Lack of finance prevented it from proceeding any further, but Matlock Bath capitalised on its reputation as a tourist town with the appellation Little Switzerland.

With the end of water power for the mills and the introduction of road transport, the parcel traffic disappeared, but minerals remained important until the mid-20th century.

While the railway workers had largely disappeared at the beginning of the 21st century, there is renewed public interest in rail; Derbyshire County Council, among others, is keen to reduce traffic congestion on the A6 and in the Peak District National Park.

The County Council carried out a study in 2004, which concluded that it was not economically feasible, but that the track bed would be protected from development.

Another former operator, Midland Mainline, extended some of its London–Derby services to Matlock, though these ceased with the introduction of the Class 222 Meridians which were too heavy for several bridges north of Whatstandwell which are in a poor state of repair.

However Network Rail has announced its intention[citation needed] to overhaul the line completely in 2008, reinforcing or replacing the defective bridges.

The driver of each train heading for Matlock must collect a token from the machine at Ambergate station before proceeding and return it prior to leaving the branch.