Author Archives: oakparkrunner

Colliery Picture Donation.

Posted on February 1, 2014 | 2 comments

A framed picture of a local Colliery, measuring 10 inches x 8 inches has been donated to the Railway Museum by Vicky Walker of Great Wyrley.
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First thoughts were, that it was Jerome’s Colliery of Norton Canes. Further investigation however proved that it was in fact, Norton Cannock Colliery No 2, known locally as The Fair Oak.
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This was situated to the North West of the junction of the A34 and Long Lane between Bloxwich and Great Wyrley.
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A mobile home park now occupies the original site of the Colliery.
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This Colliery was one of two owned by The Norton Cannock Colliery Company, and a total of 3 shafts were sunk to a depth of 190 yards (174 metres). The Colliery owned a Manning Wardle 0-6-0 saddle tank locomotive similar to the one in the photograph, to haul the coal to the exchange sidings of the South Staffs Line Cannock Branch of the LNWR railway.
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The Colliery which employed 405 men underground, & 113 surface workers over both sites, closed in May 1910, as being unprofitable. The Colliery details have been taken from the book entitled The Lesser Known Coal Mines of the Cannock Chase Coalfield, by Mick Drury. This book is one of the Cannock Chase Mining Historical Society’s set of mining history books, which are on sale in Chasewater Railway Museum.
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Photograph by Chasewaterstuff.

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Collection of Vintage Model Vehicles.

Posted on January 26, 2014 | Leave a comment

John Dunn, a gentleman from the Walsall area, has donated to the Museum, his collection of model buses and commercial vehicles.

The collection of around 40 vehicles, which are are all boxed and certified, will be displayed in the museum, a few at a time on a rotation basis.

One of the local buses is a Wolverhampton Corporation Transport, Guy Arab of around the 1940’s.

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The Arab was produced by Guy Motors of Wolverhampton, who manufactured Cars, Lorries, and PSV vehicles at Fallings Park from 1914, until their closure in 1982.

Another local bus is a West Bromwich C0rporation Transport, Daimler CW of around the same era.

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Daimler buses, with their distinctive design of a fluted top radiator, were built at Radford in Coventry, and merged with Leyland in 1968.

In 1973 the Coventry factory closed, and all bus manufacture moved to the Leyland works in Preston.

 

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The Colonel Works plate.

Posted on January 12, 2014 | 1 comment

One of the museum’s exhibits is the works plate from The Colonel Locomotive.

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The Colonel was supplied new in 1914 to the local Wyrley Grove Colliery. and was named after Colonel William Harrison, who was the colliery chairman. The 0-6-0 saddle tank loco was manufactured by Hudswell Clarke of Leeds and given the works No of 1073.

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Coal production at the Grove ceased following the 1930 underground explosion, which killed 14 miners. However the coal mined at the sister colliery, Harrisons No 3, known locally as the Sinking, was transported in colliery mine cars along a narrow gauge cable hauled tramway, to the Grove’s washing and screening plant.

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The coal was then despatched from the Grove via canal narrow boats, and by rail.

The Colonel and its sister loco, the 1895  0-6-0 Bristol built  Peckett, No 3,

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were kept busy taking wagons to & from the exchange sidings on the link down to Norton Junction Marshalling yard in Pelsall.

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The Colonel was transferred to Granville Colliery in November 1963, and was scrapped in 1979 when Granville closed.

With my father and both my grandfathers working at the Grove I did manage a ride on the Colonel’s footplate.

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Museum Bench refurbishment

Posted on January 7, 2014 | 1 comment

One of the Museum exhibits is an old Railway Station waiting room bench.

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Having seen heavy use over the many years of its life, the fabric covering, was badly worn, exposing the horsehair filling.

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Using the money generated from the ” bench fund” table situated outside the museum room, the bench has been recovered and re sprung.

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Photo’s by Chasewater Stuff & Oakparkrunner.

An excellent job was carried out by Steve Wade, a local Upholsterer, who has a workshop at the rear of 59 High Street Walsall Wood WS9 9LR.

Steve can be contacted on 07903337000, or at Stephen.wade@sky.com, and he will be pleased to quote for any upholstery work. Details and photo’s of Steve’s work can be found on his website http://www.stevewade.biz/

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New Museum Aquisition, August 27th 2013.

Posted on August 27, 2013 | Leave a comment

The Museum of Cannock Chase, which is based at the old Valley Colliery in Hednesford, is redesigning the coal mining display. This means that a life sized fibreglass model of a pit pony will be surplus to requirements.

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An article was posted on their web site asking if any one could find the pony a new home. Chasewater Museum’s registrar John, spotted this, and promptly put in an offer for it. John’s bid was successful, beating many more offers from other interested parties, and Chasewater Museum is now the proud owner of this splendid animal.

Our thanks go to Nick Bullock for the collection from Hednesford and delivery to its new home at Chasewater.

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The pony soon made itself at home in the Heritage Centre at Brownhills West.

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All photo’s courtesy of John chasewaterstuff.

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Visit By the Transport Trust Group.

Posted on July 12, 2013 | Leave a comment

On Thursday July 11th 30 members of the Transport Trust Group visited Chasewater Railway. Organised by Chasewater Museum’s curator Mr Barry Bull, the party arrived at Chasewater at 1-45 on a beautifully restored single decker Midland red bus from Aston Manor Bus Museum based at Shenstone Drive in Aldridge.

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First port of call was an excellent carvery lunch provided by the Railway’s resident chef Mr Craig Wilkinson.

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A return journey then along the two mile long line to Chasetown Church Street, behind the North British diesel locomotive No D2911.

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On their return the members had a tour of the Heritage shed and Museum before boarding the bus back to Aldridge.

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Industrial Railway Society Visit.

Posted on April 21, 2013 | Leave a comment

On Saturday April 20th 2013, Chasewater Railway played host to the Industrial Railway Society, when they held their Annual General Meeting. The day started at 9-oo am with refreshments in the Sidings tea rooms, and a general meander around the site. A sales stand was erected in the Heritage Centre.

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At their request a special train was arranged to depart at 10-30 am. Seating accommodation was by means of railway benches fitted into 2 open type industrial wagons, with a brake van on either end.

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Motive power was provided by top and tailing with Andrew Barclay No 1223 Colin McAndrew,

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and Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn No 7684 Nechells No 4.

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The train headboard for this occasion was the BLC plaque, as the IRS was originally known as.

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A video of the departure can be seen on oakparkrunner’s you tube site.

On their return there was a demonstration and journey on the narrow gauge line, using Ruston & Hornsby loco No 441424, Ex Caphouse Colliery.

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Lunch was then held at 1-00pm followed by the AGM, which lasted until 4-00 pm.

Further refreshments in the sidings tea rooms, and a further train journey concluded the days events.

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Thursday April 4th & Sunday April 7th.

Posted on April 8, 2013 | Leave a comment

The Museum was open on Thursday April 4th as a school holiday train service was in operation.

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Unfortunately the extremely cold weather kept the numbers who visited the Museum down to 29. To help pass away the time during this quiet day, Marion calculated how many people had passed through the Museum doors so far in 2013.

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From January 1st until April 1st, the Museum had been open 25 days, and a total of 2,569 visitors were counted. Sunday was a lot warmer which reflected in the total visitor numbers of 280. A contingent from one of the Austin Car Clubs met at the Railway for a carvery meal, and a tour of the site.

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Easter 2013 in Chasewater Museum.

Posted on April 1, 2013 | Leave a comment

Sixty five persons visited the Museum on the very cold and windy Saturday. Sunday being the first day of British Summer Time ( That’s not a joke), meant that John drew the short straw to put the clocks forward by one hour.

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Much better attendance figures on Sunday, with a total of 316 clicked by Marion, as Mick is still not well. We hope to see him back in the near future, as the biscuit barrel level is getting rather low. A touch of spring cleaning took place on Sunday, with a demonstration on how to operate a vacuum cleaner, with complete safety.

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Easter Mondays figures were on a par with Sunday’s as 308 people ventured through the doors (mainly to get warm). A raffle was held over the weekend for the Museum funds, with the main prize being a splendid Easter hamper, compiled and donated by Roy & Sheila Sealey, as they have done over the past number of Easters.

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A  set of Railway books donated by David Pearson was the second prize in the raffle. A total of £96.00 was raised over the weekend, and the winner of the Hamper was Aaron Matthews from Lichfield, and Page Gilbert’s ticket was drawn for the books.

Thanks to all who supported the raffle over the Easter weekend.

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Fowler Works Plate Donation.

Posted on March 17, 2013 | Leave a comment

On Sunday March 17th, Mr and Mrs Fitton visited the Museum to Donate the original works plate for the Fowler locomotive resident at Chasewater.

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The locomotive, works No 4100013, was supplied new by Fowler’s from Leeds to Garringtons of Bromsgrove in 1948, where it worked shunting wagons from the factory, down to the goods yard at Bromsgrove Station. In March 1981 it moved to the Redditch Railway Society for preservation. The Society lost the use of the land in 1994, and the loco found a new home at Chasewater on April 23rd 1994.  Redditch Railway Society was disbanded in June 1996. Mr and Mrs Fitton were re-united with the Locomotive on Sunday before they left Chasewater.

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