# Denstone to Alton to Oakamoor and sand sidings



## Dunny007 (Jan 26, 2012)

Well this is my first post so here goes!  Recently took a trip out with Burtonbrewery and a friend, a soon to be derelict places member! to see the Oakamoor rail sidings by riding up from Denstone and Alton, part of the* North Staffordshire Railway's Churnet Valley Line* was a great day out very interesting seeing the history of things in this area and imagining what it would have looked like. The info and history on the line will follow and the pics assembled in a roundabout order hope you enjoy.

*Denstone railway station* is a closed station on the Churnet Valley railway, which served the village of Denstone in Staffordshire. The Churnet Valley railway was authorised on 26 June 1846 and opened on 13th July 1849. It generally followed the course of the former Uttoxeter Canal, as it was built to transport goods previously transported along the canal. It closed to passengers on 4th January 1965.

*Alton Towers railway station* is a disused railway station in the village of Alton, Staffordshire, England.
The station was a stop on the North Staffordshire Railway's Churnet Valley Line from Macclesfield to Uttoxeter.

Alton station opened on 13th July 1849 and was built in an Italianate villa style. It was used by the Earl of Shrewsbury who had a luggage lift installed to hoist his baggage up to Alton Towers, his gothic revival residence which is situated at the top of nearby Bunbury Hill. The station also comprised a three-storey tower which contained the Earl's suite of waiting rooms and its platform was particularly long to satisfy the Earl's desire to have impressive surroundings in which to receive his guests.
It became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway during the Grouping of 1923. The station then passed on to the London Midland Region of British Railways on nationalisation in 1948, The station was renamed "Alton Towers" in recognition of its previous service to the Alton Towers estate in 1954, only to be closed ten years later by the British Transport Commission

The station buildings, which are grade II listed, were acquired by the Landmark Trust, which converted the stationmaster's house into holiday accommodation, opening in 1972. In 2008 the Landmark Trust converted the waiting-room to provide additional accommodation space. The buildings are occasionally open to the public as part of an "Open Day" scheme run by the Trust.

*Oakamoor railway station* is a closed railway station in the Churnet Valley, Staffordshire. The station was opened in 1849 as part of the Churnet Valley Line constructed by the North Staffordshire Railway. Serving the village of Oakamoor the station remained open until 1965 when all services were withdrawn, A little north of the station, freight traffic from Oakamoor Sand Sidings continued until 1988.

The track as far as the sand sidings remains and is now owned by the Churnet Valley Railway (CVR). It is not yet in regular use and on 21st September 2008, the first service for 20 years ran to Oakamoor with a CVR shareholders' special.
The railway track down the Churnet Valley to the former station at Alton has been converted to a footpath.

*Oakamoor Tunnel* was a 497-yard (454 m) long tunnel located north of Oakamoor railway station on the former Uttoxeter to North Rode section of the North Staffordshire Railway.

The tunnel opened in 1849 when the line was opened. The tunnel was closed in 1964 with the closure of passenger and freight service between Uttoxeter and Oakamoor Sand Sidings (north of the tunnel).

The tunnel is complete and there is a possible re-open with Moorland and City Railway purchase of various former railway line with in the area.




1 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
Sign at the beginning of our journey.



3 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
The site of Denstone railway station.



4 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
Denstone railway bridge



7 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
The old line came in sight of Alton Castle so i took a few snaps



8.5 by dunnyz007, on Flickr



9 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
Alton Station



11 by dunnyz007, on Flickr



13 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
Alton station platforms and bridge



14 by dunnyz007, on Flickr



15 by dunnyz007, on Flickr



17 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
Continuing platform at Alton station



18 by dunnyz007, on Flickr



21 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
Oakamoor Station and platform (station no longer there tho)



22 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
Interesting info board with the Oakamoor tunnel picture top left as it once was when in use.



24 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
Oakamoor tunnel



23 by dunnyz007, on Flickr



26 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
In the tunnel looking back



27 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
inside tunnel



28 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
Into the abyss!!



29 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
Other side of the tunnel!



35 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
Tunnel exit



36 by dunnyz007, on Flickr



38 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
The bridge after the tunnel exit taking the line over the river.



DSCF0734 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
Oakamoor sidings all following pics are as i walked and took them enjoy!



DSCF0733 by dunnyz007, on Flickr



DSCF0735 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
May have been an old control box?



DSCF0736 by dunnyz007, on Flickr



DSCF0737 by dunnyz007, on Flickr



DSCF0740 by dunnyz007, on Flickr



DSCF0739 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
Some sort of sidings shed



DSCF0741 by dunnyz007, on Flickr



DSCF0744 by dunnyz007, on Flickr



DSCF0745 by dunnyz007, on Flickr



DSCF0748 by dunnyz007, on Flickr



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DSCF0751 by dunnyz007, on Flickr



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DSCF0759 by dunnyz007, on Flickr



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DSCF0755 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
A derelict pump house by the line we found on our way back



DSCF0756 by dunnyz007, on Flickr



DSCF0757 by dunnyz007, on Flickr
Thats our journey over, hope you all enjoy.  until next time!


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## leftorium (Jan 26, 2012)

and a pillbox for free to boot


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## jonney (Jan 26, 2012)

The unmistakable shape of an embrasure

Alton station platforms and bridge




Some great photos there Dunny looks like there a good day out thanks for sharing


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## Dunny007 (Jan 26, 2012)

Was a great days exploring, a must for any explorer thanks for looking and yhh the old pillbox be pretty quiet now tho i think lol


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## oldscrote (Jan 26, 2012)

And marked on the database S0006026

EDOBID 6453 A number of embrasures on each face and a blocked door.
building originally used to raise and lower milk churns to the platform.

Some cracking pictures there mate you'll certainly win brownie points from the rail fans on DP, thanks for sharing


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## burtonbrewery (Jan 27, 2012)

Was good, tunnel was the highlight, still recovering from the cycling!


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## Em_Ux (Jan 27, 2012)

I love those old railway carriages!


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