Notes: Darley Dale Station was situated on what became the Midland Railway’s (MR) main line between Ambergate and Manchester Central. Darley Dale Station was opened as Darley by the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway (MBM&MJR) as part of a line that ran from Ambergate to Rowsley. The station opened with others along the route to passengers on Monday the 4th June 1849.

The MBM&MJR was formed in 1845 with the single purpose of creating a line from Ambergate to Stockport. The company was backed by the Manchester and Birmingham railway in the north and the MR who had their headquarters in Derby. These two companies wanted to create a route between Manchester and London which would not rely on the

At the time of opening Darley was only served by 5 trains a day (and 2 on Sundays). One weekday service in each direction just called at Matlock Bath. Trains were operated by the MR from the very start.

During the late 1850s proposals were made by independent groups that would have seen a line built between Rowsley, the northern extent of the line, and Buxton. This caused the MR a great deal of concern and so they resurrected the original plan of the MBM&MJR to take the line on to Buxton. In 1860 work began and the line opened to Buxton in stages. When the line opened to Hassop on 1st August 1862 Darley was served by 5 Up and 6 Down trains (plus one in each direction on Sundays). However, the timetable for the opening of the line to Buxton on 1st June 1863 showed only 4 trains in each direction calling at the station on weekdays (but now 2 on Sundays). After 1871 when the LNWR and MR lease arrangement had expired the MR absorbed the Ambergate to Rowsley line into its ownership. With the northern terminus of the line now being at Buxton, Darley station became even more important and was served by more trains. Many express services including services that went on towards London St Pancras passed through the station without stopping.

In the spring of 1873 Darley was resited to the northern side of the level crossing so that more space could be provided for goods sidings. The new station was quite a substantial structure for a place the size of Darley at that time. No doubt this was influenced by Sir Joseph Whitworth of nearby Stancliffe Hall, who was a director of the Midland Railway from January

Goods facilities remained on the south side of the level crossing and including private sidings serving the Darley Dale and District Stone Company who had a mill nearby. To cater for the large quantity of stone shipped from the station Darley Dale had a 5 ton crane. To the north of the station the Stancliffe Estate also had private sidings constructed on the Up side immediately to the south of Church Lane Crossing signalbox in 1900 and replaced and earlier facility to the north of the box, also on the Up side. The new sidings were linked to a private line that ran to Stancliffe and other quarries. There is a pedestrian subway under the A6 road at Darley Dale where the line once ran. Traffic had ceased to use the line by the early 1930s.. A footbridge at the station and another at Church Lane Crossing, were provided in 1911.

In 1923 Darley Dale became part of the London Midland Scottish Railway (LMS) but little changed and the pattern of services remained the same.

In 1948 Darley Dale became part of the British Railways (London Midland Region). In the late 1950s and early 1960s the line was particularly busy as many Manchester services used the route as the former LNWR route, the West Coast Main Line, was being electrified at that time. Indeed in the late 1950s and early 1960s the Ambergate to Manchester Central line was also considered for electrification. From 1960 until 1966 the new Diesel Midland Pullman, or the ‘Blue Pullman’ as it became known ran along the line but it was an express service that did not stop at Darley Dale.

Much to the surprise of many the Ambergate to Manchester Central line was cited for closure in the Beeching Report. It was a very busy line but it was considered to be a duplicate route and therefore expendable. Darley Dale lost its goods service on 6th April 1964 and on the 6th March 1967 all of the intermediate stations between Matlock and Chinley, including Buxton’s Midland station closed to passengers. Just over a year later from the 1st July 1968 the line to Buxton closed completely. Track lifting began in 1969 but between Darley Dale and Millers Dale track lifting didn't start until 1st June 1970, with recovered material being removed via Matlock. . Darley Dale station became derelict but it was not demolished.

In 1975 a group was formed called Peak Rail. Their express intent was to reopen the line from Matlock to Buxton. They first had a base at Buxton but their efforts to run trains along the route of the line towards Matlock, part of which is still an operational railway at Buxton, were frustrated by British Rail. In 1987 Peak Rail acquired Darley Dale station (but not the down

The station also has a signal box (relocated from Bamford) at the southern end of the up platform adjacent to the level crossing. This signal box is merely cosmetic, with the crossing controlled by a crossing keeper's hut at road level (located on the down side, and across the road from the station). Part of the reason for this is the visibility required to operate the

Darley Dale has a small yard south of the level crossing, on the up side of the line. This is used to stable some rolling stock and locomotives, most of which are undergoing restoration. Following the completion of Rowsley's Engine Shed, it is anticipated that the yard will effectively form the railway's Diesel Depot. The yard is not open to the public, except by prior arrangement.

The Derwent and Wye Valley Railway Trust are leading the project to reinstate the footbridge at Darley Dale, and ultimately to raise funds to restore the Down platform building. So far they have funded restoration of wooden fencing and installation of Midland-style lamps on the platforms at Darley.

Sources: Lost Railways of Derbyshire by Stan Yorke. Published by Geoffrey Kingscott & The Monsal Trail then and now by Alistair Lofthouse – Ald print.

Other web sites: Peak Rail now providing a regular steam service between Matlock and Rowsley. David Hey's Collection - Transition from BR steam. Includes railway photographer ER Morten's photographic tour from Buxton - Derby.

Eight and a half miles of the Matlock - Buxton line now forms the Monsal Trail starting at Coombs Road Viaduct, one mile southeast of Bakewell and finishing at the head of Chee Dale, about three miles east of Buxton. There is a diversion round the tunnels.

Further reading: Railway from Buxton to Bakewell, Matlock and Ambergate (Scenes from the Past) by JM Bentley, 1992. Railways around Buxton by JM Bentley, 1987.

Additional source Glynn Waite. Tickets from Michael Stewart, route map drawn by Alan Young

To see other stations between Manchester Central & Matlock click on the station name:Manchester Central, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Withington & West Didsbury, Didsbury, Heaton Mersey, Cheadle Heath, Hazel Grove (Midland), Buxworth, Chinley (2nd site) STILLOPEN, Chinley (1st site), Chapel-en-le-Frith Central, Peak Forest, Cheedale Halt, Buxton (Midland), Blackwell Mill Halt, Millers Dale, Monsal Dale, Great Longstone, Hassop, Bakewell, Rowsley (2nd site), Rowsley (1st site), Rowsley South PEAK RAIL, Matlock Riverside PEAK RAIL & Matlock STILL OPEN. See also Stockport Tiviot Dale & Stockport Portwood