Leek Brook to Ipstones from MCR. Track from the little-used section between Froghall and Oakamoor Quarry was lifted to make the first instalment, with a previous loan from CVR to MCR being converted into a second instalment. The third payment was proposed to come from the re-launched share issue, and at first only current shareholders were invited to support. This brought in over half the required amount, and so in October 2014 the Ipstones Track Appeal was made public. The offer period was then extended at Christmas to Spring 2015 following which the full amount of shares were successfully sold. Future extensions Northwards – Leek Also see "Leek (Churnet Valley) railway station" about the future of the proposed station. It has always been the CVR long-term aim to re-open the line back into the market town of Leek, and after the Froghall extension of 2001 the railway made it clear that the extension into Leek was the next priority in terms of physical expansion. The CVR have taken on the Leek project themselves, and after much dialogue with the council received outline planning permission for their own proposal in May 2018. They then launched their own project publicly on 1 February 2020. The Railway received a £1.4 million grant from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, and hope to reinstate a rail triangle (only the second in preservation in the UK after Norton Fitzwarren on the West Somerset Railway). A separate company are proposing redevelopments of the Barnfields estate in Leek, which is the mooted location for the new station. These plans were given Outline Planning Permission in December 2014, and include the construction of a new platform for the railway, new Marina connecting into the Leek branch of the Caldon Canal as well as a new restaurant and potentially a dedicated North Staffordshire Museum. Southwards To the south, from Froghall, the line is under the ownership of the CVR as far as the former sand sidings at Oakamoor even though as of 2014 the trackwork has been lifted. After this the line crossed over the River Churnet straight into a tunnel before Oakamoor station is reached. The track to the sidings requires upgrading for passenger use, and work on the tunnel and the rebuilding of the station site would be necessary to extend further than the former quarry, although it is considered viable. Whilst the railway owns the