The Museum will be open on Sunday 28th and Monday 29th May 2023
148 – Chasewater Railway Museum Bits & Pieces
From Chasewater News Autumn 1992 – Part 1
Editorial – Nigel Canning
Work on the railway is still progressing well and the number of volunteers has increased to the extent that even on our busiest day, Transport Scene, there were still people working on the new extension, and on carriage restoration. As if to reflect the amount of work going on, even this issue of the magazine contains a few extra pages. If all goes well, the Railway Inspector will be asked to pass off the line for passenger running to the causeway early next year. If YOU would like to help on the track or in any other department on the railway, please come along – you will be most welcome.
Locomotive News
No.4 Asbestos – This loco is almost ready to return to traffic on a regular basis. A couple of steam tests have been carried out, and a number of minor leaks corrected. A small amount of finishing off is now required, such as fitting of the new saddle tank balance pipe and the extension of the buzzer wiring to the front buffer beam.
No.5 Sentinel – This has remained the only steam loco in service and has run well. The problem of rust from the superheater blocking valves has been kept under control by regular inspections and cleaning. The loco will need to be taken out of service before Christmas for its 5 yearly major boiler examination.
No.2 Lion
This loco has passed its hydraulic test, and boiler fittings and pipework are now being fitted. The boiler has been lagged, the cladding sheets fitted and the tank lowered into position. Work is now being carried out to align the tank mounting brackets.
S100 – Work is continuing on the hornguides, and new fitted bolts have been made to secure them to the frames following machining. The boiler has been unloaded from the flat wagon and is now in the loco shed yard where the shell has been cleaned and painted.The boiler from S100 is lowered into its new position in the loco shed yard.
Fowler – This loco is still running well and is in regular use. Work has now begun on machining the various parts required to fit the loco for working the vacuum brakes on our passenger stock.
DL7 – Work is in progress on cleaning the cylinder heads and re-seating their valves ready for the engine rebuild.
No.21 Diesel – Work has concentrated on the two spare engines for this loco, the best of which may shortly be refitted to the frames
Smith Rodley Crane – This vehicle has remained out of use.
Bass Community Award – Keith Day
In the early part of this year, a poster appeared on the notice board at work saying ‘Bass Community Awards’ open to employees who are involved with a charitable organisation. Now being a volunteer on the permanent way gang at Chasewater, and an employee of Bass, Mitchells & Butlers, both conditions were met, so I applied for an application form and sent it to the address stated on the poster.
A week later the application form appeared on my bench at work, and, after a lot of thought, I filled it in and with it wrote a potted history of the CLR.
In it I told briefly of the construction of the railway in 1860, and of how Chasewater Light Railway has been at Chasewater for 25 years, and of our plans to relay the track across the causeway and around the far side of the lake. To do this we need money to buy materials to replace badly rotted sleepers, and rail which has staggered joints or had been criminally taken away for scrap. I also wrote of what had already been achieved – the re-laying of the track to extend the running line, the repairs to Willow Vale bridge handrails to allow passenger trains to run over it, and finally, the passing of the extension by the Railway Inspectorate for passenger carrying trains. The application was posted and almost forgotten about, until, on 24th April, a letter came through the door. I opened it up and read:
‘Bass Community Awards’
‘Further to your recent application for consideration under the above scheme, I am pleased to advise you that your organisation, Chasewater Light Railway & Museum Co. has been successful and has been awarded £300. Could you please contact me on the above telephone number in order that we can discuss details of the cheque presentation.’
I telephoned the said number and arranged a date for the presentation at 7.00pm on Wednesday 27th May. After a lot of thought and discussion, it was decided to use the £300 award to pay for the transport of redundant track materials from Hams Hall Power Station on 26th May.
Chris Chivers, Andy Clegg, Chris Hatton, Adrian Hall and myself, with ‘DJ’ Geoff running a shuttle service in his van were the crew who went to Hams Hall to load the trackwork, while Steve Organ, Arthur Edwards and others stayed at Chasewater to receive and unload the lorries. Unfortunately, things did not run to plan, and what was supposed to be the first load at 9.00am departure from Hams Hall was in fact 6.30pm. The second load arrived late afternoon on the 27th – the day of the presentation.
As it happened, this worked in our favour as Janice Clarke, PR Officer for Bass, and her photographer were able to take a picture of the last load, unloaded with Yours Truly presenting the cheque to Chris Chivers, while Steve, Arthur and Chris Hatton posed in the background. (Working for Bass is just like working at Chasewater – if you want anything done, you have to do it yourself!). The picture and story were released to the press and appeared in the ‘Express and Star’ on 15th June.What we recovered from Hams Hall were: 4 sets of points, a rail drilling machine, 1 buffer stop complete, a number of point timbers, 2 point levers, some sleepers, rail, chairs and numerous other materials.
A small buffet was given at Brownhills West on the occasion, and I would like to thank Bass personally for their award of £300, and also everyone who took time to turn up on the 27th.
The Bass awards are an annual event, so if anyone has a suggestion for next year, please let me know.
We’ve got some fantastic news to share with you all.
We have made the shortlist and we are a finalist in the Midlands Food Drink & Hospitality awards category ‘Afternoon Tea Establishment of the Year’.
We are absolutely overjoyed and are so proud to have reached the final stages along with some other wonderful businesses.
I just want to say a massive thank you firstly to my girls in the tea room who work tirelessly to help our business. Without them we wouldn’t be where we are today.
We can’t thank our customers enough, we have such a wonderful customer base and we thank you for your continued support. Hospitality isn’t an easy business and the last 12 months have been difficult with the rise in the cost of living. This is where we need your help and support, could we kindly ask you to take the time to vote for us? If you use the following link – https://www.mfdhawards.co.uk/vote-now/ and under the first category ‘Afternoon Tea Establishment of the year’ you will see we are number 10. If you could click on this and then enter your details to vote for us we would really appreciate it. It will only take a few minutes of your time, there are lots of categories with some fantastic businesses who would also appreciate your support but you can just vote in the one category if you are short of time.
Please share to help us! We can’t wait to attend the awards ceremony
147 – Chasewater Railway Museum Bits & Pieces – From Chasewater News Spring 1992 – Part 3
Mission Impossible – Rob Duffill
This is my first report after being elected to the post of Commercial Manager in December, and I now have the honour of trying to maximise our income at Chasewater, both on and off site. This is the job in a nutshell, and make no mistake, without an increase in income we cannot achieve our goals in other areas, however desirable, well planned or good value for money. The task is difficult, but the successful outcome very rewarding and I am afraid it will mean asking members to help out on occasions and do jobs they do not fully enjoy. Please remember if you spend a couple of hours for example, collecting entry fees at the gate, how much more you can enjoy the rest of the time because we can afford another project that really does interest you.I joined the group in 1968 and was elected to the Committee of the then Society in 1971. Following a split up of ideas and members, I did not re-stand in 1974. I have, over 23 years, seen the ups and downs and plodding alongs at Chasewater and like to think that all this gives me an insight into what is needed as we are definitely on the up, and have been for several years.
As we get bigger and better we will need to change practices to cope with demand and the present working members at Chasewater seem to me quite capable of really making great strides forward. As I look around me I see the track extension (you now need good eyesight!) and the general improvement to stock and site. The shop and buffet raise large and regular income and will need your occasional support as the regulars need a change from time to time.
What plans do we have? In the short term we can only expand what we did last year. We will be a success if we raise more income at each event and we all have a critical role: It’s down to the members. We will succeed if we pull together and remember that we need the public to pay for our enjoyment of our hobby.
I hope to highlight certain aspects of the commercial side in future magazines, for example, plans for a mobile sales stand.
If anyone has any suggestions for raising money or showing the flag (publicity) please contact me, as we must, as cheaply as possible, raise the awareness of the public that we exist, are different and that they ought to visit, and, having visited, come again because they liked it so much. Mission Impossible perhaps – but we’ll see at the next AGM in 12 months time.
Stop Press
Pic – Nigel Canning
One of our members, Mike Wood, has bought an ex-Great Western Railway ‘Fruit D’ van from British Rail, and at the end of March it was delivered to Chasewater. The Van, which is vacuum braked and steam heated, was run on April 11th as part of a demonstration goods train fro the Industrial Railway Society.
16 Ton Mineral Wagon – Arthur Edwards
Steve Forrest and I bought this item of rolling stock from the CLR Co. on the understanding that it will remain on CLR metals.Arthur and Steve pause briefly whilst shovelling coal dust and slack out of the wagon prior to chipping rust from the bodywork. – Nigel Canning
The underframes have already been doused with old engine oil to help with their preservation, and the bodywork is in exceptionally good condition considering its age, built in 1957 I think. At present it is in British Coal green, but we aim to re-paint it into the classic colours of grey and black with white sloping stripe down one corner.
The idea behind obtaining this and the 21 tonner was to help in the rebuilding of the causeway, but the 16 tonner has been put on our line backwards, that is, the end opening door is at the wrong end.
Over the next few Saturdays we, that is, possibly Tony and I and maybe Dave and young Chris, aim to release the jammed side doors and the one end door followed possibly by the re-paint in the coming months.
Maybe one day there will be the Maunsell brake van, our 16 tonner, followed by the wooden bodied coal truck, possibly the Midland crane, and the Great Western Toad hauled by a loco not seen in steam for many a year, ‘Colin McAndrew’. Our own freight train!
Moving Pictures
The slide and film show held at Chasewater during January was well attended and a great success. The subject was ‘Chasewater in the Early 1970s’ and featured a variety of films and colour slides by Andrew Louch and Rob Duffill.
All of our departments were left drooling by some of the photos which stand as a great tribute to the pioneer members at Chasewater. For a variety of reasons the early promise of success came to nothing, and much of the progress made was lost during the 1980s. While certain aspects of Chasewater have still to reach the level attained in the early days, it is pleasing to see that real progress is once again being made, and on a far more professional level than ever before.
The opening shots of the first film saw diesels 20 and 21 shunting some delightful wooden wagons at what is now Brownhills West Station. Although some of those wagons have now gone, it is great to know that No.21 is undergoing restoration in the shed and will one day burst into life once more. No.20, which is nominally in working order, is on loan to the Bass Museum, Burton-on-Trent, although it may one day return to Chasewater.
Another item of nostalgia was a wonderful film of our trains at the far end of the line across the causeway and round near the old workshops. This provoked much discussion, and we have now approached British Coal who own these now disused buildings with a view to acquiring them for our own use. First signs are encouraging and we may have some good news to report soon.
The late lamented ‘Norton Branch’ also featured in the cine film show. This ‘NortonBranch’ ran from our current line, before the causeway (from Brownhills West) in between the bungalows and the Swag pool round to Norton East Road, and ultimately into Conduit No.3 Pit (Jerome’s). The loss of this section of the line was a sad blow, but it is interesting to note that we do still lease the track bed. Who knows? Perhaps we may one day rebuild that line.
The Carriage & Wagon department also had a lot to think about. Film of a beautifully restored Maryport, and the MSL caused quite a stir. The now derelict ‘slum’ and Midland crane also brought gasps from a few people. There was also a message for those who cared to read it. Two coaches, the LNWR TPO and the SECR ‘birdcage brake’ also appeared on the film.. Both of these fine carriages left Chasewater many years ago because it was felt that they would stand a better chance of restoration elsewhere. They are, in fact, both still derelict. So all those who want to dispose of our old coaches, take note!
Another fine vehicle was the E1, sold to Cranmore in the 1970s. This loco has had something like £40,000 spent on it and has yet to enter service on the east Somerset line. (It has steamed since that, but if it had stayed at Chasewater there was no £40,000 to spend on it!).
Other engines seen working included ‘Invicta’ and the venerable Neilson ‘Alfred Paget’. Once again our loco department is making progress, and these engines may one day receive the attention they require. – P.Aldridge
(Invicta has long since left, and poor Alfred is still waiting!) (Alfred Paget being worked on, May 2023)
Video – Wimblebury and Peckett 2000 Double Headed leaving Brownhills West.
146 – Chasewater Railway Museum Bits & Pieces – From Chasewater News Spring 1992 – Part 2
Permanent Way News
The majority of the work carried out in this department is still the extending of the line towards the causeway. Around half a dozen people are now regularly involved in the work and a dozen or so 60 foot lengths of track have been added to the existing extension.Work has been greatly speeded up by the use of the JCB which by clearing the track bed, moving rails and sleepers and depositing ballast exactly where it is needed has left the track gang free to lay track rather than spend hours, or even weeks, just shovelling. Accordingly, the lads would like to thank Ian Buswell for his superb driving of this ’52 manpower’ machine.
The JCB has also filled the breach in the causeway, and was driven across to the other side in triumph on 8th March where work then began on widening the trackbed opposite the existing brick platform so that a run round loop can eventually be installed.
Walsall Council have now agreed to provide and dump ‘road scrapings’ to widen the causeway in the very near future. It is hoped that enough of this material will be available to provide sufficient width for a footpath next to the railway.
Whilst progress on the track so far has been relatively rapid, our supply of track materials is likely to run out before the causeway is reached. If anyone knows where we could obtain rail chairs, keys, fishplates and bolts, or even rail cheaply could they please contact the PW department at Chasewater?
Carriage & Wagon News
Maryport & Carlisle six-wheel coach – This vehicle remains sheeted up, protected against the weather,
Manchester, Sheffield & Lincoln six-wheel coach – This vehicle has also remained sheeted up.
Great Eastern six wheel passenger brake – This coach has with one almighty pull rotated its wheels shedding rust from its brake blocks accumulated since its last move in 1977. The new position has made access easy, and working on cutting and fitting the missing panels, undercoating and top glossing has already been completed leaving only a small section around the door areas. The temporary two-tone blue will remain, sealing the wooden body for some time. The Great Eastern coach, once left forlornly down in the undergrowth to rot, now boasts to be the most used vehicle on our railway. It provides a hearth and meeting place at Brownhills West for early arrivals on Saturday and Sunday, warm overnight accommodation, a place to make a hot drink, and about three times a day, a debating room.
CCCC Brake Van – Referred to in magazines as a ’CRC’ Brake Van but it was in fact from Cannock Chase Colliery Co., not Cannock & Rugeley Colliery. Keith has now sealed the roof, replaced the wooden blanks with Perspex windows, re-timbered some of the verandah planking and fitted lids to the inside cabin lockers.
Midland four-wheel passenger brake – This vehicle has remained sheeted up over the winter, but inspection has revealed that even though the tarpaulin was in good condition and fitted snugly, it didn’t stop all the rain from entering the coach. Thus began the Carriage & Wagon Shed (planning permission exempt).
Over the Christmas period an experiment was carried out to make a canopy support strong enough to carry the weight of a tarpaulin and snow, and rigid enough to remain intact against our famous Chase winds. A free standing structure made of scaffolding and point rodding looked good on paper, but in reality the constant adjustment of the uprights to keep everything square was a problem. The damn thing was just walking slowly into the woods! The use of two bracing cables across the roof of the Great Eastern coach and secured down to the rail did the trick. After another two weekends work the structure was complete and awaiting tarpaulins.
A shunt round now is needed to get maximum protection from the weather for perhaps the Midland, or, with John Elsley’s consent the MS & L or Hudswell 431.
Maunsell Southern Brake van No.62861 – This van has received attention to its roof, as the flaking top skin of bitumen had exposed the Hessian backing in places allowing leakage. These have been re-sealed, and during the last rain storm the patches seemed to be weather tight.
Cadbury Van – This has now become a useful workshop with temporary mains power and lighting, and is used frequently by our brightest and best young member, Chris Hatton. (If only we had another ten like Chris our future would be certain).
Great Western Brake Vans – These vehicles are in service nearly every week on the permanent way train, the tool van kept tidy by Arthur, and the mess van kept warm by Arthur and Steve stoking up the pot-bellied stove.
16 Ton Mineral Wagon – With the help of Arthur, Steve, Jonathan Clegg and others, the coal has now been removed from the wagon and spread in the four-foot for use in our pot-bellied stoves. One of the side doors has been freed off and the wheels and under-frames painted with oil.Derby Centre Car W59444 – The bodywork of this coach is being prepared for painting prior to its entering service coupled to the Wickham trailer at the start of the season.
Wickham Trailer E56171 – It is hoped that, with the agreement of the Railway Inspector, we will be propelling our trains from the opposite end this year, in which case the Guard (or second driver) will travel in this coach. In view of this, a certain amount of refurbishment will be necessary in the driving compartment but otherwise the vehicle is in reasonable condition.
Gloucester Trailer E56301 – It is intended that this coach should remain out of service for a while until repair have been carried out.
Wickham Power car E50416 – The greatest step forward by the C & W dept recently has been the work carried out by new members Ken, Andy and Larry on this vehicle. They have assisted Dave Whittle with the bodywork, but more importantly on the technical side of replacing batteries, rewiring, test running the engines, vacuum and air equipment, as well as interior restoration. Working mid-week and Saturdays and Sundays, they forecast ‘the set’ will be available for service trains in the near future. With Chris, Ken, Larry and Andy’s help this has certainly boosted the C & W dept’s hands-on membership team.
145 – Chasewater RailwayMuseum Bits & Pieces – From Chasewater News Spring 1992 – Part 1
Editorial Nigel Canning
A lot of progress has been made over the winter months at Chasewater to the extent that it is now very difficult to keep the news sections of the magazine updated before it is printed. This is because there now seem to be a lot more people than ever before working regularly on our railway, and the effect of this is beginning to show. The track extension is proceeding at a very impressive pace, and we are on the verge of having three steam locos available for running trains, and a choice of passenger and goods rolling stock in gradually improving condition.
Anyone wishing to help in any department on the railway will be most welcome at Chasewater this summer – if in doubt, please ask for details at the booking office.
Locomotive News
No.4 Asbestos – This loco finally passed its hydraulic test in March, and is now being re-assembled ready for steam testing. A repaint is also being carried out so that the loco will re-enter service in green livery later in the year.
No.5 Sentinel – This loco has passed its annual visual boiler examination and was back in service on 11th April to work a special train for the Industrial Railway Society. Trouble was again experienced with rust from the inside of the superheater coil being drawn up through the regulator box and blocking the steam supply to the Weir pump, steam brake and blower. It is hoped that this will not become a regular occurrence otherwise our train service may suffer badly.
No.2 Lion – Progress on this loco has continued slowly, but following the recent delivery of the last of the long awaited new washout plugs the hydraulic test can now be carried out. All of the copper pipe needed to replace that stolen a number of years ago has now been acquired and will shortly be bent and fitted.
S100 – The first of six pairs of axlebox hornguides have now been re-ground to a highly accurate mirror-like finish. Work on the other five pairs is continuing.
Fowler – This loco has remained in service as our only working diesel, carrying out all shunting and works train duties.
DL7 – This loco has remained out of service with its engine partially stripped awaiting refurbishment of the cylinder heads.
No.21 Diesel – This loco has now been moved into the shed where work has continued on its restoration. One major problem appears to be the radiator matrix which has rotted through and will require replacement.
Smith Rodley Crane – This was recently used to remove the saddle tank from Asbestos but has otherwise remained idle.
The E1 – B.J.Bull
E1 0-6-0T 110 leaves Mendip Vale for Cranmore 4/6/95. – John Chalcroft
When the former LBSCR loco was sold to three members of the East Somerset Railway and left Chasewater in 1978 for pastures new at Cranmore, it was agreed that we should receive regular updates on its restoration.
Following extensive (and expensive) repairs to just about every component part, the loco first steamed at Cranmore in July 1990. This was a steam test minus tanks and a resultant fusible plug leak saw the fire dropped in order to affect repairs and try again another day. Subsequent steam tests have found out other irritating problems – leaking pipework, regulator blowing past and so on.
The latest position gleaned from a phone conversation with the East Somerset Railway’s Barry Buckfield on 31st December, 1991 is that both tanks have been fitted, as has lagging and cladding, however a troublesome fusible plug has to be replaced, and valve setting is still to be carried out. Sometime during 1992 the E1 will move under its own power for the first time in twenty nine years.
At one time it had been intended to restore the loco as British Railways 32110 in black livery which, of course, it never carried as it was sold by the Southern Railway to the Cannock and Rugeley Colliery Company in 1926. The loco, it has now been decided, will be restored to traffic in Stroudley’s improved engine green, although it will not carry the name ‘Burgundy’ associated with it during most of its LBSCR days.E1 Brian Rands1996
Once remaining work has been completed and running-in trials have taken place, the hundred and fifteen year-old will join that rare group of working centenarians in railway preservation.
Sisters, Sisters – P.Aldridge
While much of our collection at Chasewater is unique, some locomotives and carriages are similar to others preserved elsewhere. Readers may be interested to know what is happening to these vehicles, and so here is a brief résumé –S100’s sister is at the Yorkshire Dales (sorry, Embsay Steam) Railway, and has sat derelict for many years, but during 1991 work started. The loco, ‘140’, has been stripped down to its individual components, and with a large work force and plenty of money, progress is quite rapid. New tanks, bunker and cab have now been built and the horn guides are being ground to something like the proper shape. It is quite likely that ‘140’ will run again in 1994.H C 140 Embsay Charles Adams
Also at the YDR is ‘Annie’, a Peckett identical to our No.917. This loco was in a very similar condition to ours, with a rotten tank and problems with the smokebox tubeplate. Once again, this engine is likely to run in the next two years but it is difficult to see what use such a small engine would be at Embsay. Perhaps we could borrow it!‘Annie’ Peckett 0-4-0ST – Pic, Simon Gott
Our long-suffering Gloucester DMU trailer is rapidly becoming an endangered species, as the West Somerset Railway have given up with its sister and sent it for scrap. When DMUs were first preserved in the late sixties many enthusiasts complained, arguing that such vehicles were too commonplace to warrant preservation. Now enthusiasts are complaining that the lines are disposing of these coaches. (Being cynical, I expect they are the self-same people!) It certainly proves that, as the old saying goes, nostalgia ain’t what it used to be!
Gloucester DMU and Cravens DMU in early morning sun at Bishops Lydeard, West Somerset Railway, on 21 April 1987 – Photo by Stephen Edge
The Museum will be open on Sunday and Monday for the next two weekends –
April 30th and May 1st, and May 7th and 8th 2023
144 – Chasewater Railway Museum Bits & Pieces – From Chasewater News December 1991 – Part 3
General News from the Line
Bric a Brac Stall – The stall is still running and making money for the railway. Suitable items are always needed to maintain the stock, so if you can help please bring your donations to Brownhills West Station.
Station Buffet – The new buffet is still a great success, to the extent that Walsall Council would now like us to apply for planning permission for it. The CLR Company will no doubt point out that this is a temporary building which we intend to dismantle as soon as we have made a fortune out of feeding the construction workers on the new M6 Toll motorway which will be built around it at some time in the future!Advertising – This year the railway has benefited from a bit of extra advertising. The photos show the electronic scoreboard at Walsall FC’s Bescot Stadium. One of our members, Dave Bathurst, has access to the control panel of this machine and regularly manages to advertise our events on the day before they happen. Ours could well be the only preserved railway in the country to benefit in this way!!
Steve Organ has also been busy publicising the railway by being interviewed on local radio just before the October Transport Rally. With this sort of coverage, our events can only become better attended, with the resultant upturn in CLR finances.
The New Platform – Arthur Edwards
The delivery of the new platform has been on the books at Chasewater since January, but through illness and the like had to be put off until September 28th, which was a Saturday.
So there I was going towards Frank Harvey’s house at 5.30 in the morning to be at the SVR at around 7.15am. Frank picked me up at 5.40am and off we went towards Guymer’s to pick up a trailer and two drivers, Bullet and Ken.
After a cup of coffee we set off. Bullet and Ken took the two trailers which had been loaded the previous day back to the CLR, whilst Frank and I waited for the SVR crane driver to appear. We also had Frank’s son Francis and daughter Ruth with us, and while we waited, Flying Scotsman rolled in. Frank and Francis got on the footplate to have a gander while Scotsman watered up and saw City of Truro which was also there.
The SVR crane driver was a policeman on night shift, so it was only fair that he had some sleep before he came. It took some 2½ hours to load up, and in the meantime down came the rain. By the time we were loaded we were both soaked to the skin.
We finally arrived back on CLR territory at 6.55pm to the welcome sight of the mobile crane waiting for us.
I though it wise to include a credit list of those who helped us, so here goes: Paul Whittaker, his son Kane, and brother-in-law Barry, who was the instigator in us getting a Hy-Ab. Credit must also go to our own lorry driver, Frank Harvey, who borrowed the original Hy-Ab from a workmate.
Thanks must go to Guymer’s Transport, especially their manager, Mr.S.Ashton, for whose help we are most indebted.
Finally to everyone who helped, even in the pouring rain and to Dave Borthwick for a lift home.
After following the ‘New Platform Saga’ for a number of magazines, and searching for pictures of it, sadly I found that it was never erected at Chasewater. I am not sure what happened to it but one theory is that it ended up at Titley Junction.
Update from Museum with regard to the Industrial Railway Society AGM Day. No steam loco but the participants didn’t seem bothered. From the Museum viewpoint the day went well. Adrian Hall did a massive job with the tidy and clean up beforehand, just left Barry Bull to add the finishing touches. One of the Industrial Railway Society members who attended the AGM was David Kitching who had previously supplied details and photographs for some of our display of bricks. I hadn’t realised before that the photos supplied were actually of bricks in our collection photographed on a previous visit David made. Long standing member of both the Industrial Railway Society and Chasewater, Pete Stamper, accepted the loan of nameplate Rother Vale No 7 on behalf of the Museum.
A further search of the Alastair Grieve slide collection has revealed some good quality ones from when Asbestos and the 16 ton GWR brake van went to Bromford Tube Works for the benefit of photographers over a weekend in March 1994 not long before the works closed.
Fifty slides from Alastair’s collection taken during a charter with GWR 813 at Bristol Docks have been presented to Paddy Goss of the 813 Preservation Society.
Port Talbot 0-6-0ST No. 26 (GWR 813)
A welcome visiting loco to Chasewater
This locomotive is a six-coupled 0-6-0ST Saddle Tank No.813 under the Great Western Railway numbering system but was built for the Port Talbot Railway & Docks in 1901. The Port Talbot Railway & Docks Company was formed in 1894 to work the docks of the town. The Railway opened several branches especially those to the Llynfi & Garw valleys. This attracted a heavy coal traffic, which was dealt with at Duffryn Yard.
In 1901 the PTR ordered a number of small 0-6-0 saddle tank locomotives (six in all) from Hudswell Clark of Leeds & was given the works No. 555/01 & on delivery it became PTR No.26. In this guise it was put to work in Duffryn Yard & served in this capacity until 1908 when the PTR was absorbed into the GWR system. However, no changes were made to the loco at this time until the grouping which brought changes to No.26 in that it was first Westernised & given the GWR number 813.
The GWR decided later however that the older absorbed locos should be sold off out of service & No.813 fund itself on that list in 1934. It was sold to a Backworth Colliery, Northumberland where it was again renumbered as No.12 & remained there for the next 33 years. The No.12 did not stay for long though, as when the colliery was absorbed in to the National Coal Board when it was formed in 1947 it became NCB No.11
In 1950 it was fitted with a new boiler & firebox. However the original GWR boiler fittings were retained. As steam working was nearly at an end hastened by the closing of collieries, older locos were withdrawn in the late 1950’s & early 60’s with 813 lasting until the summer of 1967.
The loco was duly discovered by Mr. Paddy Goss & attempts to preserve it were ultimately successful for he was able, after a great struggle to raise funds as is ever the case in the preservation scene, to purchase the loco. The loco arrived at the Severn Valley Railway in November 1967 with sufficient finance available to pay for the removal charges. Since then much loving care & a great deal of money has been spent keeping 813 in its present condition.
143 – Chasewater Railway Museum Bits & Pieces – From Chasewater News December 1991 – Part 2
Permanent Way News
The big news is that the extension has been passed for running by the Railway Inspectorate, and on Sunday October 13th the first passenger trains officially ran over it.
On Saturday 28th September the long awaited concrete platform for Willow Vale was delivered and has been stored next to the level crossing.
From information researched by Barry Bull, it appears that this kit of parts was once ‘Burlish Halt’ which was situated between Bewdley and Stourport. Built complete with electric lighting and a pagoda, it originally cost around £430 and was opened on 31st March 1930. It is not known how long the halt lasted, but that line closed on 5th January 1970. Our problem is now to rebuild it, re-name it and re-open it, hopefully by Easter 1992.
Work on this and other projects will be greatly speeded up by the use of the JCB and the dumper truck recently acquired by two of our members. Once their initial teething troubles have been sorted out, these two machines will be of immense value to the railway.
Work has continued on track maintenance, which of course now has to include the new extension. Particular attention is being paid to the packing and alignment of the section where the new platform is to be built, as this can then be used as a datum for the construction work.
For the next phase of the extension up to the causeway, Major Olver has said that he will expect standards to be somewhat higher and that he will not tolerate the use of concrete sleepers with ‘loose’ chairs as are currently on our running line. To get round this, several hundred ⅞ BSF nuts will have to be removed from these sleepers and replaced with new ones before track laying can begin.
Even with this extra work load it should still be possible to reach the causeway by the end of 1992, or even sooner if enough people help with the monthly ‘track bashes’.
Carriage & Wagon News
This department now appears to be expanding with a lot of new members, and a C & W yard is being established. Work has commenced on clearing the site for the new carriage shed by moving S100’s boiler onto a flat wagon, which has also allowed the Great Eastern to be shunted out.
Midland four-wheel passenger brake – Work has continued on this vehicle with the repair of the roof and the cleaning and repair of the solebars and headstocks.
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincoln six-wheel coach – This vehicle has had a number of wooden panels replaced and some of the windows glazed.
Great Eastern six-wheel passenger brake – Glazing has been refitted to the guards’ duckets and part of the interior repainted.
Maryport & Carlisle six-wheel coach – This vehicle has remained sheeted over and no work has been carried out.
London & North Western bogie full brake – This vehicle, which houses the museum collection, has had its upper half sheeted over ready for re-roofing work to be carried out.
Wickham Trailer E56171 – This vehicle has continued to be used on passenger trains and remains popular with the public, even though one or two of its windows are now cracked or missing.
Wickham power car E50416 0 This vehicle has remained out of use, although it was used to house a model railway exhibition for the Transport Rally on October 13th. Work on filling and priming of the bodywork has continued.
Gloucester Trailer E56301 – This vehicle has again remained in service on the passenger train, as indeed it has done for virtually every public train on our railway since the day it was bought in the early seventies. There are rumours that it may be taken out of service next year for repairs to the bodywork.
Derby Centre Car W59444 – This vehicle has still not entered service, and is still in blue and grey livery. Some work has been carried out cleaning and repainting the bogies.CCCC Brake Van – Work has at last commenced on this vehicle with the removal of rotten woodwork in the floor.
GW Brake vans – These two vans have run coupled together to form the works train.
More on the Midland Railway Four-Wheel Passenger Brake
What started as a minor repair to the dog-box door has developed into a major restoration project. Back in the early part of 1990 the door had fallen off due to rot in the door post. This was the start of what looks like years of hard work.
Before starting it was decided that it should be returned to its original Midland condition, so research into the history of the vehicle began. What we had was clearly a four wheeled passenger brake van, heavily modified, and obviously early Midland.
Older members remember the vehicle was purchased from the Manchester Ship Canal Company during the 1960s but little other than this was known.
After a few months of fruitless digging, we contacted the Manchester Ship Canal Company. This one phone call produced more than all the previous ones put together. Within three hours of speaking to their Mr. Chambers he had returned my call advising that he had photocopied all the relevant documents and was posting them that night.MR Coach 22-3-1958
All of the information given to us by the MSCC relates to the vehicle after 26th January1953 when enquiries were being made by the MSCC as to the vehicle’s purchase. The period before this is still patchy, but some we do know.
Drawings and photographs of other vehicles tend to make us think that the vehicle was built between 1874 and 1890 at Derby to drawing D529. The number 68 is stamped on the inside of the solebar, so we may still be able to trace the original date of manufacture.
Apart from being taken into LMS stock on 21-7-1920, little is known of the vehicle’s movement except that it was part of a fire train. As M198718 the vehicle was moved to the Central Wagon Company Ltd. at Wigan on 21st March 1953. It was modified to ‘Cashier’s Coach No.2’ and entered MSCC service on 21st April 1953.
The vehicle was examined by members of the Southern Locomotive Preservation Co. Ltd. at Manchester Docks on 7th June 1966 and subsequently purchased for £40 and delivered by road.
The modifications performed by the Central Wagon Co. Ltd. for the MSCC included:
· Removal of the vacuum brake,
· Addition of extra roof-lights,
· Fitting of end doors,
· Fitting of a central partition,
· Toilet and washroom facilities added,
· Cashier’s pay-out window added,
· Re-positioning of stove and stack.
Work started during the early summer of 1990 with all roof fittings being removed. All old roof felt and canvas was carefully scraped off. The interior was stripped out and all sealed-up doors opened.
During the last eighteen months steady progress has been made, with the cashier’s window being removed and panels fitted. Damaged roof timbers are being removed and most of the panelling on one side has been renewed.
Assistance is always welcomed, so anyone wishing to help – just come along.
Thanks must be expressed to the Historic Carriage Dept at Butterley, and to the Manchester Ship Canal Company, for their help and support over the last two years.
Chasewater Railway Museum 