110 – ChasewaterRailwayMuseum Bits & Pieces
From ‘Chasewater News’ September 1986
For once it is possible to report good news! Following the visit of Mr. Abbott of the Railway Inspectorate on 17th August we have been given permission to recommence steam hauled passenger services, subject to certain tasks being carried out, hopefully in time for Gricers Day on 12th October. A further satisfactory inspection next spring should enable a full season of trains to be operated, the first since 1982.
News from the line
Loco Dept.
No.4 Asbestos has been steamed half-a-dozen times so far this year and following trouble with a leaky blow-down valve (now successfully cured) the major problem is still the regulator which continues to insist on blowing through when closed! Further investigations will no doubt reveal the cause of the trouble during the winter months when it is hoped that the outside motion will also receive attention to cure various knocks and bangs.
N0.5 Sentinel No.59632 has also been steamed on several occasions and following each steaming various adjustments, modifications and improvements are made by its owner.
Both Nos. 4 and 5 are now fitted with vacuum brakes, a necessary modification for running passenger trains.
No.7 the Ruston diesel has received a repaint and now sports a green livery which the owner claims is similar to BR Brunswick Green. It looks very smart anyway.
No.10 S100 – continued progress is being made with getting components ready for re-wheeling the loco and as the “head of steel” gets ever nearer (it has lain isolated from the rest of the railway since 1983) it should take to the rails again before the year is out.
Carriage & Wagon Dept.
The buffet section of the Wickham sees extensive use, providing us with our main source of income. Various improvements to the plumbing have been made and both coaches have been fitted with new rainwater gutters which will enable the much needed repaint to take place in the not too distant future.
The Maryport & Carlisle Coach has seen ‘Clippie’ steadily working to get this coach into a reasonable state of repair before it gets beyond redemption. The coach is now in a uniform green undercoat and looks much more presentable.
Civil Engineering
Brownhills West Station June 1978
By the time the Task Force had completed the platform there was little over a month left to get the railway ready for receiving visitors during the Transport Extravaganza. The platform had to be surfaced with a 6” layer of black ash and coping stones had to be laid alongside the museum coach. The major work however, was to fashion a new track bed and lay track along the platform and then raise it over 9”. A vast quantity of black ash was purchased and packed under the track in order to get the track level in the platform. This work was completed in the nick of time so as to get the Wickham buffet in the platform for the Transport Extravaganza. After that weekend work concentrated on regarding the line from the platform down towards the point for Elsley’s siding (more black ash!), and No.1 point was rebuilt. Once this was completed the line was treated with weedkiller and fences were repaired and installed where necessary. Nigel Canning is in the process of constructing a set of level-crossing gates to be installed at the road access to the loco shed and also at the level-crossing to the north of the loco shed. Recent weeks have seen work proceeding on relaying No.1 road in order to remove S199 and the GER brake coach so that the Wickham buffet can be moved clear of train movements on operating days. A fair amount of cosmetic work has been carried out around the platform, most noticeably a large pond known as ‘Lake Clippie’ after its constructor which has played host to several frogs, toads, a solitary newt and a steam powered model boat!
Museum Notes
Little to report other than the acquisition of several official postcards including a particularly rare example of a folded GWR card depicting King George V published in 1928 and valued at recent auctions at up to £60 – yes £60 for one card and one which we obtained as part of a collection costing just £25.
Mike Wood has generously donated various photographs of Cannock Chase Colliery locos which will eventually be displayed, and a friend of the Society, Robert Cadman, has given us a couple of local colliery lamp checks.
Reorganisation News – Adrian Hall
The appeal in the last Newsletter for candidates for management positions in the new company generated a very poor response. There are still a couple of key positions without any likely contenders and anyone interested should get in touch with me as soon as possible.
Negotiations are still proceeding very slowly with the Charity Commissioners and in view of the need to be on a firm footing for negotiations over the motorway we have decided to incorporate a new Company as quickly as possible.
The necessary documents will probably be with the Registrar of Companies by the time you read this and it is hoped that the Certificate of Incorporation will be issued by mid-October, allowing the inaugural General Meeting to take place in late November/early December, probably concurrent with the Society AGM.
The Future
Negotiations with the Department of Transport have begun with regard to any compensation that we will get when the Northern Relief Road (M6 Toll) is built through Chasewater. It is clear that the current terminus facilities will have to be moved north to a position at least adjacent to the shed (it is likely that the shed will not have to be demolished). A planning proposal asking for outline planning permission to construct new terminal facilities is at present being drawn up, but is likely to be rejected as no development will be permitted along the line of a new road until the road is built. This could well make our position at Chasewater untenable and to this end several alternative sites are being investigated. It is hoped that the executive committee will have reached a firm preference which can be put forward at the AGM in November, along with the feasible alternatives.
431 Hudswell Group
The fund is ticking over quietly, giving the Society a monthly injection of cash. By the end of the year the fund should be approaching half-way in raising the purchase price of the locomotive. A few shares are still available.
Locomotive Stock List
In response to several requests here is a summary of locomotives on the CLR as at 1st September, 1986. A full guide/stockbook will be produced when sufficient funds are available. The next issue of Chasewater News will include a list of coaches, wagons and other rolling stock.
Chasewater Railway Museum 