Extending the railway

The Apedale Valley Light Railway currently runs for 500 metres from a station adjacent to Apedale Heritage Centre to a station at Apedale Road. The station adjacent to the Heritage Centre is known as Silverdale station, because the station building was recovered from that station on the former North Staffordshire Railway branch line. The current round-trip takes approximately five minutes each way. Consistent feedback from visitors is that the railway is too short and MRT members feel that the railway lacks challenge and interest from an operational standpoint. The existing railway is shown as Phase One on the plan below.

The railway extension project has two distinct phases. The first extension – Phase Three on the plan below – is to extend the passenger railway by approximately 600 metres to a terminus at Burley Pools. Phase Four is to then further extend the passenger railway by another 850 metres to Miry Arena (Phase Two of the site development plan is to build the Museum – covered elsewhere). The Trust has all necessary permissions in place to cross Apedale Road, which is immediately beyond the end of the current railway.

 

Once across Apedale Road, MRT will have access to the trackbed of a former colliery branch line. For much of the route, the railway will run adjacent to a local business (Thorpe Concrete). This land, and indeed the trackbed generally, will be leased from Staffordshire County Council. This lease has been created in collaboration with SCC. Preparation of the trackbed for railway construction will be undertaken by a contractor, including provision of the bottom ballast layer. MRT will then construct the track using volunteer staff using well-developed techniques; this will include ballasting, tamping and lining. There are no particular civil engineering difficulties foreseen during the railway construction. No specific permanent facilities are planned for Burley Shales station beyond the provision of a platform and a run-round loop; this reflects the temporary nature of the station pending the future further extension to Miry Pools.

A round-trip journey time of approximately 30 minutes is foreseen, including the stop at Apedale Road in each direction to operate the crossing gates. On normal days, a single train will be in operation; on high-demand days, a second train may be in operation, with the trains passing at Apedale Road. Clearly, running a second train has implications in terms of the need to provide additional crewing. The Trust recognises that the open coaches used in the early days of the AVLR may not be acceptable for a longer journey; therefore, two closed coaches (FR117 & 120) have been acquired from the Ffestiniog Railway.

As at early 2025, the key impediment to progressing the extension is awaiting Staffordshire County Council to resolve bridleway/rights-of-way claims. All necessary permissions/wayleaves are in place for crossing Apedale Road, and a draft lease exists for the trackbed itself.