Coal Train Day Sunday 23rd June

Locomotives planned to be appearing are listed below, passenger trains will run to the usual timetable with coal train operating in between.

Robert Stevenson Hawthorn 0-6-0t No.7684 “Nechells No.4″

Andrew Barclay 1223 0-4-0st “Colin McAndrew”

North British D2911 0-4-0dh Diesel

 Plus a shunter will be in use at BHW (likely to be Hunslet 6678)

An intensive service with Passenge and Coal demonstration trainsl as well as the Narrow Gauge, Accredited Museum, Model Railway,Gift shop and Tea Room (Sunday Carvery available £4.95).

 All services & loco’s subject to availability,

price for gala tickets Adult £5.95 Child £2.95 (Valid for travel all day) no concessions or HRA passes on event days.

 info@chasewaterrailway.co.uk

 Volunteer opportunities in all departments please enquire to email address above if interested.

  We look forward to welcoming you to Chasewater Railway soon!

      Chasewater Light Railway & Museum Company (limited by guarantee) :: Registered in England No 2060988 :: Registered Charity No 518516

Chasewater Railway, Chasewater Country Park, Pool Road, Nr. Brownhills, Staffs, WS8 7NL :: Telephone 01543 452 623

Forthcoming Event – Canal Festival

Sunday 23rd June 2013 (10.00am – 4.00pm)

Event: BROWNHILLS CANAL FESTIVAL

Location: Silver Street, Brownhills WS8 6DZ

Stalls, tombolas, children’s entertainment and boat trips.

8-6-2013

A wonderful, warm Saturday afternoon saw the unveiling of the tribute to the miners of Burntwood , the culmination of years of hard work by Ron Bradbury and his team of supporters.

Sculpture by Peter Walker A.R.B.S

It was great to see so many people on Sankey’s Corner to witness this event – and see this amazing, unique piece of work by Mr. Walker.  Many people made a contribution towards and thanks were given to all in the speeches by the local dignitaries.  Many names of individuals and organisations are recorded in the book published by SCAMP and on the plinth.

Including the local Chasewater Railway and Museum

Well played, too, to the Rugeley Power Station Brass Band,and to those who put on the buffet in the Library.

Finally, a photo of a justifiably-proud Ron Bradbury.

Very well done, Ron.

241 – Chasewater Railway Museum Bits & Pieces From Chasewater News – Summer& Autumn 2001 Editorial

Steam Locomotives of a More Leisurely Era

1907 – Marsh 4-4-2T

London, Brighton & SouthCoast Railway

No. 22 as originally built

In 1907 D. Earle Marsh built the first of a very fine series of express tank engines for the Brighton main line.  The importance of this design lay in the fact that they were practically the first main line locomotives in the country to be fitted with high degree superheaters.

The first of the new engines, No. 21, was built as a saturated engine, the superheater being added later, but Nos. 22-6, which appeared in 1908-9, came out with Schmidt superheaters.  For comparative purposes the next six, Nos. 27-30, 75 and 76 were also non-superheated to begin with, but the apparatus was fitted to the rest of the class, Nos.77-91, built between 1910 and 1913, when new.

An important series of trials took place in 1908, which had considerable influence on the subsequent locomotive practice in this country.  The experiment consisted of working the ‘Sunny South Express’, which was a through train between Brighton and the North, throughout between the former place and Rugby alternately by a North Western ‘Precursor’ and one of the Brighton tanks, instead of changing engines at Willesden.  Each locomotive stayed overnight at the other Company’s shed, returning the next day.  LBSCR engines used were Nos. 23 and 26, and the LNWR locomotive was No.7 ‘Titan’.  The results of the tests, which lasted a month, showed a considerable economy in both coal and water consumption for the Brighton, which, notwithstanding its being a tank engine, with a coal capacity of only three tons, it was found could make the full round trip of 264 miles between Brighton and Rugby without refuelling.  Moreover, the LBSCR engine could run the ninety miles between Croydon and Rugby without taking water, which ‘Titan’ had to do at Willesden.  The load was about 250 tons.  The results of these tests were conclusive enough to influence locomotive design on all other major Companies, and after a year or two, superheating not only became standard equipment as a matter of course for new express engines, but also became to be applied widely to older existing types.  It has never become practice to apply it universally to smaller shunting engines, where its benefits are comparatively negligible.

The Brighton tanks, known as Class I 3, performed fine work on the main line for many years, taking their turn on the ‘Southern Belle’ and other fast expresses to Brighton, Eastbourne and Portsmouth, until displaced by electrification, after which they were relegated to less spectacular duties.  Many of them finished up at Tunbridge Wells, working stopping trains on the Oxted line.  They became SR Nos. 2012-30 and 2075-91 at the grouping, and all except No. 2024 lasted until Nationalisation days, in most cases to have 30000 added to their numbers.  The last to remain in service was No. 32091, withdrawn in 1952.

No.21 – Driving wheels – 6’ 9”,  Cylinders – 19”x 26”,  Pressure – 180 lb.,  Tractive effort – 17730,  Weight – 75½ tons

Nos. 22-30, 75-81 – Driving wheels – 6’ 7½”,  Cylinders – 20”x 26”,  Pressure – 180 lb.,  Tractive effort – 20015,  Weight – 76 tons

Nos. 82-91 – Driving wheels – 6’ 7½”,  Cylinders – 21”x 26”,  Pressure – 180 lb.,  Tractive effort – 22065,  Weight – 76 tons

Sheringham (North Norfolk Railway) railway station

Photo by Val Daft

The North Norfolk Railway offers a 10.5 mile round trip by steam train (vintage diesel trains on some journeys) through a delightful area of North Norfolk designated as being of outstanding natural beauty. To the south are wooded hills and the Norfolk beauty spots of Kelling Heath and Sheringham Park. To the north, the sea. All within easy walking distance from the various stations. The flowers are a sight to see throughout the year. In spring and early summer there are primroses, bluebells and the yellow gorse. Later in the year the poppies abound and are set off by the mauve heathers. Enjoy a ride on an historic steam train – you can break your journey to look around the stations and marvel at the steam laden atmosphere from a bygone age.

But the North Norfolk Railway is much more than a train ride. There are historic stations, a museum of the railway’s history, a museum signal box and a children’s activity carriage. There are also buffets and souvenir shops.

Photo by Val Daft

  Sheringham is the name of a preserved railway station in Sheringham, Norfolk. It was once part of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway network. Since its closure as part of the Beeching Axe, it has served as the eastern terminus of the North Norfolk Railway. Since March 2010, the link to Network Rail was reinstated.

History

The station was first opened in 16 June 1887 by the Eastern and Midlands Railway as part of the Cromer Branch linking the Norfolk Coast to the junction at Melton Constable railway station. In 1893 this was merged into the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Network. On 6 April 1964 in the wake of the Beeching Report, the line to Melton Constable was closed to passengers. Withdrawal of goods services from that line (as well as from Sheringham itself) followed on 28 December 1964. Sheringham station remained open for passengers until 2 January 1967, when it was closed upon the opening of a new station for passengers on the opposite side of Station Road, enabling the level crossing to be closed.

In 1970, the station was re-opened as part of the North Norfolk Railway, which runs along the old Cromer Branch route as far as Holt railway station. Another Sheringham railway station exists on the National Rail network, just across the road from the NNR station.

‘City of Truro’ at Holt, North Norfolk Railway. Taken by James@hopgrove, August 2005.

Author Original uploader was James@hopgrove at en.wikipedia

Released into the public domain (by the author).

Licensing:   This work has been released into the public domain by its author, James@hopgrove at the wikipedia project. This applies worldwide.

In case this is not legally possible:  James@hopgrove grants anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.

(Sorry Godfrey – couldn’t make it that day!! – John)

 Connection to the National Rail network

Between 2007 and 2010, work was undertaken to reinstate the original level crossing across the road to allow trains from Norwich to run onto the North Norfolk Railway heritage line tracks. BBC Look East reported on 17 December 2007 that Network Rail supported the level crossing plans to allow occasional use for trains to cross between tracks. It was announced by the North Norfolk Railway on 16 December 2008, that work was going to start on the new level crossing in January 2009. These plans were later delayed until 2010 due to various problems, including: lack of funding, electricity cables needing to be moved, the county’s highways department concerns with the implications of road closure to create the crossing.

British Rail class 37 (No:37423) was the second train to cross the new re-instated level crossing that links the North Norfolk Railway with the rail network.

I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following license:  This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

Work began on 8 January 2010, with the moving of the NNR headshunt to slew into line with the Network Rail section. The link was reinstated on 11 March 2010, when the first passenger carrying train over the new crossing was steam locomotive ‘Oliver Cromwell’ hauling a train from London Liverpool Street.Occasional uses by charter trains and visiting rolling stock are anticipated to not exceed 12 times a year.

Preserved British Railways Standard Class 7MT lcomotive number 70013 Oliver Cromwell approaching Weybourne on the North Norfolk Railway on 11 March 2010 to celebrate re-connection of the NNR to the national railway network.

Date 11 March 2010  Author Andy F  Licensing:

I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following license:  This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

Video from tordy64

http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/

240 – Chasewater Railway Museum Bits & Pieces From Chasewater News – Spring 2001

Part 5 Loco Shed News.

Taunton – Barnstaple Line

Barnstaple (Victoria Road) Station

View eastward, towards Taunton, from buffer-stops of disused terminus of former GWR line from Taunton, which also connected with the SR line at Barnstaple Junction until the line was closed entirely on 3/10/66. Meanwhile this station had been closed to passengers on 13/6/60 but to Goods (from Barnstaple Junction) not until 5/3/70.  © Copyright Ben Brooksbank and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

The beginning of October 1966 marked the closure of the Taunton – Barnstaple route which diverged at Norton Fitzwarren Junction. Over 45 years have passed since communities such as Wiveliscombe, Dulverton, Milverton and South Molten have been cut off from the mainline network. The line was built to Brunel’s broad gauge by the Devon and Somerset Railway and was opened through to Wiveliscombe on the 1st of November 1871. Heavy engineering further west slowed the progress of construction to Barnstaple delaying the completion of the route until June 1873.The line was later converted to standard gauge between 15th & 17th May 1881 and then, twenty years later, the Devon and Somerset Railway was bought by the Great Western Railway in whose ownership the line remained until nationalization in 1948.

A South Molton – Taunton freight crossing the River Exe near Dulverton on August 28^th, 1961.  (M.J.Fox

The Taunton to Barnstaple line must rank as one of the prettiest in the West Country. It runs through picturesque, thickly wooded scenery, and there are many impressive sights on the line. The most memorable being Filleigh Viaduct from which a magnificent view is obtained. The Taunton-Wiveliscombe section of the line was opened in 1871 and the Barnstaple section 2 years later. The reason for the closure is that, despite the change over 3 years ago, from the old steam engines to the modern diesels, the line has steadily lost passengers.

The 8.12am Barnstaple – Taunton wanders away from Wiveliscombe.  (M.J.Fox

TC Wolverhampton – Ilfracombe; 6363 leaving Dulverton on August 22, 1964.  (M.J.Fox

7333 climbs into the loop at Venn Cross with a Taunton – Barnstaple Junction freight in August, 1961.  (M.J.Fox

Barnstaple Town Station

View SE, towards Barnstaple Junction and Exeter; ex-London & South Western Exeter – Barnstaple Junction – Ilfracombe line, closed beyond Barnstaple Junction 5/10/70. Ex–Great Western trains via Taunton also ran to Ilfracombe until the line from Taunton was closed from 3/10/66, running to Barnstaple (Victoria Road) (SeeSS5632 : Barnstaple (Victoria Road) Station), joining the SR just south of Barnstaple Junction. In the foreground is the site of the terminus of the abandoned Lynton & Barnstaple narrow-gauge railway, closed 29/9/35.  © Copyright Ben Brooksbank and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

From Chasewater News – Spring 2001 – Part 4

General Manager’s  News.

Additions to our coal mining memorabilia

As you are no doubt aware, without the coal industry there would be no Chasewater Railway, as the original line was built  for transporting coal, although passenger services were introduced from Brownhills to Aldridge via Walsall Wood.  We are always glad to receive artefacts from the mining industry to display in the Museum.

The latest of such items to come our way are an invitation to the opening of the Pithead Baths at Wyrley No. 3 Colliery, Great Wyrley, on August 14th, 1954, and The Bather’s Handbook.

These items came to the Museum from a former employee of the Colliery, his first job after National Service with the RAF.