The heritage Ecclesbourne Valley Railway ran the first Wirksworth to London service, and the first through train from Wirksworth for 64 years, on November 26th.
With 37 fare-paying passengers and a baby on board, the EVR Thames-Eclesbourne Express connected with an East Midlands Trains’ service at Duffield.
East Midlands Trains agreed to start their service from Chesterfield as opposed to its normal starting point of Derby, and made a special stop at Duffield to pick up EVR passengers.
The train operator even sent someone to the station to give out goody bags to the passengers.
Neil Ferguson-Lee from the EVR said :
“We are now beginning to build up that (Wirksworth through traffic) market and the Thames-Ecclesbourne Express showed the way forward.”
Next June will see Shottle, the EVR’s fifth station, open to passengers for the first time since 1947.
