v t e Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway
Legend
Midland Line to Manchester New Mills Central Buxton line (LNWR) toManchester Buxworth New Mills Newtown Chinley Furness Vale Dore and Chinley Railway Whaley Bridge Chapel-en-le-Frith Central Chapel-en-le-Frith (LNWR) Cromford & High Peak Rly Dove Holes Tunnel Dove Holes Buxton (LNWR) Peak Forest Buxton (Midland) Ashbourne line Rusher Cutting Tunnel Chee Tor Tunnels 1 & 2 Millers Dale Litton Tunnel Cressbrook Tunnel Monsal Dale Headstone Tunnel Longstone Hassop Bakewell Haddon Tunnel Rowsley Rowsley MPD Rowsley South Darley Dale Matlock Riverside Peak Rail Network Rail boundary Matlock | Holt Tunnel River Derwent High Tor Tunnels (3) Matlock Bath Willersley Tunnel Cromford Cromford and High Peak Railway High Peak Junction River Derwent Whatstandwell(first) Whatstandwell Tunnel Whatstandwell National Tramway Museum Midland Main Line Ambergate River Derwent Belper Belper (first) Milford Tunnel Duffield Wirksworth branch (Ecclesbourne Valley Rly) River Ecclesbourne Ripley Branch River Derwent Derby (Nottingham Road) Derby Crewe–Derby line & Cross Country Route Midland Main Line

TheManchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway ran from a junction with theMidland Railway atAmbergate toRowsley north ofMatlock and thence toBuxton.

In time it would become part of the Midland Railway's main line betweenLondon and Manchester, but it was initially planned as a route fromManchester to the East of England, via the proposedAmbergate, Nottingham, Boston and Eastern Junction Railway which would meet it a little further north along the North Midland line at Ambergate. The act of Parliament, Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway Act 1846, for a line from just south ofStockport to Ambergate was passed in 1846.

Currently, the section north of Millers Dale is open as theGreat Rocks freight line, Derby to Matlock still holds passenger services as theDerwent Valley line, Matlock to Rowsley is thePeak Rail heritage line, and Rowsley to Buxton has become theMonsal Trail for cycling, horse riding and walking.

Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway Act 1846
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act for making a Railway from the Manchester and Birmingham Railway at Cheadle in the County of Chester to or near to the Ambergate Station of the Midlands Railway in the County of Derby, to be called "The Manchester, Buxton, Matlock, and Midlands Junction Railway."
Citation	9 & 10 Vict. c. cxcii)
Dates
Royal assent	16 July 1846

The initial plan was for "An Act for making a Railway from the Manchester and Birmingham Railway at Cheadle in the County of Chester to or near to the Ambergate Station of the Midlands Railway in the County of Derby, to be called "The Manchester, Buxton, Matlock, and Midlands Junction Railway"^[1] The bill receivedroyal assent as theManchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway Act 1846 (9 & 10 Vict. c. cxcii).

The line opened as far asRowsley on 4 June 1849,^[2] but went no further, having run out of money^[3] giving its promoters something of a problem.

Matlock Bath had long been a tourist town. Since the station at Ambergate had been opened, tourists had been brought in by coach and canal. Around thirty coaches had passed that way each day, with sixty or seventy thousand visitors going on toChatsworth House.^[4] The aim then was to develop the trade further.

The Midland Railway had held shares in the line since it had been first proposed in 1845, its interest being an extension onto its route to London. The Manchester and Birmingham had for some time been looking for a route of its own, and had considered a line through the Churnet Valley (later built by theNorth Staffordshire Railway), but had instead supported the alternative Matlock route with a substantial shareholding. However, in 1846 it had merged with other lines to become theLNWR, which clearly could not contemplate a competing London line. In 1852 the two companies agreed to lease the line jointly for 19 years, In addition, the Midland would work the line and pay a rent on it, and also take over theCromford Canal.^[4]

In 1853, a junction was made to the southern end of theCromford and High Peak Railway now LNWR-owned, atHigh Peak Junction, and with the latter's support, theStockport, Disley and Whaley Bridge Railway connected Manchester to the northern end. In 1857, with the LNWR's barely concealed support, the SD&WBR then gained permission to extend to Buxton. It did so by a roundabout route along a massive escarpment to the east of theGoyt Valley, such that it could never become a through express route. Despite an LNWR petition against the bill and opposition from the SD&WBR, theMidland Railway (Rowsley and Buxton) Act 1860 (23 & 24 Vict. c. lxvi) of 25 May 1860 authorised a 15 miles (24 km)^[5] line from Rowsley to meet the SD&WBR at Buxton.^[4] Work started in September 1860, under Frederic Campion,^[5] the Midland Railway's Southern Division engineer,^[6] then under Alfred Andrew Langley (from 1883 Midland's Chief Engineer).^[7]

It was the first time the Midland Railway had built in such difficult terrain, with steep hills and deep valleys, Buxton itself being some 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level. The line followed theRiver Wye as far asBakewell, with the complication of thecut and coverHaddon Tunnel, and reachedHassop in 1862 There then followed two viaducts – atMillers Dale andMonsal Dale – and eight tunnels, reaching Buxton in 1863^[3] at almost the same time as the LNWR reached it fromWhaley Bridge. In 1884John Ruskin complained of the effect on the dales, saying, "your railway drags its close clinging damnation".^[8]

All this time passengers were having to change at Ambergate, but in the same year, the Midland added a south-facing junction and moved the station to allow through travel from Derby and the south.^[9] However, there was still the problem of the joint control of the line.

For many years, the town ofWirksworth had been campaigning for a branch line fromDuffield. The C&HPR was interested, but had insufficient funds. The Midland was initially unenthusiastic, but then realised that the branch could be extended to Rowsley, avoiding the section to Ambergate, being unsure about what might occur when joint lease expired in 1871.^[10]

However, the LNWR gave up its share of the line when the lease expired. It was, after all, remote and isolated from the company's main system. The Midland Railway was therefore relieved of the necessity of extending from Wirksworth over a very difficult piece of terrain. The branch opened to Wirksworth in 1867 but was not carried further.

In the shifting alliances and rivalries between the various companies, theManchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway also wished to keep the Midland away from the coalmines which it served and, in 1859, was planning a line fromHyde just outside Manchester toNew Mills andHayfield. The company was also being courted by theGNR that planned to run London trains throughRetford. Meanwhile, the MS&LR's managerEdward Watkin had his own plans to reach London throughSheffield.

It seemed the Midland's only chance was a circuitous route with the help of theLancashire and Yorkshire Railway, except that it transpired that latter had an agreement with the LNWR not to handle other companies' trains. In 1861, the Midland sent their managerJames Allport and some of the directors on a scouting trip around the area, and came by chance upon a party of MS&LR directors riding in a dog cart. The upshot was that Allport who had previously worked for the latter company should arrange a deal. Since it was clear that the Midland was determined to go ahead, it would be better not to have two lines running side by side.^[4]

On 7 November 1861^[5] it was formally agreed therefore that the Midland would join the MS&LR partner'sMarple, New Mills and Hayfield Junction line at New Mills,^[5] an agreement which was put into statutes, later including theSheffield and Midland Railway Companies' Committee in theManchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (Additional Powers) Act 1872 (35 & 36 Vict. c. clxxviii) of 6 August 1872.^[11]

To do this, it built a junction atMillers Dale, which effectively left Buxton on a branch. Thus railway politics deprived what was (particularly at that time) the largest town in thePeak District of a through main-line station. The Midland's line proceeded to the east of, but parallel to, the LNWR's line until it reached a summit atPeak Forest. It then plunged under the LNWR throughDove Holes Tunnel with stations atChapel-en-le-Frith,Buxworth andChinley joining the MS&LR atNew Mills to run intoManchester London Road, opening in 1867. This section of route is still open for stone freight trains serving theBuxton lime industry as theGreat Rocks Line.

The Midland at last had its route into Manchester from London. Over the years it made some improvements. The route fromRomiley throughHyde entailed a long detour, so in 1875 a new more direct line was opened throughReddish.

In 1865 the Midland had become a partner of theCheshire Lines Committee which openedManchester Central railway station in 1880. Therefore, the Midland transferred most of its trains there, at first reaching it throughStockport Tiviot Dale. However the route became increasingly congested and was hardly suitable as an express route, so in 1897, the Midland opened a new line from New Mills throughDisley Tunnel andHeaton Mersey.^[12]

The line from Matlock toBuxton was closed in June 1968 by the Labour Minister for Transport,Barbara Castle, not, as is often thought, by theBeeching reforms. Continuing support is being given by a heritage groupPeak Rail who have restored the section from Matlock to Rowsley.

The line from Matlock to Ambergate, plus the section of theMidland Main Line toDerby, are now referred to as theDerwent Valley Line.

Although the track has been lifted between Rowsley and Buxton and is now part of theMonsal Trail, plans to re-open it are still proposed from time to time, and theDerbyshire County Council has pledged to keep the trackbed free of development.^[13]

Part of the line has been re-opened by theheritage railway organisationPeak Rail who run services fromMatlock toRowsley, at a current distance of 4 miles (6.4 km) in length.

There are plans to extend to Bakewell via the site of Rowsley railway station and a Proposed Haddon halt as part of the Buxton extension project. It will involve reinstating the whole section and Bakewell railway station to their former use once planning permission has been granted, plus full restoration of the old Haddon Tunnel and both Coombs Road and Rowsley Viaducts (along the way between both Bakewell and Rowsley themselves).

Four tunnels (Headstone, Cressbrook, Litton and Chee Tor) between Great Longstone and Peak Forest and Blackwell Mill were re-opened to walkers and cyclists in May 2011.^[14]

In March 2018, it was announced that a consortium of quarry companies and the heritage railwayPeak Rail is investigating reopening the line between Matlock and Buxton.^[15] This section has been identified byCampaign for Better Transport as a phase 2 candidate for reopening.^[16]

In March 2020, a bid was made to the Restoring Your Railway fund to get funds for a feasibility study into reinstating the line between Matlock and Buxton. This bid was unsuccessful.^[17] In March 2021, the bid was re-submitted as part of the third round of the Restoring Your Railway fund.^[18]

In June 2022 it was announced that funding would not be allocated at this time.^[19]

The proposal to reinstate the railway, a campaign led by Manchester and East Midlands Rail Action Partnership (MEMRAP), continues to grow support. Working with the Promoter, Peaks and Dales Railway and supported by the Goodshelter Group, the plans include a re provisioned Monsal Trail as well as the return of the railway.^[20][21][22]

• Rail trail

• British Railways 1960, Trent to Manchester Central
• County Council Feasibility StudyThis report also has detailed plans of the line.
• Friends of the Derwent Valley Line
• Peak Rail site
• Monsal Trail guide
• Monsal Trail description

• Closed railway lines in the East Midlands
• Early British railway companies
• Midland Railway
• History of Derbyshire
• Rail transport in Derbyshire
• Railway companies established in 1846
• Railway lines opened in 1849
• 1849 establishments in England

• Webarchive template wayback links
• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Use dmy dates from January 2014
• Use British English from January 2014
• Short description is different from Wikidata