We went on the Ecclesbourne railway today, where volunteers have devoted there time and skills into bringing an overgrown disused line back to glory.

The volunteers in such as this do a sterling job. The Worth Valley Railway not a million miles from where I live is exactly the same. I love to see the steam engines chugging along.

Lovely isn't it Waddy. This was a diesel we went on, and we really enjoyed our ride along the track.

It's a pleasure to see an operating railway. All across the province of Ontario, here in Canada, they've ripped up traintracks and left the old stations derelict. A few municipalities and some entrepreneurs have restored the historic station buildings but the rails are gone. In some municipalities they've left the rail bed and paved it for bike trails... Personally, I think I'd like to have the rails back. Highways are congested and dangerous.

The volunteers have done amazing work here Lori, and it's such a shame what has happened where you are with the railways. Some people these days seem to drive on the roads without consideration for others, and the parking is getting terrible. We certainly need another way of transportation for goods and people. Perhaps in the future they will have some sort of magnetic hover train.

I think that's what they have in Japan?... it's a very fast train... but, in my humble opinion you can't beat the chuff-chuff and whistle of a steam locomotive.
I'm not sure where the line is that they used to film "Downton Abbey" but I just loved those painted wheels and the shiney brass of the trains.
Every year we have tragedies on the 400 series highways and it usually involves the big 18 wheel trucks.
They rationalized the end of train freight by saying it was too expensive to maintain the cars and the tracks... expensive in money maybe...but not many people lost their lives if a passenger train had difficulties...on the other hand, we lost a whole village in Quebec to petrol tankers which caught fire on the siding and blew up causing loss of life and terrible damage to the line. I don't think they know if it was just an accident or if it was sabotage and the backlash against train freight is ongoing. Now they're pushing pipelines! it never ends.

It's such a tragedy when these accidents happen Lori, and must be terrible for the families of the ones who died. The trouble is that whatever way you travel there are bound to be accidents, flying, sailing, road or rail.

agree! <3