Re the High Peak Railway inclines, they were operated by beam engines (most,
if not all built by the Butterley Company) which merely controlled ascent
and descent on a double acting system. The water tank which Trevor refers to
is, in fact, for filling the loco boilers and old loco tenders, which latter
were transported along the line to the limestone uplands and used to supply
adjacent cottages with domestic water, there being no piped supply to them.
There were some nine inclines along the route to Whaley Bridge, the last
short one down to the canal basin at Whaley was operated by horse capstan.
One of the original steam beam engines remains in situ at the top of the
Middleton Incline (second along the route from Cromford) and has been
restored. It exhibits the original Cornish boilers outside which were
supplied with waste wood (latterly) derived from the carriage and wagon
works in Derby. When the Cornish boilers were condemned, steam was supplied
by a static loco boiler outside. The Middleton engine can be visited on
certain Sundays in the month and now runs on compressed air. It is well
worth seeing.
Dickie Bird.
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