523:
711:
506:
direct route from Leek to
Waterhouses (the Leek curve), as the people of Leek wanted, or solely to build a curve away from Leek towards Stoke, as the railway company wanted. It took two years for the light railway order to be approved and the single line branch was not authorised until 1 March 1899 by the Leek, Caldon Low, and Hartington Light Railways Order 1898. This order did not include the Leek curve at Leek Brook, and it took a further act of Parliament, the
328:
359:
315:
91:
127:
134:
80:
271:
178:
285:
278:
292:
185:
348:
156:
249:
227:
205:
582:
9 miles 79 chains (16.1 km) of the
Waterhouse and quarry lines would require the excavation of 775,000 cubic yards (593,000 m), in fact over 1,500,000 cubic yards (1,100,000 m) was finally excavated. The line was severely graded and also included the highest point on the NSR with a summit between
684:
The carriage of other freight and general merchandise never met the levels the promoters of the line anticipated and one or two trains per day were sufficient to meet the demand. After the withdrawal of the passenger services in 1935, freight traffic continued until 1964 when the goods facilities at
581:
Although the tenders called for completion of the branch by 1904 it was a year later before it was completed (the LMVLR had been completed on time in 1904) and it was apparent that there had been some significant under-estimation of the amount of earthworks needed; the original estimate was that the
505:
As the main objective of the NSR was to improve its mineral traffic from Caldon Low, the company did not view a link with Leek as a high priority and for a considerable time there was disagreement between the railway company, the promoters of the LMVLR and the people of Leek over whether to build a
760:
arranged access over the branch line with
Moorland and City Railways and in 2011 started operating trains to Caldon Low exchange sidings. In 2014 MCR started the process to upgrade the track, as the condition of the track would not support modern freight engines and rolling stock, and so the rails
663:
The transport of milk and other produce from the farms of the
Staffordshire Moorlands district was one of the prime reasons the line had been proposed by the Light Railway Committee. From the opening of the line, the transport of milk was a significant contributor to the finances of the line.
650:(LMS). For the Waterhouses line this meant little change in the early days, but soon Sunday trains were discontinued and the extra Wednesday service to serve Leek market day was withdrawn. The LMVLR closed in 1934 and the following year all passenger services over the line were withdrawn.
483:
on rail traffic in the area, the committee entered into discussion with the NSR board in August 1896. The NSR were not only interested in the traffic to be generated from the area but also because it saw the advantage in using a line under the Light
Railways Act as a means of building a
693:
The transport of limestone mineral traffic from Caldon Low quarries was the main interest of the NSR in constructing the line as the company were the leaseholders of the quarry. Daily services ran from the earliest days and reached a peak of 4 trains per day in 1927, but the
432:(CVR) to hold a series of re-opening events in November 2010. Since 2011 an agreement has been reached between the two companies that sees the CVR operate a heritage service along the branch, with MCR continuing negotiations over the return of freight traffic.
573:
Surveying, planning and purchasing the land took two years and tenders for construction were not issued until 1901. There were a number of bidders but eventually all the tenders were granted to when the tenders were let to
Hutchinson and Co of
626:
was withdrawn in 1918. After the war the service was downgraded even more, and by the end of the NSR period there were only two trains each way per day with one train each way on Sunday and an extra train each way on
Wednesdays and Saturdays.
664:
Although much of the milk went to local destinations, the bulk of it went further afield and special milk trains ran from the branch to London for several years after the First World War. The closure of the
764:
In 2014 CVR started raising funds to purchase the trackwork between Leek Brook and
Ipstones, in order to ensure their operations were not affected by the ongoing uncertainty over the quarry project.
721:
With the end of limestone traffic in 1988 the line went out of use, but was designated as a strategic freight site. In 2009 Moorland and City
Railways (MCR) obtained the line on a 150yr lease from
1185:
783:
421:
with Leek, the biggest market town in the area. The railway opened in 1905 but closed to passengers in 1935. Freight continued on the line though until 1988, when the line was
428:
In 2009 a new company, Moorlands & City
Railways (MCR), was formed with the intention of re-opening the line for commercial freight traffic, and contracted with the local
444:(LMVLR) as they were part of same proposal to bring the railways to this rural part of Staffordshire, although the promoters of the scheme and the NSR had different motives.
41:
447:
The area east of Leek was (and still is) a rural area consisting of upland hill farms, open moorland interspersed with small villages in the valleys of the rivers
618:
with no Sunday service but with additional trains on Saturdays (a market day in Leek). A limited Sunday service was later introduced and by the outbreak of the
522:
615:
142:
567:
526:
597:
was granted in May 1905 and the line opened, initially to Ipstones, on 5 June 1905 and then on to Caldon Low quarry and Waterhouses on 1 July 1905.
1422:
761:
were lifted between Ipstones and Caldon Low quarry with the intention of relaying with new track once the situation over the quarry was known.
695:
441:
99:
1407:
757:
499:
1412:
1388:
1195:
793:
647:
507:
34:
459:
the way was opened for railways to be constructed in rural areas at cheaper cost and with the possibility of financial support from the
488:
line to the quarries at Caldon Low. The NSR operated the quarry under a 999-year lease and exported limestone from the quarry via a
479:. In order to access Treasury funds the line had to be constructed and operated by an existing railway company and as the NSR had a
1361:
1334:
676:
being diverted away from the LMVLR and the Waterhouses branch which was a major factor in the decision to close the LMVLR in 1934.
1417:
464:
698:
affected the fortunes of Caldon Low quarry and the traffic had dropped to only one train per day in 1940. After the end of the
164:
27:
375:
1248:
587:
213:
884:
1190:
788:
61:
672:
in 1932 resulted in a reorganisation by the dairy companies of the collection of milk in the district which led to the
741:
became sole owners. Plans for reopening the line for quarry traffic were on hold. The quarries were later acquired by
414:
367:
753:
673:
323:
107:
583:
489:
235:
710:
456:
257:
749:
714:
702:
there was an increase in traffic and limestone continued to be moved by train from Caldon Low until 1988.
634:
on Thursdays and weekends were a regular feature until the First World War but did not resume afterwards.
468:
429:
1274:
1222:
1146:
830:
742:
669:
611:
594:
455:. The railways had bypassed such areas as being uneconomic to build into but with the passing of the
319:
610:
Scheduled passenger services were never intensive. Initially three trains each weekday ran between
418:
306:
909:
623:
767:
By October 2020 CVR had purchased the line from MCR and most trains now terminate at Ipstones.
1384:
1357:
1330:
784:"A busy year for the newly Re-opened Cauldon Lowe Line with more to come when new lines open!"
726:
1300:
1171:
904:
730:
699:
511:
717:
train on the branch line near Bradnop on the first weekend of running over the line in 2010
1380:
619:
631:
563:
555:
the line from Caldon to Waterhouses (length 1 mile 19.8 chains (2.0 km))
502:
and as the quarry expanded this was not the most efficient method of moving the stone.
485:
452:
1401:
1353:
733:
merged their assets in 2013 with the cement works and quarry becoming one operation.
643:
738:
722:
542:
422:
460:
448:
1349:
1322:
552:
the line from Caldon into Caldon Low quarry (length 48.5 chains (1.0 km))
476:
546:
20:
665:
480:
472:
889:
467:
a committee was formed in Leek to promote a light railway from Leek to
363:
302:
95:
1376:
1326:
734:
575:
1373:
The Knotty, an illustrated survey of the North Staffordshire Railway
440:
The history of the branch is closely linked with the history of the
630:
Excursion traffic was intermittent, through excursions direct from
533:
The light railway order authorised the construction of four lines:
709:
521:
514:
c.ccxxxi) to give the NSR the authority to build the Leek curve.
538:
725:
with the intention of reopening the line for quarry traffic.
558:
the LMVLR (length 7 miles 27 chains (11.8 km))
498:) narrow gauge railway from the quarry to the NSR station at
537:
the line from Leek Brook junction to Caldon (length 8
463:. Even as the Light Railways Act was progressing through
622:
this pattern had become the norm. As a wartime measure,
562:
Very soon after the passing of the order the ceremonial
529:
who performed the ceremonial sod-cutting in October 1899
425:
as the traffic from the quarries at Caldon Low ceased.
1128:
1126:
1065:
1063:
1014:
1012:
1010:
997:
995:
970:
968:
813:
811:
1186:"New rail link 'best thing in years for Moorlands'"
893:. House of Commons. 21 March 1899. col. 1552.
1275:"New midlands asphalt plant rises to the surface"
685:Bradnop, Ipstones and Winkhill were withdrawn.
1356:: North Staffordshire Railway Company (1978).
1249:"New asphalt plant for Cauldon Low | Agg-Net"
835:Acts of the Parliaments of the United Kingdom
35:
8:
1217:
1215:
1213:
986:
752:(CVR), who already operate the line between
1319:Portrait of the North Staffordshire Railway
1172:"Strategic and Supplementary Freight Sites"
1346:The Leek, Caldon & Waterhouses Railway
69:
42:
28:
527:Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire
1223:"Leek railway line moves a step closer"
775:
25:
1301:"Cauldon Lowe branch 10 years running"
442:Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway
1132:
1117:
1105:
1093:
1081:
1069:
1054:
1042:
1030:
1018:
1001:
974:
959:
947:
935:
923:
871:
859:
817:
7:
648:London, Midland and Scottish Railway
638:London, Midland and Scottish Railway
566:took place and was conducted by the
508:North Staffordshire Railway Act 1899
417:to link the small villages east of
126:
570:on 3 October 1899 at Waterhouses.
133:
79:
14:
1194:. 15 October 2009. Archived from
1145:Jones, Robin (25 November 2010).
270:
100:Leek & Manifold Valley Lt Rly
16:Railway in Staffordshire, England
792:. 1 October 2011. Archived from
748:The local heritage railway, the
745:with rail transport not decded.
737:merged with Lafarge in 2015 and
696:economic depression of the 1930s
357:
346:
326:
313:
290:
283:
277:
276:
269:
247:
225:
203:
183:
176:
154:
132:
125:
89:
78:
1147:"Steaming back to Cauldon Lowe"
890:Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
291:
177:
1423:1905 establishments in England
913:. 14 March 1899. p. 1761.
593:Approval for opening from the
284:
184:
1:
347:
155:
1408:Railway lines opened in 1905
590:at 1,063 feet (324 m).
248:
226:
204:
1413:North Staffordshire Railway
841:. 14 August 1896. Section 5
837:. Vol. 1896, no.
646:the NSR became part of the
606:North Staffordshire Railway
415:North Staffordshire Railway
413:was a railway built by the
368:North Staffordshire Railway
1439:
1317:Christiansen, Rex (1997).
1303:. Churnet Valley Railway.
885:"Light Railways Act 1896"
831:"Light Railways Act 1896"
355:
340:
299:
263:
256:
241:
234:
219:
212:
197:
192:
170:
163:
148:
141:
119:
87:
72:
491:3 ft 6 in
1418:Staffordshire Moorlands
457:Light Railways Act 1896
411:Waterhouses branch line
750:Churnet Valley Railway
718:
715:Churnet Valley Railway
568:8th Duke of Devonshire
530:
430:Churnet Valley Railway
1371:Jeuda, Basil (1999).
1344:Jeuda, Basil (1980).
758:Kingsley and Froghall
713:
525:
500:Kingsley and Froghall
1198:on 24 September 2015
796:on 10 September 2014
743:Aggregate Industries
595:Railway Inspectorate
193:Caldon Low Quarries
1383:: Lightmoor Press.
1227:Leek Post and Times
987:Christiansen (1997)
419:Leek, Staffordshire
307:Churnet Valley Line
910:The London Gazette
719:
601:Passenger services
531:
1279:www.aggregate.com
1045:, pp. 67–68.
512:62 & 63 Vict.
407:
406:
403:
402:
381:
380:
334:
333:
113:
112:
1430:
1394:
1390:978-1899889-01-3
1367:
1340:
1305:
1304:
1297:
1291:
1290:
1288:
1286:
1271:
1265:
1264:
1262:
1260:
1245:
1239:
1238:
1236:
1234:
1219:
1208:
1207:
1205:
1203:
1182:
1176:
1175:
1168:
1162:
1161:
1159:
1157:
1151:Heritage Railway
1142:
1136:
1130:
1121:
1115:
1109:
1103:
1097:
1091:
1085:
1079:
1073:
1067:
1058:
1052:
1046:
1040:
1034:
1028:
1022:
1016:
1005:
999:
990:
984:
978:
972:
963:
957:
951:
945:
939:
933:
927:
921:
915:
914:
901:
895:
894:
881:
875:
874:, pp. 8–12.
869:
863:
857:
851:
850:
848:
846:
827:
821:
815:
806:
805:
803:
801:
780:
700:Second World War
497:
492:
364:
361:
360:
350:
349:
330:
329:
317:
316:
303:
294:
293:
287:
286:
280:
279:
273:
272:
251:
250:
229:
228:
207:
206:
187:
186:
180:
179:
158:
157:
136:
135:
129:
128:
96:
93:
92:
82:
81:
70:
44:
37:
30:
21:
1438:
1437:
1433:
1432:
1431:
1429:
1428:
1427:
1398:
1397:
1391:
1381:Gloucestershire
1370:
1364:
1343:
1337:
1316:
1313:
1308:
1299:
1298:
1294:
1284:
1282:
1281:. 27 March 2024
1273:
1272:
1268:
1258:
1256:
1253:www.agg-net.com
1247:
1246:
1242:
1232:
1230:
1229:. 12 March 2014
1221:
1220:
1211:
1201:
1199:
1184:
1183:
1179:
1174:. Network Rail.
1170:
1169:
1165:
1155:
1153:
1144:
1143:
1139:
1131:
1124:
1116:
1112:
1104:
1100:
1092:
1088:
1080:
1076:
1068:
1061:
1053:
1049:
1041:
1037:
1029:
1025:
1017:
1008:
1000:
993:
985:
981:
973:
966:
958:
954:
946:
942:
934:
930:
922:
918:
903:
902:
898:
883:
882:
878:
870:
866:
858:
854:
844:
842:
829:
828:
824:
816:
809:
799:
797:
782:
781:
777:
773:
708:
691:
689:Mineral traffic
682:
661:
656:
654:Freight traffic
640:
620:First World War
608:
603:
520:
495:
490:
438:
383:
358:
351:
336:
327:
314:
295:
288:
281:
274:
252:
230:
208:
188:
181:
165:Caldon Low Halt
159:
137:
130:
115:
90:
83:
64:
55:
54:
52:
48:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1436:
1434:
1426:
1425:
1420:
1415:
1410:
1400:
1399:
1396:
1395:
1389:
1368:
1362:
1341:
1335:
1312:
1309:
1307:
1306:
1292:
1266:
1255:. 4 April 2024
1240:
1209:
1177:
1163:
1137:
1122:
1110:
1098:
1086:
1074:
1059:
1047:
1035:
1023:
1006:
991:
979:
964:
952:
940:
928:
916:
896:
876:
864:
852:
822:
807:
774:
772:
769:
707:
704:
690:
687:
681:
678:
660:
657:
655:
652:
639:
636:
632:Stoke-on-Trent
607:
604:
602:
599:
560:
559:
556:
553:
550:
519:
516:
486:standard gauge
437:
434:
405:
404:
401:
400:
398:
396:
394:
392:
390:
388:
385:
384:
379:
378:
376:Stoke-on-Trent
371:
370:
356:
354:
352:
345:
343:
341:
338:
337:
332:
331:
310:
309:
300:
298:
296:
289:
282:
275:
268:
266:
264:
261:
260:
255:
253:
246:
244:
242:
239:
238:
233:
231:
224:
222:
220:
217:
216:
211:
209:
202:
200:
198:
195:
194:
191:
189:
182:
175:
173:
171:
168:
167:
162:
160:
153:
151:
149:
146:
145:
140:
138:
131:
124:
122:
120:
117:
116:
111:
110:
103:
102:
88:
86:
84:
77:
75:
73:
66:
65:
60:
57:
56:
50:
49:
47:
46:
39:
32:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1435:
1424:
1421:
1419:
1416:
1414:
1411:
1409:
1406:
1405:
1403:
1392:
1386:
1382:
1378:
1374:
1369:
1365:
1363:0 907 133 002
1359:
1355:
1354:Staffordshire
1351:
1347:
1342:
1338:
1336:0-7110-2546-0
1332:
1329:: Ian Allan.
1328:
1324:
1320:
1315:
1314:
1310:
1302:
1296:
1293:
1280:
1276:
1270:
1267:
1254:
1250:
1244:
1241:
1228:
1224:
1218:
1216:
1214:
1210:
1197:
1193:
1192:
1187:
1181:
1178:
1173:
1167:
1164:
1152:
1148:
1141:
1138:
1135:, p. 67.
1134:
1129:
1127:
1123:
1119:
1114:
1111:
1108:, p. 68.
1107:
1102:
1099:
1096:, p. 23.
1095:
1090:
1087:
1084:, p. 60.
1083:
1078:
1075:
1072:, p. 65.
1071:
1066:
1064:
1060:
1056:
1051:
1048:
1044:
1039:
1036:
1033:, p. 64.
1032:
1027:
1024:
1021:, p. 62.
1020:
1015:
1013:
1011:
1007:
1004:, p. 22.
1003:
998:
996:
992:
989:, p. 54.
988:
983:
980:
977:, p. 19.
976:
971:
969:
965:
962:, p. 17.
961:
956:
953:
950:, p. 15.
949:
944:
941:
938:, p. 13.
937:
932:
929:
926:, p. 11.
925:
920:
917:
912:
911:
906:
900:
897:
892:
891:
886:
880:
877:
873:
868:
865:
861:
856:
853:
840:
836:
832:
826:
823:
819:
814:
812:
808:
795:
791:
790:
785:
779:
776:
770:
768:
765:
762:
759:
755:
751:
746:
744:
740:
736:
732:
728:
724:
716:
712:
705:
703:
701:
697:
688:
686:
680:Other freight
679:
677:
675:
671:
667:
658:
653:
651:
649:
645:
644:1923 Grouping
637:
635:
633:
628:
625:
621:
617:
613:
605:
600:
598:
596:
591:
589:
588:Winkhill Halt
585:
579:
578:, Yorkshire.
577:
571:
569:
565:
557:
554:
551:
548:
544:
540:
536:
535:
534:
528:
524:
517:
515:
513:
509:
503:
501:
496:1,067 mm
493:
487:
482:
478:
474:
470:
466:
462:
458:
454:
450:
445:
443:
435:
433:
431:
426:
424:
420:
416:
412:
399:
397:
395:
393:
391:
389:
387:
386:
377:
373:
372:
369:
366:
365:
353:
344:
342:
339:
325:
321:
312:
311:
308:
305:
304:
297:
267:
265:
262:
259:
254:
245:
243:
240:
237:
232:
223:
221:
218:
215:
214:Winkhill Halt
210:
201:
199:
196:
190:
174:
172:
169:
166:
161:
152:
150:
147:
144:
139:
123:
121:
118:
109:
105:
104:
101:
98:
97:
85:
76:
74:
71:
68:
67:
63:
59:
58:
45:
40:
38:
33:
31:
26:
23:
22:
19:
1372:
1345:
1318:
1295:
1283:. Retrieved
1278:
1269:
1257:. Retrieved
1252:
1243:
1231:. Retrieved
1226:
1200:. Retrieved
1196:the original
1191:The Sentinel
1189:
1180:
1166:
1154:. Retrieved
1150:
1140:
1133:Jeuda (1980)
1120:, p. 4.
1118:Jeuda (1980)
1113:
1106:Jeuda (1980)
1101:
1094:Jeuda (1980)
1089:
1082:Jeuda (1980)
1077:
1070:Jeuda (1980)
1057:, p. 3.
1055:Jeuda (1980)
1050:
1043:Jeuda (1980)
1038:
1031:Jeuda (1980)
1026:
1019:Jeuda (1980)
1002:Jeuda (1980)
982:
975:Jeuda (1980)
960:Jeuda (1980)
955:
948:Jeuda (1980)
943:
936:Jeuda (1980)
931:
924:Jeuda (1980)
919:
908:
899:
888:
879:
872:Jeuda (1980)
867:
862:, p. 7.
860:Jeuda (1999)
855:
843:. Retrieved
838:
834:
825:
820:, p. 5.
818:Jeuda (1980)
800:10 September
798:. Retrieved
794:the original
789:The Sentinel
787:
778:
766:
763:
747:
739:Holcim Group
723:Network Rail
720:
692:
683:
674:milk traffic
662:
641:
629:
609:
592:
580:
572:
561:
532:
518:Construction
504:
446:
439:
427:
410:
408:
18:
1285:3 September
1259:3 September
905:"No. 27062"
624:first class
616:Waterhouses
564:sod-cutting
545:(13.1
143:Waterhouses
53:Branch Line
51:Waterhouses
1402:Categories
1350:Cheddleton
1323:Shepperton
1311:References
754:Leek Brook
706:Resurgence
642:Under the
541:11.4
477:Derbyshire
469:Hartington
465:Parliament
423:mothballed
324:Cheddleton
108:Hulme End
666:creamery
584:Ipstones
481:monopoly
473:Dovedale
461:Treasury
453:Manifold
236:Ipstones
727:Lafarge
436:History
258:Bradnop
1387:
1377:Lydney
1360:
1333:
1327:Surrey
1233:12 May
1202:12 May
1156:12 May
845:12 May
735:Holcim
731:Tarmac
576:Embsay
543:chains
62:Legend
839:c. 48
771:Notes
670:Ecton
539:miles
449:Hamps
382:
362:
335:
322:│ to
301:
114:
94:
1385:ISBN
1358:ISBN
1331:ISBN
1287:2024
1261:2024
1235:2014
1204:2014
1158:2014
847:2014
802:2014
756:and
729:and
659:Milk
614:and
612:Leek
586:and
451:and
409:The
374:to
320:Leek
668:at
471:in
318:to
106:to
1404::
1379:,
1375:.
1352:,
1348:.
1325:,
1321:.
1277:.
1251:.
1225:.
1212:^
1188:.
1149:.
1125:^
1062:^
1009:^
994:^
967:^
907:.
887:.
833:.
810:^
786:.
549:))
547:km
475:,
1393:.
1366:.
1339:.
1289:.
1263:.
1237:.
1206:.
1160:.
849:.
804:.
510:(
494:(
43:e
36:t
29:v
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