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What's this line in Stoke-on-Trent?

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ilkestonian

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The line spurs off the mainline at Fenton and goes towards Milton where it splits, part to leek and part towards Alton (now churnet valley railway). The line is very overgrown but totally intact as I used to walk my dog along there. There is still a gated level crossing by Birches Head high school.
 

rick9525

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Last time I went through that way the road to Leek was very busy even on a Sunday and a large part of it is 30mph so the area could do with it.
 

Ash Bridge

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Is there any track left? looks like there is on google but its probably out of date.

As I understand it, the line is mothballed,so although overgrown, I believe the track is still more or less intact.

Just had a look on Google street view at an intermediate station on this line (Endon) and the platform and a building are still in situ, whilst the bullhead track appears to have been cleared and is in reasonable condition it is in need of reballasting.
 

dysonsphere

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Just had a look on Google street view at an intermediate station on this line (Endon) and the platform and a building are still in situ, whilst the bullhead track appears to have been cleared and is in reasonable condition it is in need of reballasting.

Yes the line is cleared from leek Junchion to Endon and can be used with care I think. Most of the rest is in regular use gy the Churnet Valley except the leek branch apart from a short bit used as a run around loop.
 

Xenophon PCDGS

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It is the line to Leek. Last used in 1988 I believe. The Moorland & City Railway have an aspiration to reuse this again for both Passenger and Freight to Leek and Cauldon.

Last autumn, there was talk of a £21 million pound plan to develop housing, a marina and a new railway station in Leek. Any idea who was behind that proposal and what is the current state of play. Are Moorlands & City Railway still totally financially secure?

Before the 108 direct bus service from Macclesfield to Ashbourne via Leek was split into two, my good lady wife and I made the main part of that journey to Ashbourne on that bus, parking either of the 4x4 in Macclesfield, and there was one stretch south of Leek that we saw what looked like an early diesel class locomotive across the fields on an embankment.
 

bluenoxid

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Last autumn, there was talk of a £21 million pound plan to develop housing, a marina and a new railway station in Leek. Any idea who was behind that proposal and what is the current state of play. Are Moorlands & City Railway still totally financially secure?

Before the 108 direct bus service from Macclesfield to Ashbourne via Leek was split into two, my good lady wife and I made the main part of that journey to Ashbourne on that bus, parking either of the 4x4 in Macclesfield, and there was one stretch south of Leek that we saw what looked like an early diesel class locomotive across the fields on an embankment.

Revised planning application put in at beginning of May.
 

Baxenden Bank

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Last autumn, there was talk of a £21 million pound plan to develop housing, a marina and a new railway station in Leek. Any idea who was behind that proposal and what is the current state of play. Are Moorlands & City Railway still totally financially secure?

Before the 108 direct bus service from Macclesfield to Ashbourne via Leek was split into two, my good lady wife and I made the main part of that journey to Ashbourne on that bus, parking either of the 4x4 in Macclesfield, and there was one stretch south of Leek that we saw what looked like an early diesel class locomotive across the fields on an embankment.

Regarding housing etc. developments.

There were two proposed development sites. One at Barnfields Industrial Estate, which is close to the original Leek Station, and which included provision (passive provision?) for a new station and associated facilities. The second was in the triangle of former lines at Leekbrook, also including a small rail halt. The latter was submitted by Moorland and City Railways.

SMD/2014/0048
Applicant: Barnfield Hughes Ltd

LAND AT BARNFIELD ROAD AND SUNNYHILLS ROAD, CORNHILL, LEEK

Demolition of former industrial buildings and re-development of site comprising: residential (Use Class C3 up to 175 dwellings) with associated open space, play areas and cycle links; employment (Use Class B1c and B2 up to 1195 gross sqm); tourism and leisure uses including a marina / basin (up to 20 berths); railway station with associated heritage / railway activities building, including tourist / local needs retail unit (Use Class D2 / A1 up to 394 gross sqm); public house / restaurant (Use Class A3 / A4 up to 340 sqm) with associated car parking and servicing and reserve land for future highway including associated landscaping.

Refused


SMD/2014/0750
Applicant: Barnfield Hughes Ltd

Land at Barnfields Road and Sunnyhills Road, Cornhill, Leek

DEMOLITION OF FORMER INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS AND REDEVELOPMENT OF SITE COMPRISING: RESIDENTIAL (USE CLASS C3 UP TO 175 DWELLINGS) WITH ASSOCIATED OPEN SPACE, PLAY AREAS AND CYCLE LINKS; LIVE/WORK UNITS 2000SQM, EMPLOYMENT (USE CLASS B1C AND B2 UP TO 1847 GROSS SQM INCLUDING MEZZANINE); TOURISM AND LEISURE USES INCLUDING A MARINA / BASIN AND ASSOCIATED BOATING FACILITIES (UP TO 20 BERTHS), RAILWAY STATION WITH ASSOCIATED HERITAGE/RAILWAY ACTIVITIES BUILDING INCLUDING TOURIST/LOCAL NEEDS RETAIL UNIT (USE CLASS D2/A1 UP TO 394 GROSS SQM); PUBLIC HOUSE / RESTAURANT (USE CLASS A3 / A4 UP TO 340 SQM) AND ASSOCIATED CAR PARKING AND SERVICING; RESERVE LAND FOR FUTURE HIGHWAY INCLUDING ASSOCIATED LANDSCAPING AT LAND AT BARNFIELDS ROAD AND SUNNYHILLS ROAD, CORNHILL, LEEK FOR BARNFIELD HUGHES LTD

Awaiting Decision


SMD/2014/0090
Applicant: Moorland & City Railways Ltd

LAND NORTH WEST OF LEEKBROOK IND ESTATE, CHEDDLETON ROAD, LEEKBROOK
Outline application (with all matters reserved) for residential development of 89 units comprising 27 apartments, 49 town houses, 10 villas and 2 detached houses; A small station facility with integral convenience retail store (creating total gross external floorspace of 131.5sqm of which retail occupies 49.3sqm)

Withdrawn

Details, including site layouts, can be had via Staffordshire Moorlands District Council planning pages using the reference numbers given above e.g. 2014/0090.


Churnet Valley Railway offer 'driver experience' courses over the section of track that you refer to, from their own line (Oakamoor - Froghall - Cheddleton - Leekbrook) onto Moorland and City Railways metals (Leekbrook to Ipstones). I would guess you saw the loco in the vicinity of Bradnop, where the road and railway run close together. I have seen a '33' on these activities in the past. Having crossed the line by public footpath, and noticed the loco coming up the hill, I waited to give the driver a wave!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The line, as mentioned by previous posts, is that from Stoke-on-Trent to Leekbrook Junction, where a reversal would be made to the former BIS sand quarry at Moneystone (near Oakamoor). The last sand train ran on 30 August 1988, following which there were some 'civil defence' (SAS) specials in 1990 and 1991 (Basil Jeuda: The Churnet Valley Railway, Lightmoor Press 1999).

Continuing on from Leekbrook Junction the line climbs steeply to Ipstones and on to Cauldon where there is a large limestone quarry and cement works. The quarry previously sent stone out by rail until about 1992 (source lost). Then the railtours previously mentioned in 1994.

The section from Stoke to Endon is seriously overgrown, and probably impassable on foot for large stretches (and still illegal regardless). First bus 18 serves Endon.

The section from Endon to Leekbrook was cleared a while back. New gates were installed at Endon, together with nice shiny 'no trespassing' notices. The section is unused at present. D & G bus 16 will get you to Leekbrook.

Southwards from Leekbrook to Froghall is the Churnet Valley Railway, in regular use at weekends and some weekdays. D & G 31 will get you to Froghall.

Eastwards from Leekbrook to Ipstones the line was cleared and the track improved, re-opening in November 2010 with a number of specials through from the CVR all the way to Cauldon. This now sees regular (monthly) services through from the CVR as far as Ipstones. I understand that the track from Ipstones to Cauldon has been lifted and sold for scrap. Aimees / Taxico 108 will get you from Leek to Waterhouses and Cauldon, or D & G 31 to the 'bus stop in the middle of nowhere' just past Whiston and walk over the hill.
 

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Trainfan344

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Calm down guys, I didn't tresspass :P Didn't have time to go for a proper exploration of the line.
 

Trainfan344

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Didn't have time, eh? But you would've done if you had've had!

Nope! I probably worded it wrong, but I found one point but the track is so overgrown even if you could get onto it, it'd be too difficult to get through. Might go down to Alton sometime and explore the old railway line there that's open to the public...
 

Baxenden Bank

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Didn't have time, eh? But you would've done if you had've had!

The courts would be very busy if everyone who walked along sections of this out of use line were to be prosecuted!

Regarding the original question, no, it is not physically possible to walk the whole length. I walked the parallel route along the canal yesterday. Some sections of the line have clear paths through the greenery e.g. near Fenton and Abbey Hulton and are clearly well used. Others you could brush your way through, jungle adventurer style, others are totally impassable. More importantly, substantial fences have been erected where the railway crosses over the canal north of Leek New Road. These are a new feature, I do not recall them being there last year when I did the walk.

A friend who walked the line back in 2006 (tut tut) said, back then, the track was intact throughout but you wouldn't get anything down the track due to the trees in the four foot.

The section from Ipstones Station to Cauldon has indeed been lifted, rail, sleepers and everything!

Pictures, from left to right. Rail bridge over canal near Abbey Hulton (the track is in the trees to the right, honest), rail bridge over canal near Milton Station with new fence, rail bridge over canal at Stockton Brook, stood in the four foot! All looking towards Stoke.
 

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Baxenden Bank

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Is the station house at Ipstones station still standing?

Ipstones - I'm not certain. There is a house, set back from the site of the platform, not sure whether this is original railway, other old house or modern. It is visible on Google Earth - north of the B5053 / Bottom Lane. The new loop, as terminus of CVR operations, is immediately north of the old station platform with the single line extending through the (old and overgrown) platform, terminating at the B5053 road overbridge. Looking south from the bridge towards Cauldon, all fixtures and fittings have been removed.

Winkhill - yes, the original station building is still standing and is in use as a private dwelling, and showing as 'station house' on Google Earth.
 
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