The line was closed in several stages between 1964 and 1988 but part of the central section passed into the hands of a preservation society and today operates as the Churnet Valley Railway.

[3] With this concession granted the bill proceeded through Parliament and received royal assent on 26 June 1846 as the North Staffordshire Railway (Churnet Valley) Act 1846 (9 & 10 Vict.

Construction began in September 1847 and in November 1847 a champagne party was held 40 feet (12.2 m) underground to celebrate the laying of the first brick in Nab Hill tunnel near Leek.

A lot of excursions were run over the line as the NSR made efforts to promote Rudyard Lake as a tourist destination.

[9] Despite the picturesque description which arose from the valley's steep sides, the area was also an important site in the mineral industry with iron and copper as well as limestone and sandstone being quarried.

[10] Previously carried by canal, the output from the quarries and the associated industries was moved by rail especially when the NSR opened a line from Stoke to Leek in 1867.

The latter was also owned by the NSR and moved stone from the quarry to Froghall station via a 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) narrow gauge railway.

Passenger services remained much as they had done under the NSR,[12] but Alton Towers became an increasingly popular tourist destination and frequent excursions terminated there.

The increase in services was due to Bolton's at Froghall being an important munitions site and Alton Towers becoming 121 Officer Cadet Training Unit, Royal Artillery.

Despite not having access to the track through the station, as this was then part of the line to the Sand Sidings at Oakamoor, the members established a small heritage site.

It was established in 1985 by Peter Hanton of Congleton, who completed its construction in 1993, but sold it to an operating company in 2000 due to poor health.