Travelling in a Restored, Original Ashover Light Railway Coach

Today we're following up our Ashover Light Railway series by going to have a look at one of the very few original remaining coaches that were used on the line between 1925 and 1936. Coach number 4 has been beautifully restored by the Golden Valley Light Railway in Derbyshire and currently runs on selected dates. The Golden Valley Light Railway is within the grounds of the Butterley Midland Railway Centre at Swanwick Junction.

We visit on the heritage railway's Victorian Weekend Gala and have a ride on some vintage carriages. Spefically of interest is the LDECR original carriage, which is a line we have covered in the past. We set off from Butterley hauled by a steam locomotive and have a look around the shed and attractions at Swanwick Junction.

There were originally 4 passenger coaches on the Ashover Light Railway. These were built by the Gloucester Carriage and Wagon Company and entered service on the line in 1925. Passenger services ceased after 11 years in 1936 and the carriages thought they had seen their last days.
Number 4, which we see here today was initially put into storage at Clay Cross works. The other 3 carriages were less fortunate and used as storage and a canteen, later becoming stands at the companies sports ground.
One of the coaches was scrapped in 1960, a further two were rescued by the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway at Humberstone. These are still in service at the railways new home in Skegness.

We ride from the light railways Butterley Park station as far as Newlands, around a mile in length. Just above the eastern portal of the Butterley Tunnel of the Cromford Canal.

A quick mention for the steam engine pulling us today. O&K 7529, which has undergone extensive overhaul at the railway. Built in 1914 by Orenstein and Koppel of Germany, it spent most of its early life working in France, before arriving in the UK in 1967. It arrived here in 1995 and after 20 years of restoration, it was operational again in 2021.

Some videos of interest:
Ashover Light Railway P1 -    • What Remains of the Ashover Light Rai...  
Ashover Light Railway P2 -    • What Remains of the Ashover Light Rai...  
Ashover Light Railway P3 (Clay Cross) -   • The Ashover Light Railway in Clay Cross  
   • Lost Derbyshire Railway - Midland But...   - Butterley to Ambergate disused railway
   • The Cromford Canal Disused Section   - Cromford Canal Disused Section from Ambergate to Butterley
   • Abandoned Cromford Canal & Restoratio...   - DIsused Cromford Canal, Butterley eastwards

http://www.gvlr.org.uk/index.html
https://www.midlandrailway-butterley....
‪@goldenvalleylightrailway‬

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