World famous steam locomotives, the National Railway Museum’s Flying Scotsman and Tornado have arrived at Barrow Hill Roundhouse ahead of this weekend’s celebrations to mark the reopening of Barrow Hill Roundhouse following its £1.2 million Heritage Lottery Fund supported refurbishment.

Sir Peter Luff, Chairman to the Board of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Heritage Lottery Fund will visit Barrow Hill Roundhouse on Thursday 21^st September 2017 to officially open the new entrance building at the unique Midland Railway roundhouse.

The celebrations to mark the completion of the £1.2 million restoration, made possible by National Lottery players, will continue as the Grand Reopening Gala commences on Friday 22^nd September, continuing on Saturday 23^rd and Sunday 24^th September.  The gala will star two icons of steam, the National Railway Museum’s A3 60103 Flying Scotsman and A1 60163 Tornado.  This will be the first visit to the Roundhouse by Flying Scotsman since a British Railways Open Day in 1974.  It will also be the first opportunity for many to get up close to the locomotive alongside her sister East Coast racehorse, the 100mph Tornado – recently the subject of a BBC4 documentary – against the unique and authentic backdrop of the Roundhouse.

The Roundhouse is also delighted to announce a last minute addition to the line up of steam locomotives with the arrival of LMS Jinty Fowler 3F No. 47406, last seen at the Roundhouse’s LMS Gala ‘Barrow Hill 1965’ in September 2015. The commercial customers based at Barrow Hill Roundhouse are also supporting the celebrations, demonstrating the vibrant future that the Roundhouse has as a part of the modern railway network of the UK. Direct Rail Services, Colas and GBRf locomotives will all be on display at the event.

Throughout the gala both Flying Scotsman and Tornado will haul passenger trains from the platform at Barrow Hill Halt up the Springwell branch line, supported by the Jinty.  There will be brake van rides in the yard with the assistance of the Roundhouse’s Class 03 shunter.

Visitors will be also be able to enjoy the new exhibitions and interactive displays, featuring many items in the Roundhouse museum collection that have never been seen in public before.  The new Roundhouse shop will open its doors for the first time, selling unique Barrow Hill mementos.  There will be merchandise stands in the Roundhouse selling a wide range of railway memorabilia and gifts.  The new Roundhouse café, a real ale bar and other catering outlets will serve visitors a wide range of refreshments and drinks.

There is plenty of free parking at the Roundhouse and the nearby Staveley Works and a mini bus shuttle service will also run between the Roundhouse and the further car parks. Visitors should follow the event parking signs from the A619.   For those coming by rail, there will be a free bus service from Chesterfield railway station.4. It will also be the first opportunity for many to get up close to the locomotive alongside her sister East Coast racehorse, the 100mph “Tornado” – recently the subject of a BBC4 documentary – against the unique and authentic backdrop of the Roundhouse. Entry to the event will include a train ride behind these locos.

Flying Scotsman will be also be one of the stars of “Down the Line”, a play written by Kevin Fegan and directed by Carole Copeland.  The play has been specially commissioned for the relaunch celebrations and is supported by The Arts Council.   The show will involve a cast of professional actors and local people, including a community choir and Ireland Colliery Chesterfield Brass Band.  The audience will be an integral part of the play as they follow the drama in and around the Roundhouse building.  The play tells the story of Barrow Hill from the coming of the railways to the present day and our guide is a fictional Site Foreman, “Shunter”, whose family have lived in the area for generations.  Act 1 of the play will be taking place outside so visitors should dress accordingly for a September evening.  There is plenty of free parking on site and a bar will be open before and during the performances.

There will be three performances on the evenings of Thursday 21^st, Friday 22^nd and Saturday 23^rd September.  Doors open at 6.30pm, performances commence at 7.30pm and finish at 9.30pm.

Organisers have confirmed the route for the 2017 Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon.

The recently re-launched event, which will take place on 22 October in aid of Ashgate Hospicecare and Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, among other good causes, will start and finish in Queen’s Park in Chesterfield town centre.

Runners can still sign up for the all-new half marathon, with the 13-mile course taking in most of Chesterfield and the surrounding areas. Entries are also open for the family-friendly fun run, which will take place in Queen’s Park in tandem with the main race.

The route will see runners head out of Queen’s Park before turning right along West Bars, into the town centre and past the market square, before looping round the town’s iconic crooked spire and onto the A617 down towards Temple Normanton.

From there, the route will come back up along Mansfield Road, through Corbriggs and Hasland and past Eastwood Park, before heading over the A617, onto Spital Lane and left onto the A632, and back into the town centre.

Heading up Vicar Lane and onto Church Lane, the route will then take in Rose Hill, Chatsworth Road, Barker Lane and Old Hall Road, before turning left along Ashgate Road and past the HQ of event charity partner, Ashgate Hospicecare.

The final two miles of the route will take in Old Road, before coming back onto Chatsworth Road, along the A619 and into Queen’s Park to the finish line.

More than 600 runners have already signed up for the 2017 event, with a month still to go before race registration closes.

As well as the main race, there will also be the one-mile fun run plus catering stalls and entertainment in Queen’s Park.

John Timms, events director at MLS Contracts Ltd, organisers of the 2017 Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon, said:-

“We’re really looking forward to the all-new Redbrik Chesterfield Half Marathon, which we are aiming to turn into the biggest public mass-participation event in the region.

“An event such as a half marathon is crucial to Chesterfield and its regional economy, and this year’s route will take in all of Chesterfield’s wonderful sights. We’re now looking forward to seeing hundreds of runners put their best foot forward on October 22 for what is sure to be an outstanding event.”

For more information about the event click here.

The searing, abstract vision of the New World will come to Chatsworth this autumn as the Beyond Limits monumental sculpture exhibition stages a one-off display of works from the foremost artists of post-war America.

Running from 15 September to 12 November 2017, this will be the first prominent open-air exhibition of post-war American sculpture in the UK. Beyond Limits will feature twenty two sculptures carefully positioned around Chatsworth’s renowned 105-acre garden, created over centuries and designed by Joseph Paxton and Capability Brown.

Highlights include works by Robert Indiana, Julian Schnabel and Louise Nevelson with each sculpture taking full advantage of the views found in this beautiful landscape. Other artists on display at Chatsworth are: David Smith, Wendell Castle, Isamu Noguchi, Richard Serra, Sol LeWitt, Mark di Suvero, George Rickey, Claes Oldenburg & Coosje van Bruggen, Tony Smith, Robert Morris, Beverly Pepper, Joel Shapiro, and Sam Francis.

Over the past ten years, Beyond Limits has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious platforms for the display and sale of modern and contemporary outdoor sculpture, and a key event in the art world calendar.

For more than 15 years the Chatsworth House Trust and the Devonshire family have continued to purchase and commission contemporary sculpture for public display. Works by Michael Craig Martin, Dame Elisabeth Frink, Angela Conner, Barry Flanagan, David Nash, Laura Ellen Bacon, Gary Breeze and Allen Jones can be found throughout the garden and park.

Curated by Sotheby’s, the sculptures in Beyond Limits will be on display from 11am-5.30pm every day and the exhibition is included with admission to the garden, Chatsworth opening times.

Join in the annual celebration of the Chesterfield Canal at Tapton Lock visitor centre this weekend.

On Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 September between 11am and 4pm there will be arts, crafts, live music and outdoor activities with the chance to have a go on a climbing wall or try canoeing.

Chesterfield based Junction Arts will be running art workshops, putting on children’s entertainment and holding poetry readings. Entry to the festival is free but there will be charges for some activities.

At festival time and throughout the year there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the county’s historic canals and surrounding countryside.

The ‘John Varley’ launches from Tapton Lock Visitor Centre in Chesterfield on Sundays through to October and there are also special events including Santa Specials in November and December. The ‘Madeline’ operates from nearby Hollingwood Hub and will also be offering Santa Specials on-the-water boat trips.

Councillor Trevor Ainsworth, Cabinet Support Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure at Derbyshrie County Council, said:-

“Our canals are very special. They have a rich industrial heritage and a new role now as places for leisure and education.

“Bands of volunteers do a great job working with us to help restore the canals and operate boat trips.

“I would encourage locals and visitors to discover some of what goes on − boat trips, canoeing, fishing, festivals and much more”.

Sunday 1^st October will see the return of the hugely popular ‘Local Producers’ Market’ at Dronfield Hall Barn.

Founded by personal trainer, nutritionist and founder of Real Food Function, Jon Hodgkinson, the ‘Local Producers’ Market’ is a must-visit event for food and drink lovers everywhere.

Explains Jon:-

“Once again we’re delighted to welcome a whole host of producers from the local area who will be showcasing their products for visitors to sample and purchase. These producers include: Moss Valley Fine Meats, Frazer’s Coffee, Kevin’s Pies, Sheffield Organic Growers, Hedgerow Preserves and many more.

“Our aim is simple; we want to highlight the good quality, artisan food and drink that is available right on our doorstep. There is some truly delicious and healthy produce out there and it’s really easy to access and show your support for local farmers and producers.”

Continues Jon: “As a personal trainer and nutritionist, I really do believe that getting back to basics with food is where it all starts. If we can gain a greater understanding of how our food has been grown, raised or produced it helps us make more informed choices and promotes a healthier way of living.

“That’s exactly what these markets are about; they provide the ideal opportunity to connect with the producers themselves and learn more about their products.”

Social media users are being invited to share their stunning shots of what they think is unique and inspiring about the Peak District and Derbyshire in a new hashtag campaign aiming to spread the word about its most special and secret gems.

Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, the area’s official tourist board, is about to launch #UniqueDistrict in a bid to promote the essence and spirit of the area with the help of the expanding online community.

Lindsay Rae, the tourist board’s Deputy Director, said:-

“We’re asking people to post images of their favourite features of the Peak District and Derbyshire – everything from breathtaking landscapes and fabulous attractions to their favourite cafés and restaurants serving locally-sourced food and drink.

“We’re looking for special shots that inspire them and will inspire other people too – and they can feature any subject, as long as it captures what’s best and beautiful about the area.

“We know the Peak District and Derbyshire is full of hidden treasures, and this is a brilliant opportunity to share them across the growing on-line audience.

“We’ll be posting the best entries across our Instagram and Twitter accounts, and there’ll be quality prizes on offer in a series of competitions from September to the beginning of November.”

#UniqueDistrict will be launched on the tourist board’s Twitter feed – @vpdd – on Friday September 1 at 1pm, when a video outlining full details of how to enter and details of the first prize give-away will be released.

After that, people can tweet their images, using @vpdd and #UniqueDistrict, and their submissions will go forward as competition entries until November 1. #UniqueDistrict will then continue to run for another ten months to encourage even more people to join the online conversation.

The video will become the campaign’s ‘pinned’ tweet and will stay at the top of the @vpdd Twitter page throughout September. It will also be posted on the tourist board’s website at www.visitpeakdistrict.com.

Ashgate Hospicecare is thrilled to announce that a combined total of £18,437 was raised at last weekend’s Summer Fair and Open Air Cinema.

Both events, which were based on Ashgate Hospicecare’s meadow, hosted over a thousand people throughout the day and raised vital funds for patients and their families across north Derbyshire.

Beth Cole, Events Assistant at Ashgate Hospicecare, said:-

“We would like to thank everyone who came and supported the hospice over the weekend. It was amazing to see so many families enjoying themselves.”

Throughout the day, families enjoyed an array of activities including fairground rides, games, donkeys, craft stalls, food, a bar and live music as well as over a thousand-local people settling down and watching a screening of Grease later in the evening.

Jill Ashmore, from Chesterfield, said:-

“What a great night. Film brilliant, lovely atmosphere and the meteor display …. inspired. Next please.”

Stewart Oldham, Long standing car park volunteer, from Chesterfield, said:-

“From the volunteers on car park duty thanks for everyone’s cooperation and understanding what a great atmosphere and event. See you all next year.”

Visitors to Chesterfield Museum can join in a range of activities for the museum’s open weekend.

The popular attraction, owned and run by Chesterfield Borough Council, hosts the event on Friday 25, Saturday 26 and Monday 28 August.

Activities on offer include:

• Creative crafts for children each day from 10am to 4pm
• Behind the scenes tours at 1pm and 2.30pm each day – tours are free but must be booked in advance, call (01246) 345727 to book
• Meet George Stephenson each day at 10am – find out more about the North East’s railway pioneer who made his home in Chesterfield
• A talk by the Derbyshire Records Office on Friday 25 August at 11am
• Spire stories at noon and 1.45pm on Saturday 26 and Monday 28 August

The current exhibition features the history of St Mary and All Saints’ Church – the ‘Crooked Spire’.

The church will be offering hour long tours of the tower on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 August at 2.30pm and Monday 28 August at 10.30am and 2.30pm.

Councillor Steve Brunt, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said:-

“We’re proud to welcome thousands of visitors to Chesterfield Museum each year. The open weekend gives people the chance to look round and find out more about this popular attraction.

“There are activities suitable for all ages so it is a great opportunity for families to enjoy themselves together this bank holiday weekend.”