelines” are currently described at:
Here are some key extracts:
Geometric design
Geometric design is part of the Sustrans traffic-free routes and greeways design guide. It covers managing speed and providing enough width for all users by presenting minimum design criteria for horizontal and vertical alignments, as well as suitable visibility.
7.1.5
Where it is necessary to encourage slower speeds on approach to a hazard, the preference is to introduce a change in horizontal alignment that will require users to slow down. For example, introducing a 90-degree turn on the approach to a highway interface.
7.2.2
The effective width of a traffic-free route is considered the ‘usable’ width of the route. Providing a path width that satisfies the requirements of the table below does not mean a suitable effective width will have been achieved.
The table below builds upon the principles of user space requirements and summarises the absolute and desirable minimum effective widths:
Shared Use | |
Absolute Minimum | 2.5m |
Desirable Minimum | 3.0m |
7.2.3
Features located at the side of a traffic-free route can have the effect of reducing effective width. For example, users of a 3m shared use path with fencing either side may ‘shy’ away from the fences. In practice, the ‘shy distance’ can have the effect of offsetting path users towards the centre of the path.
Subsequently, a 3m wide shared-use path with fencing either side may only have an effective width of 2m. Put more simply, only 2m of the path is considered functional by path users, even though there is a 3m wide surface.
Designers should note that shy distances are more applicable to people on bikes and horse riders than other path users. This is mainly due to the risk of handlebars, pedals and stirrups striking vertical features situated alongside the path edge. Thus the effect of shy distances on the effective width of a path needs to be considered against the composition of users of the traffic-free route.
The table below summarises the extra width that can be added to a path to achieve or maintain effective widths. These are applicable where vertical features are present alongside the path.
Edge Constraint | Additional Width |
Kerb up to 150mm | add 0.2m |
Vertical feature 105mm - 600mm high | add 0.25m |
Vertical feature > 600mm high | add 0.5m |
7.2.5
Where a traffic-free route is located next to a road, within the highway verge, it must be separated from the edge of the road. The table below summarises the level of separation required.
Speed limit (mph) | Desirable minimum horizontal separation (m) | Absolute minimum horizontal separation (m) |
30 | 0.5 | N/A |
40 | 1.0 | 0.5 |
Battery driven locomotives (or “multiple units”) using renewable electricity!
Steam or diesel engines could cause problems with air quality and noise as the Headstone Tunnel next to Monsal Viaduct is 480m long.
Because there is not enough trackbed width available for a turntable or a passing loop at Monsal Valley Halt, it will be necessary to run the train in either direction.
There are a number of different configurations that can enable this:
“Push Pull” - With a loco at each end. This is “mechanically” the best solution and means that the train stays in the same configuration at all times
“Push Pull” - One loco at one end with a “driving car” at the other end
The driving car has all the controls necessary to drive the train but the motive power is only supplied by the single locomotive
“Multiple Units” - this is where the motors are built into the carriages meaning dedicated separate locomotive(s) is not required.
Narrow Gauge “Push Pull” Example
This lithium battery powered loco is manufactured by Trident (South Africa). The main sales market for this type of loco is underground mines. It is just 1.3m (4’ 3”) wide and is manufactured to run on 2’ or 3’ rail gauges
from: https://tridentsa.co.za/locomotives/10-ton-millenium-loco/
Trident also manufactures a “driving car” (“Caboose” ) to go at “the other end” of the train to the loco.
This one is pictured during the manufacturing process
Narrow Gauge Multiple Units example
This Battery Electric Multiple Unit ( BEMU) was commissioned in 2022 for the 1.3 mile 3’ gauge Southend Pier. Built by Severn Lamb, this one has modern “tube train” styling with sliding doors...
Jun
Jun
A Severn Lamb Battery Electric Multiple Unit on Southend Pier
UK Narrow Gauge, Battery Powered Manufacturers
(in alphabetical order )
Alan Keef - Ross on Wye
Alan Keef Ltd, are a family owned business who have been building locomotives, carriages and track primarily targeting the narrow gauge sector for over 50 years. The locos have included steam, diesel and more recently battery power
an Alan Keef 15” gauge battery loco installed in Sonoma CA in 2022
Clayton Equipment (Burton on Trent)
Clayton Equipment have been manufacturing battery locos for decades ranging in size from a few tons to over 90. These locos are exported around the world and are mainly used for mining operations.
They are currently building a 12 ton 15” gauge battery locomotive for the Bure Valley Railway in Norfolk due for delivery in 2024.
The battery loco that Clayton Equipment are building for the Bure Valley Railway
( from http://claytonequipment.co.uk/mining/battery-locomotives )
Severn-Lamb (Alcester)
see https://www.severn-lamb.com/people-movers/tracked-trains
see image above of the Southend Pier Multiple Unit train . They also manufacture battery locos
Safety Design Considerations
In order to comply with current regulations ( see previous chapter “Regulations”), the front of the Loco and the Driving Car (once referred to as the “fender”) need to be “extended” towards the ground in order to prevent any significantly sized object from going underneath.
Ideally the front should be made of a material which can absorb impact energy in the highly unlikely event of a collision.
Breakdown vehicle
If a “tandem” locomotive configuration is used then just one of the locos will be able to pull (or push) the train albeit at reduced speed.
For other configurations a “spare” loco (or multiple unit) would be required in order to retrieve a “broken” down train and act as a spare when one train is requiring maintenance.
Whether a loco has to be battery or potentially “efficient diesel” powered needs to be determined.
Ideally one loco should be able to haul its own trainset and another trainset at the same time This would assist in retrieving a broken down train as quickly as possible.
Styling
Perhaps the appearance of the locomotives for Monsal Rail could echo the iconic “Nanking Blue” coloured “Midland Pullman” which was one of the first (and last!) premium services to run on the “Monsal Rail” line. This luxury service ran between London and Manchester in the 1960’s up to the line's closure.
Surely, the “Midland Pullman” was one of the best looking diesel electric trains ever made?
A painting of the Midland Pullman on “The Peak Line”
Painting of a Midland Pullman in winter conditions (those trainspotters got everywhere!)
(https://www.brcw.co/product/blue-pullman-white-peak-print-by-nick-harling/)
This 2 minute video has images of the Midland Pullman crossing the Monsal Viaduct
click https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10152069127812835 to watch via Facebook (account not needed (courtesy of Bakewell of Yesteryear)
The final design for the Monsal Rail carriage would be subject to full ergonomic, accessibility and engineering studies.
The current design is for a carriage of 9m in length and 1.4m wide.
This would allow for 3 across seating and a capacity of 26 (without a wheelchair) and 21 if there was one wheelchair user travelling alone. There will be an “accessible section” in each carriage which can be used by wheelchair and “small” mobility scooters users. Up to 4 other people could be accommodated in the accessible carriage.
The “accessible section” will have 6 “flip up” seats, which are seats which are sprung so that when someone is not sat on them they remain in an upright position, assisting the boarding and “detraining” of “wheeled” users.
Clearly if there is no “wheeled user” then all the flip-up seats could be used by passengers
Level access and wide “offset” doors will assist with the boarding process for wheelchair users
See possible seating layout of carriage on next page
As wheelchairs and mobility scooters are relatively long compared to the width of the carriage a “curved approach” will be required when boarding:
Bure Valley carriages
Shown here is Bure Valley Railway “15 inch” gauge coach showing the accessible doors.
Bure Valley Railway carriages are about 1.2m wide and 8m long.The carriages can be partially heated in cold weather with onboard electric heaters. The electricity for these are provided from a dedicated diesel generator carriage.
A Bure Valley Railway carriage seen here with their diesel loco
Some of the Bure Valley carriages have “double doors” to assist with level “wheeled” access
Monsal Rail Carriage Heating
A heating system will be designed which will aim to boost the carriage temperatures in cold weather
There will be achieved by small electric heaters which can be powered by:
Possible seating config of a Monsal Rail Carriage with 4 * “5 seat” sections + 1 “accessible” section ( with 6 “flip up” seats )
Plan and side elevation of a possible Monsal Rail carriage seating configuration
A possible Monsal Rail train set configuration utilising 2 locos working in tandem “Push - Pull“ configuration with 5 carriages
Approximate Train Capacity
The length of a train is most likely to be limited by the length of the shortest “platform” and this is likely to be the one at Monsal Valley Halt where a maximum length of 56m is available
The capacity of the carriage design above is 26 passengers (but only if there are no wheelchairs).
Taking a carriage length of ~ 8.6m ..
5 carriages would make a total length of ~ 43m which would leave a maximum 12m for the 2 locomotives
This gives a theoretical (maximum) train capacity of about 130 (n.b one “accessible compartment” will need to used for the guards van)
Conventional rail “sleeper and ballast” rail track construction would not be appropriate for Monsal Rail because:
To avoid these issues, prefabricated concrete Trackforms will be used in order to provide rapid installation of track with a high degree of precision.
Exact specifications to be determined after consultation with appropriate engineering experts
A key feature of the proposed Trackform is that the steel rails are supported on longitudinal support beams.
This style of Trackform was advocated by the great engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. He called it “Baulk Road” and used it with his enlightened, but short lived, “7 foot” gauge railways in the 1840’s.
A recreation of Brunel’s “7 foot” gauge Trackform which he called “Baulk Road”
This is at Didcot Railway Centre (The big black tube is a section of Brunel's vacuum “Hyperloop” invention!)
(from Wikimedia Commons)
The main problem that was encountered (apart from the fact that everyone else continued laying 4’ 81/2” gauge!) was that if the longitudinal wooden beams were not supported properly it led to a “bouncing” motion of the train.
A recent example of the use of prefabricated sections can be seen in the construction of the Cambridgeshire Busway.
The Busway was constructed using 10 and 15m concrete “Trackform” sections which were made of two longitudinal beams connected by 3 “spacers” These were made as close as possible to the construction site and then transported on a low loader which undertakes the last part of it’s journey along the track that’s just been built
Construction of Cambridgeshire Busway built two parallel tracks using 10 and 15m long prefabricated
concrete “Busway Trackform” sections - 3 crossbars per section. A “joint” between 2 “Trackforms” is seen in the foreground
It is noted that issues were subsequently found with the construction of the busway which required remedial action. These issues were primarily due to poor quality control during installation rather than the design per se.
For Monsal Rail it is hoped that, “conceptually similar”, prefabricated concrete Trackform sections can be built
“Shared Path” “Kerb” “Kerb support Arm” “Rail” and “Cross Beams”
prefabricated concrete Monsal Rail Trackform showing the attached “Kerb” beam
The steel rails used on Monsal Rail will be significantly smaller than “standard gauge” rails, having a cross section of about 70 x 70mm (height x width) (which is about half of what “standard gauge” is).
The rail size tends to be referred to in terms of weight eg “12kg”, which is the weight per metre.
The rails are “fastened” directly onto the longitudinal reinforced concrete “Rail Beams”.
There are various rail fastening systems available
Diagram showing a rail secured by “Beket 303” bolt fasteners
Different Trackform Configurations
There are expected to be 5 general types of Trackform sections:
1) areas where people are not normally expected to cross - these areas will form the majority of Monsal Rail
areas where people are expected to cross. The track is in “Tram Track” configuration (see below)
2) Halts (Stations) where there is also a passing loop: Thornbridge & Longstone, Hassop Valley and Bakewell Echo see Bridge)
3) Halts where there is no passing loop: Monsal Valley
4) Other Crossing points (excluding Halts)
and finally
5) areas where there are “points” so that trains can enter (and leave) a passing loop and also the siding to the Engine Shed
The “Kerb Beams” have a number of functions:
- Hold the Cross Beams in place
- Retain any “ballast” material between the “Kerb Beams” from spilling out
- Provide a solid, but “friendly” boundary to encourage other Trail Users to keep to the side of the Trackform
Optimum Length of Trackform
A compromise will be required..
The longer the length of each Trackform means:
but
The shorter the length of each Trackform means:
but
The maximum trailer length as part of an articulated lorry is about 12m in the UK so maybe this is the sort of length that would be used
“Light Rail” is often supplied in 6m lengths so IF it were found to be cost beneficial it might be advantageous to weld two length together before fitting to a 12m Trackform
Structural Engineers will confirm the design of the pre-fabricated sections and their foundations.
“Tram Track” configuration
Where Trail Users are expected to cross the track ideally a different profile of rail could be used. For example, “Grooved rail” allows the surrounding surfaces to be constructed immediately up to the rail so that all that is exposed is a flat rail with a groove for the flanged wheel to run in on the inside.
profile of a “grooved” rail
the “roadway” surface can be built right up to a grooved rail
See section “Monsal Rail Crossing Points” later for the list of sections that could be constructed in this way.
Monsal Rail Trackform In “Tram Track” configuration at a “crossing” location
Tactile paving effect to be used where appropriate
Installation on Site
In brief:
Diagram of a Trackform supported on two foundation “Pads”
The Terex TRT 35 is just 2.5m wide, 3.5m tall (minimum) and can lift 35 tons
The outer “Cross Beams” on each Busway “Trackform” are fixed into the foundation “Pads” with brackets and bolts
( Picture from Cambridgeshire Busway )
General Alignment of Track (ie which side is it on?)
The Track would be laid on the “northern”/”eastern” side of the Monsal Trail except at “Monsal Valley” where it would cross over to the “southern” side. The reasons for this “crossing point” are detailed later in section “STATION - Monsal Valley Halt”
This arrangement gives consistency to the Trail Users (except of course for that very short stretch at “Monsal Valley” )
Curves
There are no sharp bends (by railway standards) along the length of Monsal Rail.
Curved rails will probably only be required at a few places such as “the crossing point” at Monsal Valley”, both sides of “passing loops” and lines around the Engine shed. At these points rail track will probably be laid using conventional “sleeper” construction.
“Curves” in the main track will be catered for by very small angles between adjacent Trackform sections.
These small angle changes will be enabled at the “fishplate” joints (see below)
Rail Joints
Conventional “fish plate” joints will be used.
These joints cater for:
“Tram Track” Sections
3 precast concrete “slabs” are fixed “around” the rails in order to create a flat(ish) surface which is easy to walk or cycle over.
Cross section through a “Tram Track” section
“Transitioning” the track between “Rail” and “Tram Track” configuration.
“Tram Track” sections will be “sandwiched” between “Rail Track” Sections.
The level of the rails will be the same throughout.
The level of the Shared Path (or Path or Track joining The Trail) will be raised gradually from both sides until its height is near to the top of the “Tram Track” Section
When the trackbed was originally built (and maintained), the ground level would have been level but in the 50 plus years since the line closed the trackbed will have suffered differential erosion resulting in “undulating” levels.
The use of the word “Halt” is to emphasise that there will be minimal facilities and to distinguish them from the original stations at “Great Longstone”, “Hassop” and “Bakewell” which still have some platform infrastructure in place (to varying degrees) and are in different locations (by about one hundred metres)
It is also noted that the name “Hassop Station” is associated with the successful business based there.
A simple “low level” platform at Buxton station on the Bure Valley Railway ( G Laird geograph.org.uk )
Because of the low height of the carriages able bodied people would be able to step in and out of a carriage. However platforms are required to provide a surface which: assist with level wheelchair access into the carriages and provide a well drained surface which:
- is level to assist with the movement of people, particularly if they have mobility issues
- is at the best height to allow the transfer of people in wheelchairs between the platform and carriages
- is well drained so that it doesn’t “pond” with water during rainfall.
- doesn’t become unduly “slippy” during freezing weather
The exact heights of the platforms on Monsal Rail is to be determined.
All of the halts will have a passing loop except for Monsal Valley Halt which will just have a single line and platform..
One possible configuration could be to place a shared “Island” platform between the two parallel sets of Trackform sections in order to keep the overall width of the track as narrow as possible. People will access the platform from the “north/west” end of the platform.
Diagram showing a possible “Line + “Platform + Line” ” configuration at the “double line” Halts(looking north or west)
wheelchair icon from https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons/wheelchair
A maximum gradient of 1 in 10 would be targeted for the slope up to the platform in order to assist solo manual wheelchair users
diagram showing the slope up to the platform
Summary of “Halt” infrastructure
Location | lines | Platform Type | Passenger embarkation/ disembarkation | Notes | distance from Bakewell Station Rd Bridge (miles) |
Bakewell Echo Bridge Halt | 2 | Island | yes | Terminus with buffers | 0 |
Hassop Valley Halt | 2 | Island | yes | engine shed, battery charging facilities, ticket office | 1.0 (1.6 km) |
“Main Street Stop” | 2 | Island | on special occasions only | additional passing loop that can be used on special occasions | 2.0 (3.2 km) |
Thornbridge & Longstone Halt | 2 | Island | yes | 2.2 (3.5 km) | |
Monsal Valley Halt | 1 | Side | yes | Terminus with buffer | 3.3 (5.4 km) |
The “Main Street Stop” is 200m east of Thornbridge & Longstone Halt and will be used to corral trains on special events days.
There is no train passing facility at Monsal Valley Halt (because the trackbed here isn’t wide enough to accommodate 2 tracks)
This “stop” could potentially be used for visiting steam and diesel locomotives which are not allowed to enter the Headstone tunnel except under controlled conditions. It would be used in addition to the passing loop at Thornbridge & Longstone
The "Historic" Bakewell Station, about which there is more detail in the following section: “Location - ‘historic’ Bakewell Station”, consists of two Grade II listed structures: The station itself on the west side and a “Station Wall” on the east side. The platform edge stones for the “down” platform are also still in place and visible.
Because of all these sensitive structures the Monsal Rail Halt will be situated to the south of the Station Road Bridge:
STATION - Bakewell Echo Bridge halt
Possible “island platform” profile configuration at “Bakewell Echo Bridge Halt” looking south
Track schematic
Bakewell Station shortly before its closure -“Bakewell Echo Bridge” Halt would be situated just beyond the Station Road bridge
(facebook.com/bakewellofyesteryear photo by Frank Lomas. Lawrence Humphreys collection)
When Bakewell Railway Station was built in 1862 it was located at an altitude of 150m above sea level on a hillside above Bakewell. This was because the surveyor had designed a consistent 1 in 100 (1%) gradient from Rowsley Station (105m) to Peak Forest Summit (300m). This resulted in the train station being about 1/2 mile away (and a 30m ascent) from the town centre which unfortunately possibly contributed towards its early demise and it closed in 1967.
The trackbed between the platforms has subsequently been filled in leaving a large flat area between the former Station building on the west side (seen below on the right) and the platform wall on the East Side. Both these structures are Grade II listed.
Current view of Bakewell Station looking south. (Station Road Bridge is now almost completely hidden by trees on “The Tip”)
Unfortunately there appears to have been some opportunist “tipping” that has then been done in the past from Station Rd which passes over the trackbed just to the south of the Station complex.
How Station Road Bridge used to look like from the “Station” side. ( there used to be a rather attractive foot bridge too)
in 1966
and today..
2023
Trees have subsequently taken root on this “tip” and now a combination of the tip and the trees on it that the bridge is almost completely hidden from where the Trail User enters the Original Bakewell Station
It would be a great outcome, if as part of the Monsal Rail development, that “The Tip” could be removed (or scaled back) so restoring views of the magnificent Station Road Bridge
Pineapple Bridge carries the A619 over the Monsal Trail at the northern end of Bakewell.
There is a seasonal stream that currently runs alongside the eastern side of the trackbed starting just south of Pineapple Bridge and running downstream for 200m towards Bakewell. Archive photos appear to show a fairly narrow gulley or culvert at the side of the tracks:
Looking south from Pineapple Bridge in the 1960’s. The line of “the stream” is seen on the left side of the trackbed
When the track was maintained, the stream appeared to be in small gulley or culvert which runs southwards for 200m
When the rail line closed the drainage system was no longer maintained. Probably at some point it will have become blocked in some way and then subsequent heavy rain may have caused flooding of the Monsal Trail and/or the nearby houses...
Today, the stream has been allowed to widen somewhat. A levee (bank) has been built, presumably to mitigate flooding
The wide stream and levee has narrowed the width available for the shared path. The design of Monsal Rail track here will need to:
contain the stream efficiently,
prevent flooding of the shared path when the stream is running high
and maintain a minimum width of 3m for the shared path
Hassop Engine Shed will be situated to the south east of Hassop Valley Halt
The Engine Shed will be a long single storey building with a pitched roof
It provides secure storage of:
locomotives and carriages
battery charging & changing facilities
Workshop tools including crane mechanism to lift a locomotive, battery or carriage
The engine shed will require an electricity supply sufficient for charging batteries
The engine shed would have some large doors to allow multiple tracks into the building
perhaps the Engine Shed could echo some of the design features of the former huge 1925 Engine Shed which was built at Rowsley Sidings 4 miles south of Bakewell
The fine looking 1925 Engine Shed at Rowsley
from http://disused-stations.org.uk/r/rowsley
Potential additional Picnic Area
There will still be plenty of space in the current picnic areas but in order to compensate for some of the area that would be lost to the Engine Shed it is proposed that a new area is mowed (subject to ecological survey) which is on a raised piece of ground at the southeastern corner of what was the original “Goods Area” see
This area currently benefits from extensive views to the west but would need infrequent mowing
view of one access point, looking west to the potential new Picnic Area
Hassop Valley Halt is situated south east of the original station on an area which was originally a goods yard
“Hassop Valley Halt” - possible Layout - Plan
“Hassop Valley Halt” - possible Platform arrangement - Elevation
Track schematic
There is private vehicle access via an “Access Road” which runs along the north east edge of the Hassop Cafe/ Hassop Car Park site
Aerial view of the Hassop Cafe complex and location of the private “Access Road”
Presumably the Hassop Station Car Park boundary was “defined” before anyone had thought about The Monsal Trail!
The south western corner of the Car Park fence boundary has been allowed to protrude into the line of the original trackbed. It really needs to be “un-protruded!”
Image of the southern end of Hassop Station car park indicating the “line” of the original trackbed
Also seen in this image:
“Access Road” (not public) seen joining The Trail from the right
Car Park access point - opposite fingerpost
Hassop Cafe Access - up steps with handrail (faintly visible beyond, and on other side to fingerpost)
Hassop Cafe
Hassop Cafe is a large well frequented cafe open all year round.
The steps coming down from the cafe is a busy entry/exit point to The Trail. Particular care will need to be taken with the “crossing” at this point
I'll in
Image of the steps leading to/from Hassop Station Cafe
Monsal Rail will use the popular “2 foot” gauge of which there are over 50 lines in the UK:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2_ft_and_600_mm_gauge_railways_in_the_United_Kingdom
and even more associated steam and diesel locomotives.
One of the advantages of Narrow Gauge locomotives is that they can be transported relatively easily on low loaders and there is a tradition for taking locomotives “on tour” to run on other lines which have the same gauge.
It is likely that for safety reasons steam and diesel locomotives will not be able to go through the Headstone Tunnel when the shared path is in use.
“Main Street Stop” is the most westerly point on the Monsal Trail (apart from the Thornbridge & Longstone Halt) east of The Headstone Tunnel where there is enough width in the Trail to construct a passing loop.
Main Street Stop is 300m east of Thornbridge & Longstone Halt
Additional sidings in the Thornbridge area would allow flexibility for moving locos to the “other end” of the trainset or the ability of “corralling” locos/trainsets prior to transiting through the Headstone Tunnel if “possession” of the tunnel can be agreed for a limited amount of time. This would, of course, be subject to discussions with the land owner, PDNPA, and the appropriate safety authorities.
Possible location on the right for the “Main Street Stop” passing loop (looking west)
Profile of possible track configuration at “Main Street Stop” looking East
Track schematic
This halt is east of the original “Great Longstone” station which closed in 1961 and is a Grade II listed structure..
The new platform would be built 200m to the east of the “old station”. The trackbed is around 10m wide at this point. Just to the west of the end of the halt a path branches off the Monsal Trail and rises gradually up to Quackers Cafe and Thornbridge Hall and gardens
Thornbridge & Longstone Halt - showing 2 lines, platform and connecting paths to Thornbridge
View looking east from a point near where the path from Thornbridge Hall meets The Trail and showing the wider section of trackbed which is about 80m long and can accommodate a platform and “Passing Loop” (looking east)
Profile of possible track configuration at Thornbridge & Longstone Halt (looking east)
Because there isn’t space for a passing loop at Monsal Valley Halt, A train bound for Monsal Valley would need to wait here for any other train on the “Monsal Valley” stretch of track to return here before it, itself could proceed
Track schematic
Note - the Monsal Rail Thornbridge & Longstone Halt is 200m to the east from where the original “Great Longstone Station” is situated
Great Longstone station is grade II listed.
Unlike at Hassop and Bakewell Echo Bridge Stations, both original platforms remain above ground at what was Great Longstone Station. This means that this is a “fixed narrow point”
People access the Monsal Trail from:
The end of the north platform
From steps descending from the road bridge (at the eastern end of the north platform)
As with other “busy areas” the “Monsal Rail” train will be travelling at a reduced speed through this area
In the image below it shows the rails configured in “"Tram Track" configuration” so that people can more easily walk over the rails.
Profile of Monsal Rail at the original Great Longstone Station - looking west
The cutting at the eastern end of The Headstone Tunnel is, as its “Site of Special Scientific Status”, SSSI, status would suggest, very interesting..
In most of the visible geology of the “Derbyshire Limestone Dome” the strata, aka “beds”, are close to horizontal but when entering this cutting the “tilted beds” can be seen, here in winter:
the tilted beds of the Derbyshire Carboniferous Limestone Dome can be seen in the cutting
There is some interesting “vertical moss”:
The current view of the Eastern Portal is dominated by an “arch” (that looks like a reinforced cycle shed). The arch only provides protection from rock fall from immediately above the tunnel itself:
:
The Eastern Tunnel Portal with the “reinforced cycle shed”structure and ugly fencing
Unfortunately rock fall does occur from the very steep rocky sides beyond where the current protection arch ends. An extended “protection mechanism” is required. This should also be an architectural feature... One possible solution could be a steel “cage tunnel” which reflects the shape of the tunnel portal. The visualisation below has the “weathering steel” finish as used by Anthony Gormley in many of his sculptures including the iconic “Angel of the North”
Visualisation of a possible “rusty steel hoops” structure which provides protection from falling rocks and also acts as a visual “lead in” to the tunnel
In some places the rocky sides of the cutting are vertical..and so In cold winters they can be adorned by icicles:
Icicles in the cutting
The Headstone Tunnel is 490m long with a “wall to wall” minimum distance of 7.2m
Certainly not the main benefit of Monsal Rail.. however icicles in the Headstone Tunnel in winter periodically cause it’s closure to Trail Users for safety reasons.
Monsal Rail could hopefully be fitted with an “Icicle Scraper” to periodically knock off growing icicles and prevent the closures
There is a “concrete duct” which runs along the entirety of the tunnel at the base of the “South side”. See the bottom right of the tunnel in the image above. This is understood to house a “decommissioned water main”.
see “Trails Management Plan”
https://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/54873/trails-management-plan-2013a.pdf
page 65:
“A decommissioned water main runs along the southern wall of Headstone, Cressbrook and Litton Tunnels, encased in a concrete haunching. The Authority is aware that Severn Trent Water is currently investigating the feasibility of re-commissioning the use of this pipe under the terms of their deed dated 29 October 1979.”
The duct has a smooth exterior surface which is a minimum of 75cm wide and its height tapers up gradually from ground level at each end of the tunnel over a distance of about 30m to a height of about 30cm above the existing tunnel floor for the remaining length of the tunnel.
Pedestrians, particularly children, do use the “concrete duct” as a walkway at the moment, but it is slightly dangerous as in the dim lighting it would be easy for someone to “miss” the edge and they could fall (the 30cm to the trackbed)
Ideally this duct would be removed, discussions with Severn Trent are required.
If removal is not possible then it could be made safer for use by pedestrians by raising the level of the tunnel floor (between the concrete duct and Monsal Rail) so that it becomes level with the top surface of the concrete duct. see diagram on next page:
Cross section through the Headstone Tunnel showing raised trackbed and Monsal Rail
An approximately 25 cm wide strip of hardcore ballast would be left between the Concrete Duct and the tarmaced shared path. This is required to assist with the drainage of water which drips down, particularly on the “southern wall” and also from the roof.
When this water reaches the concrete duct surface it will drain into the ballast (which is what currently happens but with a wider strip of ballast).
This “rough strip” would also have the added benefit of dissuading cyclists from transferring from the tarmaced shared path, as clearly riding on the Concrete Duct is more dangerous because it would be easy to catch a handlebar against the wall.
The “crossover” of Monsal Rail with the Shared Path occurs in the cutting which leads into the western portal of the Headstone Tunnel. It is also adjacent to the Monsal Valley Halt.
This is the only location where Monsal Rail and the Shared Path “change sides”. The main reason for this is that there is a busy path which comes down steeply downhill from the north and once people join the Monsal Trail most of them proceed in the direction of the Monsal Viaduct without the need to cross Monsal Rail.
Diagram showing the location of the Headstone Tunnel Crossover
Layout at the “Headstone Tunnel Crossover”
Some images showing the location of the Crossover relative to the Headstone Tunnel and the path joining from Monsal Head
Looking westwards out of The Headstone Tunnel towards the crossover and beyond to Monsal Valley Halt
Looking eastwards back to the tunnel from just beyond the Monsal Head path junction
Monsal Valley Halt will be the western terminus of Monsal Rail. It will be situated immediately to the east of the eastern end of the Monsal Viaduct and on the southern side of the trackbed. Visually it will be hidden from view from afar because of the mature trees that are growing on both sides of the embankment.
looking eastwards towards “Monsal Valley Halt” which would be between the end of the Viaduct and The Headstone Tunnel ( approximately situated on the grass on the right)
Monsal Valley Halt Platform and Shared Path (profile looking east)
Track Schematic
looking westwards from the Crossover location towards where Monsal Valley Halt will be located
seen in winter
A LiDAR (LIght Detection And Ranging) image of Monsal Viaduct area which clearly shows the embankments (but not the viaduct itself!). The embankments are now largely hidden by trees. Monsal Valley Halt will be almost entirely constructed on the eastern embankment of the viaduct.
1. Diagram showing locations of : Monsal Viaduct, Monsal Valley Halt, the path to Monsal Head and the western Portal of The Headstone Tunnel
2. Expanded view of “Monsal Valley Halt”
Maximum length of train at Monsal Valley is 56m
A wonderful painting of the western end of the Headstone Tunnel by the late David Hey
The Headstone Tunnel - original painting by David Hey
See (the late) David Hey’s fantastic collection of railway photographs and paintings at:https://davidheyscollection.myshopblocks.com/
trains having “burst out” of the tunnel then almost immediately traversed the Monsal Viaduct
As noted previously, the Bakewell Railway Station was built about 1km (6/10ths mile) away from the Town Centre (Rutland Square) and about 30m (100’) up a hill so it’s certainly not the easiest place to get to on foot.
The usual route “up” Station Road is not a particularly pleasant walk either, but there is a little used alternative which is 300m (1/5th mile) further but immeasurably more pleasant. (with a bit of “engineering” it could also potentially be made “mobility scooter friendly”)
Alternative pedestrian routes from Bakewell Town Centre to Bakewell “Echo Bridge” Halt
“The Station Rd Route”
This is the “normal” route that pedestrians take but it is not particularly pleasant
First there is Bakewell Bridge over the Wye, it might be Grade I listed but the footpaths on it are very narrow and busy so it is awkward to stop and admire the view.
Next it is necessary to cross Coombs Rd which is wide here and usually busy because of cars going to and from the car parks in this area.
Next is the “long drag” up Station Rd. It is steep and the pavements are quite narrow, flanked for a long section by a high and encroaching hedge. The camber on the south side of the road is steep and so when cars park up, their large side mirrors tend to protrude into the way of any walkers.
The views are limited
The pavement on Station Road Route is steep and narrow with parked vehicles to avoid
The “Chatsworth Path Route”
Albeit this is 300m further than the “Station Road Route” it is an altogether much more pleasant and interesting route
It takes in:
“Love Lock” Bridge
looking across to Bakewell Agricultural Centre
The “Chatsworth Path Route” is traffic free and affords extensive views over Bakewell and the Wye Valley
and maybe some llamas!
Once the Railway has been built the carbon emissions will be kept to a minimum. The electricity used to power the railway will be from “renewable sources”.
The carbon footprint of the construction of the railway will be kept as small as possible. The biggest element will be from the manufacture of cement used in making concrete foundations and the Trackforms
The cement manufacturers are actively looking at ways of reducing their carbon footprint.
Tarmac Group which operates the nearby Tunstead Cement works is aiming to achieve a 45% reduction in CO2 production by 2040 (compared to 1990 levels)
Breedon Group which operates the nearby Hope Cement Works is targeting a 30% reduction in gross carbon emissions by 2030.
The “largest” visual impact will be the track itself. Every effort will be made to ensure that the track blends in with the existing trackbed as best as possible.
See “Weathering” section earlier under the “Prefabricated Rail Track” section.
The only building will be the “Engine Shed” at “Hassop Valley Halt”
This will be a single storey building on the site of the original Goods station and sidings and will be fully screened from the north and east by mature trees and partly screened from the west by trees
The halt at Monsal Viaduct will be difficult to be seen from any other location (other than from the Trail itself) because there are mature trees on the embankment and cutting adjacent to the halt.
See image in section “STATION - Monsal Valley Halt”
Because Monsal Rail travels slowly and is powered by battery, it won’t be noisy.
As the rails will not be “continuously welded” passengers will enjoy the "Historic" “clickity clack” noise which is sadly absent on main lines these days!
However some noise is desirable to act as a warning to Trail Users that the train is approaching.
The train will be fitted with 2 horns:
A consultation exercise will be undertaken to choose these two horn noises so that they become a distinctive feature of Monsal Rail
Assuming the use of two working train sets
“One Train every hour” would be a possible frequency
The Total elapsed time would be 2 hours
Made up say as:
45 mins from Bakewell to Monsal Valley
30 mins “stop” at the Embankment
45 mins from Monsal Valley to Bakewell
Total Elapsed Time of 2 hours
With a return distance of just under 62/3 miles (10.6 kms) the average speed for the 90 minutes of “travelling” is about 41/2 mph (7 km/hour ) - which is only a “fast” walking pace
There will probably be a number of utilities under the trackbed.
There are established procedures for establishing what and where these are
It will need to be established which utilities are buried under the existing Trail so that there is awareness and that they can be avoided
The Freehold for the Monsal Trail is held by The Peak District National Park Authority.
“Freehold” Map of Monsal Trail - Monsal Viaduct to Longreave Lane
“Freehold” Map of Monsal Trail - Longreave Lane to Bakewell
The boundaries of the freehold appear to have been drawn by using a detailed OS map and including everything that is either marked as a cutting or an embankment. For example notice the two “bulges” indicating the embankments at the Monsal Viaduct.
There are two existing “vehicle access” points to the route of Monsal Rail. (seen as “spurs” on the map above) and are included in the Monsal Trail freehold. They have locked gates.
Authorised vehicles are able to gain access to The Trail for maintenance purposes. Interestingly these access points were used by small buses which ran between Hassop and Bakewell in the days of the multi day Bakewell Show
The two “vehicle access” points are:
1. Hassop Station - via a track which branches off the road into the Car Park at SK 21771 70658
Vehicle Access to Monsal Trail at Hassop Station (off roundabout on A6020)
2. Bakewell old goods yard from Station Rd 150m north of Bakewell Station
Vehicle Access to Monsal Trail near Bakewell Station (off Station Yard)
Then next vehicle access point to the west is west of the Monsal Viaduct at the location of the original Monsal Dale Station
Vehicle Access to this location is somewhat restricted. First there is a narrow minor road which runs through Upperdale and then there is a weak bridge over the River Wye
Vehicle access is better at Millers Dale Station which is about 3 miles west from Monsal Viaduct.
The location and duration of any construction centres would need to be agreed with the planning authority and other interested parties
The scheduling of the phases, and which phases could be undertaken in parallel will be determined by a number of factors such as financing, planning restrictions, SSSI restrictions, weather etc.
Great effort would be made to minimise the number and duration of closures to the Trail.
It may be necessary to NOT undertake construction work during the school Easter and Summer holidays.
Hopefully as the Trail is reasonably well drained, construction work should be able to continue through the winter months.
Main Construction Tasks:
Abbreviations Used:
BEB = Bakewell Echo Bridge Station
HG = Hassop Valley Station
T&L = Thornbridge & Longstone Halt
ME = Monsal Valley Halt
“Engine Shed” Infrastructure:
Engine shed to be built
Electricity Supply
Water Supply
Battery Charging Infrastructure
Septic Tank
Passing Loops:
Passing Loop at BEB
Passing Loop at HG
Passing loop at T&L
n.b. NO passing loop at ME
Turntable at HG
Platforms:
Platform at BEB
Platform at HG
Platform at T&L
Platform at ME
Buffers:
Buffers at BEB
Buffers at ME
Tracks:
The Laying of track firstly involves digging (and shuttering if required) of foundation holes for the foundation “Pads”
The surface of each Pad is poured to a precise level and angle ready for the Trackforms to be laid on top.
Shims will be used to get precise adjustments
The Trackforms are then laid onto the foundation pads
A bending machine will be required to put small bends into the rails when required
The rails from adjacent Trackforms are then bolted together using “fishplates”.
Track between HG and Bakewell Echo Bridge Station (BEB)
Track between HG and Thornbridge & Longstone Halt (T&L)
Track between T&L and Monsal Valley (ME)
Vehicle Crossings:
HG
Cycle Crossings
ME
Pedestrian Crossings
Many - to be detailed
Widening of Metal “Protective Arch” at the Eastern portal of the Headstone Tunnel
Raising of tunnel floor by 30cm in Headstone Tunnel
“Crossover” between Headstone Tunnel and ME
With the interest in sustainable transport it is hoped that there will be transport hubs that are developed which would encourage this form of transport into the Peak District.
One project, Gateway @Peak is planned to be a “Sustainable transport” hub near Chesterfield..
from their website
https://milliganltd.com/works/the-gateway-at-peak-peak-district-national-park/
“One of the key aims of the Gateway at PEAK is to manage visitors and access to the [PEAK] Park safely and in an environmentally friendly way, offering park and ride facilities, reducing traffic and congestion”
Shuttle Bus
Consideration will be given as to whether a Shuttle Bus could be operated between say Rowsley South (northern terminus of Peak Rail), Peak Village (Shopping Centre), “Love Lock” Bridge (the bridge over the River Wye in Bakewell) and then Bakewell Station.
Organisation | Type | Summary | Phone/email |
Peak District National Park Authority | National Park Authority | Freehold, Planning Authority, Rights of Way | peakdistrict.gov.uk |
Natural England | Public Body | Sites of Special Scientific Interest | |
Derbyshire County Council | Local Authority | Planning, Bridges, Rights of Way, Car parks, Bus Services | derbyshire.gov.uk |
Derbyshire Dales District Council | Local Authority | Planning, Rights of Way | derbyshiredales.gov.uk |
High Peak Borough Council | Local Authority | bordering authority | highpeak.gov.uk |
Bakewell Town Council | Local Authority | Bakewell Station | bakewelltowncouncil.gov.uk |
Office of Rail and Road | Public Body | Compliance with rail regulations | orr.gov.uk |
Health and Safety Executive | Public Body | Maintenance of safety regulations | hse.gov.uk |
AGE UK | Charity | Accessibility | ageuk.org.uk |
SCOPE | Charity | Accessibility | scope.org.uk |
British Heart Foundation | Charity | Accessibility | bhf.org.uk |
MENCAP | Charity | Accessibility | mencap.org.uk |
RNIB | Charity | Accessibility | rnib.org.uk |
Accessible Derbyshire | Charity | Accessibility | accessiblederbyshire.org |
High Peak Access | Charity | Accessibility | highpeakaccess.org.uk |
SUSTRANS | Charity | National Cycling Network. Walking, Cycling, “Wheeling” | sustrans.org.uk |
CPRE - The Countryside Charity | Charity | Protection of the countryside | cpre.org.uk |
Lsbud.co.uk | Utility | “Line Search Before U dig” to check for utilities | Lsbud.co.uk |
Severn Trent | Utility | Water pipes, Sewage Pipes | stwater.co.uk |
National Grid | Utility | Overhead power lines, Underground cables, Gas pipes | nationalgid.com |
National Highways | Public Body | Underbridges and Overbridges A6020 bridge near Hassop Station? | nationalhighways.co.uk |
Historic England | Listed buildings | Monsal Viaduct: Grade II 1109915 Great Longstone Platform: Grade II 1109901 Bakewell Railway Station: Grade II 1316505, 1316506 | historicengland.org.uk/ |
Network Rail | Public Body | historic rail bridges ? | networkrail.co.uk |
Hassop Station | Food, Retail Business, tourist destination | Major access point, car park | hassopstation.co.uk |
Thornbridge Estate | Food, tourist destination | thornbridgehall.co.uk | |
TM Travel | Bus operator | Stop at adj. Hassop Old Station. Service 218 Sheffield <> Bakewell | |
Hulleys of Baslow | Bus operator | Stop at adj. Hassop Old Station. Service 7 Chesterfield <> Bakewell | |
Bat Conservation Trust | Trust | potential sightings of bats in Headstone Tunnel | |
Peak Rail | Heritage Railway | Terminus at Rowsley South | peakrail.co.uk |
From SUSTRANS
“Advice on using shared-use paths”
https://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-blog/get-active/2019/everyday-walking-and-cycling/advice-on-using-shared-use-paths
Many people including young, older and disabled people benefit from shared paths.
If you're cycling, we recommend that you consider your speed so you don't accidentally startle other people. Particularly those who are frail or who have reduced sight, hearing or mobility.
From The South East of Scotland Transport Partnership
“Design Guidance and Best Practice”
Where there are between 100 to 200 pedestrians/cyclists per hour cyclists should be encouraged to travel at speeds of 10mph or less (e.g. a fairly busy traffic restricted street, such as High Street, Edinburgh).
Cyclists should be encouraged to travel as speeds no greater than 12/13mph on routes shared with pedestrians such as in town centres and shared pedestrian/cycle paths.
It may be necessary in some circumstances to look at physical measures to manage cyclist speeds or increase the separation. When the shared path or street is busy
MEMRAP = Manchester and East Midlands Rail Action Partnership
see next section: “‘Main Line’ reinstatement proposals and the consequential closure of The Monsal Trail”
This area, which is part of the River Wye SSSI, is in a deep cutting and at a peak in elevation of the line so there is no clear slope either eastwards or westwards
It is likely that the original culverts have become blocked
A “drainage survey” will be required to understand the underlying issues
When rails are particular “slippy” conditions, most likely to be caused by “leaves on the line” or ice etc. there is an increased risk of the driven wheels on the locomotives “slipping” when accelerating or skidding when braking.
If wheel slip occurs it can then result in “flat spots” on the steel wheels which then causes a “banging” noise when the wheel turns. To repair this the wheels need to be removed and “re-turned” and so is time consuming and expensive.
The “age old” mitigation for this is “sanding” where a line of fine sand is dropped onto the rails in front of the wheels in order to improve traction. The sand needs to be clean, angular, and well-graded and is stored in a sandbox attached to the locomotive next to the driving wheels.
It will be necessary to liaise with the environmental bodies to confirm the type of sand to be used.
Periodically proposals are made to close the Monsal Trail so that a “Main Line” (Standard gauge) railway can be reinstated. Quite rightly, these proposals have all been rejected as any alternative route for Trail Users would be completely inferior to the current “Monsal Trail”. IThe following map shows all the bridleways in the vicinity of the Monsal Trail
None of these bridleways are level for any significant distance. Indeed many have significant uphill and downhill sections.
It is generally very difficult for a local authority to create new bridleways because, unless the landowners are in agreement the councils would need to resort to compulsory purchase powers which they are reluctant to do because of the legal costs involved.
Also the costs, £1bn+, would be prohibitive and there are also doubts over whether all the missing bridges could be reinstated.
The most recent public statement from Peak District National Park Authority:
Statement on proposals for reinstatement of an active railway line on the route of the Monsal Trail
Friday 23 July 2021
The National Park Authority is aware that organisations including Manchester & East Midlands Rail Action Partnership (MEMRAP) have developed proposals, and are campaigning for the reinstatement of an active railway line on the route now known as the Monsal Trail.
There are two key tests that will need to be applied to any proposal to re-instate a railway line on the Monsal Trail, and the bar for each of these tests is set high due to the nature of the trail and its location. These tests are:
1. Need: Is there a strategic need and is that need in the national interest? This is important because of the principle of considering major development in the National Park and the specific impact on the Natural Zone, which has the highest level of protection in the National Park, characterised as the wilder parts of the landscape.
2. Impact: Can an equally convenient and acceptable provision of the Monsal Trail be provided elsewhere that is of a similar quality and without having an unacceptable impact on the high quality landscape and environment through which it passes?
The Authority has worked with MEMRAP to understand if their current proposal can pass these tests, however to date we have not received anything to indicate the tests can, or have, been overcome by their work.
The National Park Authority is totally committed to a low-carbon and sustainable future for travel and access for all to the National Park. However, we do not accept that the reinstatement of the railway on the route of the Monsal Trail is part of the solution, for the reasons we have set out above. We cannot therefore, support the reinstatement of what is being referred to as the ‘Peaks and Dales line’.
There are no public road crossings across the route of Monsal Rail.
At “Crossing points” the track needs to be laid in “"Tram Track" Configuration” (see section “"Tram Track" Configuration”) in order to facilitate Trail Users being able to cross the track safely.
Monsal Rail trains would also be limited to a maximum speed of 5 mph at these points.
SIgnage would indicate that users should give way to an approaching train.
n.b there are a significant number of over and under bridges which carry traffic and/or people over or under Monsal Rail but these are not listed here.
Table of “Halts” and “crossing points” of Monsal Rail (West to East)
No. | Description | Type “T” indicates path “joins” | If “T” Joining side SPS= Shared Path Side NSPS=Non... | OS Grid Ref (start) | OS Grid Ref (end if different) | Min. length of “Tram Track" config- uration” | Notes |
1 | Monsal Valley | Halt | SK 1829 7154 | SK 18336 71516 | 50 | adjacent to Monsal Viaduct Path+Crossing | |
2 | Path from Monsal Head | “T” | SPS | No crossing. for info. only. | |||
3 | Shared path crosses just before Monsal Valley Halt | crossing | SK 18337 71517 | 10m | |||
4 | Path running south from Little Longstone | crossing | SK 19396 71180 | 5 | |||
5 | Great Longstone Station | “T” | NSPS | SK 19669 71111 | 10 | ||
6 | Great Longstone Station | “T” | NSPS | SK 19792 71098 | 10 | ||
7 | Path from Thornbridge Quackers Cafe | “T” | SPS | SK 20008 71112 | No crossing. for info. only | ||
8 | Thornbridge & Longstone Halt | Halt +passing loop | SK 20014 71119 | SK 20220 71137 | 50 | ||
9 | Public Foot Path | “T” | NSPS | SK 20518 71074 | 5 | ||
10 | Access Point next to bridge over minor road between Great Longstone and A6020 | “T” | NSPS | SK 20622 71013 | 5 | ||
11 | Path from A6020 to Bakewell cont. | Crossing | SK 21398 70775 | 5 |
No. | Description | Type “T” indicates path “joins” | If “T” Joining side | OS Grid Ref (start) | OS Grid Ref (end if different) | Min. length of “Tram Track" config- uration” | Notes |
12 | Hassop Station - Access next to Cafe | “T” | NSPS | SK 21734 70534 | 5 | ||
13 | Hassop Station - Public Car Park access | “T” | NSPS | SK 21779 70478 | 5 | ||
14 | Hassop Station - Track Crossing | Crossing | SK 21802 70441 | 10 | adjacent to Hassop Valley Halt. Vehicle crossing | ||
15 | Hassop Valley Halt | Halt+ Passing Loop | SK 21817 70430 | SK 21851 70352 | 70 | ||
16 | Access to field gate | “T” | SK 22078 69663 | not a public right of way. Is this recognised as legal access to field | |||
17 | Access from Pineapple Bridge on A619 | “T” | NSPS | SK 21969 69896 | 5 | ||
18 | Field Access | “T” | NSPS | SK 22098 69611 | |||
19 | Road Access Station Rd Bakewell north end | “T” | SPS | SK 22168 69238 | No crossing. For Info only. Vehicle access | ||
20 | Original Bakewell Station | SPS | SK 22251 69082 | SK 22296 69008 | 40 | No crossing. For Info only | |
21 | Bakewell Echo Bridge Station | Halt+ Passing Loop | SK 22292 68957 | SK 22317 68919 | 70 |
List of Bridges (overbridges and underbridges)
From West to East
No. | Location | Description | Ownership guess | OS Grid Ref (start) | OS Grid Ref (end) |
1 | Headstone Tunnel | tunnel | SK 18364 71496 | SK 18827 71394 | |
2 | Farmers bridge, Monsal Head | overbridge | SK 19045 71345 | ||
3 | Farmers bridge, Monsal Head | overbridge | SK 19516 71135 | ||
4 | Thornbridge to Great Longstone minor road | overbridge | Derbyshire CC? | SK 19792 71097 | |
5 | Public Path | overbridge | SK 19958 71108 | ||
6 | Bridge over minor road (between A6020 and Great Longstone) | underbridge | Derbyshire CC? | SK 20606 71017 | |
7 | Private bridge (north of Rowdale House) | overbridge | SK 20833 70915 | ||
8 | bridge over A6020 | underbridge | National Highways? | SK 21107 70847 | |
9 | B6001 Hassop Station | overbridge | SK 21716 70553 | ||
10 | Pineapple Bridge | overbridge | Derbyshire CC? | SK 21977 69854 | |
11 | “tunnel” (track from Mesne Lane) | underbridge | Derbyshire CC? | SK 22144 69450 | |
12 | “tunnel” - just south of “Mesne Lane” | underbridge | SK 22153 69410 | ||
13 | Station Rd Bridge Bakewell Station | overbridge | Derbyshire CC? | SK 22289 68958 | |
Gradients
1 in 100 equates to a gradient of 1% which for a main line train is considered “steep”.
For comparison Shap on the West Coast Main line has the “very steep” gradient of 1 in 75
From West to East
From | To | gradient 1 in | Up ^ or Down v |
Monsal Viaduct | Headstone Tunnel (Eastern Portal) | 107 | ^ |
Headstone Tunnel (Eastern Portal) | Great Longstone Station | 114 | v |
Great Longstone | Hassop Station | 100 | v |
Hassop Station | Bakewell Station | 102 | v |
approaching Bakewell Station from North | ** | 60 | ^ |
** This is due to the space between the platform edges being “filled in”
“Bakewell” in the table below is indicating the bus stop at Rutland Square in Bakewell town centre which is about 1/2 mile away (and a 30m ascent)
Destination | Begins at | Operator | Route No | Route | frequency |
Bakewell | Chesterfield | Hulleys | 7 | via Longshaw | Weekends only one only |
Bakewell | Chesterfield | Hulleys | 170 | via Chatsworth | hourly |
Bakewell | Chesterfield | Hulleys | X70 | Direct | hourly |
Bakewell | Sheffield | Hulleys | 257 | hourly | |
Bakewell | Sheffield | TM Travel | 218 | alternate service stops at Chatsworth | 30 mins |
Bakewell | Macclesfield | High Peak | 58 | Sunday only Two services | |
Bakewell | Derby | Trent | 6.1 | hourly | |
Bakewell | Matlock | Transpeak | TP3 | hourly | |
Hassop Station | Chesterfield | Hulleys of Baslow | 7 | via Longshaw Weekends only | one only |
Hassop Station | Sheffield | TM Travel | 218 | morning service only |
Snowdonia (Eryri) National Park
Snowdon Mountain Railway - Narrow Gauge - Built in the 1890’s as a tourist attraction - Beautiful scenery (if the cloud is high enough! - no significant tunnel or viaduct!)
Ffestiniog Railway - Narrow Gauge - Built in the 1830’s to transport quarried slate - Beautiful scenery (it does have a tunnel and a “loop” - but no significant viaduct!)
Welsh Highland Railway - Narrow Gauge - Built in the 1870’s to transport quarried slate - Beautiful scenery (but no significant tunnels or viaducts!)
Lake District National Park
Ravenglass & Eskdale - Built in the 1870’s to transport iron ore 8 miles to the coast - Beautiful scenery ( but no significant tunnels or viaducts )
Yorkshire Dales National Park
Settle & Carlisle Line - Standard Gauge - Network Rail - Built by the Midland Railway Company to enable them to have their own route to Scotland - beautiful scenery ( and it has tunnels and viaducts )
No Narrow Gauge railway
Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park
West Highland Line (between Arrochar and Tyndrum stations) - Network Rail - Standard Gauge - beautiful scenery (but no significant tunnels or viaducts!)
No Narrow Gauge railway
North Yorkshire Moors
North Yorkshire Moors Railway - Standard Gauge - Built in the 1830’s to enable traffic to the then important port of Whitby from the south. (no significant tunnels or viaducts )
No Narrow Gauge railway
The Peak District
Hope Valley Line (between Grindleford and Chinley Stations) - Network Rail - Standard Gauge
Currently no Narrow Gauge railway.......
Monsal Rail - providing “Access for All” to the Monsal Trail between Bakewell and Monsal Viaduct 2023-10-18 draft
