Chasewater Railway Museum Bits & Pieces 60 March 1973

Taken from the ‘Mercian’ of December 1970

There doesn’t appear to have been another ‘Mercian’ for some time.

The Railway Preservation Society produced a newsletter, starting in March 1973 – Here are extracts from the first one.

‘This newsletter is not intended to replace our Society journal ‘Mercian’, we (the Committee) must apologise for the non-appearance of ‘Mercian’, but this has been due to technical hitches, etc.  We shall endeavour to maintain a newsletter at least every two months, and may we all hope that ‘Mercian’ will put in an appearance before too long.’

The remainder of the newsletter covers various on-going renovation work, including the overhaul of the Neilson, in the very capable hands of the General Manager, Derek Luker, ably assisted by Keith Sargeant and Colin Thomas – repairs to the smokebox and fire box – further expense is envisaged for retubing the engine.

Restoration of the MSLR carriage was continuing, with one compartment beautifully restored, fitted with new seats and original GC pictures re-hung.  This vehicle has been completely re-roofed and original ventilators and gas lamps refurbished and fitted.  A lot of work still has to be done to complete the vehicle and more volunteers were needed.

Other work included the relaying of track to the crossing from the Hednesford Road, another 300 yards needs to be done.  Work was progressing on the new platform at the Chasewater Terminus (now under the M6 Toll!).  Work had been started on tidying up the site, ready for the 1973 running season.  The Worthington Diesel No.20 (now on loan at Coors Museum, Burton-on-Trent) was having an overhauled replacement engine fitted and should be ready by the end of March 1973.

The final piece of news was regarding  a Railway Exhibition to be held at the Forum Theatre, Cannock, on the weekend of 30^th June and 1^st July.  It will consist of Model Railway Layouts, our own ‘Railwayana’ display, plus other preservation stands, Model Engineering Society stands refreshments and bar.  As usual, more help was needed.

Compiled by D.A.Ives (Chairman)

Also taken from the ‘Mercian’ of December 1970

Chasewater Railway Museum Bits & Pieces 57

From the last magazine in the first folder.

The ‘Mercian’ is again under new management.  A publicity and ‘Mercian’ sub-committee has been formed, consisting of three members – B.J.Bull, R.Duffill and S.G.Allsopp, two of these are active members today in 2010.

Chasewater News

Work has started at long last on the erection of a station platform.  This will be 120 feet long and will be on the east side of No.1 road near the compound gates.  The retaining wall is to be of reinforced concrete for which shuttering is being constructed.  A short section should be ready for use within the next few weeks.

The removal of the concrete dam from under the bridge on the causeway has apparently resulted in the restoration of a more normal level in the main lake.  At first sight the level of the lake would appear to be of little interest to us but water has to be obtained from somewhere for the steam locos.

Mike Lewis has been erecting a fence, using the railings of possible Midland railway origin, on the east side of the running line and commencing where the platform will end.  It is hoped that sufficient components will be available for the fence to reach down to the platelayers’ cabin.  Alongside the cabin the running line is to be slewed eastwards about six feet to enable a point to be installed and the present ‘Elsley Siding’ to be made permanent.

An Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST has been acquired jointly by the Society, Barry Bull and two of his friends.  Unfortunately it will not arrive until September at the earliest.  It should be in working order when it arrives but will require a major boiler examination next January.

A B  1223-1911Greening Wireworks Warrington

Negotiations have started with BR for the purchase of a coach for passenger-carrying purposes.  A coach is essential to relieve the pressure on the 97 year old Maryport.  The South Eastern and Chatham Railway six-wheel ‘Birdcage’ Brake has been moved by its owners, the Southern Loco. Preservation Co. Ltd. to the Bluebell Railway.  As a result, along with the completion of No.3 road, all of our stock, including two platelayers’ trolleys, can be accommodated with room to spare.

Mr. D. Luker has been appointed to the post of Chasewater Foreman.  He is now responsible for the distribution of labour at Chasewater in accordance with the jobs to be carried out as instructed by Mr. Lewis.  Mr. Luker’s main interest is steam locomotives and he will start work on the ‘Neilson’ when work on ‘Asbestos’ is complete.

Chasewater Railway Bits & Pieces 51 Jan 1969 Mercian

This post pre-dates the previous one, which set out the way of thinking when this post was written.

Taken form the Mercian of January 1969

This article was written by Trevor Cousens, Hon.Sec. at the time, and looks forward, after the railway had been in operation for almost ten years, to how things may have been in another thirty years, 1998.

Reading it now in 2010 it gives a fascinating insight into what may have been expected or, at least, hoped for, some time ago.The purple mark is where Brownhills West used to be.  The red mark would have been Norton Crossing.The green mark – Norton Junction and the black mark Norton East.

Chasewater in thirty years time.

A glimpse into the future to show what might happen IF we could have more working members.

The scene, a fine May morning in the year 1998, the time 8.30am – a Saturday.  A group of members are just putting the finishing touches to the paint of a little halt known as Brownhills West.  The E1 stands glimmering in the early morning sunshine, fresh from its overhaul with a set of two corridor coaches in the maroon and gold livery of the Chasewater Light Railway Company.

In the distance there is the sound of a hydrofoil being started up in preparation for the day’s big event on the lake – the International Hydrofoil Race due to start at 10.30am.

A restored vintage train of coaches is pulled out of the museum building by diesel No.20, these coaches are for a special train in the afternoon when a visiting Society will be taken down the line; but first they have to be cleaned.  There are four six-wheeled vehicles and a four-wheeled brake van from five different pre-grouping railways, and not one under 70 years old.  Several members are concentrating their efforts on raising steam with the Hudswell Clarke of 1895 vintage, which will haul the special.  In her old livery of apple green with white lining she looks rather splendent.

Passengers are already starting to fill the waiting two coach train standing in the platform, the booking office and sales counter are already doing brisk trade.

At 9.00am, the E1 with a toot of her whistle and a wave of the flag from the guard draws out of the station on the first journey of the day to Norton Junction and Norton East.  The journey is but two miles, but this takes 25 minutes with a stop because of the Light Railway restriction of 15 mph.

The E1, with her injectors gurgling and safety valves occasionally blowing off, pulls towards ‘Entrance Crossing’ where the North Staffs crossing gates are signalled by North Staffs signals.  The signal is for us as the gates are open; a queue of cars is waiting to cross into the park.  We gather speed over the small bridge on to the loop; here we notice a small permanent was train standing, compromising of a small Peckett, a crane and some flat wagons, with a tool van in the rear.  They are waiting to follow us on to the main line to replace some rotten sleepers.

At Norton East we stop, nobody boards and nobody alights, it is a timetabled stop.  In the afternoons a shuttle service is operated from Norton Crossing to Norton Junction to connect with the main line to bring people into the park by railway, the authorities allowing this for a portion of the receipts.  The Peckett we noticed on the works train will be train engine on this push-pull service.

We pull out of Norton Junction up the 1 in 50 incline, on to the causeway, which divides Chasewater Pool.  Poplars have been planted here as a windbreak.  Over the causeway now we catch site of the small bathing chalets and notice one or two early swimmers.

Into the long cutting with its long grass and myriad of flowers and insects and we finally pass the loco shed at Norton East into the terminus.  While we are waiting for the engine to run around the coaches, we have a look around the engine shed; the Barclay is undergoing a boiler washout, so it is rather damp and messy inside.  The shed is quite a simple affair comprising one road capable of holding two saddle tanks, a pit underneath the track, a small workshop adjoining the main building, a bucket coaling stage outside and a 5,000 gallon water tank.  ‘Asbestos’, the Hawthorn Leslie stands at the back of the shed awaiting new tubes and a forlorn Peckett stands on a spur behind the shed awaiting overhaul.  Just in front of the shed are two piers built alongside the tracks with a piece of rail concreted between them for lifting boilers, etc.

The engine whistles, so we dart back to the sleeper-built platform – there is no station building here yet – and on to the train.  We start back at 10.00 am calling at Norton Junction again – the platform is triangular to serve the branch to Norton Crossing as well, the building is of prefabricated construction until a GWR type of building can be erected.

After departing from the junction we pass a small ground frame controlling the junction point and signals; we are then brought to a halt in the loop, where after five minutes, we look out of the window to see a small plume of smoke approaching; this is the permanent way train drawing into the loop to leave the line clear.  A green flag is waved, the signal drops and we once again cross the bridge and ‘Entrance Crossing’ back to Brownhills West.  The engine is uncoupled and runs up to the compound gates for water, we follow it and pass through the gates where we notice the Hudswell Clarke and the vintage train being cleaned in the siding.

We go into the museum for a look.  As most of the items are in use today, we see the LNWR compartment coach completely stripped down, the MR Royal Coach awaiting one or two finishing touches and the LNWR Travelling Post Office coach completely restored in its former livery.  These are the only vehicles at the moment in the museum, but there is room for the three six-wheelers in here also.  The walls are covered with historic photographs, plates, documents and drawings, whilst there are glass cases holding some small items such as block instruments, tablets, etc. The building is of concrete blocks with Perspex roof-lights and also with daylight balanced fluorescent lighting so that the colour of the liveries can be seen accurately.  There are not many people here, it is a bit early yet for visitors, and the staff are having a cup of tea with our engine crew in the Great Western brake van standing just outside,

Now it is lunch time, so we depart, having had a really enjoyable visit; the people are beginning to flock on to the 1.00pm train, we have done well to miss the crowds.  We hand in our ticket and make our way to our Turbocar!

Chasewater Railway Museum Bits & Pieces 50 Nov-Dec 1969 Mercian

The next three posts are sort of connected.

The first sets out the thinking behind the Railway Preservation Society,

The second takes a look into a possible future for the railway.

The third tries to give the reason why  the second didn’t happen!

From the Editorial of the November/December 1969 Mercian

Food for Thought

It has often been said that the first ten years of marriage are the most difficult and if this is any yardstick then our first ten years have been one continuous struggle.  Members may ask the question ‘Why?’ when they can see all around us other schemes, which are as little as two years old, flourishing with membership in the thousands.  Here we are in our eleventh year and what have we got to show for it?  May I try to explain a very subtle difference between our Society and other schemes which flourish around us and leave us completely in the shade?

We are a preservation Society first and foremost, we are not interested in ‘playing trains’ on some unwanted British Railways branch which can be snapped up for anything from£200 to £400,000 in order to be re-opened as a tourist attraction with weekend traffic to satisfy the ‘locals’.  Our first aim is to preserve, what we do with the items after that depends a great deal upon what they are.  Our range is therefore very extensive, running from a button to a carriage or locomotive, and to this end our record at the moment is pretty formidable.

We do not rely, as do many of our competitors, on other people loaning us locos or rolling stock with which to operate, we have paid for all our relics the hard way – THEY ARE OURS.

You might then ask ‘but if we are a preservation group only, why are we hoping to run trains at Chasewater?’  This can be answered quite simply.  We are restoring, within the confines laid down by the Local Authority, a stretch of track which formed part of the old Midland Railway branch line from Brownhills, and by restoring I mean every sleeper, chair, nut, bolt and rail completely from scratch, in other words, preserving something which is part of the local railway history.

Obviously it would be a complete waste of time if after doing this we let the track become derelict again, and so primarily for the benefit of our members and also for the enjoyment of the visiting public, we hope that we shall be able to put some of our assets to workup and down the short stretch of line which has been relaid.

We have started from scratch, from the ballast upwards, that is where our difference lies from the other preservation groups around us who are enjoying more success.

It seems that every enthusiast will interest himself in a scheme if he can be an engine driver, but when it comes down to relaying track, restoring locos and carriages or doing the other thousand and one back-breaking menial jobs that have to be done he just does not want to know.

Who is going to be the loser in the long run?  I do not think it will be our Society because we have so much in preservation experience from the bottom to the top to offer and yet still have a long way to go.

‘We have never had it as good’ if I may alter a well known saying. (For those who remember Harold MacMillan – Prime Minister 1957/1963).

Other schemes may fade away when the novelty wears off or when setbacks arise but we have had more than our fair share of setbacks over the past ten years and we have learned to take them on the chin and what is more, to come back fighting again as full of spirit as ever.

Pockets may be very deep when it comes to paying out hard cash and this may be very good for the enthusiast’s conscience, but when you ask yourself honestly – ‘am I really preserving?’ – is the answer always YES. I often wonder.  After ten years as a Society may we all hope that the next decade will see the realisation of the efforts which have been put into the Society by a list too long to mention.

Chasewater Railway Museum Jan 1969 Bits & Pieces 46

Chasewater Railway Museum

January 1969 Bits and Pieces 46

From the ‘Mercian’ of January 1969

From the Secretary’s Report  – Trevor G. Cousens

On 21 September 1968, the Society held its 9^th Annual General Meeting at the Pear Tree Inn, Brownhills.  The attendance was very poor considering the attraction of a steam trip down the line afterwards.

After the meeting, sandwiches were supplied by Pete Parker, proprietor of the Pear Tree, and then members crossed the road where in brilliant evening sunshine stood the Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST, (Colin McAndrew) immaculate in green and red, with polished brass and copper-work.

Members were invited on to the train comprising the Midland (or Coal Board) brake van, the Midland brake coach and the Great Western brake.  The train departed with Mr. Civil driving and Mr. Luker firing, the team, who with Mike Lewis had so painstakingly restored the locomotive.  She was opened up to pull the train up the 1 in 50 bank to the causeway causing the steam pressure to drop rather drastically to 40 lbs per square inch, but this is probably the longest run the loco has ever made without running over the same tracks twice, and its small boiler and firebox being designed more for a 3’ 6” gauge loco, this is not surprising.

Over the causeway, we ran on to the shore again until we were held up by some rather enthusiastic ditching by Bob Wormington, which caused the loco cylinders to come into contact with the spoil.  We ran on until we reached the end of the line, where a stop was made to raise steam for the return journey.  The loco was once again admired by the members, its rather peculiar mechanical pump a feature of interest on the running plate.

The return journey was made almost without incident, a point switched the wrong way round caused a minor sensation, but we returned safely to the Compound, where some rather complicated shunting was carried out before putting the engine to bed.  In fact, it was 9.00pm and dark when Laurence Hodgkinson finally put the diesel in with the rest of the stock which had been parked in the loop out of the way.

So ended the third RPS steaming at Chasewater, giving some encouragement to those who had worked so painstakingly to make this event possible.  But, it made one think about the amount of work still to be done, principally on track, but also on locos and stock before these steamings become a regular feature.

In the Treasurer’s Report by Frank Harvey, it was noted that, among others, Mr. R. Duffill  joined the Society!

 

 

Chasewater Railway Museum 1963 2.1 Bits & Pieces 20

Taken from the Mercian 2.1 June –July 1963

GC Special Issue

Part Editorial

The Flying Scotsman, 4472, certainly gets an airing in its ‘preserved state’, as many Societies now take advantage of hiring out this fine loco for their Specials.  Mr. Pegler has done a fine job in purchasing it for preservation. The RPS is most proud to have’4472’ to head its Great Central Special on June 15^th which we are hoping will bring the Society much publicity and many more members.

D. B.

Hednesford Progress Report

As there has not been a ‘Mercian’ for some time now my report covers quite a few months of work at the depot.

Despite the Wintry conditions that prevailed in the early part of this year, small parties continued to press on with restoration work on the Maryport & Carlisle coach.  This consisted in the main of burning off the paint in two of the compartments and sanding down in preparation for priming paint.

The next job consisted of reglazing the windows in the same compartments already mentioned.  Some good work has also been done by two members renovating old books and documents that we have in our possession.  This is vital work!  As we all know, these items are completely irreplaceable.

The Webb Coal Tank continues to get regular attention and maintenance.  An excellent job has been made of the cab fittings by Mr. and Mrs. Roger Bell (Princess Elizabeth Fund) and all members join me in expressing their appreciation and thanks for their much devoted labour and wish them luck with their Princess Fund.

D. A. Ives Hon. Sec.

Great Central Rail Tour

Although the Railway and Model Press are carrying details of the GC trip, we would like here to give members a brief reminder.

The train will now depart Sheffield Victoria 8.50am and not 9.00am as previously advertised. There will be refreshment car facilities on the train, and also a short souvenir history of the Great Central Railway.

On the outward journey it will call at Chesterfield Central (if the loop is still open), Nottingham Victoria, Loughborough Central, Leicester central, Rugby Central, Woodford Halse, Quainton Road, Aylesbury Town, Harrow-on-the-Hill and Marylebone, with four hours stay in London, during which time a visit will be made to the BTC Museum at Clapham as both large and small relics are now on display.  On the return journey call at Rugby, Leicester and Nottingham only to set down passengers.Picture: Sharman-Corbis

The motive power will be 4472, Flying Scotsman, (by courtesy of Mr. Pegler) and coaching stock ex-LNER. Members who have not yet booked and would like to travel on this train may be lucky to get a ticket at this late date.  But it should be noted that seating accommodation is strictly limited.  For further information and details please contact Mr. E. Cowell, Sheffield, using the form which was enclosed with ‘Forum’ immediately. Our thanks and appreciation go to Mr. Cowell for the wonderful effort he has made to organise this trip in spite of a recent injury to his back.  We hope it is a great success and that many more trips of this nature spring from his idea.  The proceeds after expenses are to go to the Carriage & Wagon Preservation Fund.

Open Weekend at Hednesford

Members will probably have already read in the Railway Press that the Society is holding an open weekend at the depot.  It is hoped that members will give this function their utmost support, a lot of hard work has been put in by the ‘faithful few’ and we do appeal to the less active people to give a hand to act as stewards, etc.

Remember that these events are designed to give people an idea of the aims of the Society, and of course as money raising schemes without which, the aims cannot possibly be put into effect!

Therefore the depot will be open from 2.00pm Saturday, June 29^th until 7.30pm, and again on Sunday, June 30^th from 2.00pm until 5.30pm.

Working model layouts and a good photographic display, as well as all our vintage stock can be seen.  Please bring your friends, neighbours, etc.  A small admission fee will be charged, which we hope to help boost our funds with (as preservation is a costly business).

Refreshments will also be available.  Members who could, or wish to volunteer their services on either day should contact the Hon. Sec. — Please help!

Visit to Swithland Hall. Pic – Wikipedia

A small party of Midland Area members paid a visit to Lord Lanesborough’s ancestral home on Saturday, April 27th.  His Lordship entertained members by operating his extensive model layout.  This was followed by a trip to Swithland sidings, where his Lordship answered questions on the Great Central line; he also outlined the Great Central association’s scheme for the takeover from British Railways.

The Hon. Sec. proposed a vote of thanks to his Lordship in allowing members to visit the hall and sidings, the party then continued to Mountsorrel Granite Quarry to inspect the workings and railway installations.

David A. Ives

Carriage and Wagon Fund

BR are continually pressing for the final payment on the Midland Royal Saloon, some £240 is still owing on this vehicle and we would remind members to make a special effort and donate to the fund in order to clear the account.

Other items awaiting purchase include a LNWR lower quadrant home signal and a Midland dumb buffer crane, which the Society hopes to put to good use. The cost of the crane being £8.  A small fund for this crane has now been launched, and £2 has already been donated, we should like to cover the cost of transport for this very interesting relic.  All donations to the Hon. Treasurer please.

News in Brief

Council for British Archaeology

Thanks were expressed in this important National Report for the work that the Midlands Area of the RPS and the Stafford Railway Circle had done jointly in the survey of Railways for the Industrial Revolution section.

The Warwickshire and Worcestershire (May) Magazine have included an article on Lord Lanesborough and also mentions the Society.  There will be a follow up article in the June Edition with pictures of the RPS in action at Hednesford.

Late News

Chasewater Line

This line has been offered to the Society by the NCB for the very low rental of £10 per annum, other extras such as maintenance, fencing, etc. are not included.  A resolution was passed at the last committee meeting that the Society accept this very reasonable offer, a further meeting with the NCB to discuss the legal and other aspects is to be conducted very shortly.Pic – L. Hodgkinson

There are still seats left for the GC Tour on June 15^th — book yours now if you have not already done so!

Chasewater Railway Museum Mar,Apl 1962 Mercian Bits & Pieces 16

Taken from the Mercian 1.2 March/April 1962

The secretary’s report noted the fact that he had only received two articles for the magazine – sounds familiar!

Progress Report

A new siding has now been completed.  The GE Brake is now stabled on this siding.  This has allowed room for the TPO and the Coal Tank to be moved further under the covered space, giving greater protection from the weather.  The whole scheme of the new siding was planned by the Assistant Depot Master, John Elsley, the installation was very ably carried out by him and his small, but willing band of helpers.  New glass has now been fitted in the windows of the GE Brake, the toilet of the TPO is now in the process of being repainted, whilst the interior of this vehicle has been thoroughly cleaned.1054 under cover – R Duffill

Restoration Plans

We hope that the TPO will be finished this summer (on one side at least), this could easily be achieved if we had a few more willing expert hands.  Our woodwork expert Frank Harvey has had a considerable amount of new panelling to do, ably assisted by Fred Lewis.  A considerable amount of painting has yet to be done on the TPO so any member who is handy with a paint brush will be very welcome indeed.  The Maryport & Carlisle coach still has to be completely reglazed and we earnestly appeal to members for offers of glass.

David A. Ives Hon. Sec.Travelling Post office – R. Duffill

Hon. Treasurer’s Report.

When we in the Midlands area started our own Newsletter the Hon. Sec. asked me to enter a brief financial report in each issue.  I must apologise for not having given one in the first issue, but owing to work, I was unable to produce one in time.  However, from now on you will be getting a report, bad or otherwise, in every issue.

As many of our members will know, December 6^th 1960 was the day we purchased our Royal Mail TPO, for the sum of £200.  The money was raised by means of a Bank Loan and since then, our main aim has been to reduce our overdraft.  At the end of the financial year (September 1961) this stood at

£93-4-10 (£93.24) .  Today it has decreased to £34-2-0 (£34-10), quite satisfactory progress you will agree.  Much of the money has been raised by social events.  At the Whist Drive on 23^rd February for example, we made a profit of over £20.  Much of this was due to the hard work of Mr. Albert Holden, and on behalf of the Society I should like to take this opportunity of thanking him very sincerely, also all members who donated prizes and helped so ably on the occasion.

Membership renewals are still coming in very slowly and I would like all members who have not renewed to think again.  We rely to a great extent on membership subscriptions and donations for our income.  The success of this Society depends on YOU!

Frank J. Harvey  Hon. Treasurer

Chasewater Railway Museum Winter 1961/2 RPS 3.3 Bits & Pieces 14

Taken from the RPS Newsletter, Winter 1961/2

From RPS to RPA

Changes in Policy

Plan to encourage co-ordination.

On Saturday, October 21, representatives of Bluebell RPS., Middleton RPS., and the RPS itself, met at Leeds to discuss and agree upon a national organisation for the following objects:

a)    To act as a general clearing house and meeting place for all railway preservation societies.

b)    To circulate information on existing and proposed schemes.

c)    To foster and encourage co-ordination between existing and proposed schemes.

d)    To organise and assist full exchange of information between all societies on preservation of railway ethics.

e)    To co-ordinate and assist with publicity.

It was unanimously agreed this organisation should be known as the Railway Preservation Association, and that members of any constituent society should be welcome to meetings and to activities of other constituent societies.

The RPA will not be another society which will appeal for individual members. It is being established as a national organisation where representatives of schemes accepting the underlying principles will meet regularly. It is planned as a forum where consultations and co-operation can be mutually beneficial.

News from the Districts

West & East Midlands

We are still in the market for a branch line.  Members are probably aware that our negotiations with British Railways for part of the Coalport Branch have fallen through, due to the excessive annual rentals of £1,500.Coalport.  Would’ve been nice – including the Coal Tank!

But we are hoping that further news concerning the Mountsorrel mineral line.  This has been discussed with our Patron, the Earl of Lanesborough, and something should materialise in the not too distant future, and so provide a definite start for our East Midland members.

Response to a correspondence campaign launched to build up membership in the East Midlands, has so far been poor.  Several informal meetings are planned fro this winter to tell prospective members about our cause.

John Betjeman, the historian and an authority on railway architecture, has agreed to join Lord Lanesborough as a Patron.  Further details will be announced later.

A New Chapter Opens

Pooling our resources

This is the last issue of the ‘Newsletter’ in its present form.  Our National Council has decided that the Society shall in future be known as ‘The Railway Preservation Association’, to which all organisations connected with railways may seek affiliation and take advantage of our space and distribution scheme.

When we publish again in the Spring your news and features will appear in a new magazine called ‘Forum’, which will be distributed nationally, and which we hope will assist greatly in interesting the public in our endeavours.

During the three years that the ‘Newsletter’ has been circulated our achievements have been considerable.  We believe that ‘Forum’ will widen further the prospects that lie ahead for all of us.

As far as these posts are concerned, I shall continue to follow the interests of the West Midlands District though their magazine ‘The Mercian’ I assume that somewhere in our archives we have copies of the ‘Forum’ and if so, I shall have a look for items of local interest.

The organisations involved at the start of the Railway Preservation Association were given as: London District, West Midlands District, East Midlands District, North-West District, Scotland District, Bluebell RPS, and Middleton RPS.

Chasewater Railway Museum Bits & Pieces 4

From the March/April 1962 ‘Mercian’

Bi-monthly news sheet of the Midlands Area of the R.P.S.

From the Hon. Secretary’s notes and reports.

 

These notes were from the early days when the depot was at Hednesford.

G.E. – Great Eastern, T.P.O. – Travelling Post office

 

News has been rather scarce this time.  I have only had articles from the Hon. Treasurer and T. C. Jones, it is difficult to keep making up copy and I do hope that members will co-operate and send in articles.  Otherwise the ‘Mercian’ will soon cease to function.  Please send in articles, no matter how small, copy must be sent in by the 8^th May.

(Some things don’t change!)

Progress Report

A new siding has now been completed, the G.E.Brake is now stabled on this siding, this has allowed room for the T.P.O. and the Coal Tank to be moved further under the covered space, giving greater protection from the weather.  The whole scheme of the new siding was planned by the Assistant Depot Manager, John Elsley, the installation was very ably carried out by him and his small, but willing band of helpers.  New glass has now been fitted in the windows of the G. E. Brake, the toilet of the T.P.O is now in the process of being repainted, whilst the interior of this vehicle has been thoroughly cleaned.

Restoration Plans

We hope that the T.P.O. will be finished this Summer (on one side at least) this could easily be achieved if we had a few more willing expert hands.  Our woodwork expert Frank Harvey has had a considerable amount of new panelling to do, he is being ably assisted by Fred Lewis.  A considerable amount of painting has yet to be done on the T.P.O. so any member who is handy with a paint brush will be very welcome indeed.  The Maryport & Carlisle coach still has to be completely reglazed and we earnestly appeal to members for offers of glass

David A. Hives,  Hon. Sec.

Working Parties at R.P.S. Depot, Hednesford

The Society holds working parties every Sunday, these commence at 2.30pm.  There are however, a number of members who would like to attend working parties, but cannot attend those held on Sundays.  During the Summer we are hoping to recommence working parties on Saturdays and Wednesday evenings.  Would you please specify on the form below the days you wish to attend, and return form to the Secretary, alternatively contact by post card.

Terry C. Jones

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