Tag Archives: Great Wyrley

Recent Colliery related addition to Museum

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Another recent addition to Chasewater Railway Museum, following the local Colliery connection with the Railway, is an old Labour Certificate, which as been framed. This certificate was donated to the Museum by Godfrey Hucker, one of the Museum volunteers. The certificate was issued to his father, also named Godfrey in November 1917, by Staffordshire County Council Education Committee, allowing him to leave school at the age of 13, and commence working at the Grove Colliery in Great Wyrley. The Grove Colliery ceased to mine coal in 1930, following an explosion which killed 14 miners. Following the disaster (a  report of this can be found on Brownhills Bob’s Blog) the Grove then used their surface equipment to wash, screen & distribute coal from the adjacent colliery, Wyrley No 3 known as the Sinking. Godfrey worked at the Grove until closure in the 1960’s.

Chasewater Railway Museum – Help Required!

Chasewater Railway Museum 

Help Required!

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Which Loco?

Lot 385 in the Great Central Auction at Bloxham on August 8th 2015 and described there as a wagon plate is actually an overhaul plate from the former NCB Workshops, Bestwood, Notts.

Acquired on behalf of the Chasewater Railway Museum, the brass plate is oval in shape, approx. 12″x 8″ with cast in lettering No.6  A.C.W.   E.M.D.  Overhauled with date stamped Nov. 1962.

Research using the Industrial Railway Society Handbook for Nottinghamshire leads to three possible locos which may have carried this particular plate (on the bunker side), these being locos named Valerie, Peter or Phillip – but which??

Maybe someone can help?

j.tisdale45@yahoo.com

Chasewater Railway Museum – New Additions

Chasewater Railway Museum 

New Additions

Our man has been out and about again and come back with three additions to the collection.

DSCF1430The first is a detonator case, stamped LNWR.  This is steel with brass hinges and stands 8″ tall.

DSCF1425Next is a circular, brass, equipment plate, stamped B T-H.  As carried by Janus type Yorkshire Engine diesels.  8.5″ diameter.

DSCF1427Finally, a brass repair plate No.6 A C W EMD and stamped Nov 62.  Ex NCB Bestwood Workshops, Notts.  Oval 12″x 8″

There will be a request for help in the next post.

Chasewater Railway Museum – Additions to our photograph collection.

Chasewater Railway Museum

Additions to our photograph collection.

These photographs were taken by Brian Nicholls at the recent Brewery Day and have been added to our archived collection.

Click on photos to enlarge

Chasewater Railway Museum – New in October 2011

Chasewater Railway Museum

New in October 2011

Although this post has been published previously, I still found it to be interesting, and in the last four years new readers may discover this blog – hope so !!

Although I can’t imagine the first items shown will ever be seen in the museum, they do show something of the variation in size between items offered.This photo shows two of four signal posts which have been at Chasewater for many years and have recently been removed from the undergrowth by the overflow car park.One of them is clearly stamped with what is presumably the date, 1915.

They came from the Pinnox Junction area of Stoke-on Trent.North Stafford Railway locomotive about to leave Pinnox Junction with coal from Whitfield Colliery around the turn of the 20th century. To the right, the Tunstall Lower Branch railway from Longport to Tunstall Junction on the Loop Line and bridge carrying the Whitfield line from Pinnox to Greenhead Wharf. Staffs pasttrack

The next item is a ‘Trains Cross Here’ sign.This was found in the mid 1960s in the Wyrley Branch of the Wyrley & Essington Canal which is now under Vernon Way, in the New Invention, Essington area.  The railway crossing of the A4124 Lichfield Road from Holly Bank Colliery to the canal basin at Short heath was about 150 yards away on the other side of the M6.  It seems logical to assume that this was where the sign was originally placed.This is how the sign would have looked when in position.  Although this photo was taken on the same line, it is probably not the same  sign, being a bit too far away.  The sign was donated to the museum by Mr. D.Townsend.

The third item is the smallest.This is a badge of the Walsall Locomotive Society donated by the museum’s Chairman, David Bathurst.

We have also had a number of items loaned to us, including the nameplate ‘Beatty’ and number plate ‘139’ from an ex Dorman Long Hawthorn Leslie 12″ x 20″ 0-4-0ST preserved at Telford Steam Railway.

Chasewater Railway Museum – 1 small addition!

Chasewater Railway Museum

1 small addition!

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A match – book cover to add to our small collection.  This time publicising GWR hotels.

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These are photos of our other 3 – if anyone has more railway connected match book covers and would like to donate them, we can find them a good home!

Chasewater Railway Museum – new in July 2011

Chasewater Railway Museum

new in July 2011

Amongst other items recently acquired by the Museum, although not yet on proper display (but are available for viewing!) are two railway maps, the first, Airey’s Railway Map of Staffordshire and District, and the other

   Bradshaw’s 19th century ‘Map and Sections of the Railways of Great Britain’

  This final item is of particular local interest, as they don’t come along very often.  It is a block instrument from the East Cannock Junction signal box at Hednesford.  The signal box was situated between Cannock and Hednesford where there was a junction between the Walsall to Rugeley line and the Norton Branch which went to High Bridge Sidings at Pelsall, through Norton Canes.

The block instrument was purchased by the Museum, the two maps were donated.

If you should have anything of railway interest that you no longer require, remember us!

Come along and pay us a visit – open every Sunday from 11.00am till 3.30pm, and it’s free!

Chasewater Railway Museum – two more signs

Chasewater Railway Museum

two more signs

The Curator has been let out again – two nice cast iron signs to be displayed.

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A Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway Trespassers notice.

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And this very nice Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company noticewarning cyclists to keep off the tow-path.  (With the date being 1901, I don’t suppose that our well-known local cyclist would have been affected!!).

Chasewater Railway Museum – More Stuff

Chasewater Railway Museum

More Stuff

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A very nice bridge plate from the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway

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A sign warning against trespassing from the South Eastern & Chatham Railway Companies

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Finally for this time, a couple of Hornby Dublo wagons to add to the collection

Chasewater Railway Museum – The rest of the collection of manufacturers’ plates

Chasewater Railway Museum

The rest of the collection of manufacturers’ plates.

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