Beyond the End of the Line
The Churnet Valley Railway terminates at the southern end at Kingsley & Froghall station but the line used to continue well beyond there before Dr Beeching and his axe. One of the stations beyond the end of the current line is Alton. And yet another Landmark Trust property. Today we went to meet some more Landmark Friends there. Two of these friends - Joe and John - picked us up from Froghall and conveyed us by motor car to and from the venue. The Italianate architecture has been carefully restored and the stationmaster's house now sleeps six people on three floors. The waiting room is waiting - for its future to be determined. Will it house more beds or become a games room? As it rained all day we only took a brief look at the platform which was long enough for excursion trains of 21 coaches. Now, however, those headed for Alton Towers do not queue all the way from the station but arrive by road.