Peak District Sat 14th Nov, Matlock Mystery Tour

[Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative]

The most up to date weather report says.......we gonna get wet. The initial meeting point has no cover or refreshment, so it's a quick pee then it's only a 10 min drive to our first event. We need to be in position for about 11am. Food and drink are available here.

 

After that it is 20 miles to the next event. We can get lunch at this next place but as an extra only 2 minutes around the corner are freshly baked cakes in a pretty cafe. From there the day can be juggled depending on the weather. It can be as long or short as you make it but it is only 20 miles back to Matlock, hence my estimation that we will be done by 3pm.

 

It all depends how much talking and eating you lot do, and lets face you are pretty good at both.

 

I am really looking forward to it, the roof is on, the heater vents to feet are shut and the winter woollies are nowhere in sight. 

[TAFKARM]

Dont have a roof, dont have a heater. See you there. 

[Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative]

You're mad. 

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

This is a good site to help you monitor the rain.

 

http://www.raintoday.co.uk/

[Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative]

You very, very brave people for coming all those miles on a soggy Saturday in November, thank you muchly. It has been a brilliant day and I even out-foxed Trevor, as a bonus, because he could not guess where we were going that was only 10 minutes from Matlock. Highest respect to Russ who came with no roof or heater, now that is someone who wants to drive his car, well done kid. He spoilt it a bit when he mentioned the 'S' word, look Russ we don't SORN our cars, it causes deep depression. 

 

So we met at Matlock in the dry and the sun even made an appearance. Trevor did not recognise me at first as I was not buried under 10 layers of clothes, it is so lovely and warm with the roof on, I could get used to it.

 

 

We set off on the Mystery Tour and 10 minutes later we arrived at Peak Rail, Rowsley South Station where the 11.15 steam train 'Lord Phil' was sat waiting to depart. 

 

 

After a little look around the station we were gasping for tea and toasted tea cakes in the 'Buffet' cafe. A video of the train departing and our cars is at the end of the next post. I said there were big engines involved didn't I?

 

The next instruction was for everyone to follow me for the 20 mile journey to our next stop where Russ practiced some drifting along the way. We went through Bakewell for a pose and went up the steep and twisty Curbar Gap road and headed East.

 

Until we came to Barrow Hill Roundhouse, a unique example of 19th Century railway architecture and the last surviving one in the UK.

 

 

We headed straight for the Deltic Shed. Diesel Electric engines which are triangular in shape, Martyn did a fantastic job of teaching us all about how they worked. At 3700 bhp we debated the probability of getting one under a Westfield bonnet.

 

Napier Deltic Engine under renovation

 

This is where the pistons go, pretty big ones too.

 

We made our way over to the roundhouse.

 

 

 

More to come 

[Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative]

We had lunch in the cafe with a real fire going and memorabilia all over the walls.

 

 

We sat chatting about everyone's winter upgrades until it was cake time. We got in the cars for the 2 minute drive to the Chesterfield Canal where a cute little canal side cafe bakes their own cakes. it was really raining by now.

 

 

The cafe on the canal

 

 

And the very important cakey cakey

 

 

Russ, Sean and Emma went one way and Trevor, Martyn and Sue came back through Chatsworth and Matlock with us, where I turned off and headed for home.

Hope you all got home OK in the rain.

 

Footage of the train departing Rowsley South Station

 

https://youtu.be/y6kj1KyWKCc

 

An extra picture at Barrow Hill

 

 

And another extra picture showing why I like the colour of my car

 

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

What a fantastic day.

 

I like this one a lot.

[Trevor Little (Trevturtle) - Treasurer]

Another great day out, thanks.

 

I believe the 'mildly moist' threshold was exceeded on the way home... I was greeted by 'you're mad' on my arrival home... when they looked at the soaked jeans bottoms  and shoes.. must fix the leak on the pedal box!

[Trevor Little (Trevturtle) - Treasurer]

 

Napier Deltic Engine under renovation

 

 

 

ooooo eerrrrrrrr 

[Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative]

My right foot was mildly moist too, only saved because I was wearing boots, otherwise water drips onto my ankle and into the inside of my super waterproof Goretex shoe. When you find out how to stop the leak, let me know, Glen has a theory that it comes through the wiper arm shaft. It is not a foot that you can change the position of, in that it sits on the accelerator pedal.

 

Here you are Geoffery, some more pictures of the engines in the Roundhouse. For anyone reading this event, remember tickets are still available for you to have lunch on a Flying Scotsman, see the events section for Geoffery's post.

 

 

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

        

[Martyn Vann - Warwickshire AO]

Another great day out, thanks.

 

I believe the 'mildly moist' threshold was exceeded on the way home... I was greeted by 'you're mad' on my arrival home... when they looked at the soaked jeans bottoms  and shoes.. must fix the leak on the pedal box!

Agreed Trev, my feet and ankles were wet too!! We stopped at the petrol station just after we passed you. Popped into McD's for refreshment and found that the rain had stopped for the final 28 miles home.

 

A very enjoyable day today and no breakdowns…..bonus 

[TAFKARM]

My right foot also mildly moist although fully dried out now!

[Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative]

So lets recap. It hammered it down with rain on Saturday when we were out in the cars. It was dry and cloudy on Sunday and it has had the audacity to be sunny all day today. Typical.

 

Rant over, I enjoyed the day so much that I think we have got to go and do it again. They run a Santa train for the rest of this year, but perhaps in January we will go again, in the dry next time though.

 

Besides Russ has unfinished business with the breakfasts at the Roundhouse!