106-519: The Mont Cenis Pass Railway operated from 1868 to 1871 (with some interruptions) during the construction of the Fréjus Rail Tunnel through the Alps between Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne , southeast France and Susa, Piedmont , northwest Italy . It was designed by John Barraclough Fell and his three-rail design was used on some other mountain railways. The railway was 77 kilometres (48 miles) long, with
212-515: A chill which led eventually to his death. At a general meeting in November, shareholders were informed that Goüin had used inferior iron on the rocking shafts, rather than first grade iron or forged steel as specified, and the shafts therefore had failed in the test. Also the trailing axles could not accommodate the tight curves and would have to be removed. This meant that the rear driving wheels would need additional bearings and springs. On 17 April 1868
318-425: A gauge of 1,100 mm ( 3 ft 7 + 5 ⁄ 16 in ). The height at the summit was 2,283 metres (7,490 ft) and the maximum gradient was 9 per cent (1 in 11). It was used to transport English mail to India as part of the 1,400-mile (2,300 km) All Red Route . A British company was established in 1864 by a number of British contractors, engineers and investors to obtain permission from
424-695: A longer heritage trip to Bugsworth Basin . In the evening crowds watched free live music on the outdoor stage. 2012 saw W3 enter into a partnership with the Canal & River Trust where they adopted the canal basin and the Peak Forest canal to the Bugsworth Arm. The weekend of W3 is followed by the Well Dressing Weekend, a traditional Derbyshire event in which the local well is decorated with large collages of cones, flower petals, etc. Carnival month ends with
530-495: A lot of work, a test train carrying 25 tons was taken from St Michel to Susa, returning the following day. On the 23rd another engine did the return journey within the day, taking 5 ½ hours to run the length including one hour of stoppages. A Franco-Italian commission did a thorough check 28 April to 2 May. They specified some interlocking but otherwise gave permission to open for goods traffic immediately with passenger traffic after 15 successful days of goods traffic. The trial period
636-467: A manufacturer who had built Crampton-designed engines for the French mainline companies in the 1850s. They were to be "hired on the deferred purchase principle" as the directors’ report put it. From 7 to 10 November 1868 there was a heavy fall of snow and also a locomotive broke down. The covered ways were still incomplete despite the pleas from Valentine Graeme Bell . This led to some delays but only one train
742-650: A series of works to modernise and improve it, including the increase of its bore to accommodate wider rail vehicles, such as container trucks on piggy-back wagons, as part of the Autoroute Ferroviaire Alpine . A future high-speed rail tunnel to improve transit capacity between France and Italy, called the Mont d'Ambin Base Tunnel , is being planned as part of the Turin–Lyon high-speed railway project. The mountains of
848-406: A site a mile from the town centre and was established in the 12th century. Parts of the fabric of the bell tower date back to that time, although the tower was rebuilt in the late 16th or early 17th century. The rest of the church building was fully rebuilt in 1825 and restored in 1889 when the chancel was also enlarged. However, many internal elements of the earlier church were retained, including
954-529: A suitable system , with a pairs of horizontal wheels beneath the engine bearing on a third rail placed centrally between the running rails, and he patented it. He set a maximum gradient of 1 in 12 (8.3%) and a minimum curve of 2 chains (40 m). The French and Italian governments had agreed to the idea subject to satisfactory testing. The detailed design was carried out by A. Alexander at Brassey Jackson Betts & Co.'s Canada Works in Birkenhead . The gauge
1060-641: A tempting prospect of profits to be made by crossing the Alpine barrier as well as an opportunity to strengthen the ties of Empire. In 1866, at a British Association meeting, Fell reported how four years earlier he had been asked to design some means of improving on the existing horse-drawn transport across the Alps over the Mont Cenis Pass . The slopes and curves were too much for a conventional train and so far no such railway had been built anywhere but Fell managed to design
1166-514: A torrential storm washed away a length of road, leaving the rail suspended. Then on the night of 17/18 August the Arc flooded again and washed away the Pont de la Denise, partly because of spoil left by tunnel builders for the standard railway. Footbridges were used to allow passengers to walk over the breaks. The PLM line had been damaged between Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne and Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne . The MCR
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#17328515164101272-458: A tributary to the river Arc swept debris into the main river where it formed a dam, creating a reservoir. When this dam finally burst, there was a deluge which caused damage at fifty places between Termignon and St Michel. Between Lanslebourg and Susa, all was well. The permanent way was nearly complete by early December, when snow stopped the work. On 19 February 1867, at the second half-yearly general meeting, shareholders were told that most of
1378-642: A wharf and into two mills. Another notable feature on the bottom section is an iron bridge that carries the line across the River Goyt . The Peak Forest Canal and basin were built in the 1790s and opened on 1 May 1800. An important Grade 2 listed building at the head of the Peak Forest Canal was the Transhipment Warehouse, built in 1801 and extended after the arrival of the railway in 1832. In this building, goods and minerals were transferred to and from
1484-558: Is Whaley Bridge Town Council, consisting of 12 councillors. Three councillors are elected for each of the four wards of Fernilee, Furness Vale, Taxal and Yeardsley. The next tier of local government is High Peak Borough Council. Whaley Bridge constitutes one of the borough's 28 wards. It returns 3 of the 43 borough councillors. At the last council elections in May 2015, one Conservative Party , one Liberal Democrat and one independent councillor were elected. The top tier of local administration
1590-554: Is an evangelical church based in the Gospel Hall, Old Road. Whaley Hall is a large detached Victorian house near Toddbrook Reservoir. Since 1979 it has been a retreat house and conference centre run by the Community of the King of Love, an ecumenical community of men and women. The painting Magistrate of Brussels , by Anthony van Dyck , hung there, unrecognised, during the first decade of
1696-631: Is on the Buxton line between Manchester Piccadilly , Stockport and Buxton . There is a generally hourly service in each direction, operated by Northern Trains . The town is served by bus services operated primarily by High Peak . This includes the 199 skyline service, which runs every 30 minutes between Buxton, Stockport and Manchester Airport . Other services in the town run to Glossop , Hayfield , Macclesfield and New Mills . Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC North West and ITV Granada . Television signals are received from
1802-428: Is the 64-member Derbyshire County Council. The town is included in the electoral division of Whaley Bridge and Blackbrook, electing one county councillor. In the 2021 local elections, the town's former Labour MP Ruth George was re-elected to Derbyshire County Council, defeating former Conservative MP Edwina Currie Jones . The township of Yeardsley-cum-Whaley, Cheshire, was part of the ancient parish of Taxal. In 1863
1908-416: The Alps had posed long difficulties to any movements between Italy and its neighbours. Even with the arrival of new technologies such as the railway, the task of successfully traversing these peaks was viewed by numerous figures as a fool's errand, unfeasible to the point of being impossible. However, there was a strong political desire amongst officials in both Italy and France to establish a railway between
2014-637: The Anglo Saxon weg lēah , meaning 'a clearing by the road'. In 1351, the lands of Weyley and Yeardsley were granted to William Joddrell for his faithful service to Edward, the Black Prince . In the 14th century, it housed the residence of William Jauderell and his descendants; their name also spelt 'Jodrell', who gave their name to the modern Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire. The Jodrells continued to call their lands Yeardsley Whaley for centuries and, when
2120-411: The Autoroute Ferroviaire Alpine . Various other enhancements were enacted, largely on the French side of the tunnel. The first package of work focused on civil works, while a follow-up package focused on electrical systems. During the former, the track was replaced and the track bed lowered, sections of masonry were repaired where applicable, new safety recesses created, along with other civil works around
2226-766: The Culoz–Modane railway and linking Bardonecchia in Italy to Modane in France . Its mean altitude is 1,123 metres (3,684 ft) and it passes beneath the Pointe du Fréjus (2,932 metres (9,619 ft)) and the Col du Fréjus (2,542 metres (8,340 ft)). Headed by the Savoyard civil engineer Germain Sommeiller , construction of the tunnel commenced during August 1857, at a time when both ends of
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#17328515164102332-583: The Paris-Lyon-Marseille (PLM) Railway, they had only to cross the platform to get onto the Fell railway train. Typically this had a Goüin locomotive, a guard's van, a goods van, and three coaches. The crew comprised: driver, fireman, chief guard and two brakesmen, one to each coach. There were no continuous brakes. The Westinghouse brake was patented in 1872. Trains left Susa at 7:20 and 8:30. These trains arrived at St Michel at 11:45 and 12:55. The journey time
2438-465: The River Goyt , 16 miles (26 km) south-east of Manchester , 7 miles (11 km) north of Buxton , 9 miles (14 km) north-east of Macclesfield and 28 miles (45 km) west of Sheffield . It had a population of 6,455 at the 2011 census , including Furness Vale , Horwich End, Bridgemont, Fernilee, Stoneheads and Taxal. There is evidence of prehistoric activity in the area, including early Bronze Age standing stones , burial sites and
2544-515: The operating profit . The likelihood of the shareholders getting their money back was slim. The Duke of Sutherland and Jervoise Smith resigned. The Duke, having presided over a failure, may have felt that honour required his resignation. Furthermore, he was chairman of the Sutherland Railway . This too had run out of funds after opening from Bonar Bridge to Golspie in April 1868. He himself funded
2650-504: The stagecoach ; the coaches were more spacious and comfortable and even the 1st class fare was 20 francs cheaper. 29 passengers arrived by the PLM. 24 used the new train and 5 used the stagecoach. The stagecoach service declined but in 1871 there was still one a day. Mail was carried from the start. From 1 August the French, Italian and MC Railways were coordinated so as to deliver mail a day earlier and book passengers right through but on 10 August
2756-514: The 17th-century communion rail and panelling, 18th-century monuments and a royal coat of arms from the reign of Queen Anne . It is a Grade II* listed building . Holy Trinity Church, Fernilee, was established near the town centre in 1905. Parts of the town are included in the Cheshire parish of St John, Disley, and are served by the Church of St John the Divine, Furness Vale. The Roman Catholic Church of
2862-506: The 21st century. Whaley Bridge has an annual carnival month in June. This launches on the second weekend of the month with 'Whaley Water Weekend', commonly known as W3. Launched in 2000, W3 started out as a small community event on the canal basin. It was relaunched in 2010 as a music and arts festival, building on its waterways core. The last event saw several thousand visitors, with record numbers taking advantage of free short canal boat rides and
2968-684: The Alps have since been constructed, it has remained active, the Fréjus Rail Tunnel being the oldest of the large tunnels through the Alps. Between 1868 and 1871, the Mont Cenis Pass Railway was briefly operational as a temporary link over the Mont Cenis Pass. It was closed shortly after the opening of the Fréjus Railway. This railway was itself described as an engineering achievement in its own right. The original tunnel portal on
3074-490: The Cheshire side there were Taxal, Yeardsley and Whaley; the last two were combined into one district of Yeardsley-cum-Whaley. The Derbyshire side consisted only of Fernilee, which included the villages of Shallcross and Horwich. This side was in the parish of Hope and was part of the Forest of High Peak , while the Cheshire side was part of the Forest of Macclesfield . From 1796, Taxal and Yeardsley were effectively joined in that
3180-668: The Frederick Hardman from the Times and the French commissioners made the last of six visits. There were three more days of trials for the Italians and the Russians and a special day for James Brunlees on 31 July. This ended the official tests but private testing continued until the end of November. The French concession was granted on 4 November 1865 and the Italian on 17 December. On 7 February 1866
3286-559: The French railway was another matter. It would not begin for a year and would take another four years to complete. The company asked the French and Italian regulators to come to an inspection on 20 September, with a view to open for freight as soon as possible and open for passengers in October. They were optimistic. However, later in September they had a successful private test using the No. 3 locomotive,
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3392-413: The French side at Modane was only used for little over a decade before falling into disuse after having been bypassed during 1881. It was decided to redirect the tunnel to a new entrance positioned to the east of the original, where the ground was considerably more stable. The surplus portal was left in place as a monument, and has since become a minor tourist attraction. A steam locomotive has been placed in
3498-543: The Fréjus Tunnel was opened to traffic for the first time, facilitating a new era of interaction between France and Italy. The Fréjus tunnel remains an important link in the connection between Rome and Paris , via Turin and Chambéry . Following the development of car and truck transportation, the Fréjus Road Tunnel was built along the same path from 1974 to 1980. During the 2000s, the Fréjus Rail Tunnel underwent
3604-450: The Jodrell family was the main landowner in both towns, although the administration of these remained separate until 1936. Until the late 19th century, the population of the area grew slowly. For example, in the diocesan census in 1563, Taxal is recorded as having 26 households and, by the mid-18th century, Taxal and Yeardsley together only reached 55 households. In 1791, land at Whaley Bridge
3710-483: The MCR clawed back 57 of them. It soon became a regular service. The average speeds of trains were: St Michel and Lanslebourg: 13.2 mph both ways; Lanslebourg and La Frontière 7.9 mph upwards and 10.6 downwards; La Frontière and Susa 10.6 mph downwards and 6.6 upwards. The Cail locomotives arrived in winter 1869/70. This enabled them to run freight trains on a regular basis. Traffic included coal and materials for
3816-629: The Michelin map, the rise from St Michel is 4,492 feet (1,369 m) and from Susa 5,178 feet (1,578 m). J. B. Fell was appointed ‘Managing Director at the Mont Cenis’. It seems that direct labour was employed on the French side whereas on the Italian side the contractor Gianoli & Canova was used. Fell had intended to have two classes of locomotives: one to pull heavy loads slowly up steep slopes from Lanslebourg and Susa and one to run faster on easily graded sections between Lanslebourg and St Michel. He
3922-577: The Mont Cenis Railway Company (Limited) (MCR) was established as company 2820c under the Companies Act 1862 . There were 12,500 shares of £20 each. For each share £1 was to be paid on application, £3 on allotment and further calls of £4 would be made at intervals of not less than three months. They could not have chosen a worse time. In January 1866 the contractors Watson & Overend had failed with liabilities of £1½ million and on 5 February
4028-616: The Peak Forest Canal on a canal boat and processes to the Mechanics' Institute accompanied by his helpers. Businesses make their contribution to the town's Christmas decorations by way of small trees above their shops. The Town Council erects two large trees each year, the second being by the Soldier Dick public house at Furness Vale. Whaley Bridge features in the novel The Manchester Man (1876) by Isabella Banks . The fictional Coronation Street character Minnie Caldwell retired to become
4134-659: The Rose Queen Carnival, started over a hundred years ago, where groups of local young people from the town, Rose Queen royalty from other villages and invited bands process through the main streets in their finery and on decorated floats culminating in events, stalls and entertainment held at Whaley Bridge Bowling Club. In 2009 a fell race, known as the Whaley Waltz, was added to the Rose Queen programme, and it annually attracts over 180 runners. Organised by Goyt Valley Striders,
4240-510: The Sacred Heart, Whaley Lane, serves the parish of Whaley Bridge and Disley. The United Reformed Church and Methodists formed a local ecumenical partnership , the "Whaley Bridge Uniting Partnership" in 1983, subsequently joined by the Baptists . The partnership has three places of worship: Whaley Bridge Uniting Church, Fernilee Methodist Church and Kettleshulme Chapel. The Good News Church
4346-509: The Times reported that seven locomotives had had their shafts replaced or shortly would do. Chevalier were late in delivering the rolling stock. According to reports by Fell, Brogden and Barnes, 103 wagons were already being erected at St Michel in August 1867 but by February 1868 the company had only 2 of 11 first class carriages, 3 of 5 second class and 3 of 8 third class even though they were all due by
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4452-510: The area. Whaley Bridge continues to expand as new housing is built, but retains the character of a small town. As the self-styled Gateway to the Goyt , it attracts tourists, mainly walkers, but has not become dominated by the tourist industry, unlike some other local towns and villages. The Peak District Boundary Walk runs through the village. The town has been twinned with Tymbark , Poland , since June 1994. The Cromford and High Peak Railway
4558-459: The board appointed James Anderson Longridge (1817-1896), son of Michael Longridge, an associate of George Stephenson to whom James himself had been apprenticed. Once again several locomotives required new cranks. More and better engines were needed although the company could ill afford them. In August 1868 T.R.Crampton went to Mont Cenis to get Barnes’ approval on a new locomotive design. In mid-November four engines were on order from Cail et Cie,
4664-525: The canal towpath, and is part of the 230-mile (370 km) Midshires Way which runs from Stockport through the English Midlands to Buckinghamshire . On 19 June 1872, a massive flood became one of the worst in English history. The town received as much as 2 inches of rain in 24 hours. On 1 August 2019, part of the town was evacuated on the orders of Derbyshire Police after flooding caused damage to
4770-440: The company Fell approached the French and Italian governments for permission to build the railway. The governments would not be asked for any money. The company expected to make a profit. The French government wanted more proof that the scheme was practicable. The Italians said they would grant permission if the French did. To provide additional evidence a second test line was constructed along the zig-zag section from Lanslebourg to
4876-428: The dam at Toddbrook Reservoir . Parts of nearby Furness Vale and New Mills were also evacuated. The Royal Air Force and all high-volume pumping units from various fire services were drafted in, along with Chinook helicopters bringing in aggregate and providing support. The Environment Agency and Derbyshire Fire Brigade reported that the dam was at "real risk of collapse", with 1,500 residents being evacuated from
4982-493: The disused portal, which is presently located adjacent to a road. During the 2000s, the Fréjus Rail Tunnel underwent a programme of works to both modernise and improve it. One specific and major alteration performed during this period was the enlargement of the bore to facilitate an equivalent loading gauge of French Lignes à grande vitesses (LGVs) throughout, thus enabling the tunnel to be traversed by wider rail vehicles, including container trucks on piggy-back wagons, as part of
5088-555: The dominant industry by 1871. Coal mining took place in the area from its very early days because of a large geographical fault which traverses the Whaley Bridge basin from east to west; this results in the coal outcropping in various places. Documentary evidence of 1587 indicates a well-established coal industry in the Towneshepp of Weley , known today as Whaley Bridge. Today, there is less intensive agriculture labour and no coal mining in
5194-412: The effective width. Air at a pressure of 7 atm (710 kPa ) was conducted in iron pipes from hydraulic compressors , powered by local streams at the mouths of the workings. There were separate pipes for water jets to remove waste from the holes. Each firing required up to eighty holes, taking between six and eight hours to drill. On 26 December 1870, French and Italian workers shook hands as
5300-778: The endeavor was forthcoming from individual Italians, not only in terms of funding, but also technical expertise, public endorsements, and labourers. During August 1857, drilling work commenced on the Bardonecchia side; activity started on the Modane side in December 1857. It had been deemed impossible to increase the rate of excavation via intermediate shafts, thus the tunnel was driven entirely from either end. Serious challenges were encountered, including difficulty with providing sufficient ventilation. New methods of ventilation were successfully introduced, alongside other technological innovations. At
5406-413: The event there were delays in establishing the railway and it did not start until 15 June 1868. Additionally the tunnel progressed faster than expected as new tunnelling methods were developed and the tunnel was opened on 16 October 1871, resulting in the pass railway being active for a shorter time than expected and leaving the proprietors with a considerable loss. However, the technology proved itself and
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#17328515164105512-404: The first from Goüin. In October, Brassey was touring his contracts. On the 12th he arrived at Mont-Cenis expecting a successful test. It was a cold and wet day. The test was a disaster. Not only No. 3 but two other locomotives broke down in the attempt to complete the test. Brassey had to stand in the cold and wet, waiting for replacement engines. According to Helps, his biographer, Brassey developed
5618-468: The first local government board was formed in 1863 and the area became an urban district , the town adopted its popular name of Whaley Bridge ; the town has been called so ever since. Parish records from the 1820s refer to Horridge rather than Horwich. The River Goyt formed the historical boundary between Derbyshire and Cheshire . The present town of Whaley Bridge was divided into smaller towns in both counties. Historical records show that, in 1316, on
5724-484: The four-wheelers. (Brunlees specified that a sliding axle box designed by John Clark of the North London Railway was to be used for the six-wheelers, whereas the four-wheelers had ordinary axles.) There were financial problems. In March 1867 the board agreed to seek a loan of £60,000 against guarantees by directors. On 12 September The Times published an offering of £125,000 of 7 per cent debentures, adding that
5830-514: The future tunnel were in the Kingdom of Sardinia . From the onset, the tunnel was an ambitious engineering challenge, its gallery being twice the length of any tunnel previously constructed. Some figures believed that it would take as many as 40 years to complete; the total construction time was 13 years, the work having been greatly accelerated by the introduction of new technologies such as pneumatic drilling machines and dynamite . On 17 September 1871,
5936-436: The governments retaining 20 feet (6 m) for roadway. There was a continuous wooden barrier separating the roadway from the rail track. Over a distance of 9 miles (14 km) the track had to run in snow shelters. Where avalanches were likely these had to be built of masonry; elsewhere they were of sheet iron. At some hairpin bends adjustments had to be made to meet the railway's minimum radius of 130 feet (40 m). Much of
6042-499: The heights across the valley of the Arc. During the 1930s, the Alpine Line fortifications Ouvrage Saint-Gobain , Ouvrage Saint-Antoine and additional fortifications at Le Sappey were also constructed. A blockhouse along the rail line to the east of the modern tunnel entrance has become a tourist attraction. The maison penchée ("leaning house") was built in 1939 to guard the tunnel entrance over an ammunition magazine connected to
6148-817: The light locomotive would not work on the 1 in 12 slope without the central rail drive but could tow four wagons weighing 7 tons each with it. With this information, the Mont Cenis Concessionary Company was formed on 12 April 1864 to obtain concessions from the two governments to build a railway on the public road over the pass until the tunnel should be opened. The subscribers were: The Duke of Sutherland , Thomas Brassey , Sir Morton Peto and Edward Betts , James Lister, Thomas Crampton , Alexander Brogden , James Cross, Fell, James Brunlees , Joseph Jopling, T S Cutbill and C. Lowinger. Each took one share at £1,000 except that Brassey took three, Fell took two and Peto and Betts took one between them. On behalf of
6254-472: The line and a scarcity of horses owing to the Austro-Italian war. On the French side the stones comprising the foundation of the road were so large that blasting was required to make holes for the fence. The locomotives might possibly be an issue. Otherwise nothing seemed likely to delay them. It had been a cool summer so the ice had not melted as much as usual. On 25 September, after a few days of warm rain,
6360-425: The line was complete except for St Michel and Susa stations and part of the covered ways. Barnes was employing 25 men. They included 4 good engine drivers, all British, 6 fitters working on engines, 3 blacksmiths and strikers for points and crossings, one fitter, one smith and one striker on wagon work. On 21 February, The Times reported that the line would open on 1 May but, once again it did not. On 20 April, after
6466-539: The line would be ready by May. On 4 March, Fell wrote to the board that he expected the line to open in September. On 4 April the board were told that locomotive construction was well behind schedule. The first loco should be ready by 1 May, the second in June, and the remainder to follow at the rate of one per week. The first carriage was ready apart from its wheels. In mid August the Board of Trade dispatched Captain Tyler to inspect
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#17328515164106572-410: The line would probably open in October. No applications were received. However, to keep things going, Brassey guaranteed £15,000 needed immediately. A general meeting in November authorised an increase in the company's borrowing powers from £125,000 to £202,000 and an interest rate of 10 per cent. Liabilities were stated to be £182,000. £150,000 had been raised by shares and only £2,600 by debentures. It
6678-453: The locomotives were expected to be delivered in February, March and April 1867. The locos were designed by Alexander and his designs were passed by the board. The rolling stock was built by Chevalier, Cheilus & Cie of Paris. At the beginning of September 1866 Abinger, Brogden and Vallambrosa visited the works. They found: 2,200 men employed, rails being laid at both ends and on the plateau of
6784-523: The many working canal boats servicing local industry. The building straddles the head of the canal which is fed by the Combs and Toddbrook reservoirs to the south. The canal splits just outside Whaley Bridge, turning east to end at Buxworth basin and turning west to Marple, the Cheshire Ring and Manchester. The Goyt Way runs for 10 miles (16 km) from Etherow Country Park to Whaley Bridge, partly along
6890-565: The new district placed in Derbyshire. In 1974 the Local Government Act 1972 came into force, abolishing all urban and rural districts in England and Wales , and replacing them with non-metropolitan districts . Whaley Bridge became part of the district of High Peak, with a successor parish formed for the area of the urban district. The parish council resolved that Whaley Bridge should have
6996-427: The next section. Brassey kept in touch with the MCR and provided funds when the creditors got difficult. In 1869, weekly receipts increased fairly steadily from £700 to £1700 before dropping to £1000 during the winter. Edward Whymper used the railway in 1869 and he describes the journey in his book Scrambles amongst the Alps. A test Indian Mail delivery was carried on 15 October. It arrived at Susa 67 minutes late but
7102-445: The one of the 4 local relay transmitters (Whaley Bridge, Ladder Hill, Chinley and Birch Vale ). Local radio stations are BBC Radio Manchester on 95.1 FM, Greatest Hits Radio Midlands on 103.3 FM, and Whaley Radio, a community based station that broadcast on 107.4 FM. The town is served by the local newspaper, Buxton Advertiser . The Church of England parish of Whaley Bridge has two churches. St James, Taxal, stands on
7208-418: The previous June. The delivered carriages were all four-wheelers and the missing ones were six-wheelers. When the line opened in June 1868, The Engineer reported 7 first class carriages, 4 second class and 8 third class, officially a full complement but not so according to the internal information. In 1870 Fell reported that, when the six-wheelers did arrive, they ran more steadily and with less resistance than
7314-607: The race starts in the centre of the village and climbs 900 ft to Windgather Rocks and finishes after crossing the River Goyt on Forge Road. Following the carnival is the Rose Queen Pet Show, where locals bring their pets to compete in different classes. November 2012 saw the relaunch of Whaley Bridge's firework event, with a new team of volunteers after the Round Table felt they were unable to continue. This also incorporated
7420-474: The railway and the tunnel. On the way he inspected the locomotives and rolling under construction in Paris. On 22 August the repairs between St Michel and Lanslebourg were incomplete. However, on 26 August a test run was attempted. Two Goüin locomotives had been delivered but were not yet ready for service. So they had to use the second of the two British-built engines, built by James Cross at St Helens. Alexander Brogden
7526-599: The railway promoter Thomas Savin failed. The directors and other officers of the company were: The Duke of Sutherland (President), Sir James Hudson (Chairman), Thomas Brassey , The Duke of Vallombrosa, Lord Abinger , Sir Morton Peto , Sir Robert Dallas, Edward Blount, Jervoise Smith, Thomas Crampton , W B Buddicom , Alexander Brogden , Fell , James Brunlees (Engineer) and T S Cutbill (Secretary). By October Cutbill had been replaced by W.J.C.Cutbill. On 11 May 1866 Overend, Gurney and Company failed. Samuel Morton Peto and Edward Betts also failed and their support
7632-406: The remains of a stone circle . A bronze-age axe head was discovered in 2005. There has long been speculation that the 'Roosdyche', a complex of banks and ditches on the eastern side of the town, is of prehistoric human origin, but investigations in 1962 concluded that it was formed by glacial meltwater . The name of Weyley or Weylegh appears in many 13th-century documents and is derived from
7738-445: The road was built on a shelf and this had to be strengthened or widened in places. On the Italian side the road had been built with a gentle slope. This had proved too prone to avalanches and had been replaced by a steep zig-zag called Les Échelles (the ladders), but the railway had to revert to the original roadway because the "ladders" were too severe for it. This section needed 660 yards (600 m) of masonry avalanche shelter. Using
7844-660: The status of a town. Whaley Bridge is surrounded by, but not part of, the Peak District National Park . The town has two primary schools : Whaley Bridge Primary School and Taxal & Fernilee Church of England Primary School. For secondary education, children must travel further afield, typically to Chapel-en-le-Frith , New Mills , Hope Valley , Buxton , Macclesfield or Stockport . Schools in these areas include Chapel-en-le-Frith High School , New Mills School , Hope Valley College , King's School and Stockport Grammar School . Whaley Bridge railway station
7950-508: The summit. It was 1¼ miles long with a ruling gradient of 1 in 12 and an average of 1 in 13. It started at 5,321 feet and rose to 5,815 feet. Rails were borrowed from the Victor Emmanuel Railway . This test line was completed by 23 January 1865. Meanwhile, a second locomotive was built by James Cross and Company of St Helens and was the first engine to be sold by him. It was designed by Alexander after consultation with Fell. Cross
8056-452: The time, it was believed that, if the tunnel's construction had to rely upon traditional methods alone, it would have taken 71 years to complete. Three years following the start of the tunnel's construction, unanticipated political interactions led to the transfer of Savoy from Sardinia to France in 1860 under the Treaty of Turin ; the change of borders did not majorly disrupt the rate of work on
8162-706: The town's first lantern parade. The final event of the year is the switching on of the Christmas tree lights outside the Jodrell Arms Hotel, close to Whaley Bridge railway station . This is usually done by the chair of the Town Council and is accompanied by seasonable music from members of Whaley Bridge Brass Band. Father Christmas traditionally arrives at the Transshipment Warehouse on the Whaley Wharf of
8268-401: The town. After the first day, the water level of the dam had been reduced by half a metre, but authorities said this would need to fall several metres before it could be considered safe. The targeted reduction in the reservoir water level of 8 metres (26 ft) was achieved on 6 August 2019. Whaley Bridge is a civil parish with the status of a town. At the lowest level of local government
8374-485: The township adopted the Local Government Act 1858 and formed a local board to govern the town. Under the Local Government Act 1894 this became Yeardsley-cum-Whaley Urban District . On the Derbyshire side of the Goyt, the parish of Fernilee was included in Chapel en le Frith Rural District. In 1936 a county review order merged the urban district with the built-up part of Fernilee to form Whaley Bridge Urban District, with
8480-504: The transfer of Savoy from Italy to France, the Fréjus Tunnel became a possible invasion route from Italy to France, particularly as it avoided the historical difficulties posed by the Mont Cenis pass. Accordingly, an extraordinary amount of defensive fortifications were constructed near to and around Modane. The Fort du Replaton and the Fort du Sapey were built in the late nineteenth century on
8586-451: The tunnel by a gallery. During 1944, the retreating Germans deliberately exploded two rail wagons inside the tunnel entrance, causing the magazine to explode and blasting the blockhouse off its foundations, leaving it on a tilt. Whaley Bridge Whaley Bridge ( / ˈ hw eɪ l i / ) is a town and civil parish in the High Peak district of Derbyshire , England. It is situated on
8692-616: The tunnel entrance at Bardonècchia. In the AGM on 10 February 1870 the board were unable to promise during 1870 to pay interest to bondholders or shareholders as traffic was still below expectations. Fr%C3%A9jus Rail Tunnel The Fréjus Rail Tunnel (also called Mont Cenis Tunnel ) is a rail tunnel of 13.7 km (8.5 mi) length in the European Alps , carrying the Turin–Modane railway through Mont Cenis to an end-on connection with
8798-413: The tunnel however. The tunnel took 14 years to construct, its rate of progress having been considerable increased via the use of new technical innovations such as pneumatic drilling machines powered by compressed air. Ten drills were mounted in a frame to bore shot holes to receive blasting powder charges, with those in outermost positions aligned in a slight divergence from the centreline to increase
8904-473: The tunnel's exterior, including a reservoir . On 27 August 2023, a major landslide occurred on the line close to the tunnel at Saint-André à La Praz. All traffic through the tunnel, including the major TGV and Frecciarossa services between the Gare de Lyon and Milan Centrale / Porta Garibaldi were suspended. Repairs have been complicated and the line is not expected to re-open until spring 2025. Following
9010-405: The tunnel. In the letter mentioned above Brogden reported that progress was good. The tunnel should be pierced in three years and completed in four – much earlier than previously anticipated. Tyler's official report on the tunnel was that 7,366 metres had been bored, 4,884 remained and that the French had passed through the hard quartz and returned to the softer schist. The link between the tunnel and
9116-529: The two governments to build the railway. These included: Thomas Brassey , Fell, James Brunlees and Alexander Brogden . Having obtained permission, in 1866 they established the Mont Cenis Railway Company to build and run the railway. Although it would eventually be superseded by the tunnel, they believed that during its life, the cost of the pass railway would be repaid with a profit to them. The company used British engine-drivers and workmen. In
9222-488: The two teams met halfway: the galleries were aligned to about 40 centimetres (16 in) horizontally and 60 centimetres (24 in) vertically. On 17 September 1871, the Fréjus Tunnel was officially opened to traffic. One foreign newspaper covering the occasion, the Michigan Argus , described the tunnel as being "one of the greatest, if not the greatest, engineering feat of the age". While further major tunnels through
9328-463: The two which, if completed, would launch a new era of transit and bring new commercial opportunities for both nations. In Italy, the Victor Emmanuel Railway , which included both the Culoz–Modane railway across Savoy and the Turin–Modane railway across Piedmont , was largely constructed in the 1850s by the Kingdom of Sardinia and named after its king, Victor Emmanuel II . Prior to 1860, Sardinia had included both Savoy and Piedmont. Even as it
9434-648: Was 1,100 mm ( 3 ft 7 + 5 ⁄ 16 in ). Experiments on the new locomotive were carried out between 1863 and 1865 on a purpose built railway of 1100 mm gauge near Whaley Bridge adjacent to - and, at one point, passing under - the Bunsal Incline of the Cromford and High Peak Railway at gradients of 1 in 13 and 1 in 12, with curves up to 2.5 chains radius. Early experiments were private but public experiments took place in January. They showed that
9540-401: Was 5 hr 15 min because French time was 50 minutes behind Italian. The 8:30 train had a connection that left Turin at 5:30 am. Return trains left St Michel at 13:15 and 15:55. On the opening day the 7:20 comprised one 1st, one 2nd and 3rd class coach with two vans . The 8:30 coaches were all 1st class, also with two vans. They both arrived slightly early. Travel by the train saved 6 hours over
9646-525: Was advertised for sale; the owner believed that its waterpower would be useful in the textile industry, but the two townships remained very small and only had a population of 853 between them by 1841. Up to this time, agriculture and coalmining had been the main occupations. The town expanded greatly in the Industrial Revolution and the population almost trebled to 2,322. Although there had been coal mines from earlier times, cotton mills had become
9752-411: Was announced for 8 June. Once again it did not happen but this time the problem was coordination with the main railways. The actual first passenger train ran from Susa at 7.20 am on 15 June 1868. By 1 April, the tunnel boring amounted to 8,159 metres with 4,061 to go. The line had cost £392,000 to build or £7,966 per mile. Brunlees had estimated £8,000 per mile. When passengers arrived at St Michel by
9858-508: Was being first envisioned, the Fréjus Tunnel, a necessary feature for traversing Mont Cenis , was viewed as being the primary engineering challenge of the Turin–Modane railway by far; the initial length of its gallery was 12.8 kilometres (8.0 mi), which was twice as much as the previously longest tunnel in the world at that time. The Savoyard civil engineer Germain Sommeiller was appointed to head this undertaking. Considerable backing for
9964-668: Was cancelled. In March 1869 a train was blocked by snow drifts. The mail was carried on by sledge but also was overwhelmed by an avalanche. The driver escaped but it took two days to recover the mail. At a general meeting in February 1869 the operating accounts from 15 June to 31 October 1868 showed that the expenses were 73 per cent of receipts. However, the Balance Sheet for 31 October 1868 showed shareholders funds: £155,550, debentures £180,750, loans £17,500 and creditors £65,487. Creditors in France had agreed to defer payment, secured against
10070-468: Was completed on 2 June. The promoters began to arrive in mid-May. At 11.30 on 23 May they enjoyed a celebratory journey from Susa to St Michel. The party of 54 included Blount, Brogden, Buddicom, Fell, Cutbill, Bell, Blake, Alexander, Barnes, Gohierre, Desbrière, Crampton, Count Arrivabene and Signor Milla the Italian government commissioner. The Times and the Morning Post were represented. The public opening
10176-422: Was decided to issue £200,000 worth of bonds at 10 per cent. The directors agreed to buy £150,000 provided the other shares subscribed £50,000. If this not happen within 14 days, the works were liable to be sold in discharge of the liabilities. Later more creditors were discovered, increasing the liabilities to £243,000. The company survived this crisis although the bonds may not all have been sold. By November 1867,
10282-621: Was granted Parliamentary consent in 1825. It was fully opened for passenger and goods traffic on 6 July 1831. The railway linked the wharf at the head of the Whaley Bridge Branch of the Peak Forest Canal to the Cromford Canal at Cromford Wharf . It had seven inclined planes, the first being situated within the town of Whaley Bridge itself. Unlike the other six inclined planes, which were operated by stationary steam engines, this one
10388-625: Was lost. In August the directors found that they each had to take up five more shares for the company to qualify for the London Stock Exchange . By 21 Aug 8,678 shares had been taken up by 448 shareholders. Among these, Brassey took 945, Brogden 792, the Duke of Sutherland 542, Abinger 292, Brunlees 137, Crampton 237, and Fell 242. In early 1866 detailed plans and sections were drawn up for submission to governments. Construction began in March. The railway
10494-412: Was operated by a horse-driven gin, which remained operational until 9 April 1952. This plane was much shorter than the others, being only 180 yards (165 m) long and rising at 1:13.5. Approach to the top of the plane was under a very low bridge and, because of this, waggons had to be hauled to and from the top of the plane by horses. Horses also worked the bottom section of the line and the tracks ran onto
10600-518: Was over-ruled by his co-directors. A. Alexander was appointed Locomotive engineer and Brassey's Canada Works had quoted to build the locomotives. After the first one was built, the directors discovered that French law prohibited importation of foreign machinery subject to a French patent. Fell had taken out at least one French patent. At this late stage the most reputable French manufacturers were busy so they used Ernest Goüin et Cie. of Paris even though Alexander had reported on them unfavourably. In August
10706-400: Was present. He wrote an account of the test to the Duke of Sutherland which remains in the Duke's records and is quoted verbatim by Ransom. Everyone was nervous because there had been no previous test. However, the test was passed very well. Captain Tyler even composed a song. There were fifty people on the train and Brunlees was the driver. During the same visit, Brogden and Tyler investigated
10812-713: Was probably used because Brassey's works was very busy. The trials were observed by officials from the governments of France, Italy, Great Britain, Austria and Russia. There were 600 spectators. The British representative was Henry Whatley Tyler . Trials began on 28 Feb 1865. Only the first locomotive was available but the trials were very successful. Captain Tyler came again in the spring when locomotive 2 had arrived. He found that some parts of this locomotive needed strengthening and it would not be advisable to test it very much until replacements had been obtained. However, he did test it successfully. The trials gradually moved towards several runs on each day. On 19 July they were observed by
10918-407: Was reopened in late September but the PLM took longer and stagecoaches were used between St Michel and St Jean for several more weeks. The PLM was glad of any excuse to divert its passengers from Mont Cenis to Marseille. However, the MCR was popular even when there were problems. At this time there was no general manager on the spot and the two principal officials Gohierre and Barnes didn't get on. So
11024-572: Was the crossing of the Alps. Work on the Fréjus or Mont Cenis tunnel had started in 1857 but it looked as though it would take many years to build, using traditional tools and gunpowder. A full rail service from Calais to Brindisi, continuing by sea to Alexandria , would take about 30 hours off the journey time from Britain to India, China and Australasia compared with the current option of Calais to Marseilles by rail and onwards by sea. The increasing volumes of trade, in mail, passengers and goods presented
11130-441: Was to be 48 miles (77 km) long and would follow the existing roadway over the pass, although at villages the railway had to leave the road and use a separate right of way. Where it was necessary for the track to cross the roadway on the level the tall centre rail was lowered into a trough by the operation of a lever. Out of the 33-foot (10 m) standard width of the road the company was allowed 13 feet (4 m) for track, with
11236-623: Was used on a number of other mountain railways. Until this railway was built, rail passengers had to cross the Alps by horse-drawn Stage coach in summer or sledge in winter. The Pass Railway is sometimes called the Mont Cenis Summit Railway so as to distinguish it from the Tunnel Railway . By the early 1860s most of a 1400-mile rail connection between Calais and Brindisi had been built, much of it by Thomas Brassey and John Barraclough Fell . The only major remaining problem
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