Alton Towers by Train?

[rob666]

Lack of public transport is the major reason I've not been for a few years. Impossible to get there if you can't drive and I no longer live reasonably close with friends and family who go every year.

There are lots of coach trips from most towns and cities in the school holidays you know.
Very good for the beer drinkers, allegedly.

 

[Shaggy_Dog_]

There are lots of coach trips from most towns and cities in the school holidays you know.
Very good for the beer drinkers, allegedly.

The problem is though that sometimes the coach trips have really crappy hours to them, arriving after park opening and leaving very promptly. For example the coach from London doesn’t get to the park until 12:00 and leaves at 17:00. Assuming that you’d want to finish your last attraction by say 16:30 at the latest that really doesn’t leave you with many hours on park. That’s just the official coach advertised on the AT website but it’s probably similar with other companies that do coach trips. There’s a company that goes to Towers from Scotland though to my area (Newcastle) and when I looked at the itinerary a few years back for a trip they advertised as having two days on the park but it really only gave you in effect half a day at the park on each.

 

[Ryan]

I have been thinking about this differntly, in my oppinion there is very little chance that alton would open and operate a rail line, but the herratige railway have said they want to expand after the leek expansion towards oakmore, i think the line MAY reopen, under the herratge railway, I don't think there would be any mainline / modern service, but from the perspective of the railway line, it could make a some financial sence as you would have a very popular tourist destination on one end, and leek, which is supposed to get a train station according to this: https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/leek-stoke-train-line-reopen-8804679
but all of this would require funding and would probably take decades

Oh no for sure the CVR might extend in the future towards Oakamoor, but that's never going to have any impact on Alton Towers and wouldn't provide anything suitable to provide connections for guests to the park.

The CVR wouldn't be able to capitalise on providing access to the park, and wouldn't be able to offer services at a time that would interest people spending a lot of money for a whole day at a theme park. AT guests and CVR passengers will remain entirely separate groups of people.

Oakamoor being the terminus of the CVR and a near 1 hour hike away from ATs gates is going to be nothing more than a coincidence.

 

[jibbsie]

Oakamoor being the terminus of the CVR and a near 1 hour hike away from ATs gates is going to be nothing more than a coincidence.

correct, my though is that an oakamoor expansion would open up the tunnel and then the next avaliable station to expand to is alton, this would probably be a couple decades away, but for the railway if they want to expand after oakamoor, it would be the next station to go to.

 

[Matt.GC]

I'm just imagining an Alton Towers operated railway line now. Running on just 2 trains, vinyls covering the windows, danger of death signs everywhere, Victorian station buildings painted purple and they won't let you stand on the platforms. Suddenly Arriva trains operating a clapped out Pacer looks more appealing.

 

[Ash]

correct, my though is that an oakamoor expansion would open up the tunnel and then the next avaliable station to expand to is alton, this would probably be a couple decades away, but for the railway if they want to expand after oakamoor, it would be the next station to go to.

I’d argue this is the best current scenario to be hoped for.

Extending the CVR from Froghall to Oakamoor/Alton and possibly Denstone.

5 miles extension that would allow a park and ride from Leek and maybe Denstone.

Wouldn’t cost the earth and would pick up traffic coming from the North and East.

But as I’ve said, resurrecting the bridge before Oakamoor tunnel, Oakamoor Tunnel and the platforms is a wholly different challenge. Perhaps possible for £20m…ish

 

[JakeDLP]

The first time I went to towers I wanted to use the bus from Uttoxeter station but it simply didn't show up so I ended up taking a taxi at a cost but it's more reliable and I've done it every visit since unless I'm meeting a friend at the station.

 

[QTXAdsy]

Correct me if I'm wrong but was the trackbed to Alton station double track before? If so, then it would be possible to have it be single track with a footpath running alongside which has been done many times already on several railways and this would actually be useful to act as bargaining chip for those who still want to use that trackbed as a footpath which might help swerve support for it better.

Ofc, I can see this being a heritage railway operation with the CVR and not with the national network given the seasonal operation for both Towers and the CVR and it would not work as part of the National network I'm afraid to say however, I could see that should the CVR have mainline access then I could see possibly special charter trains traveling to Towers which might get the interest of several train operators like West Coast Railways promoting trips to Towers much like their running of the Jacobite steam specials on the West Highland.

If done well, it would be winner for all concern but the thought of Flying Scotsman taking a mainline steam special to Alton Towers all the way from say Birmingham, Manchester or further afield is a admittingly something that does have a great deal of romanticism about it that we can dream about...

 

[rob666]

Romanticism we can dream about.
Just don't ever expect it in reality.

 

[Josh555]

Surely the sensible thing would be to do a bus from the train station ala Phantasialand etc? Madness that they don’t offer that.

 

[Ash]

Correct me if I'm wrong but was the trackbed to Alton station double track before? If so, then it would be possible to have it be single track with a footpath running alongside which has been done many times already on several railways and this would actually be useful to act as bargaining chip for those who still want to use that trackbed as a footpath which might help swerve support for it better.

Ofc, I can see this being a heritage railway operation with the CVR and not with the national network given the seasonal operation for both Towers and the CVR and it would not work as part of the National network I'm afraid to say however, I could see that should the CVR have mainline access then I could see possibly special charter trains traveling to Towers which might get the interest of several train operators like West Coast Railways promoting trips to Towers much like their running of the Jacobite steam specials on the West Highland.

If done well, it would be winner for all concern but the thought of Flying Scotsman taking a mainline steam special to Alton Towers all the way from say Birmingham, Manchester or further afield is a admittingly something that does have a great deal of romanticism about it that we can dream about...

Yes it was double track with another siding alongside. It was how deliveries were made to the towers.

(Imagine this at night, with a steam train pulling in after scarefest with Alton castle lit up. You can almost hear the Harry Potter theme)

The new extension to the new leek station has a paved path alongside that is both great for locals and provides a great view of the track. No reason this shouldn’t continue. Much better if it had lighting/cycle path as well. The churnet valley could be a great outdoor leisure location.

 

[Blackrock]

So CVR are now fundraising to take the CVR back to Moneystone/Oakamoor in light of the new holiday lodge site being built up the hill.

I’ve (very roughly) marked the route it’d take on the image below. The red circle on the left is Froghall which is CVR current base, the yellow circle is where this new holiday site is going to be located, the yellow line would be its route to the furthest right and the end of the yellow line would be the rough location of Moneystone station.

The red circle on the right is the start of Oakamoor village itself. Can’t see it going any further than this tbh, and that red circle on the right is a bunch of new build houses, I can imagine them kicking up a fuss about noise/plumes of black smoke. But we’ll see!

You can actually walk this route and go from Oakamoor itself to Froghall, but it’s either really boggy in the winter or you’re walking through overgrown bush/nettles during the summer.

A positive of this happening would hopefully them installing an actual walking route next to the track itself which would effectively link up Consall, Froghall, Oakamoor, Alton, Denstone etc all on one walking route.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Quantum]

Merlin should really be supportive regarding re-opening the line. They could run wally trolleys from the station to the park and make it more accessible for those to can't and won't travel by car.

 

[BSwiss]

Erlin should really be supportive regarding re-opening the line. They could run wally trolleys from the station to the park and make it more accessible for those to can't and won't travel by car.

Wait, Wally Trolley is an accepted name for those things? I genuinely thought it was a family in-joke, seeing as wally is my dad’s preferred zinger.

 

[Ash]

So CVR are now fundraising to take the CVR back to Moneystone/Oakamoor in light of the new holiday lodge site being built up the hill.

I’ve (very roughly) marked the route it’d take on the image below. The red circle on the left is Froghall which is CVR current base, the yellow circle is where this new holiday site is going to be located, the yellow line would be its route to the furthest right and the end of the yellow line would be the rough location of Moneystone station.

The red circle on the right is the start of Oakamoor village itself. Can’t see it going any further than this tbh, and that red circle on the right is a bunch of new build houses, I can imagine them kicking up a fuss about noise/plumes of black smoke. But we’ll see!

You can actually walk this route and go from Oakamoor itself to Froghall, but it’s either really boggy in the winter or you’re walking through overgrown bush/nettles during the summer.

A positive of this happening would hopefully them installing an actual walking route next to the track itself which would effectively link up Consall, Froghall, Oakamoor, Alton, Denstone etc all on one walking route.

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So this is great news. (I recognise that picture )

Thankfully the CVR already own the trackbed to moneystone quarry/oakamoor sand sidings so although overgrown getting track down they could do tomorrow as far as I know.

It’s another link on the line, quickly becoming a major link in Staffordshire moorlands tourism.

And once complete it adds another 2 1/2 mile of track and platform giving visitors access to the railway and Leek. Obviously it also gets them another 2 1/2 miles closer to Alton and puts them just to the west of oakamoor tunnel.

From there it’s only 2 miles (and lots of other challenges) to Alton station and makes it almost tantalisingly close. But that’s nothing in railway terms. Beyond Oakamoor bridge the trackbed is pretty clear (but owned by the CC)

Given the benefits and nominal cost numbers discussed I hope they get full support from all parties. As often elderly volunteers they do an amazing job with the resources they have.

 

[BarryZola]

You can actually walk this route and go from Oakamoor itself to Froghall, but it’s either really boggy in the winter or you’re walking through overgrown bush/nettles during the summer.

Don't threaten me with a good time

(Springtime will do then)

 

[rob666]

I'll watch the video mr Zola...ankle too bad for long walks now.

 

[Ash]

Don't threaten me with a good time

(Springtime will do then)

It’s due to the railway line drainage/culverts essentially being abandoned since the track was lifted.

If/when it is re cleared and this is fixed it will be fine.

Although I would suggest the land Froghall to Oakamoor sand sidings is private land currently owned by the railway and likely to have some form of construction in the near future so be careful.

 

[flyingguitar]

So this is great news. (I recognise that picture )

Thankfully the CVR already own the trackbed to moneystone quarry/oakamoor sand sidings so although overgrown getting track down they could do tomorrow as far as I know.

It’s another link on the line, quickly becoming a major link in Staffordshire moorlands tourism.

And once complete it adds another 2 1/2 mile of track and platform giving visitors access to the railway and Leek. Obviously it also gets them another 2 1/2 miles closer to Alton and puts them just to the west of oakamoor tunnel.

From there it’s only 2 miles (and lots of other challenges) to Alton station and makes it almost tantalisingly close. But that’s nothing in railway terms. Beyond Oakamoor bridge the trackbed is pretty clear (but owned by the CC)

Given the benefits and nominal cost numbers discussed I hope they get full support from all parties. As often elderly volunteers they do an amazing job with the resources they have.

A big thing from my understanding is that a cricket club???? Is the other side of the river and uses the railway bridge I would imagine is is possible to split the bridge in 2 as a single track line and road but that would require coordination with the club.