Last peat works railway stock and track saved
THEMoseley RailwayTrusthas recovered all of the remaining locomotives, wagons and track from Britain’s final peatworks railway.
The 2ft gauge line servedworkings on LindowMoss, near Wilmslow, which made national headlines in 1984 when the well- preserved remains of an Iron Agemale were discovered. LindowMan is nowan exhibit at the British Museum.
The line ran from the peat fields to the works, where the peat was tipped from the wooden wagons, processed, and then taken to be used for mushroom cultivation amongst other uses. Peat railways were once commonplace, but increasing environmental concerns have halted such activities.
Following an agreement with site owner Croghan Peat, on June 24- 25, trust members recovered three locomotives, four wagons and a quantity of track, in an operation complicated by the need to comply with Covid- 19 guidance. All equipment has been removed to the trust’s Apedale Valley Light Railway.
Two of the locomotives ( a Lister and an Alan Keef product) were both returned to operation within a few hours of their arrival at Apedale. The third, another Lister, ismissing many of its major components.
Trust chairman Phil Robinson, said: “I would like to thank Croghan Peat for its support with this project, and also the trust members who negotiated and planned this operation. I would also like to recognise all the Trust members who turned out, in baking heat, to recover the equipment fromLindowMoss.”
Newcastle Borough Council has just granted planning permission for a new steel storage building at Apedale.