Wherever Peak Rail started there would have been problems but the one problem which is almost insurmountable is the A6 road bridge at Rowsley. As you probably know the original rationale was for a steam centre at Buxton but it eventually became apparent that Rowsley - Matlock was more feasible as it offered a mainline connection, a traffic source (Matlock) and Peak Rail owned the Matlock Station shop. Although it's true that the Rowsley - Buxton section is pretty it only had Bakewell as a traffic source and would involved moving factories out of the way at Bakewell.csimpson wrote:Take this as an opportunity to focus..the tunnel is completely unsafe and would cost millions to repair....but the YWR could be quite successful with a 6 mile line with three beautiful well restored stations and great scenery once past Sledmere and Fimber. This problem of infra-structure maintenance and renewal is not uncommon in railway preservation....why did Peak rail start near Matlock?? maybe to avoid the scenic but costly Tunnels and Viaducts North of Bakewell ?? and us at Embsay not too fussed about the destruction of a huge viaduct straight in Ilkley station...It is the huge burden of maintenance and upkeep. Remember most of us are volunteers and have limited time...
The tunnels and viaducts are actually in good condition.
It would be interesting to know if a feasibility study was done -I arrived just after the first panel of track was laid at Darley Dale and I can't remember mention of one - and if it had, whether it would have squahed the Buxton idea.
As far as I remember ideas were simply bounced around, started and then sometimes abandoned.
