Everything around here is called Peak – and it’s not because of all the hills and dales of which there are a plenty. It’s because the area used to be inhabited by the Peak tribe.

In the heyday of steam, there was a whole array of railway lines crossing the Peak District from London to the East Midlands and then heading to Manchester and beyond. For the next few days, we’ll be exploring a number of these lines, none of which are part of the Railway Network anymore.

Today we would travel from Matlock to Rowsley on Peak Rail. Peak Rail is a preserved railway which operates a steam and heritage diesel service for visitors to both the Peak District and the Derbyshire Dales. Peak Rail is a part of the original Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway.

The heritage railway line is over three and a half miles in length and operates train services from Matlock station (shared with Derwent Valley Line services from Derby via Ambergate) via the site of Matlock Riverside and Darley Dale to Rowsley South.

At Rowsley South there is a 30 minute walk alongside the River Derwent to the village of Rowsley, where there is a small shopping village and a pub – the Grouse and Claret – where we would stop for a quick lunch.

The train was pulled by the 0-6-0ST Austerity loco No.3883, known as ‘Lord Phil’.