The Golden Valley Light railway

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Instead of makeing a “one off” donation to the Ashover Coach Appeal, you could join the Ashover “100” club. If 100 supporters sign up to donate £10-00 plus Gift Aid per quarter for a period of 3 years, our initial target is assured.

So - for the price of a pint and a half of beer each month, you could help to restore this historic coach.

Please see the Ashover Coach Appeal page for full details.

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With the Winters edition of "Two Foot Topic" the house magazine of the GVLR, members also received an appeal, requesting donations of money, to help fund the materials needed, for the restoration of ALR Coach No4

The committee of the GVLR will in the near future be widening the appeal, to all interested persons who wish to donate, time and money to see this historic coach once again carrying passengers

Full details of how to help and support the restoration will appear here shortly. The GVLR will be using all means, to raise the required funds. And with its proven track record of major projects, such as the building of the Running Shed, has the capability to see this project through to fruition

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At the first Committee meeting of 2008, the restoration of the coach was again discussed.

The spreadsheets produced by the CME were scrutinised. These detailed everything from the two 30ft lengths of timber for the under-frame down to the nails to affix the matchwood sides. An idea of the eventual cost of materials was reached and it was also estimated that some 2,500 hours of volunteer time would be needed to see the project through to completion.

Having ascertained the approximate cost of the proposed restoration, the Committee then turned its attention to fund raising. All possible avenues were discussed, from grant applications to a fund raising appeal. Details of how you may be able to assist both physically and / or financially with this very worthwhile project will appear on this web site shortly.

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A number of GVLR volunteers spent the weekend working on the coach. It was first cleared of debris and then swept out. Temporary lighting was then installed.

The prolonged task of assessing the coach then commenced. As each item was viewed, a complete list of all the materials needed for restoration process was recorded on a spreadsheet. Later, the homework task of obtaining quotations for all the materials required commenced. Over the next few months, a matrix will be completed of all the parts, the costs, and the volunteer hours required to see the coach restored.

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After 21 years of waiting, GVLR volunteers descended on to the site of the Bowling Green at John Street, Clay Cross, accompanied by an articulated lorry with a HIAB facility. The task was to extract ALR Coach No 4 and transport it to its new home.

When the coach had been safely secured inside its new home, GVLR volunteers cracked open a bottle of champagne in celebration. They then ate their lunch inside coach no 4! The easy bit over, talk then turned to the long job of the restoration which lay ahead.