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
Arriving home – but not under its own horse-power…..Donated by Earl Lanesborough, Swithland Hall, Leicestershire in the 1960s, going first to Hednesford and then Chasewater.
Its most recent use at Swithland having was as a residence for a few laying hens.
Placed on long-term loan to Shugborough Museum in the 1970s as they could provide covered accommodation. The loan was renewed in 1995.
Returned in very good condition to Chasewater Railway September 1st 2014.
When in for repairs it was normal practice for the LMS to remove old company (in this case, Midland Railway) plates and replace them with LMS ones. The LMS didn’t exist until 1923.
Horse-Drawn Parcels Van
Still in LMS livery and painted in the company’s crimson lake colours, horse-drawn van No.4990 is outside Craddock’s shoe factory, 18 September 1952. Wolverhampton’s railways thrived on the sheer quantity of goods traffic emanating from the town and nearby Black Country. As ‘common carriers’ however, they were obliged to carry anything from heavy plant to small parcels, the latter requiring delivery from the goods yard to the customer, usually by lorry, or as in this case, by horse-drawn van.
The van not looking too happy at the Hednesford Depot
Posted in Museum Exhibits, News
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Delivery Vehicles, Great Wyrley, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Midland Railway horse-drawn parcels van, Norton Canes, Old Railway Lines, Pelsall, Shugborough Museum, Staffordshire, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton
The previous post stated that this vehicle was at Derby on a long term loan, giving the impression that it still belonged to Chasewater Railway – this is not the case – this post explains subsequent events.
This unique example of Midland Railway Regal coachbuilding has been purchased by the RPS (West Midlands District) from British Railways at a cost of £300. This was only possible with a loan of £240 from a generous member.
The loan is being paid back at the rate of £10 per month to this fine member, who wished to remain anonymous. His name was released at the AGM but to save further embarrassment, we will not mention it in these columns, but let it be ‘broadcast’ by word of mouth.
Inside the Royal Saloon
The final item on the agenda was the consideration of an offer from the Midland Railway Trust based at Butterley for the purchase of our ex Midland Railway Royal Saloon Coach. The history of the coach was briefly outlined. The coach was on loan to Derby Corporation for a further 17 years and they had a 25 year option open to them after that.
The Trust have spent a considerable amount of money upon the coach so far and wish to finish the job properly but don’t feel able to unless the coach is their property. They reckon they will have spent well in excess of £10,000 on the coach by the time it is complete. Inside the Royal Saloon
As the Chasewater Light Railway Society was in a difficult position – in effect our hands were tied – it was decided to let the coach go. It was unlikely to come to Chasewater in the majority of our members’ lifetimes and, as in the case of the ‘E1’, if it had not been for the Railway Preservation Society then it would have gone to the scrap heap years ago, so at least some satisfaction could be derived from that. The coach is to be exchanged for the following:-
1. £600 in cash
2. Equipment surplus to the Midland Railway Trust’s needs, such as crossing gates, signals, ancillary equipment, etc., but in demand at Chasewater – to the value of £1,000 plus
3. The ex Walsall Gas Works Sentinel Locomotive (S9632/1957) plus spares, which will be in working order when it arrives at Chasewater, hopefully before Easter.
Sentinel 1989
Posted in From the Archive
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock Chase, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Midland Royal Saloon, Norton Canes, Old Railway Lines, Pelsall, Sentinel, Staffordshire, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton
Books, bricks, pay tokens, even a chunk of tram rail – all sorts coming into the museum.
A quick explanation of these items: the first book is the TPO one mentioned on the chasewaterstuff blog, the next Volume 2 of a Century of (local) Railways – a bit of luck, we already have Volume 1.
Next, one of 3 black and white photos of Asbestos, taken by Robin Stewart Smith in 1993, then a decorative brick – made in Birmingham ( we prefer colliery-made bricks but don’t turn many away!). Then a British Transport Commission blue enamelled sign and a Hem Heath lamp token, followed by Littleton Colliery Sidings signal box diagram. A couple of Midland Railway books next – 1 the MR on postcards and 2 an Illustrated History of Midland Wagons. A token from the Salop Miners’ Federation (1919) is next followed by another book – ‘The Signal Box’ by the Signalling Study Group, and finally for this time, a length of tram rail, given to us by Frank Jennings, a long-time friend of the railway. We don’t know where it’s from at the moment!
Posted in Museum & Artefacts
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Books, Brownhills, Burntwood, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Norton Canes, Old Railway Lines, Pelsall, Photos, Staffordshire, Steam Trains, Tram Rail, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton
Our curator has unearthed two maps of local lines, the Norton Branch and the LNWR Five Ways Branch
6″ scale map in card cover, dated 1903, shows (and entitled) Norton Branch, does, however, also show part of the MR Walsall Wood Extension and Chasewater
Two chains to the inch scale plan of the LNWR Five Ways Branch, 1897. Shows the entire branch in good detail
The first is a rubber stamp – marked ‘Brownhills LMR 7’ – and it’s not very often that we see something quite so local!
This was given to the Museum by Colin Marklew of Brownhills and came from the Brownhills Station goods yard off the Pelsall Road. Many thanks Colin.
Photo taken from Brownhills bridge looking towards Pelsall
The next item is a cast iron sign ‘Private’ given to the Museum by David Townsend from Wednesfield, who has helped us in the past – thanks again David.
This was found in the burned out remains of Essington Wood sjgnal box.
Finally – a reminder of the latest book from the Cannock Chase Mining Historical Society – ‘Cannock Old Coppice Colliery’ (Hawkins Colliery 1875 – 1960)
Now on sale in the Museum – Price £10.00
Posted in Museum Exhibits, News
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Cheslyn Hay, Great Wyrley, Hazel Slade, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Lichfield, Norton Canes, Pelsall, Staffordshire, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton
The latest addition to be installed on the platform at Brownhills West Station is a bench in memory of Roger Shenton.
Roger worked as a volunteer at Chasewater until his sudden death in December 2012. This bench stands as a tribute to the many hours he gave to the Railway over the years.
Rest in peace Roger and Thank you.
Posted in News
Tagged Aldridge, Bench, Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Chasewater Railway, Chasewater Railway Museum, Lichfield, Norton Canes, Pelsall, Photographer, Roger Shenton, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton
Today, March 6th 2014, The Chasewater Railway Museum received a visit from members of the Industrial Railway Society. The principal reason for this visit was for the IRS to receive, on loan, a nameplate from the locomotive ‘Rothervale No.0’ from Mr. Bernard Mettam, and in turn, and with Mr. Mettam’s approval, place it on loan with the Chasewater Railway Museum.
The above pic was taken on arrival, the one below was taken on 16-6-2015, after a little(!) attention from Pete Stamper.
‘Many industrial locomotives are names or numbered for identification purposes, or sentimental reasons. For various reasons very few were given the number ’0’. Perhaps the most famous in this category was locomotive ‘Rothervale No.0’ whose nameplate is displayed here. The locomotive was cut up in October 1959, but fortunately both nameplates were rescued by Mr. Bernard Mottram.
The locomotive, an 0-6-0 inside cylindered saddle tank, was built in 1879 by Beyer Peacock (works number 1830) in Manchester and became No.1 on the East & West Junction Railway, which later (1909) became part of the Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway. In April 1890 the loco was sold to the Rothervale Collieries Ltd. and carried its new name ‘Rothervale No.1’ on a pair of cast brass nameplates attached, one on each side, to the saddle tank. The loco was employed at Treeton Colliery located in the River Rother Valley just to the east of Sheffield.
Further locos were acquired by the colliery and named in a similar manner, i.e. ‘Rothervale No.’ followed by a single digit up to ‘9’, in the order of arrival. In 1929 a new outside cylinder 0-6-0 saddle tank adorned with the cast nameplates ‘Rothervale No.1’ was delivered from the Yorkshire Engine Co. It is possible that a mistake was made and it should have been ‘No.10’, (following No.9). Confusion could now arise because there were two ‘No.1s’ at Treeton. One of them had to be renumbered and there was space for a single digit only on the nameplate. The decision was taken to renumber the Beyer Peacock to ‘No.0’, possibly because it was an earlier build than the Yorkshire. The ‘1’ was chiselled or ground off the nameplate and replaced by a brass ‘0’ digit screwed on in the space created. Brass ‘0’digits, slightly smaller then those on the nameplate were also attached to cab side sheets.
The photograph was taken on 12th March 1955 at Treeton Colliery by Mr. Bernard Mettam, to whom the Chasewater Railway Museum is indebted, by way of the Industrial Railway Society, for the loan of this most unusual nameplate.
Thanks are due to Mr. Adrian Booth for some of the above information.’
After the presentation of the nameplate by Bernard Mettam to Ian Bendall of the IRS, ( with the Railway’s Mr Bull waiting patiently!) the group adjourned to the Sidings Tea Room to enjoy one of Craig Wilkinson’s excellent Carvery Lunches.
The Industrial Railway Society also extended the existing loan agreement for the Eric Tonks Collection for a further two years.
The Chasewater Railway Museum is most grateful and proud to house all of these items.
Posted in Museum Exhibits
Tagged Aldridge, Beyer Peacock (works number 1830), Bloxwich, Brownhills, Burntwood, Cannock, Chasewater Railway Museum, Cheslyn Hay, Eric Tonks Collection, Great Wyrley, Heath Hayes, Hednesford, Industrial Railway Society, Lichfield, Norton Canes, Pelsall, Rothervale No.0 Nameplate, Sidings Tea Room, Staffordshire, Steam Trains, Treeton Colliery, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Wolverhampton
Chasewater Railway Museum 