The Ashover Light Railway Society

The ALRS sales stand will be visiting a variety of events during 2011, starting with a visit to the re-opening of the EVR between Wirksworth and Duffield.

At present some of these dates are “unconfirmed” as the organisers have yet to allocate us space, or because we have not yet sufficient volunteers available to run the stall.  If anybody is interested in helping us out (no experience necessary) please get in touch with Graham Ludlam (contact details in WTRE) as soon as possible.

Thank you.

Date Event      Where?      Indoor or Outdoor

08/04/2011 EVR opening Wirksworth Outdoor Successfully completed

09/04/2011 EVR opening Wirksworth Outdoor Successfully completed

10/04/2011 EVR opening Wirksworth Outdoor Successfully completed

02/05/2011 Ashover Mayday Ashover Outdoor Successfully completed

14/05/2011 Hady Chesterfield both Successfully completed

15/05/2011 Hady Chesterfield both Successfully completed

09/07/2011  Clay Cross gala Confirmed

09/07/2011 GVLR gala Confirmed

10/07/2011 GVLR gala Confirmed

16/07/2011 G1MRA Bakewell ABC Indoor Confirmed

05/08/2011 Cromford SF Brackenfield Outdoor Confirmed

06/08/2011 Cromford SF Brackenfield Outdoor Confirmed

07/08/2011 Cromford SF Brackenfield Outdoor Confirmed

09/08/2011 Ashover Show Ashover Outdoor Confirmed

10/08/2011 Ashover Show Ashover Outdoor Confirmed

13/08/2011 Tramway Village Crich Indoor

14/08/2011 Tramway Village Crich Indoor

03/09/2011 Hady Chesterfield both

03/09/2011 Hady Chesterfield both

22/10/2011 Tramway Village Crich Indoor

23/10/2011 Tramway Village Crich Indoor

WTRE (Where the Rainbow Ends), the house magazine of the ALRS, edition no.17 is currently with the printers and will be posted to members shortly It will contain a booking form for the Members’ Day visit.
There have been several discussions at committee meetings about holding another ALRS trip out after the enjoyable day we all had at Leighton Buzzard in April 2008. (see the gallery section for photos of that day)

We have negotiated with the Talyllyn Railway to charter a train for ALRS members in April 2011; the 60th year of railway preservation per se, as for those who didn’t know, it all started there.

The confirmed date is Saturday 16th April.

The plan is for members to arrive at in time to look around the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum based in Tywyn as well as time to explore the engineering headquarters at Pendre. Then a full trip up and down this lovely line.

We are in discussions to see if we can have a little surprise or two in store for participants who choose to join us.

Photo (c) Talyllyn Rly website

Over the last few months the ALRS has been selling raffle tickets to win a full size replica nameplate of former ALR locomotive “Joan”. You may have seen this plate on our sales stand this year, and being made of solid brass it is very heavy.

Here are the draw results:-

1st prize goes to M M of Colorado (yes, interest in the ALR is world wide)

2nd prize J B of Wigan

3rd prize M H of Bolsover

Congratulations to the winners, and thanks to all who generously supported this venture.

Various officials, including engineers, are still looking into the main surprise of the day, to see if it is feasible.

Those who decide to make their own way to Tywyn can arrive from midday and lunch in the café or bring your own picnic.

You can look round the museum and our train will arrive, replenish its fuel supplies and leave for tour of Pendre works around 1.30. Once there you will be able to see how the overhaul of ‘Dolgoch’, the first engine to haul a train on a preserved railway is progressing, as it should be in the final stages.

The train will then leave to give participants a complete round trip arriving back in Tywyn. Please fill out the booking form and send payment by 1st March 2011. Forms can be found at http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/AshoverLightRailwaySociety_ALRS/ or inside the October and January editions of the society’s internal magazine Where The Rainbow Ends.

The date for the 2011 Annual General Meeting of the ALRS where members can find out exactly what has happened over the past 12 months has been set for Saturday 21st May 2011 in the Ashover Parish Hall’s Amber Room for a 12.30 start.
Please put this date into your calendar.
Fuller details will appear in the society’s journal “Where the Rainbow Ends”.

The Ashover Light Railway featured prominently in a BBC Radio Derby broadcast on Friday Nov 19th between 2p.m. and 3p.m.

ALRS chairman Richard Booth (left) is here shown being interviewed by presenter Ian Skye at the site of the former Pirelli bridge over the A61 Clay Cross to Chesterfield road.

(The broadcast is no longer available on Radio Derby’s “listen again” feature, as only the previous 7 days are featured)

There has been a noticeable “spike” in visits to this website subsequent to the broadcast.

Issue 16 of the Society’s journal “Where The Rainbow Ends” has been published and posted to ALRS members.

For non members:- a taste of what you are missing.  Contents include:-

1. Amber Valley Camp and the ALR.   This includes four colour photos of the ALR taken from an 8mm cine film and never previously published. 

2.The Wembley carriages.  A history of the open sided coaches the ALR purchased to help move the holiday crowds. 

3. Steam locomotives of the ALR.  An illustrated description of the six Baldwins and the 0-4-0 Wren that operated on the ALR

4 An update on the bogies the GVLR has acquired to run under Ashover coach no.4

5. Regular features such as “First Word”, “Notice Board” and “Event Report”.

The easiest way to get hold of a copy of WTRE16 is to become a member of the Society.  Membership details and an application form are available on this website.  Alternatively, single copies of WTRE can be purchased via this website’s Merchandise page.

Remember to buy some 2011 calendars and our new range of Christmas cards as well!

There have been several discussions at committee meetings about holding another ALRS trip out after the enjoyable day we all had at Leighton Buzzard in April 2008. (see the gallery section for photos of that day)

Recently an invitation to attend the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway during its 50th year of operation during September was taken up at short notice by a few members.

We have negotiated with the Talyllyn Railway to charter a train for ALRS members in April 2011;  the 60th year of railway preservation per se, as for those who didn’t know, it all started there.

The confirmed date is Saturday 16th April.

The plan is, the chartered bus will leave Clay Cross, (approx 8.30) with an additional pick up in Alfreton to take members from the Ashover area there; you will of course be able to make your own way there if you prefer. There will be time to look around the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum based in Tywyn as well as time to explore the engineering headquarters at Pendre. Then a full trip up and down this lovely line.

We are in discussions to see if we can have a little surprise or two in store for participants who choose to join us.

Photo (c) Talyllyn Rly website

October now, and the nights are drawing in faster & faster. (The BBC said the temperature in Tyndrum last week was -4 one night)

Now is the time to put serious thought towards the Christmas cards you are going to send to family and friends this year.  Fortunately the ALRS can help, by offering you the chance to buy your cards from us now.

To find further details, please go to the “More Merchandise” page, or keep a close watch on Ebay for the cards and our 2011 Calendar.

The Ashover Light Railway Society sales and information stand has been off on its travels again this year and  in spite of the weather on some occasions (and the World Cup!!) has appeared  at several local events . All events are dependant on sufficient staffing levels and those events with too few volunteers will  unfortunately have to be cancelled, so we look forward to hearing from anyone who can help to raise funds for the ALRS.

ALTHOUGH ALL THE EVENTS THE SOCIETY HAD BOOKED FOR 2010 HAVE NOW FINISHED, YOU CAN KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR POSSIBLE FURTHER EVENTS WHICH ARE NOT YET CONFIRMED, ALSO SELECTED CHESTERFIELD CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN DECEMBER.

THIS WILL GIVE EVERYONE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE THE LATEST RANGE OF ALRS CHRISTMAS CARDS WHICH ARE ON SALE NOW, ALONG WITH THE 2011 ALRS CALENDAR WHICH IS SELLING WELL AFTER FIRST APPEARING AT ASHOVER SHOW .

PLEASE NOTE,

Anyone who may be interest in helping out on the sales and information stand would be very welcome and we would particularly like to hear from anyone with a suitable vehicle to transport items to and from events. Thank you.