The Route
Kingsley and Froghall station is where many passengers begin their journey. Despite its name the station lies within Froghall village, Kingsley being a further mile away along the A52 road. At Froghall, a short walk away, is the canal wharf which is the site of some historic lime kilns.
From Kingsley & Froghall the railway passes the historic Thomas Bolton Copperworks factory (some of which is derelict with other parts still in use) and meanders through the forested valley, through Hazles Wood and Booth's Wood and on toward Consall. The station here is sandwiched between the Caldon Canal and the River Churnet.
There is a nature reserve nearby, whilst the Black Lion public house sits on a bank overlooking the railway, canal and river. This pub is unusual in that there are no public roads leading to it. Access is on foot via the canal towpath or the railway. Consall is now fully signalled and the passing loop allows two trains to run on special events and during high season.
Trains leaving Consall face a stiff gradient as they begin the section towards Cheddleton. Initially this section of railway too is heavily forested but after a half-mile or so the trees fall away to reveal open farmland and moorland.
Trains pass the motive power depot as they arrive into Cheddleton station, where locomotives under repair may be glimpsed in the yard. An early start of around 6AM awaits the volunteers who light up the steam locomotives of a morning here. The Grade II listed Victorian station building at Cheddleton houses a small relics museum, toilets, ticket office and waiting room.
In July 2011 a new temporary catering facility was opened on the platform. A more permanent facility based on platform 2 is in the process of being funded by a public appeal with construction due to be completed by 2012. Continuing from Cheddleton, trains run past a local caravan park and through the 531-yard (486 m) tunnel, emerging at Leekbrook Junction.
As the name suggests this was a junction serving railways from Stoke, Leek, Alton and the quarries at Cauldon. Today there is currently no platform and trains currently (though normally) terminate here. Passengers cannot alight here at present. On occasion trains continue through to Cauldon Lowe, using the recently reopened Moorlands & City Railway line, a distance of some eight miles in length.
The CVR also owns the trackbed between Kingsley & Froghall and Oakamoor. The railway is in situ as far as the Oakamoor sand sidings, which once served the now disused quarry. A further short stretch through the tunnel here and into Oakamoor station requires relaying before trains can run to Oakamoor once again, although this is one of the medium-term objectives of both the CVR and M&CR companies as part of the returning of trains to Oakamoor and to as far as Alton (for Alton Towers).
Read more about this topic: Churnet Valley Railway
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