Apparently the the Queen will be visiting Matlock today and travelling to the town on the Royal Train. I would be interested in seeing the train at the Matlock station. Has anyone got any details of this. For example where will it be stabled? Will the engine run around at Matlock. If so it will have to enter the heritage line beyond the station. The train isn't on real time trains , but I presume that's a security precaution. I believe the train is set to arrive around 10.30.
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Royal train in Matlock today
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dk1
Veteran Member
Wondered if they'd just knock a couple of round trips on the head & substitute a RR bus, but no services have been cancelled as far as I can see. Perhaps train will draw forward onto the preserved line then.
ExRes
Established Member
Surely the obvious answer is that it will be top and tailed ?
Royal train to Derby, then onto a service train (worked by a Meridian) to Derby, I understand from elsewhere. There's not really enough time to get anything over the branch between the hourly passengers, even if it does go inside at Matlock rather than returning straight away, so you'd expect to see something cancelled otherwise.
If it arrives straight at 10.30 it can't return to derby without delaying the oncoming train .the token is taken at Ambergate and there is service train arriving at 10.26 and that is on time . It's an interesting puzzle. Network rail took the loop out at Matlock and the other platform is only available by reversing into it. The press release says it's the royal train coming to the town.
What happens if it does enter the private line. The driver will have the token. So any oncoming trains cannot enter the section at Ambergate without it.
What happens if it does enter the private line. The driver will have the token. So any oncoming trains cannot enter the section at Ambergate without it.
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alex17595
Member
I have been told that she is on the meridian, taking up the whole of first class!
At least they only had to pay for standard because it is timetabled for standard only!
At least they only had to pay for standard because it is timetabled for standard only!
I do love my invisible ink!
On a general note, not applicable here, trains can arrive at Matlock and free up the single line section by shunting into the sidings north of the station - there's a token instrument there, and restoring the token will then allow the following train to be signalled onto the branch and obtain a token at Ambergate. I don't think there's time for even that to happen during the daytime, other than Sundays, though.
On a general note, not applicable here, trains can arrive at Matlock and free up the single line section by shunting into the sidings north of the station - there's a token instrument there, and restoring the token will then allow the following train to be signalled onto the branch and obtain a token at Ambergate. I don't think there's time for even that to happen during the daytime, other than Sundays, though.
G0ORC
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According to the BBC local radio reports she travelled on the service train - not the normal Class 156 but replaced by a Meridian. I would guess that the Royal Train ran as far as Derby
If the Royal Train was to have run up the branch the service train could not have run
see yesterday's discussion here...
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=103142
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merlodlliw
Established Member
Always top & tailed, usually 67s in special livery.This occurred when it departed Wrexham a few years ago.
Qwerty133
Established Member
How many times have EMT told me meridians can't go to Matlock??? (The answer is many more than 1).
IanD
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Royal train was already parked up outside Wolverton 45 mins ago.
G0ORC
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There are two possible reasons:-
1) In the 1990s restrictions were placed on locos and vehicles (I think, from memory above RA1 but I might be wrong) using the Matlock branch due to the condition of bridges, some of which were in a poor state. The RA of the Matlock branch was reduced to RA1 (I think). I don't know what the RA of the Meridian powered vehicles are, but its probably above RA1 and thus, as a general rule, not allowed passed Ambergate Jcn.
2) Dispensation can be given (and has been several times during that period) for vehicles above RA1, usually with an associated speed restriction. The reasoning behind this is simply that it is a 1-off. The impact of one train is minimal, but one train an hour daily has a significant impact and will cause quicker deterioration of the affected structures. This is probably why they have been allowed up there today.
Of course, recent work may have been done on the affected structures and the restriction has been removed.
For information RA= Route Availability - all vehicles (including locomotives and power cars) are classified between RA1 and RA10 according to their characteristics but mainly its has to do with weight. DMU and EMU vehicles are usually RA1 whilst, for instance loaded 102T oil tanks are RA10 but empty are less than this.
Thus a journey from say Derby - Matlock may be say RA8 from Derby to Ambergate Jcn but only RA1 from Ambergate to Matlock. Thus a Derby - Matlock train must be RA1.
Its much more important for freight flows and gets quite complex where trains conveying vehicles in excess of the RA for part of the route are given dispensation with a speed restriction. The driver will have this information and its part of his road knowledge to know where to apply this restriction.
Be clear that RA does not have anything to do with route clearance for particular vehicles. Route clearance concerns itself with lineside structures, RA has to do principally with the weight of the vehicle.
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I was actually on a Belper station today to meet clients off the 11.04 arrival from Derby. The 10.59 train arrived at 11.03 and was formed of a four coach meridian unit which took the queen to Matlock on it's outward journey. I did get some good photos of the unit at belper. A EMT HST special ran through to Matlock a few months ago and after a photo stop it continued onto peak rail. So the line can clearly take HST's and I believe this ran on a Saturday.
CockneySparrow
Member
Yes as it was last year when it went to a station 5 miles from Kings Lynn as the Royal Family were staying at Sandringham
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Looks from this picture that second platform is out of use and the track lifted
http://myrailwaystation.com/RAILWAY STATIONS/pages/MATLOCK STATION Ex M_ R_ 2009_jpg.htm
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Qwerty133
Established Member
I think that photo is out of date and the second platform is back in use.
bluegoblin7
Established Member
I believe that the second platform is only accessible from peak Rail for use by their trains. Platform 1 is the only one connected towards derby.
The ukr hst special earlier in the year ran through and had to wait for the service train to depart Matlock and clear Ambergate before it could leave peak rail into Matlock platform 1.
The ukr hst special earlier in the year ran through and had to wait for the service train to depart Matlock and clear Ambergate before it could leave peak rail into Matlock platform 1.
ExRes
Established Member
I think Her Maj would have been far more impressed if the track was wired and she'd been able to travel on a cascaded 319
CockneySparrow
Member
Just looked on Peak Rail website and they the only ones who use platform 2
Qwerty133
Established Member
A meridian was better for security reasons, apparently.
Still think it's because EMT are embarrassed by their local stock...
RichmondCommu
Established Member
Yes that's correct. Peak Rail services have to top n tail as they can't use platform one to run round their trains.
That's because NR at Matlock is protected by a token from Peak Rail. I'm interested to know how they found a path for the HST given the hourly service on the branch.
The unit was in service with 1st reserved for the royal party and the other coaches used for people who would usually be on the one or two coach local service... As I understand it.
Several years ago an enthusiast chart train top and tailed stock wanted to traverse a Cornish branch and the charter promoter reserved a couple of coaches for the TOC to use, taking their path. A promoter tried the same trick up Windermere more recently but TPE said no I believe.
Several years ago an enthusiast chart train top and tailed stock wanted to traverse a Cornish branch and the charter promoter reserved a couple of coaches for the TOC to use, taking their path. A promoter tried the same trick up Windermere more recently but TPE said no I believe.
It was on a Sunday, not on a Saturday as was previously said. The service was delayed leaving Matlock going back towards London too, as it was timed to close to the train that had just departed for Nottingham.
bunnahabhain
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Indeed, the token can only be released once the unit is clear of Ambergate Junction and on the main line itself, there is no signal protecting anything coming from the branch, so if anything is up the branch you cannot route anything into Ambergate platform. Token instruments are at Ambergate and Matlock Groundframe, though most of the tokens themselves seem to have migrated to the Matlock end with only about two left at Ambergate now.
Xenophon PCDGS
Veteran Member
I think Her Maj would have been far more impressed if the track was wired and she'd been able to travel on a cascaded 319
Why was the decision not made to allow Her Majesty to really sample rail travel of "the Northern provinces" of what still remains of her empire and to have a Class 142 ex-Merseyrail Pacer stood by at Derby (special dispensations being granted for the day) to allow the onward connection to be so made.
I think Her Maj would have been far more impressed if the track was wired and she'd been able to travel on a cascaded 319
319s are good enough for The Queen btw ....
http://www.semgonline.com/gallery/class319_02.html
G0ORC
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Because it was on a Sunday when the service is reduced to 2-hourly
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