Matlock Riverside railway station

No.WD 150 'Royal Pioneer' (Peak Rail's main service engine) at Matlock Riverside in June 2007

Matlock Riverside was the terminus of Peak Rail, a preserved steam railway of approximately 4 miles in length. For many years Peak Rail had planned to run trains into Matlock station, shared with the main line from Derby (the Derwent Valley Line).

The station was built in 1991 due to problems negotiating with British Rail to run into the station at Matlock at that time. Peak Rail has now negotiated a 50 year lease to run into Platform 2 at Matlock and track layout adjustments and refurbishment of the Matlock down platform are now complete, with services Peak Rail services having operated into the shared station from 2nd July 2011. Matlock Riverside will be retained as a run-round loop for demonstration goods trains and other special occasions.

The station itself is a temporary wooden construction, and was previously used at Chee Dale Halt near Buxton when Peak Rail was based there in the 1980s. Due to operating complications at the Buxton end of the route, Peak Rail moved south to Darley Dale near Matlock, and the former Chee Dale Halt was re-used, forming Matlock Riverside.

The station consists of one platform, situated on the Up side of the former deviation, whilst the Down line is used as a run-round loop, which permits the use of a single locomotive on services (although top-and-tail operation occurs on Special Event Days). Access to the station is via a public footpath from Matlock Town, the distance between the two being no more than a quarter mile.

For a time, Matlock Riverside possessed a small hut that functioned as a Ticket Office. After this was frequently damaged by local vandals, however, the station became permanently unstaffed with tickets required to be purchased aboard the train.

External links

• Peak Rail Website

Preceding station	Heritage railways			Following station
Matlock		Peak Rail		Darley Dale

Coordinates: 53°8′28.1″N 1°34′1.1″W / 53.141139°N 1.566972°W / 53.141139; -1.566972