This time a Whitsuntide Holiday Excursion from New Street to Lichfield City for 2/- (10p) return. This was the May Bank Holiday before it was moved to the first Monday of the month.
An LMS trip in 1929 to the well-known Lichfield Bower.
An old newsletter has just turned up in some old paperwork we are going through, and as it was first published at this time of year, I thought it might be interesting to show the state of play 26 years ago.
A couple of local signal box nameboards have arrived at the Museum recently.
Posted in Museum Exhibits
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Bloxwich signal box, Brereton Sidings signal box, Brownhills, Burntwood, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Norton Canes, Old Railway Lines, Pelsall, Signal Box Nameboards, Staffordshire, Walsall, Wolverhampton
The latest magazine of the Industrial Railway Society, the December 2013 edition of Industrial Railway Record 215, has been purchased by the Museum for our archive. It contains a report on their Annual General Meeting , held at Chasewater Railway, and a lengthy article about the railways of Chasewater, amongst many other interesting items.
Copies are available from Barry Bull in the Chasewater Railway Museum.
Among a few photos of Brereton Colliery was this one of loco ‘Vanguard’
(0-4-0ST Peckett 1491/1917 Acquired from Royal Arsenal, Woolwich 1920. Still at Brereton Coll. 1957, since scrapped.)
sitting by the Brereton Sidings signal box. This was taken by Don Dutton in 1960, after the closure of the pit. Don was the driver, ‘Perce’ Vernon (shunter), George Wilshaw (shunter) and George Blackburn (Boilersmith).
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.
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.
The pony soon made itself at home in the Heritage Centre at Brownhills West.
All photo’s courtesy of John chasewaterstuff.
Due to the grand summer weather our train running operations have proved very successful, this of course has also been enhanced by having the DMU trailer unit now in regular service, our train crews have carried out the job of keeping the wheels rolling most efficiently. Members wishing to participate in train duties should report to Steve Allsopp for instruction.
Neilson 0-4-0 Locomotive
This locomotive has now passed its boiler test successfully and is now in the process of being re-assembled. I understand that the main bearings are being re-metalled. The whole project is in the capable hands of our General Manager, Derek Luker, with Keith Sergeant acting as chief assistant. We are heavily indebted to these two members for sticking to the job.
MSLR Carriage
Restoration of this vehicle still continues, also a long slog by John Elsley. John would appreciate a little more help with this vehicle. Anyone who is reasonably skilled in woodwork should report to John Elsley.
The platform building had been slowed down due to the train operations, and the Railway held a very successful Railway Exhibition at the Forum Theatre in Cannock. Very many thanks to all the people who set up the stands, acted as stewards, and in particular, to Rob Duffill and his team of ladies who manned the refreshment bar.
Since the last newsletter (March) we have been pleased to see a few members turn up at Chasewater as a result of the appeal for more support. We would like to see a few more however. There is an interesting variety of jobs, i.e. trackwork, platform building, locomotive and carriage restoration, installation of signals and signalling equipment. (Sounds familiar!!)
There was a successful Easter Weekend Steaming in spite of awful weather, and a thank you to the members who stayed overnight to light up, and those who operated the service in such vile weather.
DMU Trailer Unit
This vehicle has now arrived at Walsall from March, Cambs. And is now awaiting collection and transportation by low-loader from Walsall to Chasewater. This should prove a spectacular operation (albeit a costly one). We deserve to get maximum publicity from this enterprise. As most members will realise, this carriage has been purchased to give maximum seating capacity for the summer season’s running, also to replace our vintage Maryport & Carlisle coach now in service. The M & C now needs some restoration work, new panelling and a complete repaint.
Stop Press – 3rd May!!
This vehicle is now safely in the compound at Chasewater, after a hectic day by a small party of members and being filmed going through the streets of Walsall by ‘ATV Today’
NER 8 Ton Box Van
Due to the efforts of our Hon. Sec. Barry Bull, the Society has acquired the last wooden bodied Box Van used by Messrs. Cadbury of Bournville. Messrs. Cadbury have very kindly donated the vehicle to the Society, arrangements have now been made for collection of this vehicle on May 5th. Our grateful thanks to both Messrs. Cadbury for donating this vehicle and to Barry for negotiating the deal.
There doesn’t appear to have been another ‘Mercian’ for some time.
‘This newsletter is not intended to replace our Society journal ‘Mercian’, we (the Committee) must apologise for the non-appearance of ‘Mercian’, but this has been due to technical hitches, etc. We shall endeavour to maintain a newsletter at least every two months, and may we all hope that ‘Mercian’ will put in an appearance before too long.’
The remainder of the newsletter covers various on-going renovation work, including the overhaul of the Neilson, in the very capable hands of the General Manager, Derek Luker, ably assisted by Keith Sargeant and Colin Thomas – repairs to the smokebox and fire box – further expense is envisaged for retubing the engine.
MSL at Easingwold
Restoration of the MSLR carriage was continuing, with one compartment beautifully restored, fitted with new seats and original GC pictures re-hung. This vehicle has been completely re-roofed and original ventilators and gas lamps refurbished and fitted. A lot of work still has to be done to complete the vehicle and more volunteers were needed.
Other work included the relaying of track to the crossing from the Hednesford Road, another 300 yards needs to be done. Work was progressing on the new platform at the Chasewater Terminus (now under the M6 Toll!). Work had been started on tidying up the site, ready for the 1973 running season. The Worthington Diesel No.20 (now on loan at Coors Museum, Burton-on-Trent) was having an overhauled replacement engine fitted and should be ready by the end of March 1973.
The final piece of news was regarding a Railway Exhibition to be held at the Forum Theatre, Cannock, on the weekend of 30th June and 1st July. It will consist of Model Railway Layouts, our own ‘Railwayana’ display, plus other preservation stands, Model Engineering Society stands refreshments and bar. As usual, more help was needed.
Compiled by D.A.Ives (Chairman)
Most of what has been happening on the Industrial railway scene in the Midlands over the last few months makes the outlook for steam enthusiasts rather grim.
The winter began with the replacement of steam at Holditch Colliery, near Newcastle-under-Lyme by two displaced diesels from Silverdale Colliery. The two steamers here ‘Cornist’, a Hudswell Clarke six-coupled side tank and ‘Dilhorne No.3’, a Bagnall built Austerity were both in a very run-down condition by the end.
Littleton, West Cannock and Cannock Wood continued using their steam up until the miners’ strike but since then new diesels have arrived in the South Staffs NCB Area and steam work has ceased. During last summer it was possible to see the big Manning Wardle (Littleton No.5) at Littleton in regular use, also the 16 Hunslet, ‘Robert Nelson No.4’ and the Austerity. An interesting survival here is a Midland Railway 10 ton goods brake, built Derby 1900 in use as a store van for oil; this is in a poor condition however. All the three steam are now dumped in the open. The two Austerities and the Bagnall ‘Topham’ at West Cannock are dumped by the screens. The Austerity ‘Wimblebury’ at Cannock Wood was steamed one day a week until the strike, but never since.
In Birmingham, Bromford Tube Works cut up their remaining steam loco last year (1971) and Dunlop’s three went for preservation, including the Chasewater Railway resident ‘Linda’, Bagnall loco 2648/1941, formerly Dunlop No.6.
Nechells Power Station hired a diesel from BR towards the end of the year and steam working here finished last November. However the Peckett 0-4-0ST No.1, delivered here new in 1916, was repaired and transferred to Northampton Power Station. Her sister No.2 and the three big Robert Stephenson and Hawthorn 0-6-0STs are available for sale.
On the brighter side the little Barclay 0-4-0ST continues service at Stourport Power Station with a Peckett spare, and one of the big Bagnalls at British Leyland, Longbridge can be seen in steam almost every day.
With steam going at such a fast rate we have decided to try and arrange visits to some places where steam remains in working order. Below is a list of places we are negotiating to see:
British Celanese, Spondon, Derby.
We have finalised details for a visit here on Saturday, June 24th (1972) when a loco will be specially steamed for us. We expect quite a large turn-out for this visit as visits here are not normally permitted. There will be a 10 pence levy per person for this event.
We also expect to have a visit to Cadley Hill Colliery, near Burton-on-Trent on Saturday, October 28th, again it is hoped, with one loco specially steamed.
Before this visit, we hope to fit one in to the Cannock Area pits but negotiations are still in the early stages for this.
These visits are open to members and non-members alike.
Chasewater Railway Museum 