Chasewater Railway Museum – Recent Addition – Railway Heritage Designated Signal Box Sign

 

Chasewater Railway Museum 

recent Addition, Dec 2015

Railway Heritage Designated Signal Box Sign

The Railway Heritage Committee has the function of designating records and artefacts (or classes of record and artefact) which are historically significant and should be permanently preserved.

This enamelled sign came from Stafford No.5 signal box, and was given to the Museum by Network Rail – our thanks to the Company.

Photo:  tillyweb.biz

The sign can be seen set into the signal box.  On one end is a white patch with a red arrow, and on the other, a clear white patch to balance up the sign.

It may be of interest to Chasewater Railway members that the Station Hotel, Stafford, where the inaugural meeting of the Railway Preservation Society, fore-runner of Chasewater Railway, was held in 1959, was approximately 150 yards from the signal box!

Staffordshire News – Shugborough Yew Tree

Staffordshire News

 

Shugborough Yew Tree

Shugborough’s Great Yew (the widest tree in Europe) has been shortlisted in the final ten of England’s Tree of the Year. Voting for the winner (which will enter the European competition runs all this week until Tuesday 4^th). We’re up against some stiff competition from Newton’s Apple and the Sherwood Oak, so please, please, please lend your support by voting for our extra special tree as NUMBER ONE at www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/vote and by retweeting and sharing our posts on Facebook and Twitter www.facebook.com/shugboroughestate www.twitter.com/shugborough

The next major event at the Chasewater Railway: Charity Day

The next major event at the Chasewater Railway:

Charity Day

270 – Chasewater Railway Museum Bits & Pieces From Chasewater News – Spring 2004 Part 3 – Chasewater Heaths & 20 years on.

Museum of Cannock Chase – Mining Gallery Official Opening

Museum of Cannock Chase

Mining Gallery Official Opening

Welcoming speeches

Welcoming speeches

Welcoming speeches

Phil Harding

Up to the Gallery

Inside the Gallery

Inside the Gallery

Inside the Gallery

Inside the Gallery – be careful of this one!!

Inside the Gallery

Rugeley Power Station Band

Smart or what??!! Voting – Smart 2. Or what 48!!

Saturday 28th June 2014 saw the official opening of the new Mining Gallery at the Museum of Cannock Chase.
The proceedings started with the Rugeley Power Station Band welcoming visitors, not on the front lawn as hoped, but, as the weather forecast was for heavy showers, in the Conference Room.

From 12.30pm the official opening and welcome by invited speakers, again inside, this time in the Local History Gallery. The speakers were from Cannock Chase District Council, the Lottery Heritage Fund and the Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust. Thanks were given to the various bodies for having the confidence to invest in the Museum and to the Museum staff for their work within the new gallery.

Then came the ribbon cutting, by Mr. Phil Harding (from the Time Team TV programme) and a chance for guests to see the new gallery.

The Tower Players gave performances in the Lamp Room at 1.30pm and 2.30pm.

The whole event was very well organised and also very well attended.

Lichfield News – Lichfield turning yellow for Stephen Sutton vigil

Lichfield News

Lichfield turning yellow for Stephen Sutton vigil

Published on Wednesday, 28th May 2014
Lichfield is expected to be a sea of yellow as the vigil for Stephen Sutton is held this Thursday and Friday. Local shops and homes in Lichfield are responding to an appeal to ‘paint the town yellow’. Stephen’s home town, Burntwood, is already covered in yellow ribbons in his memory.
Jane Sutton said: “The continued love and support for Stephen is wonderful and a great comfort. I want people to have the chance to come and pay their respects to Stephen. It is important that the vigil at Lichfield Cathedral has an opening and a public farewell. So I invite people especially to come and be part of these two moments and remember Stephen. Stephen wanted to put the fun in funeral, so don’t feel you need to wear black. It’s a celebration of his life and achievements.”
There will be a short opening ceremony at the cathedral at 7pm on Thursday, and a public farewell ceremony at 3pm on Friday. All are welcome to attend. At 3.45pm on Friday Stephen’s coffin will exit the Close and leave Lichfield for a private family funeral. The Cathedral will remain open until midnight on Thursday for people to their respects and will reopen at 7am on Friday.
If you can’t make it, remember to take a moment at 11am on Friday morning to give a Thumbs up for Stephen. This could be via the thunderclap.it #ThumbsupforStephen, or you could give the thumbs up to a stranger, have a cup of tea and a slice of cake, think a positive thought, clap, cheer, or even perform a random act a kindness. Do something that makes you and others happy in Stephen’s memory.
Hundreds of people have already signed a book of condolence for Stephen Sutton since it was opened on Monday at Lichfield Cathedral.
The Dean of Lichfield, the Very Reverend Adrian Dorber, said “The vigil will give people a chance to pay their respects to Stephen in many ways, pausing at his coffin, lighting a candle, signing a book of condolence, laying flowers. Stephen touched millions of people with his joy and generosity.”
At 6pm on Thursday, Stephen’s coffin will leave his home in Burntwood by horse-drawn carriage, entering Lichfield by The Bowling Green, passing along The Friary, Swan Road and Bird Street before entering the Close. He will be taken into the cathedral at 7pm and laid in a place of honour.
Full information and a map for visitors are available on the Lichfield Cathedral website: http://www.lichfield-cathedral.org

Canal News – Work Party on the Trent & Mersey Canal

Canal News

Work Party on the Trent & Mersey Canal

16 May 2014
9:30 am – 3:00 pm
Join the IWA Lichfield Branch in a work party on the Trent & Mersey Canal.
Address
Wolseley Road
Rugeley
Staffordshire

Meet at the bottom of the steps by the aqueduct, accessed along the footpath between Albany Drive and the pumping station, off Wolseley Road, Rugeley.
Starting at 9.30am, the work party will continue until approx 3pm but please feel free to come along for just a couple of hours if that’s all the time you have. If turning up just for the afternoon please arrive at about 1 pm and notify the organisers in advance.
refreshments available for all – lunch provided for those staying all day.
Heavy duty footwear, tatty clothing and a smile are all you need to bring!
Further information from Margaret Beardsmore on 07581 794111 or email margaret.beardsmore@waterways.org.uk

CANNOCK CHASE MINING HISTORICAL SOCIETY – Talk and Hawkins Book

CANNOCK CHASE MINING HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Founded 2002

HQ: 27 Melbourne Rd, Heath Hayes, Cannock, Staffs. WS12 2SH

Dear Member

The next members meeting with speaker will be held on Wednesday May 21st at the Museum of Cannock Chase, Valley Rd, Hednesford, Staffs. WS12 1TD.

We start at 3.00pm prompt and the speaker will be DAVID MOORE who will speak on ‘South Staffs Water’

Please make every effort to attend as numbers were low at the last event the Panama Canal talk

Bring a friend or partner its free with no obligations

BREAKING NEWS

Hot from the printers the “Hawkins Colliery” book is now available for purchase it costs £10.00/copy + P&P and they are available from the address above.

The book will also be available from the Chasewater Railway Museum

This IS the final book in the series and the society would like to thank everyone who has helped with or supported this monumental task

Thank You Very Much

Best Regards

Alan Dean (Chairman)

Webpages: http://www.ccmhs.co.uk

Email: enquiries@ccmhs.co.uk

Hednesford News – The Dedication of the third phase of the miners’ memorial

Hednesford News

Hope the weather’s better than today!

The Dedication of the third phase of the miners’ memorial in Hednesford takes place this Saturday, 26th April, at 2.00pm. The Service will be led by the Rt. Rev. Nigel McCulloch, KCVO.

A further 913 named bricks, remembering those who worked in the Cannock Chase coalfields, have been laid around the grass areas by the clock tower in the town centre and adjacent to the iconic Davy Lamp.

All those who have bought a brick have been invited to Saturday’s dedication, which is open to the general public. It is hoped that hundreds will turn up.

Rugeley Power Station Band will perform, while Cannock Chase Orpheus Male Choir will sing, among other things, the miners’ hymn ‘Take me Home’. Local man, lay preacher and past miner Jim Bullock will be taking part, as will Deputy Lieutenant of Staffordshire, Mr. Anthony Winterton.

Market Street will be closed to traffic from noon. Members of the Chase Arts in Public Spaces (Chaps) committee and Hednesford Lions Club will be acting as stewards and handing out Order of Service sheets, which families will be able to keep as a memento.

After the service, copies of the book ‘A Lasting Tribute’ will be on sale at £5.00 per copy, with inserts containing the names of all included in this latest phase. These will be sold from the large room at the rear of the Light Works arcade. Refreshments will also be available within the Light Works.

Hednesford Park News – Easter Treasure Hunt Tuesday 22nd April 2014

Hednesford Park News

Easter Treasure Hunt Tuesday 22nd April 2014

Please accept our SINCERE apologies for not updating the Easter Treasure Hunt Details for over the Easter Holidays.
Our bunnies and chicks are all bouncing about in anticipation for next weeks Easter Treasure Hunt.
TUESDAY 22nd at 11am – 1pm, which gives everyone chance to get round. Easter activities in the pavilion. See the bunny at the gates pictured for your treasure map and clues.