Tag Archives: NSR

Chasewater Railway Museum 1966 Mar-April Vol.5 No.2 Bits & Pieces 34

Posted on December 9, 2019 by John D | Leave a comment

Chasewater Railway Museum 1966 Mar-April Vol.5 No.2 Bits & Pieces 34

Taken from the Officers’ Reports Mercian Mar-April 1966 Vol. 5 No.2

An early booking office

The Editorial started with an apology for the slightly poor printing in parts of the previous issue, and thanks to the members who responded to the call for more articles – still more needed!

The Editorial continued:

A certain cross-section of the Society are seething about the ex-NSR Battery loco which has been restored and which will be displayed in the Staffs County Council Museum at Shugborough Hall.

The Society wrote to British Rail more than three years ago to ascertain when this loco would be taken out of traffic. A reply from the Company stated that our interest had been noted and that when withdrawn the Midland Area (RPS) would have a chance of purchasing the loco although no price was given at the time.

It would now appear that there has been some internal skulduggery in the Stoke Offices of British Rail and the Society has been completely passed over without so much as a letter informing them of the new plans for the loco. It seems a pity that when British Rail change their Area Managers they also change their minds about genuine requests for the earmarking of relics. One hopes that this practise will not spread, otherwise preservation societies will not know where they are when earmarking future items for which they have the ready money. (I must find out what happened to this loco! Now in National Railway Museum).

How many of you caught the picture of our few stalwarts working at Chasewater which appeared in the ‘Express & Star’ on February 7^th??? I hope it conveyed to those who saw it that we have a crying need for more hands on the site. We have just over a month to complete relaying up to the point where the building will stand. We are fortunate in having some useful pieces of equipment to help us speed up the work but most of all we need a few – no, a hell of a lot more – hands to use it. There are now Saturday and Sunday afternoon working parties, can you make one of them at least three times per month???Not the pic from the paper but you must get the point!

Laurence Hodgkinson Collection.

To explain the next paragraph for those of tender years!

Barbara Castle.

As Minister of Transport (23 December 1965–6 April 1968), she presided over the closure of approximately 2050 miles of railways as she enacted her part of the Beeching Cuts – a betrayal of pre-election commitments by the Labour party to halt the proposals. Nevertheless, she refused closure of several lines, one example being the Looe Valley Line in Cornwall, and introduced the first Government subsidies for socially necessary but unprofitable railways in the Transport Act 1968.

Sandplace Halt

A request stop on the Looe Valley Railway Line.

© Copyright Tony Atkin and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

It had to come – a woman in charge of the nations transport. Already the winds of change are blowing through Transport House and many rumours have flooded the railway press concerning the fate of the present restored transport relics and more particularly those awaiting restoration. It has been announced that the smaller relics section at York is due to be closed and it would seem that if this goes through it will act as the thin end of the wedge for Clapham itself.

Privately preserved relics are reasonably assured of safety but what of those still within the control of British Rail? We have been told that two locos which have already been scheduled are now off the list, what others will follow? The ARPS must unite now, to stop any acts of vandalism being carried out on these treasures of our transport heritage. A small voice will be no good in the wilderness of Transport House, there must be a noise like the trumpets at Jericho!

Will it come too late??!!

One appreciates the difficulties involved but a concerted effort by all enthusiasts irrespective of society or railway bias, must come now.

I am sure that the ARPS will be to the forefront when the time arrives for a showdown with the lady who has a finger on the button which could destroy for ever the tangible reminders of our transport history.

More from the pleading treasurer!

In response to my appeal one or two members have donated something towards the removal costs of the two Peckett 0-4-0STs and I am very grateful indeed. A lot more would be welcome, also donations towards the cost of the Stroudley E1, on which we still owe the NCB £100.

From the Chasewater Secretary

Thanks to my pointed appeal for guarantors I am pleased to say that the response has been overwhelming, and we have the requisite number. My thanks to all those who made such generous offers – it brings us one step nearer to our ambitions.

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Posted in Chasewater Railway Museum, Chasewater Railway Museum Bits and Pieces

Tagged Barbara Castle, Battery Loco, Chasewater, Chasewater Railway Museum, Looe Valley Line, NRM, NSR, Railway, Railway Preservation Society, Staffordshire, Steam

Chasewater Railway Museum 1966 Jan-Feb Bits & Pieces 33

Posted on November 29, 2019 by John D | Leave a comment

Taken from the Officers’ Reports, Mercian Jan-Feb 1966, Vol.5 No.1

The Editorial was largely taken up by explaining who was doing what. Malcolm Willis was to be the Membership Secretary and A.A.Chatfield was to take over as Editor.

The present content will remain as in my predecessor’s time but I shall be introducing new ideas as I go along.

The most difficult thing will be to find ‘copy’ and you can all help by sending in articles, comment, criticisms – constructive or destructive – and anything else of both preservation and general railway interest.

I want to make Mercian really interesting from all angles – a start has been made by ‘Tre Pol and Pen’ and ‘Casey Jones’ (articles to come about branch lines and loco classes) – but there are other avenues of preservation still untapped such as railway architecture, carriages and wagons and signalling. Who will start the ball rolling?????

Hon. Treasurer’s Report – F.J.Harvey

I am pleased (you don’t see a Treasurer’s report start with those words very often!!) to be able to make my first report for 1966 quite a good one. If the Society can maintain the good start to the New Year our position will be more healthy than it has been for some time.

The Society aims to complete payments on the Stroudley E1 this year – £115 is still owing. Anyone who is interested in this locomotive is invited to send in a donation to this as payments are being maintained from the general funds at present. Whilst talking about donations I would like to sincerely thank Mr. J. Strong and Mr. G. Wildish for their donations towards the removal of the Peckett 0-4-0STs. More contributions are requested to this fund also.

Hon. Social Organiser – A.L.Holden

A brief report about the Annual Dinner and Whist Drive – both successful, with two junior members – Andrew Horton and William Ives – selling a huge number of Whist Drive tickets.

The Hon. Treas. and Hon. Soc. are promoting a weekly Tote amongst members and friends to raise money for the Society. I believe that this Tote proved to be successful and continued for a number of years. (I’ll let you know if it didn’t!)

Hon. Chasewater Secretary – E. W. Barlow

Museum Building. Without beating about the bush it will be as well if all members know that the loan repayments for the building will be approximately £245 per annum. We urgently need members over 21 years of age to act as guarantors. Will any such members please write to me in strict confidence NOW. If 20 members are prepared to guarantee £20 each we shall be there.

Hon. Curator – N. HadlowMSL Coach at Easingwold

MS & LR Coach. This vehicle, the first relic ever to be purchased by the RPS will soon be on its way to a temporary home at the HQ of the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. (Lovely railway, lovely people!) To move and begin initial restoration will cost £140. The Vintage Carriage Trust are finding this money, but have asked us to help out with as big a donation as possible. Will all members interested in yet another appeal aimed at their pockets please send donations to our Hon. Treasurer. Amounts over £5 will be acknowledged in this magazine.MSL Coach in Chasewater Railway Heritage Centre 2010

On Sunday January 9^th we moved the ex North Staffs Railway wagon which we purchased from the Shelton Iron & Steel Co., Etruria, to Chasewater. In spite of a biting cold wind the operation went off reasonably smoothly. (I would have been surprised if there hadn’t been a biting wind at Chasewater in January!). My thanks to all those who assisted, particularly Bob Wormington and our good friend Jake Bacon, who provided his low loader.

Judging by the old photographs of the Chasewater site, it must have been wide open to the elements with very few trees providing shelter from the wind. Anyone who has worked on the track in the winter months, even now, especially on the causeway, deserves the thanks and recognition of all members).

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Posted in Chasewater Railway Museum, Chasewater Railway Museum Bits and Pieces

Tagged Brownhills, Chasewater, Chasewater Railway Museum, K & WVR, Lichfield, MSLR Coach, NSR, Peckett 0-4-0ST, Railway, Railway Preservation Society, Shelton Iron & Steel Co, Staffordshire, Steam, Stroudley E1, Vintage Carriage Trust, working meccano

Chasewater Railway Museum – More from the Archives, Dec 1964, Bits & Pieces 24

Posted on September 17, 2019 by John D | Leave a comment

Chasewater Railway Museum – More from the Archives, Dec 1964 Bits & Pieces 24

Taken from the ‘Mercian’ December 1964, 3.3

The Chasewater Branch Line

By Brian Kinder.

The Chasewater line is situated round half the perimeter of the Chasewater Pool. The pool itself is now being extensively developed as one of the largest amusement areas in the Midlands, and to this end Brownhills Council is spending several thousands of pounds. When development work is completed, it is hoped that a large proportion of Birmingham and area’s population will visit the pool annually. It will therefore be appreciated, the great potential of a railway museum situated in this location, where there will be such a great concentration in the summer months, of day-trippers.

The proposed track itself was constructed in the main by the Midland Railway, and a small section by a colliery company. The line was used for mineral traffic from the collieries, however a station was built at Brownhills, at which all passenger traffic terminated.

Due to our section of the line’s sole use for mineral traffic, the track is in a poor state of repair, the poorest part being from the marshalling yard to the north. The main work therefore will be to relay the track in certain places, and clean out and in some places repipe the drainage system.

The work on the line will have to be completed by the end of 1965, if not sooner, depending on the closure of the connecting line by British Railways. Therefore we will need everyone’s help to get the work done.

We will not be able to manage with the present sized work party of 14 or so members, as it takes these fellows every Sunday to keep the stock at the depot in order. We are not asking you to attend every week, but if you could attend monthly or bi-monthly periods, it would help to clear up the situation tremendously.

The line is only one mile from Brownhills Station (BR – LMR) (Still a few months before closure!) and if you could see it, you would see its great potential if a success was made of it. Success however can only be achieved with 100% help from YOU!!

Action in North StaffordshireNorth Staffordshire Railway – 1845/1923

NSR Signals

The National Coal Board has donated four NSR lower quadrant signals to the RPS. They are in good condition, with only one exception, when on being removed from the site at the Pinnox Crossings (South of Tunstall Station in the Potteries), Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, left its base firmly implanted in the muddy ground.

The largest of the four has been erected at the depot at Hednesford – an excellent view of the surroundings being commanded from the top. We hope to plant the other three on the Chasewater Branch.

NSR Rolling Stock

On a recent survey of the internal railway of Shelton Iron & Steel Ltd., several wagons and three box-vans of the North Staffordshire Railway were found.

After talks with the company, we agreed on the following:

The company will save an NSR wagon until March or April 1965, when it will be purchased and collected by the Society.
The company will inform us of the date of withdrawal of the box-vans, giving the RPS a chance to purchase one of them.

It is probable that early this year we may be able to have a tour of their railway, which should prove far more interesting than it appears at first sight. There are 36 miles of internal railway and there are still several steam locomotives operating. The most interesting is perhaps an 0-4-0, which has a crane mounted over the boiler. (Now at Foxfield Railway, by Dubs & Co Dubsy to his friends!)

North Staffs Area Meetings

It is hoped that in the new year, meetings of the members who live in or near North Staffordshire will commence at bi-monthy intervals. Interesting lectures are planned as well as slides and cinematograph shows concerning railway preservation. Will any members who wish to attend please send a postcard to the Hon. Editor, who will send full details when they become available (emails make life so much easier nowadays!)

The meeting place is at present being arranged, and we need a good turn-out to make them worth while. A small fee for admission may be charged, and any non-members will be very welcome. If you live within reasonable travelling distance of the Potteries, do try to attend. I assure you that you will not regret it!

Then followed reports on various social events, including the first Annual Dinner and Social Evening, held at the Eaton Lodge Hotel, Rugeley.

At Hednesford, members are still working on the Royal Saloon and the TPO, and, as ever, more help is needed!

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Posted in Bits and Pieces, Chasewater Railway Museum, Chasewater Railway Museum Bits and Pieces

Tagged Chasewater, Chasewater Railway Museum, North Staffordshire Railway, NSR, Old Railway Lines, Railway, Railway Preservation Society, Staffordshire, Steam

Chasewater Railway Museum – Bench refurbishment

Posted on September 29, 2015 by John D | Leave a comment

Museum Bench refurbishment

Posted on January 7, 2014 by oakparkrunner | Leave a comment | Edit

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/