10 adults and 2 children (it was half-term) met at the delightful Derbyshire village of Ashover in the lovely Amber Valley for the first of two walks to explore most of the two sections of the ALR not flooded by the Ogston reservoir. Supplied by the River Amber, holding 1.3bn gallon and covering 200 acres, it was created in 1958 to supply Avenue Coking Plant just south of Chesterfield, flooding Hurst Lane and Wolley station sites.

The morning was an enhanced version of our 19 Apr 2017 walk (report BLN 1281.1102; line history BLN 1274.249 with map) and included the site of Ashover Butts station and coal siding, Butts Quarry and the triangle used for turning whole passenger trains in the absence of a run round loop at that end of the 1' 11½" gauge 7¼ mile long line. Walking through superb countryside on a bright and sunny day past former river bridge abutments, the site of Salter Lane station was reached. More convenient for Ashover village it still required a steep descent down an old cartway into the valley to reach it - although BLS members undoubtedly would have gone to Butts station at the end of line! Then it was off to the Miners Arms level crossing where the pub was adjacent to the line so that train crew could pause and be served their pints over the wall. Milltown and Fallgate station sites followed; at the latter the original station building and some original ALR tracks set in concrete at the quarry were seen. Incredibly, some 67 years after closure, part of the bridge remained over the River Amber once a short branch to Fall Mill and Power House, now carrying pipes. This was the first time our organiser had seen this feature! Elsewhere former Ashover rails were noted in use on cattle grids, fencing and supporting signs. Circular walk completed, participants drove to Clay Cross for a short lunch break.

Another four joined for the afternoon walk from the Clay Cross end of the ALR (where there was another triangle but the station had a run-round loop), exploring to Stretton. The ex-Midland Railway (MR) Clay Cross Tunnel ventilation shafts 5-8 (of 8), or 'pepper pots', were seen before descending the hill to the site once occupied by Clay Cross & Egstow ALR station, loco shed and ancillary buildings of which no sign remained. This large brownfield site is in the early stages of major redevelopment. As at the other locations, participants were able to envisage how things had been from photos that the organiser and a participant had kindly brought. An extension of the ALR carrying minerals once crossed the main road into the Clay Cross Company's works, a site to be occupied by a modern housing estate.

Our group were taken along a muddy path to see the castellated north portal of Clay Cross MR tunnel - in a deep cutting on this busy railway (many passenger trains and even some freight workings were seen or heard during the afternoon). The path continued to the site of the now vanished Clay Cross MR station (which was poorly sited for the town and at a serious disadvantage when bus services became well established in the 1920s). Only the goods shed remains, it is now the off-site store (strictly no admittance!) for Crich National Tramway Museum. A steep ex-MR freight branch ascended to Clay Cross Town Goods, CG 7 Oct 1963, (SK 392 634) through what is now Tesco by the bus station.

The party followed ascending footpaths to look down on the ALR site with Clay Cross Tunnel beyond, then made its way round to the site of Chesterfield Road station. A red brick abutment is extant west of that road (A61) where the station (no remains) was on the south side of the embankment. The east abutment and ALR trackbed that side have gone with open cast coal extraction. A footpath took us to the overgrown site of Hilltop Loop, then most walked back along what was clearly ALR trackbed (wide enough for standard gauge as originally intended) in a cutting then an embankment to Chesterfield Road station site and bridge abutment. Original narrow gauge rails were found in the undergrowth.

A deviation away from the trackbed was then required through a housing estate to reach Holmgate station site, south of which the abutments of a substantial bridge over Smithy Brook were visited. Further pedestrian progress across grassland and through housing alleyways (our local guides were invaluable here) brought the party to the sites of Springfields and Clay Lane stations which were close to each other. Heading south, the broad route of ALR was followed (at times on the trackbed) to Stretton station which was the passenger interchange point with the mainline. Although close and parallel, the ALR was high above the latter which emerged from the 1,784yd Clay Cross Tunnel in to another deep cutting to Stretton station north of the B6014 (Stretton to Matlock road). The MR station house (now a private residence) survives but the station has gone; NR uses the Down entrance slope for access. The ALR station was south of a level crossing - although regrading has made this hard to envisage - over this now busy road (no public transport!); an overgrown embankment heads south.

It was time to return to Clay Cross via a different route back to Clay Lane station site then view tunnel ventilation shafts 1-4; of note was the variation in size, construction and appearance of the eight 'pepper pots'. A small generic monument to the local coal mining industry was also seen; two roadside narrow gauge mine tubs lettered 'Clay Cross' chained (unfortunately!) to some narrow gauge track.

The most interesting and enjoyable walks (probably about 15 miles in total) concluded at dusk. Particular praise and thanks to our local born and bred member Neil Lewis who had prepared very useful, detailed and interesting information packs for both walks for each participant with old and modern map extracts, facsimile ALR ticket reproductions (duly clipped on request by two of his children, assistant guides, Ruby and Archie), posters, timetables etc. A superbly researched and well organised very full day; it was surprising how much still remains to be seen (the line CA 31 Mar 1950).

From the walks it was also evident why the ALR had to adopt such a circuitous route. A substantial tunnel would have been required out of the Amber Valley to create a more direct line to Clay Cross. Although, for a light railway, the ALR did have some significant embankments, cuttings and bridges.

The Ashover Light Railway Society http://alrs.org.uk/ 165 Longedge Lane, Wingerworth, Chesterfield, S42 6PR, is actively looking at two sections near each end with a view to restoring one as a heritage line, 'The Peggy Line' - named after one of the six Baldwin 4-6-0Ts bought by the Clay Cross Co for the line. They were named after the children of Col Jackson, the Co manager; the others were Bridget, Guy, Joan, Georgie & Hummy (for Humphrey). So, if you need the track why not join…?