Derby to Matlock line closes for nine days from 14 November

There will be no trains between Derby and Matlock from Saturday 14 to Sunday 22 November while Network Rail renews 4.6km of track on the Derwent Valley Line. The £3m job covers three sites: Matlock Bath, Cromford and a stretch near Whatstandwell station.

Network Rail set out the plans in a statement on 9 November. Rail replacement buses will run between Derby and Matlock for the whole closure, calling at all stations. Trains between Derby and Sheffield via Chesterfield are not affected.

What is being replaced

The work involves 4.6km of new rail, 3,509 sleepers and 6,400 tonnes of ballast, according to Network Rail. Eight works trains will be on site, among them a New Track Construction train, which lays new rails and sleepers as it moves along the line.

That machine explains the format. Renewing track by hand, or with smaller machines, means more possessions and shorter lengths each night. A track-laying train works continuously over a closed section, so a nine-day block can cover what would otherwise take many weekends.

Eric Larocque, Network Rail's operations director, said the job would replace "rail, sleepers and ballast that have reached the end of their working life". He added that it should reduce the need for unplanned maintenance on the East Midlands route.

Travelling during the closure

Network Rail advises passengers to allow extra time, as some replacement bus stops are some distance from the stations. Luggage should be limited to what passengers can carry and to the operator's allowance. Journeys should be checked with the train operator or National Rail Enquiries before travelling.

Matlock is the end of the line, so the buses are the only public transport link to the valley stations during the closure. Network Rail says the renewed track will give "smoother, more reliable journeys" for both passengers and freight.

The closure is one of several block possessions on Britain's network this winter. On the south coast, a nine-day shutdown of the Brighton Main Line is planned for February 2027.

Sources: Network Rail, "Plan ahead message as £3m Derbyshire rail upgrade begins this weekend", 9 November 2026, accessed 12 November 2026.

Photo: Cromford station on the Derwent Valley Line, 21 September 2019 — Geof Sheppard, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence from the sources cited, and reviewed by the TrainsNews editorial team before publication.