Churnet Valley

Perhaps a typical Bank Holiday Monday with grey skies and rain. But, we put a pin in the map and off we went. We found the Churnet Valley and parked the car at Froghall station and had a walk along the canal and then back to see the steam train. The liitle tea room in the station was delightful with a 1940's feel and the best cup of tea.

The Churnet Valley Railway runs steam and historic diesel trains between Leekbrook Junction and Froghall. It is a remnant of the North Staffordshire Railway, built through the valley in the 1840s. Currently, it has stations at Cheddleton, Consall and Froghall but it will, eventually, extend to Alton, Oakamoor and Leek. It also connects with and sometimes runs on Moorland & City Railways' Cauldon Lowe Branch, which reopened in November 2010, and the line to Stoke, due to reopen in 2012.