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Chinley and its splitting colour light distants


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A recent discussion amongst our railway group, that should interest some here, centred on the splitting colour light distants that were provided on the climb to Chinley north jnc from New Mills south  (Hope valley route between Manchester & Sheffield). This late 70s view (from a currently unknown photographer) is taken facing away from the junction and includes a 40 dropping downhill away towards Chinley station with a Peak Forest to Hope St (Salford) limestone working. The train is on the Down Fast having joined the Hope valley route at Chinley North jnc from the Peak Forest line.

 

The elevated position of the Up Fast distant for North jnc harks back to a time when the main line was via Peak Forest and Millers Dale to Derby (closed as a through route in the late 1960s). Remodelling of the junction is yet to happen in this picture.

 

A considerably more evocative 1967 view of the location by the late Wallace Sutherland can be seen in the second image. The freight is on the Up slow heading for Peak Forest.

 

BeRTIe

 

 

 

 

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Edited by BR traction instructor
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Another superb Wallace Sutherland image but lacking an accurate caption shows one of the 1967 through services still using the Millers Dale route. This Manchester Central to Nottingham via Derby service is approaching the junction on the Up fast and will take the Peak Forest route.

 

The second picture is undated (25100 was withdrawn Jan 1981) but is labelled 25100 (photographer currently unknown) and shows a loaded Tunstead to Collyhurst St, Manchester roadstone working approaching nth jnc off the Peak Forest route. The semaphore bracket signal is cleared for the Down Fast towards New Mills sth.

 

The Up home signals to which the splitting distants apply are seen here at north jnc. A very short sighted and operationally flawed decision (ultimately reversed in the 1980s) to close the Chinley sth to east jnc chord in the 1960s resulted in loaded eastbound trains from the Peak District quarries having to run round on a falling 1 in 100 gradient at Chinley north before departing towards Sheffield. This late 1960s image by a currently unknown photographer shows one of the Tunstead to Port Talbot limestone boulder workings departing eastwards after running round.

 

BeRTIe

 

 

 

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Edited by BR traction instructor
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Another lovely Wallace Sutherland 1960s image but once again lacking an accurate caption. This is the climb to Chinley station from Buxworth, shortly to be reduced to two tracks as per the entry in the 1977 Sectional Appendix above and as can be seen in the second picture (photographer currently unknown). The DMU is signalled onto the Up Slow by the station north box inner home signals (the only remaining section of four track running on the climb from New Mills sth to Chinley nth). Note the missing distant arms for station south box, indicating its closure.

 

Another Wallace Sutherland image shows the Down section semaphore signals of Chinley station nth box with an Up freight climbing from Buxworth towards Chinley station.

 

BeRTIe

 

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Edited by BR traction instructor
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