Chasewater Railway Museum
They used to work ’em hard at Chasewater!
A joke… I think…..
An almighty shower over Chasewater this afternoon, water pouring into the Heritage Centre under the roller-shutter door and into the museum itself. The museum staff, Rob on the squeegee and Barry and John with mops and buckets, succeeded where King Canute failed and turned back the tide!! These photos were taken after most of the drying out had taken place. None of the exhibits were affected.
Later, water was found to have got into the toilets in the station, more mopping,- where was Noah when we needed him?!
Additions to our coal mining memorabilia
As you are no doubt aware, without the coal industry there would be no Chasewater Railway, as the original line was built for transporting coal, although passenger services were introduced from Brownhills to Aldridge via Walsall Wood. We are always glad to receive artefacts from the mining industry to display in the Museum.
Baths Invitation

The latest of such items to come our way are an invitation to the opening of the Pithead Baths at Wyrley No. 3 Colliery, Great Wyrley, on August 14th, 1954, and The Bather’s Handbook.
These items came to the Museum from a former employee of the Colliery, his first job after National Service with the RAF.
Posted in From the Archive, Museum Exhibits
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Cannock Chase, Cannock Wood, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Coal Mining, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Mining Heritage, National Coal Board (NCB), National Union of Mineworkers, NCB, Norton Canes, NUM, Pelsall, Pithead Baths, Staffordshire, The Bather's Handbook, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton, Wyrley No.3 Colliery
One of the Museum exhibits is an old Railway Station waiting room bench.
This is a North Staffordshire Railway item, purchased from a sale in Stoke-on-Trent in the 1960s
Having seen heavy use over the many years of its life, the fabric covering was badly worn, exposing the horsehair filling.
Using the money generated from the ” bench fund” table situated outside the museum room, the bench has been recovered and re sprung.
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/
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, Model, Norton Canes, Royal Scot Class Loco, Staffordshire, Steam Trains, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton
This is a level-crossing gate lamp, well restored and painted by Nigel Canning.
After seeing use at Brownhills West when trains were running into the bay platform it was put into stores until it came to light and Nigel got to work on it.
Unfortunately, the origin of the lamp is unknown.
Posted in Museum Exhibits
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Brownhills West Station, Burntwood, Cannock, Cannock Wood, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Crossing Gate Lamp, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Level Crossing, Lichfield, Norton Canes, Pelsall, Staffordshire, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton
A very nice addition to the Museum collection was this 7-lever signal frame.
The frame came to Chasewater from the National Railway Museum in 2012.
For more details about Hemyock on the Culm Valley Light Railway, Great Western Region, click on the link below.
Posted in Museum Exhibits
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Cannock Wood, Cheslyn Hay, Culm Valley Light Railway, Great Wyrley, GWR, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Hemyock Station, Lichfield, Museum Collection, Norton Canes, NRM, Old Railway Lines, Pelsall, Signal Lever Frame, Steam Trains, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton
There is a steadily increasing collection of tokens in our collection – here are three of them.
Posted in Museum & Artefacts
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Cannock Wood, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Coal Mining, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Midland Railway Objects, Mining Heritage, Mount Sorrel Co-op Society, Norton Canes, Pelsall, Salop Miners Federation, Tokens, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton