The Manchester-Buxton railway line opens up a world of countryside, heritage and nature and should be celebrated, says local Partnership.

A new-look website, logo, suite of photos and promotional film are among the assets High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership are using to promote train travel in the High Peak area to visitors and residents.

High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership helps maximise the benefits to the community of the Buxton, Glossop and Hope Valley railway lines. Volunteer “station friends” have adopted stations along the line, including Buxton, New Mills and Disley stations. Set up in 2019, the Partnership promotes tourism and leisure opportunities via the railway.

“The countryside and towns of High Peak are just stunning” says Helen Wright, Community Rail Partnership Officer. “Having lived and worked in High Peak for thirty years, I know there are so many hidden gems in the area, from the industrial heritage of the Peak Forest canal to stately Lyme and a wide range of beautiful walks.”

“Using the website, images and film to spread the word about the leisure opportunities in High Peak is a great way to boost our tourism economy” adds Cllr Jean Wharmby, Chair of the Partnership. “I’m so pleased to see our local area and station adopters represented in this way”.

Highlights such as Buxton’s architecture, the industrial heritage of New Mills and sweeping views around Combs Reservoir have been captured on camera by local creatives. Melanie Riley from Dark Peak Photography, based in New Mills, has captured images of stations and station volunteers while filmmaker Ryan Goff has created an atmospheric short film. The photography and film will be used at every opportunity to promote visiting the area by train, from tourist information centres and universities to social media.

“We want to see as many people as possible enjoying the area, arriving sustainably by train” says Helen. “If you haven’t tried the train for a while or want to discover new things to do, I encourage visitors and residents alike to get on board with us.”

The work of High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership is funded by Northern, East Midlands Railway, Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry Trains, Transpennine Trains, Peak District National Park, High Peak Borough Council, Derbyshire County Council and Cheshire East Borough Council, with support from the Community Rail Network.

See the new materials and find out more about exploring High Peak and Hope Valley by train at www.peakdistrictbytrain.org or on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn to promote train travel in the High Peak area to visitors and residents.