Although I live quite close, I have only visited the Churnet Valley Railway twice, on normal running days. As such, and as the railway has recently expanded, I quickly booked onto our tour with much required track for me. An evening start after normal running had finished allowed a leisurely journey and I popped into Brookside Miniature Railway in Poynton on the way. There, services left from the normal P3 and I can confirm that they no longer use the loop in the northeast corner, instead running directly back to the station. [En route, three other members had already done the standard gauge Foxfield Light Railway and their 7¼" railway, the North Staffordshire MES elevated 5" line and a trackbed walk for variety.]

I then collected two fellow railtourers from the construction site known as Stoke station. Thanks to our navigating skills, nattering happily away and misleading road signs, a brief tour of the Staffordshire Moorlands was taken. It is a very underrated and overlooked area known as Little Switzerland.

Despite our grand tour, we still arrived at Kingsley & Froghall station with plenty of time to spare, the car park soon filling with 79 participants (including many 'other halves'), to be warmly greeted by the Railway staff. The Churnet Valley Railway runs along lines that were part of the North Staffordshire Railway, which, despite its size, managed to remain independent until grouping in 1923 when absorbed by the LMS. The line through the pleasingly restored station once ran south to Uttoxeter but closed to passenger traffic from 4 Jan 1965, sadly not surprisingly in such a rural location. Freight traffic, especially sand from Oakamoor, lasted until 1988 (the line was taken out of use in 1992) and aggregate from Caldon Low ended in 1989, which allowed the heritage railway to develop (first public services in 1996).

After booking in, we were given our seat allocation. This was no normal BLS tour but a 'spice grice' with a three course (pre-selected) Indian Meal and we were again greeted by the catering staff on boarding. Heading south, our train was formed of 65-year-old (yes correct!) 33102 'Sophie' leading, with six Mk 1 coaches and the distinctive American steam locomotive 5197 (built 1945) on what was then the rear. The 33 sounded and looked good in Rail Blue livery. Most of our party was sat in the leading and third coach with the kitchen car between. I was in the third coach 13236 restored to a high standard for diners with coat hangers and very appropriately (for me) now called Nicholas! A background of Jazz (rather than Indian) music played and, despite the Indian theme, there was no riding on the roof of the train.

http://www.minorrailways.co.uk/trackplans/churnetvalley.pdf is Peter Scott's 29 Mar 2025 survey; note the changes from TRACKmaps 4 p26B 2022. In particular, south of Kingsley & Froghall, in Cheddleton Yard and at Leek Brook North Jn. The latter is further north (at 18m 05ch) than it originally was, then runs alongside the line to Leek Brook Jn for a while before diverging. The reason is that it is on a rising gradient, better operationally on a straight track than on the sharp curve round to Leek Brook East Jn.

Leaving at 18.28, the Class 33 took us south in the direction of Uttoxeter, a section not used by passenger trains now, past two dead end sidings full of stock on the left, best described as 'waiting restoration' then a little further along the single line as far as we could before further stock stopped us. (This updates TRACKmaps 4 p26B 2022.) The steam locomotive then took us north through Kingsley & Froghall loop. Only our departure platform is normally used by passengers here, so this was further rare track.

Heading through the delightful peaceful countryside past woods, rivers and canals, we passed the next station, Consall, then reached the main Cheddleton depot. A fine variety of rolling stock including a further Class 33 and two 25s was seen. Powering on, we passed past Leek Brook station platform, then took a right turn at Leek Brook Jn to the reinstated Leek Brook East Jn and towards Caldon Low Quarry. The last aggregate train ran on 8 Feb 1989, although there were three final tours in 1994. The line was reopened (from Leek Brook Jn) from 13 Nov 2010 but cut back to Ipstones (4m 46ch) from 31 Sep 2013 (last train 13 Aug 2013). It's as steep as 1:40 out of Leek Brook Jn on a sharp curve; a key selling point for the railway is for passengers to enjoy the locos working hard while climbing. Plenty of ground staff were on hand at Ipstones for the move past the loop, returning through the run round loop, a rare move indeed. We wondered if the headshunt would be long enough but, at 7ch, it did accommodate the whole train, much to the relief of the senior track bashers I was sat with, their most desired track on the tour.

Our food was served as we went along. I had onion bhajis for starters with chicken tikka masala for mains and then a selection of deserts including pistachio ice cream. Our table especially enjoyed the starters and deserts. There was a good choice of various drinks to go with it and the service was very attentive.

The Class 33 now led as we coasted down, turning right at Leek Brook East Jn to Leek Brook North Jn (the curve closed to passengers from 30 Sep 1935, even Mr PSUL himself was on the train to do it!). Our railtour then ran through the 73yd Birchall Tunnel, once double track; the Up trackbed is now a footpath and cycleway with a wire fence separating it from the restored track in the Down (to Leek) side. It must be most unusual to be able to walk through a tunnel alongside an active railway, particularly one with steam operation. Of course, the end of the line was reached at Leek, where there is a temporary wooden platform. The permanent station (which will be in a modern style) is to be beyond, with the line slightly extended including a headshunt and a run round loop. The Leek branch closed from 6 Jul 1970 but rail traffic had ended sometime before. This is all newly reopened track and only occasionally served by the railway for now, as the normal run is Kingsley & Froghall to Ipstones. It's unusual for any standard gauge heritage railway to expand now and we were able to see the recent extensive works undertaken. They can extend further in four directions (from Leek Brook Jn) and seem to have the impetus to do so.




There was more track still to do, so it was back to Leek Brook North Jn, direct to Leek Brook Jn (part of the old main line), then turning right onto the Stoke line, with nice 'squealy' track, to about 8-10 wagons at the NR boundary, with the remains of the Down loop visible at 6m 37ch. It was then time to return but first the train needed turning on the triangle, so that the coaches were in the correct order and the steam loco the right way round. This had the advantage of everyone seeing both sides of the line on the triangle no matter where they were sitting. So, it was off to Leek Brook East Jn to reverse, then North Jn to Birchall Tunnel for a further reversal. Our return was through Leek Brook Loop (originally a loco runround loop) avoiding the platform, through Cheddleton and into the loop at Consall. We couldn't head straight through that loop due to a points issue, so we had to reverse. Not too much of an issue, as this loop is used for normal running. Arriving back at a peaceful Kingsley & Froghall, still in daylight on this summer evening, we said our farewells to each other and the attentive staff. I headed home this time via a hotel drop off in Stoke for my two companions. Many thanks to the railway and Kev Adlam for a most enjoyable evening, somewhat different from others we do, with nice food and good company.