Spa Express steam train passing through Derbyshire will travel on viaduct

The Buxton Spa Express will be arriving at Buxton at 12.50pm and passing through again on its return journey at 2.45pm on Sunday October, 29.

A spokesperson for the Railway Touring Company which will be running the service said: “We will cover both routes to and from Buxton and also we will offer the choice to take our train along the rarely visited Hindlow freight line to the quarry in the heart of the Peak District.”

The train will travel over the Spring Gardens viaduct.

The locomotive will be working hard as it leaves Manchester and immediately commences the climb of the testing 1 in 47 gradient of Miles Platting bank.

After passing through Denton and Stockport, it will make its way towards Buxton via Hazel Grove, following the steeply graded former London & North Western Railway’s route through Whaley Bridge.

Passengers have will be giving the option of disembarking the train and going for a wander around the town or staying on and travelling on the viaduct which is normally used for freight trains.

The tour spokesperson said: “With our steam locomotive now serviced, we will now traverse the remaining section of the former London & North Western Railway’s line to Ashbourne, running to the present limit of this freight only line at Hindlow Quarry. “With gradients up to 1 in 60, this will require our locomotive to be in ‘top and tail’ mode to overcome the steep climbs.

“We shall then reverse back to Buxton with our diesel locomotive where we will call to pick up passengers who chose to alight here earlier.

From Buxton, the Buxton Spa Express will return to Stockport steam hauled again by way of the Midland Railway’s Peak Forest line through Ashwood Dale and the vast Tunstead Limestone Quarry complex.

At Chinley, it will join the Hope Valley line from Sheffield and return via Disley Tunnel and the Hazel Grove Chord to Stockport and Manchester Victoria.

For a chance to ride the Buxton Spa Express ticket prices start from £85 for a child and £385 for a family. A full dining package starts at £200 for a child and a family ticket is £870.

For more information visit railwaytouring.net/the-buxton-spa-express