Chasewater Railway Museum
Part of A Collection of 17
Manufacturers’ Plates
These plates were purchased by the Museum’s Curator and will be on display shortly.
Posted in Museum Exhibits
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Cannock Chase, Chasewater Railway, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Locomotive Plates, Manufacturers' Plates, Museum Collection, Norton Canes, Pelsall, Staffordshire, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton
This label came to the Museum from Robert Ives, the son of David Ives, a founder member of the Railway Preservation Society (West Midland Branch).
No.1054, which started life in preservation in a temporary home at the Railway Preservation Society, West Midlands branch at Hednesford, Staffs. This was, of course, the forerunner of today’s Chasewater Light Railway and Museum.
The label can be seen on the end of the buffer beam
The LNWR Coal Tank was completed at the LNWR’s Crewe Works in 1888. Withdrawn from service in 1939 the engine was returned to traffic following the outbreak of the Second World War, and was the last example of the 300-strong class, finally withdrawn in 1959.
The engine was saved by a group of enthusiasts headed by J M Dunn, former shedmaster of Bangor MPD, and was the first steam locomotive to be preserved in the UK by public subscription.
The engine was subsequently presented to the National Trust for display at Penrhyn Castle in North Wales.
Since 1973, the engine has been in the care of the Bahamas Locomotive Society, based at their Ingrow Loco Museum on the 5JR Keighley & Worth Valley Railway in Yorkshire.
Seen working at the Severn Valley Gala in Spring 2015.
For further information, go to:
Posted in Museum Exhibits
Tagged 1054, Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Coal Tank, Great Wyrley, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Museum Collection, Norton Canes, Old Railway Lines, Pelsall, Railway Preservation Society, Staffordshire, Steam Trains, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton
Peter Hucker, brother of our man Godfrey, and his wife have recently given the Chasewater Railway Museum a part of a mug with William Roberts’ Station Brewery information painted on it. Sadly it is incomplete but the most interesting part of it is there. It was found some years ago behind the, as it was then, Hussey Arms.

It adds to our other few relics of William Roberts, namely 2 teaspoons, given by Marion Harrison
and some bottles, which have been with us for some time.


The trade mark on the mug can also be seen on the window of the ‘Shoulder of Mutton’ public house in Church Road, Brownhills.

For much more information about William Roberts go to:
Recently acquired in auction for the Chasewater Railway Museum is a cast brass locomotive worksplate Bagnall 3160 of 1959. The worksplate was carried by a standard gauge 0-6-0 diesel mechanical delivered to Mobil Oil Co.Ltd., Coryton, Essex and later at Tunnel Portland Cement, Pitstone and Ketton Works, Rutland.
Bagnall 3160-1959 Photo by Kevin Lane
https://www.flickr.com/photos/28083135@N06/4796022806/
The loco was scrapped about 2004 at Thompson’s, Middlesbrough but several parts were saved for the Bagnall 0-6-0 DM 3119 at Chasewater, these being major components such as the engine, gearbox and fluid coupling. As is often the case the demise of one loco can lead to a prolonged life for another.
Posted in Museum Exhibits
Tagged Aldridge, Bagnall 3119-1956, Bagnall 3160-1959, Bagnall Worksplate, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Chasewater Railway, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Diesel Shunters, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Norton Canes, Pelsall, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton
Photo of BR Coat of Arms from the Chasewater Railway Museum Collection
lions and wheels (British Railways’ lion emblems, 1949-1964).
Posted in Museum Exhibits
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, BR Lion Emblems, British Railways, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Coat of Arms, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Lichfield, Lions & Wheels, Norton Canes, Pelsall, Staffordshire, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton
Three items given to the Museum by Barry Lycett, commemorating 40 years of the miners’ “Get Together”.
Also, two tokens in the form of key rings (the Museum was given two so that both sides could be shown in the display cabinet, see above), these items were given to all who attended the ‘Get Together’.
As can be seen in the acknowledgments, Chasewater Railway made a donation to the raffle/auction prizes, I believe in the form of two family tickets for the Railway
Commemorating the 40th Annual miners’ “Get Together”, started at West Cannock No.5 Colliery in 1974
Posted in Museum Exhibits, News
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Chasewater Railway Museum, Chasewater Railway Museum News, Cheslyn Hay, Coal Mining, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lea Hall Colliery, Lichfield, Littleton Colliery, Miners 'Get Together', National Coal Board (NCB), Norton Canes, Pelsall, Staffordshire, Walsall, Walsall Wood, West Cannock No.5 Colliery, Wolverhampton
This first one is a map of the London Midland & Scottish Railway from Aldridge to Brownhills, via Walsall Wood, showing the chamge to a single line in 1934. Somehow it had evaded the camera for some time, after being donated to the museum!
This Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns worksplate has also been with us for some time, since purchased by our curator. It was very nicely painted by Jason Busby.
Posted in Museum Exhibits
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Cannock Chase, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Map, Norton Canes, Old Railway Lines, Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns, Staffordshire, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton
A sight very rarely seen in railway circles – Barry Bull dropping a slice of cake. A very tasty piece of gateau by the look of it – the look on Barry’s face says it all!!
Good splat, eh??
We all know how clean Barry keeps the floor in the museum but we believe that he resisted the temptation to carry on with his snack – although it was replaced on the plate!!
Barry not only wiped the floor, but even polished it with his knees!!
The first item is a welcome addition to our collection of mining memorobelia, a leather belt with the initials ‘NCB’ stamped on it.
This was kindly donated by Rob Duffill.
The second item is a booklet about the Walsall Steam Raiway, which was found in a collection of old magazines given to the museum by Clive Smith, a long-time friend of the museum.
This was very coincidental as only about three weeks ago, our man Godfrey had found a couple of references to this railway an an old narrow gauge magazine!
From the booklet:
A couple of interesting links:
http://walsallsteamrailway.webs.com/
The following link was about a show in the Arboretum:
http://chasewaterstuff.wordpress.com/2010/06/28/a-bit-from-the-scrapbook/
Posted in Museum Exhibits
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Coal Mining, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Miniature Railway, National Coal Board (NCB), NCB, Norton Canes, Old Railway Lines, Pelsall, Staffordshire, Steam Trains, Walsall, Walsall Arboretum, Walsall Steam Railway, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton
This Cannock & Rugeley Colliery wagion plate is not the most common item ever seen in the museum – in fact, no-one we have asked has ever seen one! This obviously makes it a bit special. Unfortunately, it has a crack (repaired) through the right-hand bolt hole – I wonder how that happened?!
This next item, a book for the library, has come along at a good time – as we have recently seen the return of the horse-drawn parcels van.
It should be pointed out that the horses in this book used to pull carts, vans, etc. unlike the Chasewater Railway Museum version, which seems to prefer to ride in them!
The final item was a raffle prize at the recent Gerald Reece talk about Brownhills, and shows Brownhills High Street in the early 1900s, won by one of the museum staff. If you’ve seen the photo on Brownhills Bob’s site, the bald headed bloke on the back row, right-hand side!
http://brownhillsbob.com/2014/11/30/happy-talk/
Posted in Museum Exhibits
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Brownhills High Street early 1900s, Burntwood, Cannock, Cannock & Rugeley Colliery, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, CRC, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Including a Local Colliery Wagon Plate, Lichfield, Norton Canes, Pelsall, Railway Horses, Staffordshire, The Latest Museum Arrivals, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton