Matlock Riverside was the terminus of Peak Rail,^[1][2] a preserved steam railway of approximately 4 miles (6.5 km) in length. For many years Peak Rail had planned to run trains into Matlock station, shared with the main line from Derby (the Derwent Valley Line).

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Matlock Riverside
No.WD 150 'Royal Pioneer' (Peak Rail's main service engine) at Matlock Riverside in June 2007
General information
Location	Matlock, Derbyshire Dales England
Platforms	1
Other information
Status	Disused
History
Original company	Peak Rail
Key dates
1991	Opened
2 July 2011	Closed for regular operations but used occasionally

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v t e Peak Rail
Legend
miles from London St Pancras 148.43 Monsal Trail (proposed extension to Bakewell) Rowsley Yard 148.29 Rowsley South 147.47 Church Lane Crossing 147.26 147.15 Darley Dale Station Road Crossing South Yard (shunter depot) 146.75 Bridge 40 (Warney Brook) Old Road 145.39 Bridge 35 (River Derwent) 145.32 Matlock Riverside Peak Rail Network Rail boundary Cawdor Way Network Rail run-around loop Matlock Derwent Valley Line

The station was built in 1991 because of problems negotiating with British Rail to run into the station at Matlock at that time. In 2008, Peak Rail negotiated a 50-year lease to run into Platform 2 at Matlock. Track layout adjustments and refurbishment of the Matlock down platform followed and, in July 2011, Peak Rail commenced running services into Matlock station. At that time, it was announced that Matlock Riverside was being retained for special events and demonstration goods trains. It has since also been used for winter trains.

The station itself is a temporary wooden construction, and was previously used at Chee Dale Halt near Buxton when Peak Rail was based at Buxton in the 1980s. Due to operating complications at the Buxton end of the route, Peak Rail moved south to Darley Dale near Matlock and the former Chee Dale Halt structure was re-used at Matlock Riverside.

The station consists of one platform, situated on the Up (east) side of the former deviation, whilst the Down line is used as a run-round loop, which permits the use of a single locomotive on services (although top-and-tail operation occurred on Special Event Days). The current connection to Matlock station branches from the Down side of the line so it is not possible for a train to call at both Matlock Riverside and Matlock stations. Access to the station is via a public footpath from Matlock Town, the distance between the two being no more than one-quarter mile (0.4 km).

For a time, Matlock Riverside possessed a small hut that functioned as a ticket office. After this was frequently damaged by local vandals, the station became permanently unstaffed, with tickets required to be purchased aboard the train.