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The Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway ran from a junction with the Midland Railway at Ambergate to Rowsley north of Matlock and thence to Buxton.
In time it would become part of the Midland Railway's main line between London and Manchester, but it was initially planned as a route from Manchester to the East of England, via the proposed Ambergate, Nottingham, Boston and Eastern Junction Railway which would meet it a little further north along the North Midland line at Ambergate. The Act for a line from just south of Stockport to Ambergate was passed in 1846."
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Monsal Trail
"The Monsal Trail is a traffic free route for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and wheelchair users through some of the Peak District's most spectacular limestone dales.
The trail runs along the former Midland Railway line for 8.5 miles between Blackwell Mill, in Chee Dale and Coombs Road, at Bakewell.
Most of the route was opened to the public in 1981 but four former railway tunnels had to remain closed due to safety reasons, with public footpaths taking people around them. From 25 May 2011 the four railway tunnels - Headstone Tunnel, Cressbrook Tunnel, Litton Tunnel, Chee Tor Tunnel – also opened for trail users. Each tunnel is about 400 metres long and is lit during normal daylight hours."
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The Chee Tor Tunnel
As well as the four tunnels that opened in 2011 there were two shorter ones that had been open when the Monsal Trail opened in 1981 and so this tunnel is one of six along the route.
"Situated half-a-mile west of Miller's Dale, Chee Tor No.1 Tunnel, structure number 76, extends for 401 yards. A single-arched bridge intervenes before No.2 tunnel is encountered, 94 yards in length. The steeply rising ground ensures that none of the approach cuttings is long, the most significant being at the east end of No.1. Westwards from No.2 tunnel, the line sits on a ledge with a vertical rock face on its north side.
Entering No.1 tunnel, westbound trains encountered a long curve to the south of 40 chains radius, after which a straight alignment takes over. The gradient throughout rises at 1:101. For the first 30 yards or so, the tunnel has a horseshoe profile with the arch - five bricks thick - supported on exposed rock. Beyond is a segmental arch springing off high haunches. This latter approach is replicated in No.2 tunnel. Engineering brick is the predominant material for the sidewalls through the curve, giving way to masonry in the straight section. The arch is brick throughout. Sections of the tunnel were relined in 1887 which possibly accounts for the inconsistent use of materials. Refuges are provided at both sides. Whilst generally dry, small deposits of calcite are found locally.
Construction work was aided by sinking a single shaft, 78 yards from the eastern entrance. This was subsequently bricked up and backfilled, its location marked by a sign high on the Down side wall.
On 2nd July 1861 - the same day as five navvies were killed in a collapse at nearby Haddon Tunnel - two miners were crushed when a failed shot belatedly fired as they returned to their working face in the tunnel. The pair's injuries were attended to by a local surgeon.
During its operational period, Chee Tor witnessed a number of deaths and injuries. In June 1876, 24-year-old Edwin Taylor, a railway porter, was struck by a train in the tunnel as he walked from Miller's Dale to nearby Peak Forest Station. Early in November 1896, Joseph Jackson, a platelayer helping to remove some girders from the tunnel roof, had three of his fingers so badly crushed that they had to be cut off. And in January 1902, three quarry workers took a short cut along the railway from their home near Miller's Dale to work at Ashwood Dale. They were walking along the Up line such that they would see any trains coming towards them. However they were not aware that single line working had been introduced due to a nearby points failure. As they neared the tunnel, they were struck and killed by a light engine that approached quietly from behind."
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This waymark is at the eastern portal of the eastern tunnel. This interesting website tells the story behind the work to open the tunnels to the public and has pictures of the work undertaken.
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