Two very nice carriage keys have come into the museum in the last couple of days. 
The first one is stamped ‘LB&SCR’ – from the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway.
The second one ‘L&NE’ from the London & North Eastern Railway, the handle is in the shape of a claw-hammer. I’ve not seen one like this before!
They can be seen in the museum, in display cabinet C17.
Posted in Museum Exhibits
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Cannock Wood, Carriage Key, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, L&NE, LBSCR, Lichfield, London & North Eastern Railway, London Brighton & South Coast Railway, Museum Collection, Norton Canes, Pelsall, Walsall, Walsall Wood
The months certainly seem to fly by – it will soon be time to write the Christmas newsletter – Liam will tell you how many days to go, if Godfrey doesn’t beat him to it!!
The ‘already described’ items include a couple of fliers, and photographs and three Hornby models.
Also we had a bottle from Lockett & Sons of Cannock, complete with marble in the neck.
We still get so many visitors who, when they are finally in the museum, say ‘I didn’t know this was here’ so Godfrey decided to print a poster to put up in the stattion to tell visitors where we are hiding!!
A most important addition to the Museum’s archives is this programme of the evening’s event, held in the Heritage Centre on Friday evening, 23-9-2016
The award was presented to the Railway by Her Majesty’s Lord-Llieutenent for Staffordshire, Mr. Ian Dudson CBE Cst.
After the presentation there followed a train ride to Chasewater Heaths for the presentation of a replica crystal and scroll to the staff from the station.
On return to Brownhills West, an excellent buffet was on offer, which was enjoyed by everyone. Congratulations to the catering staff.
Following a tour of the buildings, including the Museum, the Lord-Lieutenant departed.
At the conclusion of the evening, Mark Sealey, Chairman of the Railway, presented all working volunteers with a commemorative QAVS badge.
I have been sent this photograph of one of our ‘helpers’ inside the museum, working on one of the Meccano models. It shows a view around part of the museum, including, among other items, some bridge plates and the lever frame from Hemyock.
This photo was taken before the bench was recovered – it is now covered in an attractive blue material.
Sad to relate, after all our man’s work, it still wouldn’t float!!!
Brereton Sidinngs Signal Box
The first photo is another photo of Brereton Sidings signal box.
Edward Dorricott paid £2.50 for the photo and gave it straight to Barry Bull.
Edward Dorricott is the author of te recently published book on Duttons Signal Works, Worcester, in which Chasewater Railway Museum gets more than one mention.
This second photo has a couple of question marks hanging over it, which I hope we may get answers to.
‘Captain Midnight’ is a former naval officer named Glover, but we are not sure of his rank – possibly Lieutenant Commander or Commander.
Thank you Pete Styche for the following information: GLOVER Gerald (Lt. Commander R. N. Rtd.) Passed away 12th October 2014 aged 76 years.
He was an occasional benefactor of the Railway, whenever he paid a visit there was always a donation in the box and maybe some good magazines donated.
The next question is who is his friend?
And finally, where was the photo taken?
Posted in Photograph Collection
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brereton, Brereton Sidings signal box, Brownhills, Burntwood, Canals, Cannock, Cannock Wood, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Narrowboat, Norton Canes, Pelsall, Rugeley, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Waterways
The IRS’s AGM took place on Saturday 16th April 2016 at Chasewater Railway.
It was enjoyed by IRS members and the members of the Railway who were involved in running special trains for the Society.
This photograph was taken by Cliff Shepherd at the IRS AGM weekend in April 1972.
On the Sunday, visits were made to Chasewater and members travelled in the Maryport and Carlisle carriage of 1875 vintage and the Great Western Brake Van, which now, in 2016, is restored to its former glory.
The locomotives involved topping and tailing were two former Worthington Brewery Planet locomotives, nos. 20 and 21, on what was then a very basic railway.
Holly Bank No.3 (Hunslet 3783-1953) runs around after the first of the IRS trains at Chasetown Church Street Station on 16-4-2016.
Posted in Locomotives, Photograph Collection
Tagged Aldridge, An old Chasewater Railway Photograph, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Cannock Wood, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Industrial Railway Society, IRS, Lichfield, Norton Canes, Old Railway Lines, Pelsall, Staffordshire, Walsall, Walsall Wood
This time it’s a Railwayana Fair and Bus Rally, held at the time, in the early eighties, when Chasewater railway was not running trains.
A few enthusiasts kept going at Chasewater trying to raise funds for the time when the railway re-started operations.
The later years of the 19th century saw increasing standardization on the railways, not least in the armbands worn by three types of railway worker – pilotmen, flagmen and lookout men. The one worn by pilotmen was issued by the signal department and was made of red cloth with white stitched letters, and was secured by leather or elastic straps.
The armbands for flagmen and lookout men were made of enamelled steel plate, cut into an oval and shaped to fit the arm. A pair of slots was cut into the plate, through which a pair of leather straps, with buckles, was attached. Issued by the permanent way department, these enamel armbands were finished in white with red lettering.
A pilotman was a signal department employee whose job was to ride on the locomotive acting as a kind of human staff or token if the signalling on a single line failed, or if there was an accident or obstruction which closed one of the lines of a double track. No train could proceed without him in such an emergency, so that the possibility of a head-on collision was avoided.
The lookout man was quite simply that. His job was to keep a sharp lookout when a permanent way gang was working on the track, and to give a warning for it to stand clear as soon as he saw an approaching train.
The flagman was another permanent way ganger, who used green, yellow or red flags to communicate with signalmen or other permanent way staff who were out of audible range.
All three posts were – and still are – crucial to the safety of both passengers and railway employees, and armbands were issued to emphasize this fact and to avoid misunderstandings. A modern variety, coloured pale blue with white letters, was used on British Rail.
London, Midland & Scottish Railway Armband.
This armband is still my favourite. A brass Cannock & Rugeley Colliery Main Line Pilot Armband, dug up in a field by a farmer while ploughing some years ago – considerably battered and bent over double!
Posted in Museum Exhibits
Tagged Aldridge, Armband, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Cannock & Rugeley Colliery, Cannock Wood, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, CRC, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Mining Heritage, Norton Canes, Old Railway Lines, Pelsall, Walsall, Walsall Wood
Chasewater Railway Museum 