The first part of the line from the wharf at High Peak Junction, on the Cromford Canal, toHurdlowopened in 1830. From the canal it climbed over one thousand feet (305m) in five miles (8km), through three inclines ranging from 1 in 14 (7.1%) to 1 in 8 (12.5%): Sheep Pasture incline near Cromford and Middleton and Hopton inclines aboveWirksworth. The line then proceeded up the relatively gentle Hurdlow incline at 1 in 16 (6.25%). The second half from Hurdlow to Whaley Bridge opened in 1832 descending through four more inclines, the steepest being 1 in 7 (14.3%). The highest part of the line was at Ladmanlow, a height of 1,266 feet (386m). For comparison, the present-day highest summit in England is Ais Gill at 1,169 feet (356m) on theSettle–Carlisle line, although the remaining, freight-only, stub of the CHPR at Dowlow Lime Works reaches a height of 1,250 feet (381m).

Fishbelly raillaid on stone blocks, a common form of early track construction, had the advantage of providing a continuous soft path between the rails that was suitable for horses

The railway was laid using so-called "fishbelly" rails supported on stone blocks, as was common in those days, rather than timber sleepers, since it would be powered by horses on the flat sections. On the nineinclined planes,stationary steam engineswould be used, apart from the last incline into Whaley Bridge, which was counterbalanced and worked by ahorse-gin. The engines, rails and other ironwork were provided by theButterley Company. It would take around two days to complete the journey. It was laid to the Stephenson gauge of4ft8+1⁄2in(1,435mm), rather than Outram's usual4ft2in(1,270mm).

While its function was to provide a shorter route for Derbyshire coal than theTrent and Mersey Canal, it figured largely inearly East Midlands railway schemesbecause it was seen as offering a path into Manchester for proposed lines from London. However, the unsuitability ofcable railwaysfor passengers became clear within a few years.

Part of the route included the Hopton Incline. This was a very steep section of the railway about a mile north of the small village ofHopton. It was originally worked by a stationary steam engine but was modified later to be adhesion worked by locomotives. At 1 in 14 (7%), it was the steepest in Britain and trains frequently had to be split and pulled up a few wagons at a time.

Dozens of small sidings were added along the length of the railway to accommodate the wagons that worked the line. Towards the Cromford end, between Sheep Pasture Top andFridenthere were over 15 sidings, mostly grouped between Sheep Pasture andLongcliffe, primarily serving quarries. One was built in 1883 from Steeplehouse to serve the Middleton Quarry north of Wirksworth. The branch closed in 1967 but the trackbed was later used for the18in(457mm)Steeple Grange Light Railwayin 1985.

Towards the Whaley Bridge end of the line, another profusion of sidings lay between Dowlow Halt and Ladmanlow, mostly serving quarries and limeworks. This included some dozen sidings in the short section between Harpur Hill and Old Harpur.

The following table lists the inclines as originally built:^[1]

InclineLengthGradientNotesCromford580 yards (530m)1 in 9(11.1%)Combined with Sheep Pasture in 1857,^[2]combined name "Sheep Pasture Incline"Sheep Pasture711 yards (650m)1 in 8(12.5%)Combined with Cromford in 1857,^[2]combined name "Sheep Pasture Incline"Middleton708 yards (647m)1 in8+1⁄2(11.8%)Hopton457 yards (418m)1 in 14(7.1%)Chain-hauled until 1877, adhesion thereafter^[3][4]Hurdlow850 yards (777m)1 in 16(6.3%)Bypassed and abandoned 1869^[5]Bunsall Upper660 yards (604m)1 in17+1⁄2(5.7%)Combined with Bunsall Lower in 1857,^[2]combined name "Bunsall Incline", abandoned 1892Bunsall Lower455 yards (416m)1 in 7(14.2%)Combined with Bunsall Upper in 1857,^[2]combined name "Bunsall Incline", abandoned 1892Shallcross817 yards (747m)1 in10+1⁄4(9.8%)Abandoned 1892Whaley Bridge180 yards (165m)1 in13+1⁄2(7.4%)Abandoned 1952

The line had been built on the canal principle of following contours across the plateau and the many tight curves hampered operations in later years. Not only did the C&HPR have the steepestadhesion workedincline of any line in the country, the 1 in 14 of Hopton, it also had thesharpest curve, 55 yards (50m) radius through eighty degrees at Gotham.^[6]

The line was isolated until 1853 when, in an effort to improve traffic, a connection was made with theManchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction RailwayatHigh Peak Junctiona short way south of the terminus atCromford. In 1857 the northern end was connected to theStockport, Disley and Whaley Bridge Railway. Around this time, the people ofWirksworthwere agitating for a line and an incline was built between the two. However, theMidland Railwaybegan surveying a line from Duffield^[7]in 1862 but it was never used.^[8]

The C&HPR was leased by theLondon and North Western Railwayin 1862, being taken over fully in 1887. By 1890 permission had been obtained to connect the line directly toBuxtonby building a new line from Harpur Hill the two or three miles into the town centre, thus frustrating the Midland Railway's original plans for a route to Manchester.

The old north end of the line from Ladmanlow (a short distance from Harpur Hill) toWhaley Bridgevia theGoyt Valleywas largely abandoned in 1892, though the track bed is still visible in many places and one incline forms part of a public road.

Then, built by theLNWR, thebranch line to Ashbournewas opened in 1899. This used the section of the C&HP line from Buxton as far asParsley Hay, from where a single line ran south to Ashbourne, where it connected with theNorth Staffordshire Railway.

The formation was constructed to allow for double tracking if necessary, but this never happened.

The line was worked by independent contractors until long after other lines, which had taken operations in house upon the introduction of locomotives. The line was initially under-capitalised because many of the subscribers did not meet their dues, and it was mainly funded by the Butterley Company, a major supplier and its main creditor. The final cost was £180,000, more than Jessop's estimate of £155,000, but still much cheaper than a canal. Nevertheless, the line never achieved a profit. Francis Wright, the Chairman, was later to say, in 1862 "We found ourselves getting into difficulties from the third year of our existence," and added it was clear in retrospect that the line "never had a remote chance of paying a dividend on the original shares."^[9]

The railway's first steam locomotive arrived in 1841 in the shape ofPeak, built byRobert Stephenson and Company. By 1860 the line had six more locomotives gradually displacing the horses. Because the inclines were too steep for adhesion traction by these early locomotives, they were hauled up and down the inclines, along with their trains, by static steam engines. Hemp rope or chain, initially used for hauling trains, was later replaced by steel cables.

showCromford and High Peak Railway Act 1855

TheCromford and High Peak Railway Act 1855(18 & 19 Vict.c. lxxv) authorised the carriage of passengers. However the one train per day each way did little to produce extra revenue and, when a passenger was killed in 1877, the service was discontinued. The line's prosperity depended on that of the canals it connected but, by the 1830s, they were in decline. This was, to a degree, offset by the increase in the trade for limestone from the quarries.

There were, in fact, very few accidents. In 1857, the Cromford and Sheep Pasture inclines had been merged into one, and in 1888, a brake van parted from the train near the summit. Gathering speed, it was unable to round the curve into Cromford Wharf. It passed over both the canal and the double track railway line, and landed in a field. A catch pit was therefore installed near the bottom. This can still be seen from theA6^[10]with a (more recent) wrecked wagon still in it.

The most serious accident occurred in 1937. The line was fairly level on the approach to the Hopton Incline and it was the custom to gain speed for the uphill gradient. There was a shallow curve immediately before and on this occasion the locomotive spread the track, rolled over and down the embankment with four wagons. The driver was killed and thereafter a speed limit of 40mph was strictly enforced.

DuringWorld War II, the line was used to transport bombs to the huge underground munitions store atRAF Harpur Hill. The railway line ran directly through the site.^[11]

The Leawood Pump House was built near Cromford, Derbyshire, England in 1849 to supply water to the Cromford Canal, built some 50 years previously. It is a Grade II* listed building.

TheLeawood Pump House(also known as High Peak Pump House) was built nearCromford,Derbyshire, England in 1849 to supply water to theCromford Canal, built some 50 years previously.^[1]It is aGrade II*listed building.^[2]

Located a little along the canal towpath fromHigh Peak Junction, it stands to a height of 45 feet (14m) on the right bank of theRiver Derwent, at the end of the Derwent Aqueduct, and has a 95-foot (29m) chimney stack with a cast-iron cap.

TheWatt-type beam enginewas designed and erected by Graham and Company of Milton Works,Elsecar, Sheffield. The beam length is 33 feet (10m), the piston diameter 50 inches (1.3m), stroke of 10 feet (3.0m) and the engine works at 7 strokes per minute. The boilers, replaced in 1900, have a pressure of 40 p.s.i.

Water is drawn from the River Derwent through a 150-yard (140m) tunnel to a reservoir in the basement. It is then lifted 30 feet (9.1m) and discharged into the canal.

The immense size of the pump (which can transfer almost four tons of water per stroke and seven strokes a minute, a total of over 39,000 tons of water per 24 hours) is explained by the fact that there were restrictions on removing water from the Derwent river, this being allowed only between 8 p.m. on Saturdays and 8 p.m. on Sundays.

The pumphouse worked continuously from 1849 until 1944 when the canal closed. It was restored in 1979 by the Cromford Canal Society and is run periodically.

Where is Scarthin?

Scarthin,known for its glorious mill pond and backwater promenade, is now considered by many to be part ofCromford.However,Scarthinwas originally a separatevillage, a community of mainly lead minerscottagesbuilt in a higgledy-piggledy fashion up the hillside, following the course of the old main road through Upperwood en route toMatlock. All that changed in the late 18th century when Richard Arkwright arrived in 1771 to build his empire!

The littlevillageof Crunforde as it was known in the Domesday survey was a small but thriving community situated around the ford in theriver Derwentabout half a mile away. However, during the next 25 years or soCromfordwas established and placed firmly on the map with the first ‘factory’ cotton mill and a purpose built workers estate village containing terraced houses, a school,pubs,shopsand a church.

What is the High Peak Junction Workshops and Visitor Centre?

High Peak Junction Visitor Centre on the Cromford Canal, lies a mile south of Cromford village, in the beautiful Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. Relax, take a stroll and watch the world go by in this tranquil haven of heritage and wildlife. Discover some of the oldest surviving railway workshops in the world, from the former Cromford and High Peak Railway and step back in time with the fascinating audio tour.Cromford Wharf is just a mile stroll along the towpath, with easy access for families and wheelchairs. The Cromford Canal can be explored between Cromford Wharf and Ambergate, a distance of just over five miles. The High Peak Trail starts here at High Peak Junction and continues for 17.5 miles to Dowlow near Buxton. The Visitor Centre at High Peak Junction offers a warm welcome and light refreshments, with leaflets, maps and information to help you explore. Picnic areas take in the waterside views, with parking signposted from the A6 at Cromford. A number of waymarked walks in the area start from here. A canal aqueduct over the River Derwent and the magnificent Leawood Pump House are just a few minutes walk away. Leawood Pump is a steam powered engine which operates on some summer weekends and bank holidays or take a trip on the historic narrowboat Birdswood from Cromford Wharf. The canal is a haven for wildlife (and a Site of Special Scientific Interest). Little grebes and water voles can be seen throughout the year, with dragonflies and damselflies in the summer months.

What is the Derwentside Nature Reserve? 

The highlight of this reserve is its wild daffodils, which border the footpath from the Homesford Works in spring.

They are probably part of a very ancient population, which was once much larger. The wood where they flourish is also host to a variety of plants - you can see many of these from the towpath.

Look for honeysuckle, wild garlic, guelder rose and yellow archangel. The plants attract a variety of insects and the many nettles that grow in the old sewage beds provide food for butterflies such as small tortoiseshell, comma, peacock and red admiral.

The banded Agrion damselfly hunts along the canal, but its breeding habitat is the river.