Peak Rail August 2012

Wednesday 8th August

A normal day at Peak Rail, until the last train of the day that was. D8 had been out of service for repairs to a fluctuating power problem, that problem having been solved, apparently. It was given a test run vice the steam loco (68013) which needed attention to a spring as well. Thankfully D8 hadn’t been put on top of 31270 as its crew wanted!

31270 had performed better than on previous days and after D8’s successful test run down the hill to Matlock it was certainly given that bit more to get up the hill from Darley Dale to Rowsley on the last trip, having that extra weight on the rear of the train.

Saturday/Sunday 11/12th August

Strangely both days were less busy than the Wednesday before although it was quite nice to sit in a bay of four rather than the DMU seats we’d been in at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway (EVR) for the rest of the weekend, while not at Peak Rail. The EVR timetable for 31414 had allowed plenty of time on both days to drive the 7 miles between Rowsley & Wirksworth or vice versa to fit both 31270 at Peak Rail & 31414 at the EVR into the plan for the day.