Heritage railway line reopens after landslip closure

EVR chairman Neil Ferguson-Lee said the reopening was given the green light after tests on Thursday

Train services have returned to Derbyshire’s longest heritage railway after a seven-month closure due to a landslip.

Ecclesbourne Valley Railway (EVR) once again connects Wirksworth with Duffield, with services returning on Friday following successful testing of the line.

The landslip near Duffield began about a year ago, with Storm Babet worsening the situation and forcing services to terminate at Shottle.

After a fundraising campaign to carry out restoration works reached its £30,000 target in April, the rebuild along an altered route has now been completed by track engineers aided by a team of volunteers.

A test train on Thursday made the journey, with EVR chairman Neil Ferguson-Lee on board.

He said: "We have the green light to run. This has been a long and arduous journey, but we celebrate the remarkable resilience of our community and the unwavering dedication of our staff and volunteers.

"The successful completion of this complex project is a testament to the incredible support we received from our loyal visitors, generous donors, and skilled engineers."

The track has been moved 9ft 8in (3m) to avoid the landslip

The EVR was closed to all traffic in 1989, having closed to passengers 40 years earlier.

It reopened as a heritage railway line in 2011.

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