Oakamoor
Brief History
Oakamoor was a small village on the North Rode to Uttoxeter double track diversionary route built by the North Staffordshire Railway in 1849. Revenue from the small passenger service was boosted by freight serving local industries in the area such as Bolton's works (in addition to the one at Froghall). Later on sidings were installed quite a way south of the station to serve Moneystone Quarry. The original station has a signal box and siding serving Bolton's as well as an impressive station building very similar to Cheddleton's. Oakamoor lost it's passenger services in the 60's through the Beeching cutbacks and the entire station site was demolished and the track from Uttoxeter lifted all the way back to the sand sidings. Sand trains kept the line open and the track in until the late 80's. Luckily before the sidings and route to Froghall had been lifted CVR preservationists saved the line. The sand sidings remain but there is nothing left of the station and the trackbed and tunnel continues to deteriorate.
Reopening
The CVR purchased this section in 1996 but the line remains closed to passengers, Froghall being the southern extent of passenger train operation at the moment. The sand sidings are used to store stock not being used by the railway and the line between here and Froghall is in a questionable state. A small shed that once housed internal shunters for the sand quarry operations is now used for work on locos, carriages and wagons. Much of the exterior work on 50455 & 50517 was done in this shed between the years of 1999 & 2003.
The Future
The first job that needs doing is the upgrading of the track between Froghall and Oakamoor to passenger standards, which would enable trains to run south of Froghall, probably into the north loop only, stopping just short of the sand sidings themselves. In the far future the land could be purchased and track relaid through the tunnel and onto the station site itself but this would be very expensive as two bridges over the river Churnet would have to be rebuilt along with the tunnel and a completely new station. Due to the problems that would be encountered getting to Oakamoor station itself this option would be very long term. If that could ever be done then the tourist Mecca of Alton Towers theme park lies two miles further on...
