Permaquip Railcar

This is a Permaquip 4-wheel diesel hydraulic railcar, 001/1985.

This vehicle was the prototype for its class.

It came to Chasewater in February 2009 from Great Central Railway (Nottingham) Ltd., Ruddington.

Rebuilt Flat Wagon

Flat Wagon

The Leek Station sign is nice, but we’re looking at the flat wagon!

Wagons of this style were used to carry coal, loaded in three boxes, from the pit to the canal, where the boxes were lifted by crane from the wagon and emptied into a narrow boat.

This wagon was completely rebuilt by two members from four wheels and buffers and any other metal parts that were found, plus a lot of timber.  The idea was to use it as a runner for the Hand Crane.  Now all that’s needed is three boxes!

Pump Trolley

Hand Pump Trolley

This trolley was purchased (after a whip –round!) from the British Rail permanent way yard in Walsall in the 1970s.  A few years later, in their 1981 session, it was renovated by students of the West Bromwich College of Commerce and Technology

Midland Railway Hand Crane

This crane was built by the Midland Railway Company at Derby in about 1880 and was used for light lifting in railway yards.  Its last known operation was at Repton & Willington goods yard in the 1960s.  It was designed for a maximum lift of about one and a half tons by single man operation.

The lift was achieved by winding the handle through gears, and the weight lowered by a clutch system.

The crane was used at Chasewater from about 1964 till 1976.  It was left in a dilapidated state in the old station area for about 20 years and brought to our present site and left in the car park.

Now it is good to see restoration completed.

Taylor & Hubbard Steam Crane

Taylor & Hubbard 10 ton capacity steam crane – No. 330274

The crane is a 6 wheel self-propelled steam crane built in Leicester by Taylor & Hubbard in 1945 for the LNER. During the course of its working life it has been assigned several identification numbers – LNER 274 – 80/015 – DE330274.

It was fitted with its current Spencer Hopwood boiler in 1951, which has a working pressure of 120psi.  The crane weighs about 50 tons in working order and has a 40 foot jib.  It was built as a permanent way crane and is to be used for the same job at Chasewater, as well as boiler and other heavy lifting duties.

The crane’s runner was built in 1927 as a Great Northern Brake Third carriage no. 22313, but was converted to its present form by BR in 1961 as DE 320882.