A new arrival at Chasewater
Chasewater Railway Museum Bits & Pieces 83
Chasewater News 23 March 1978- Part 2
The first of two new arrivals at Chasewater was a 12” cylindered Peckett 0-4-0ST (No.917 of 1902). This engine is being placed on permanent loan to the Society by Messrs. Albright & Wilson Ltd., who are one of the largest chemical manufacturers in the British Isles. The locomotive is at present at their works at Oldbury and is believed to be in working order. As well as being the oldest working four-wheeled Peckett in Great Britain it is also the last steam locomotive to see industrial service within the West Midlands Metropolitan County and it is therefore appropriate that it should be ‘retired’ to work on the only preserved steam railway within the West Midlands. The loco should be an interesting and useful engine for use at Chasewater and it will arrive as soon as a suitable legal loan agreement has been drawn up. Grateful thanks are due to Barry Bull for writing after the engine and to Albright & Wilson for entrusting the Society with their locomotive,
Further details will appear once the loco is at Chasewater.
From the Chasewater News 24, July 1978The legal loan agreement has been completed and the engine should arrive during August.
From the ‘Gricers’ Day’ report, 8th October, 1978.
Through the kindness of the Directors of Albright & Wilson Ltd., Peckett 0-4-0ST works no. 917 of 1902 arrived on permanent loan together with coal, 27 spare boiler tubes and various tools.From the Chasewater News 25, November 1978.
June 2010
Since its arrival the loco has been cleaned and the boiler and tank have been drained. It seems as though some work will have to be done upon the motion of the loco, (which is very loose in places) as well as the major boiler hydraulic test, before it is steam tested. It also requires repairs to the tank and will have to be fitted with a steam brake before working passenger trains. Despite all this one is quietly confident of seeing it in steam at some stage next season. (This was in 1978 and sadly it still hasn’t steamed in 2011, or 2021, and is well towards the rear of the restoration queue, although it is now in the Heritage Centre workshop, since put outside).
Chasewater Railway Museum 