Tag Archives: Cannock Wood

Chasewater Railway Museum – July Newsletter

Posted on July 1, 2016 by John D | Leave a comment

Chasewater Railway Museum –

July Newsletter

A few more additions to the Museum’s collection. The visitor number was also helped by the Narrow Gauge running on the Sunday of the Coal Train Weekend, the figure went from around 200+ to well over 400.

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Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Cannock Wood, Chasewater Railway Museum, Chasewater Railway Museum Newsletter, Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, July 2016 Newsletter, Lichfield, Mining Heritage, National Coal Board (NCB), Norton Canes, Pelsall, Staffordshire, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton

Chasewater Railway Museum – two new badges

Posted on June 29, 2016 by John D | Leave a comment

Chasewater Railway Museum

Two new badges

These two examples of lapel badges added to the collection were used for free travel by miners in South Wales, restricted for use between stations in the Pontypool area and various halts provided at such collieries as Hafodyrynys, situated between Pontypool Clarence Street and Crumlin (High Level).

These badges are numbered, one NCB 856 C.St, and the pther NCB 49 P.Rd and are round, 1⅜” diameter.

C. St = Clarence Street, P.Rd = Pontypool Road.

They were made by H.W.Miller Ltd., Branston Street, Birmingham 19.

If anyone should have any further information about this sort of lapel badge, please let us know.

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Tagged Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Cannock Wood, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lapel Badges, Lichfield, National Coal Board (NCB), NCB, Norton Canes, Pelsall, Pontypool, South Wales, Walsall, Walsall Wood

Chasewater Railway Museum – An interesting new item

Posted on June 20, 2016 by John D | Leave a comment

Chasewater Railway Museum

An interesting new item

A Manufacturer’s Plate – 27″x 14″

This photograph appeared in the Great Western Railway Magazine Volume XXIX No 3 (March 1917) with the following caption; ‘One of four girders made by E C & J Keay for GWR bridge over Sandy Lane near Bordesley. Length – 104 feet 9 inches, Height – 8 feet 8 inches, Width – 2 feet 9 inches to 3 feet 4 inches, Weight – 63.5 tons.’

After they had established their James Bridge Works in Darlaston in 1887, E C & J Keay Ltd specialised in the manufacture of structural steelwork for buildings and bridges. They supplied steelwork for many major projects including 6,000 tons of steelwork for the reconstruction of Snow Hill station (see gwrbsh1896). Text books from the period suggest that a 100 foot span was about the economic limit for plate girder bridge design, with a trussed girder design recommended for longer spans. E C & J Keay’s large site at Darlaston allowed sections of girder bridges to be machine riveted together under factory conditions and this pre-assembly produced more consistent construction at lower cost. In 1888, E C & J Keay also built an iron works at their site for the production of bearings and cast ironwork. The works had access to a private railway siding allowing connection from the Grand Junction Railway (later LNWR) near Walsall.

warwickshirerailways.com

The history of The Stafford Knot

The are many stories about the origins of the Stafford Knot

The Stafford Knot (not the Staffordshire Knot!) is the symbol for the county of Staffordshire.

It appears everywhere from road signs and army berets to local pottery and football club crests.

The origin of the three-looped knot has long been shrouded in mystery and intrigue.

Some people say it is a bloody means of multiple execution while others insist it represents the joining of three geographical areas.

Death by Stafford Knot

One of the most popular stories of the knot originated following the sentencing of three criminals to death by hanging in Stafford.

However, when the executioner arrived to commit the grisly task, he came across a problem.

He only had one piece of rope. He could not just hang one of the criminals.

It would be unfair to the other two to give precedence to only one of the condemned.

He therefore tied his single rope into three loops and dispatched of all three criminals at the same time.

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Posted in Museum Exhibits

Tagged Aldridge, Birmingham, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Cannock Wood, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Darlaston, E.C.& J. Keay Ltd, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Museum Collection, Norton Canes, Pelsall, Staffordshire, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton

Chasewater Railway Museum – June Newsletter

Posted on June 3, 2016 by John D | Leave a comment

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Posted in Museum Exhibits, News, Uncategorized

Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Cannock, Cannock Chase, Cannock Wood, Chasewater Railway, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Museum Collection, Norton Canes, Pelsall, Staffordshire, Walsall, Walsall Wood

Chasewater Railway Museum – Meccano Loans

Posted on May 31, 2016 by John D | Leave a comment

Chasewater Railway Museum

Meccano Loans

This particular exhibit was with us a few years ago and has now re-appeared on the Memories of Burntwood Facebook Group page.

Eugene Damon – Peter Styche, Hi Ya – yes you are correct it is a Chinese South Seeking Chariot. They used to use them about 2000 years ago to keep their bearings when crossing the deserts, When it is on the move it can turn left or right up or down or do a full circle but the pointer will stay on the target that was selected This model in the photo was made in 2010 by a member of Chasewater Light Railway, Do any of you know how it works? If not, why not pay a visit to the museum at the railway were it will be on display for a short while and the staff will give you a little demo on how it works, as it would take a little too long and to complex about the gearing to explain on here.

More Meccano in the Museum

The top three have been with us for a while – everything works on the crane, the wheels go round on the locomotive, but sadly the ship won’t float!!

: These smaller models should be on display for the Santa Specials

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Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Cannock Chase, Cannock Wood, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Chinese South-Seeking Chart, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Meccano, Models, Norton Canes, Staffordshire, Walsall, Walsall Wood

Chasewater Railway Museum – A newly published book – Royal Arsenal Railways

Posted on May 26, 2016 by John D | Leave a comment

Chasewater Railway Museum

A newly published book

Royal Arsenal Railways

Main cover photo from the Chasewater Railway Museum collection.

The Royal Arsenal Railways

The Rise and Fall of a Military Railway Network

By

Mark Smithers

The main cover illustration of the recently published book from ‘Pen and Sword’ on the Royal Arsenal Railways depicts the 1917-built Peckett 0-4-0ST locomotive works number 1491, named ‘Vanguard’. At first thought this might seem an odd choice to show, but it must, of course, be realised that photographs at this important military establishment during its period of operation are not easy to source.

The reason, however, for going back to the original thought of it being an odd choice is that ‘Vanguard’ with its crew stands in front of coaches of the Brereton ‘Paddy Train’ having been disposed of a mere three years after arrival at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. Following its sale to Brereton Collieries, ‘Vanguard’ soldiered on and indeed hauled the final train of coal from the pit on 1^st July 1960. Moving via Cannock Wood Colliery to Hamstead Colliery, ‘Vanguard’ finally went to the scrapyard during November 1962.

Page 145 in the book shows the same photograph as on the cover, credited to the Chasewater Railway Museum, the caption suggests that the view is towards the end of the life of ‘Vanguard’, however, it is more likely that the photo dates from the 1930s.

The Author, Mark Smithers, has produced a fine work, well-illustrated, on the railways of an establishment that contributed a great deal during both World Wars until finally run down and closed in 1967.

‘Pen and Sword’ website: http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk

Barry Bull

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Tagged 1491-1917 Peckett, Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brereton Collieries, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Cannock Wood, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley, Hamstead Colliery, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Museum Collection, Norton Canes, Peckett, Pelsall, Royal Arsenal Railways, Steam Trains, Vanguard, Walsall, Walsall Wood

Chasewater Railway Museum – Tokens

Posted on May 24, 2016 by John D | Leave a comment

Chasewater Railway Museum

Tokens

The Museum has been given a number of tokens from local outlets.

: Lycett’s Chasetown

: 3d = between 1 & 2 p

: 1.5d = less than 1p

: George & Dragon, Lichfield

: Mount Sorrel Co-op coal token – 5/- = 25p

Tokens were issued by merchants in payment for goods with the agreement that they would be redeemed in goods to an equivalent value at the merchants’ own outlets. The transaction is therefore one of barter, with the tokens playing a role of convenience, allowing the seller to receive his goods at a rate and time convenient to himself and the merchant, to tie the holder of the token coin to his shop.

Generally, they have a merchant’s name or initials, sometimes a town and state, and a value legend (such as “3p” or other denomination) somewhere on the token. Types of merchants that issued tokens included general stores, grocers, department stores, dairies, meat markets, drug stores, saloons, bars, taverns, barbers, coal mines, and many other businesses.

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Posted in Museum Exhibits

Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Cannock Wood, Chasetown, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Museum Collection, Norton Canes, Pelsall, Tokens, Walsall, Walsall Wood

Chasewater Railway Museum – LNWR Coal Invoices from Hednesford

Posted on May 21, 2016 by John D | Leave a comment

Chasewater Railway Museum –

LNWR Coal Invoices from Hednesford

The Museum Curator, Barry Bull, has got together a number of London & North Western Railway Coal Invoices, all wagons starting their journey from Hednesford. These invoices are all dated from the late nineteenth century, and a variety of local pits sent their coal via Hednesford, a major distribution centre in those days, and for many more years, well into the 1950s.

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Posted in Museum Exhibits

Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Cannock Wood, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, LNWR Coal Invoices, Mining Heritage, Museum Collection, Norton Canes, Pelsall, Steam Trains, Walsall, Walsall Wood

Chasewater Railway Museum – ‘New to us’ local wagon labels.

Posted on May 19, 2016 by John D | Leave a comment

Chasewater Railway Museum

‘New to us’ local wagon labels.

This first label is, in our opinion, the star of this collection. It dates from 1876 and covers a wagon of coal from Cannock Chase Colliery to Lyons Hall in Herefordshire. Addressed to Mr. Saxty, the Station Master at the time and with the old spelling of double ‘g’ in waggon. My thanks to Chris H.E.Smith of the Lyonshall.net website. (Well worth a visit)

The other Cannock Chase Colliery label is the later style from the early 1900s. There are others from Brereton Collieries, Cannock & Leacroft Colliery, Coppice Colliery, Conduit Colliery, Littleton Colliery and West Cannock Colliery.

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Posted in Museum Exhibits

Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Cannock Wood, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Lyons Hall, Mining Heritage, Norton Canes, Pelsall, Wagon Labels, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton

Chasewater Railway Museum – ‘Museums at Night’ event

Posted on May 16, 2016 by John D | Leave a comment

Chasewater Railway Museum

‘Museums at Night’ event

On May 13th 2016 the Chasewater Railway Museum went ‘out on the road’ to the Museums at Night event, hosted by the Museum of Cannock Chase.

There were several other grooups there, including the Tamworth Aviation Group, Air Britain, Wedding Cars, and a group of Green Bus enthusiasts plus a display of vehicles outside. Also in the Museum was the ongoing exhibition ‘Transport of Delight’ by Chris Holloway – well worth a visit, running till June 19th.

The event was very well organised by the Museum of Cannock Chase, it just needed a little more public support. Perhaps the timing was not the best – 5.00pm till 8.00pm on a Friday evening, in retrospect, doesn’t seem ideal.

It was the Chasewater Railway Museum’s first event of the year and we all thoroughly enjoyed it.