The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway

The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway runs for nine miles from Duffield to Wirksworth in Derbyshire.

It closed to passengers as early as 1947, but British Rail ran occassional excursions along the line and I travelled on one of them back in 1987.

There was heavy stone traffic from the quarries around Wirksworth, but that did not save the line and it closed to freight in 1989.

The good news is that it has now been reopened as a heritage line.

I was there today and caught an ageing diesel multiple unit up to Wirksworth and back. I shall return in summer when there will be steam and longer days to enjoy the countryside.

Wirksworth is a small town that grew rich on lead mining and is now something of a backwater - certainly compared with the nearby resorts of Matlock and Matlock Bath.

The result is that it is full of characterful buildings. I shall go back there too.