Some of the Latest Museum Items

Although I can’t imagine the first items shown will ever be seen in the museum, they do show something of the variation in size between items offered.This photo shows two of four signal posts which have been at Chasewater for many years and have recently been removed from the undergrowth by the overflow car park.One of them is clearly stamped with what is presumably the date, 1915.

They came from the Pinnox Junction area of Stoke-on Trent.North Stafford Railway locomotive about to leave Pinnox Junction with coal from Whitfield Colliery around the turn of the 20^th century. To the right, the Tunstall Lower Branch railway from Longport to Tunstall Junction on the Loop Line and bridge carrying the Whitfield line from Pinnox to Greenhead Wharf. Staffs pasttrack

The next item is a ‘Trains Cross Here’ sign.This was found in the mid 1960s in the Wyrley Branch of the Wyrley & Essington Canal which is now under Vernon Way, in the New Invention, Essington area.  The railway crossing of the A4124 Lichfield Road from Holly Bank Colliery to the canal basin at Short heath was about 150 yards away on the other side of the M6.  It seems logical to assume that this was where the sign was originally placed.This is how the sign would have looked when in position.  Although this photo was taken on the same line, it is probably not the same  sign, being a bit too far away.  The sign was donated to the museum by Mr. D.Townsend.

The third item is the smallest.This is a badge of the Walsall Locomotive Society donated by the museum’s Chairman, David Bathurst.

We have also had a number of items loaned to us, including the nameplate ‘Beatty’ and number plate ‘139’ from an ex Dorman Long Hawthorn Leslie 12″ x 20″ 0-4-0ST preserved at Telford Steam Railway.

The New ‘L’ Class 0-6-2T of the North Stafford Railway

The New ‘L’ Class 0-6-2T of the North Stafford Railway

These locomotives were an improved version of the earlier ‘L’ Class, which had been developed by Mr. Adams, the CME for working the heavy traffic – particularly coal – into Stoke, from various pits served by the railway.

The first to appear in 1908 was number 98 and so successful was the design that a further twenty-seven followed, the last four appearing after grouping.  The class was the largest taken over from the North Stafford Company by the LMSR and was renumbered by the new owners 2246 to 2273.

Building dates were:

1908 – 2246/9,  1909 – 2250/3,  1913 – 2254/61,  1920 – 2262,

1921 – 2263/7,  1922 – 2268/9,  1923 – 2270/3.

During their early years the class were not only used on the heavy freight turns but also on express passenger turns between Stoke and Manchester-London Road.  The North Stafford kept them in immaculate condition in the deep madder lake livery, and they could turn in quite a good account of themselves, being extremely free running machines.

Unfortunately their new owners relegated them to goods work, hump shunting and other menial tasks, so that it was not long before the first found their way to the scrap heap.

Some were sold upon withdrawal to collieries – numbers 2253/7 were sold to Walkden Colliery.  Numbers 2262/4/70/1 were also sold upon withdrawal and one of these – old NSR No.2 was loaned by the National Coal Board and restored to its NSR condition for the City of Stoke-on-Trent Golden Jubilee Celebrations in 1960.

It is still at work and is scheduled for preservation when taken out of traffic by the Coal Board.  (Last heard of at Shildon).

Withdrawal dates were:

1928 – 2247,  1934 – 2250/2/4/8/60/9,  1935 – 2256/67/72,

1936 – 2246/9/51/3/5/9/63-6/8,  1937 – 2248/57/61/2/70/1/3.Pic by H C Casserley at Waterhouses

Chasewater Railway Museum 1966 Mar-April Vol.5 No.2 Bits & Pieces 34

Taken from the Officers’ Reports Mercian Mar-April 1966 Vol. 5 No.2

The Editorial started with an apology for the slightly poor printing in parts of the previous issue, and thanks to the members who responded to the call for more articles – still more needed!

The Editorial continued:

A certain cross-section of the Society are seething about the ex-NSR Battery loco which has been restored and which will be displayed in the Staffs County Council Museum at Shugborough Hall.

The Society wrote to British Rail more than three years ago to ascertain when this loco would be taken out of traffic.  A reply from the Company stated that our interest had been noted and that when withdrawn the Midland Area (RPS) would have a chance of purchasing the loco although no price was given at the time.

It would now appear that there has been some internal skulduggery in the Stoke Offices of British Rail and the Society has been completely passed over without so much as a letter informing them of the new plans for the loco.  It seems a pity that when British Rail change their Area Managers they also change their minds about genuine requests for the earmarking of relics.  One hopes that this practise will not spread, otherwise preservation societies will not know where they are when earmarking future items for which they have the ready money. (I must find out what happened to this loco! Now in National Railway Museum).

How many of you caught the picture of our few stalwarts working at Chasewater which appeared in the ‘Express & Star’ on February 7^th???  I hope it conveyed to those who saw it that we have a crying need for more hands on the site.  We have just over a month to complete relaying up to the point where the building will stand.  We are fortunate in having some useful pieces of equipment to help us speed up the work but most of all we need a few – no, a hell of a lot more – hands to use it.  There are now Saturday and Sunday afternoon working parties, can you make one of them at least three times per month???Not the pic from the paper but you must get the point!

Laurence Hodgkinson Collection.

To explain the next paragraph for those of tender years!

Barbara Castle.

As Minister of Transport (23 December 1965–6 April 1968), she presided over the closure of approximately 2050 miles of railways as she enacted her part of the Beeching Cuts – a betrayal of pre-election commitments by the Labour party to halt the proposals. Nevertheless, she refused closure of several lines, one example being the Looe Valley Line in Cornwall, and introduced the first Government subsidies for socially necessary but unprofitable railways in the Transport Act 1968.

Sandplace Halt

A request stop on the Looe Valley Railway Line.

© Copyright Tony Atkin and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

It had to come – a woman in charge of the nations transport.  Already the winds of change are blowing through Transport House and many rumours have flooded the railway press concerning the fate of the present restored transport relics and more particularly those awaiting restoration.  It has been announced that the smaller relics section at York is due to be closed and it would seem that if this goes through it will act as the thin end of the wedge for Clapham itself.

Privately preserved relics are reasonably assured of safety but what of those still within the control of British Rail?  We have been told that two locos which have already been scheduled are now off the list, what others will follow?  The ARPS must unite now, to stop any acts of vandalism being carried out on these treasures of our transport heritage.  A small voice will be no good in the wilderness of Transport House, there must be a noise like the trumpets at Jericho!

Will it come too late??!!

One appreciates the difficulties involved but a concerted effort by all enthusiasts irrespective of society or railway bias, must come now.

I am sure that the ARPS will be to the forefront when the time arrives for a showdown with the lady who has a finger on the button which could destroy for ever the tangible reminders of our transport history.

More from the pleading treasurer!

In response to my appeal one or two members have donated something towards the removal costs of the two Peckett 0-4-0STs and I am very grateful indeed.  A lot more would be welcome, also donations towards the cost of the Stroudley E1, on which we still owe the NCB £100.

From the Chasewater Secretary

Thanks to my pointed appeal for guarantors I am pleased to say that the response has been overwhelming, and we have the requisite number.  My thanks to all those who made such generous offers – it brings us one step nearer to our ambitions.

Chasewater Railway Museum 1966 Jan-Feb Bits & Pieces 33

Taken from the Officers’ Reports, Mercian Jan-Feb 1966, Vol.5 No.1

The Editorial was largely taken up by explaining who was doing what.  Malcolm Willis was to be the Membership Secretary and A.A.Chatfield was to take over as Editor.

The present content will remain as in my predecessor’s time but I shall be introducing new ideas as I go along.

The most difficult thing will be to find ‘copy’ and you can all help by sending in articles, comment, criticisms – constructive or destructive – and anything else of both preservation and general railway interest.

I want to make Mercian really interesting from all angles – a start has been made by ‘Tre Pol and Pen’ and ‘Casey Jones’ (articles to come about branch lines and loco classes) – but there are other avenues of preservation still untapped such as railway architecture, carriages and wagons and signalling.  Who will start the ball rolling?????

Hon. Treasurer’s Report –  F.J.Harvey

I am pleased (you don’t see a Treasurer’s report start with those words very often!!) to be able to make my first report for 1966 quite a good one.  If the Society can maintain the good start to the New Year our position will be more healthy than it has been for some time.

The Society aims to complete payments on the Stroudley E1 this year – £115 is still owing.  Anyone who is interested in this locomotive is invited to send in a donation to this as payments are being maintained from the general funds at present.  Whilst talking about donations I would like to sincerely thank Mr. J. Strong and Mr. G. Wildish for their donations towards the removal of the Peckett 0-4-0STs.  More contributions are requested to this fund also.

Hon. Social Organiser –  A.L.Holden

A brief report about the Annual Dinner and Whist Drive – both successful, with two junior members – Andrew Horton and William Ives  – selling a huge number of Whist Drive tickets.

The Hon. Treas. and Hon. Soc. are promoting a weekly Tote amongst members and friends to raise money for the Society.  I believe that this Tote proved to be successful and continued for a number of years.   (I’ll let you know if it didn’t!)

Hon. Chasewater Secretary –  E. W. Barlow

Museum Building.  Without beating about the bush it will be as well if all members know that the loan repayments for the building will be approximately £245 per annum.  We urgently need members over 21 years of age to act as guarantors.  Will any such members please write to me in strict confidence NOW.  If 20 members are prepared to guarantee £20 each we shall be there.

Hon. Curator –  N. HadlowMSL Coach at Easingwold

MS & LR Coach. This vehicle, the first relic ever to be purchased by the RPS will soon be on its way to a temporary home at the HQ of the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. (Lovely railway, lovely people!) To move and begin initial restoration will cost £140.  The Vintage Carriage Trust are finding this money, but have asked us to help out with as big a donation as possible.  Will all members interested in yet another appeal aimed at their pockets please send donations to our Hon. Treasurer.  Amounts over £5 will be acknowledged in this magazine.MSL Coach in Chasewater Railway Heritage Centre 2010

On Sunday January 9^th we moved the ex North Staffs Railway wagon which we purchased from the Shelton Iron & Steel Co., Etruria, to Chasewater.  In spite of a biting cold wind the operation went off reasonably smoothly. (I would have been surprised if there hadn’t been a biting wind at Chasewater in January!). My thanks to all those who assisted, particularly Bob Wormington and our good friend Jake Bacon, who provided his low loader.

Judging by the old photographs of the Chasewater site, it must have been wide open to the elements with very few trees providing shelter from the wind.  Anyone who has worked on the track in the winter months, even now, especially on the causeway, deserves the thanks and recognition of all members).

Chasewater Railway Museum Dec 1964 Bits & Pieces 24

Taken from the ‘Mercian’ December 1964, 3.3

Action in North StaffordshireNorth Staffordshire Railway – 1845/1923

NSR Signals

The National Coal Board has donated four NSR lower quadrant signals to the RPS.  They are in good condition, with only one exception, when on being removed from the site at the Pinnox Crossings (South of Tunstall Station in the Potteries), Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, left its base firmly implanted in the muddy ground.

The largest of the four has been erected at the depot at Hednesford – an excellent view of the surroundings being commanded from the top.  We hope to plant the other three on the Chasewater Branch.

NSR Rolling Stock

On a recent survey of the internal railway of Shelton Iron & Steel Ltd., several wagons and three box-vans of the North Staffordshire Railway were found.

After talks with the company, we agreed on the following:

1. The company will save an NSR wagon until March or April 1965, when it will be purchased and collected by the Society.
2. The company will inform us of the date of withdrawal of the box-vans, giving the RPS a chance to purchase one of them.

It is probable that early this year we may be able to have a tour of their railway, which should prove far more interesting than it appears at first sight.  There are 36 miles of internal railway and there are still several steam locomotives operating.  The most interesting is perhaps an 0-4-0, which has a crane mounted over the boiler. (Now at Foxfield Railway, by Dubs & Co Dubsy to his friends!)

North Staffs Area Meetings

It is hoped that in the new year, meetings of the members who live in or near North Staffordshire will commence at bi-monthy intervals.  Interesting lectures are planned as well as slides and cinematograph shows concerning railway preservation.  Will any members who wish to attend please send a postcard to the Hon. Editor, who will send full details when they become available (emails make life so much easier nowadays!)

The meeting place is at present being arranged, and we need a good turn-out to make them worth while.  A small fee for admission may be charged, and any  non-members will be very welcome.  If you live within reasonable travelling distance of the Potteries, do try to attend.  I assure you that you will not regret it!

Then followed reports on various social events, including the first Annual Dinner and Social Evening, held at the Eaton Lodge Hotel, Rugeley.

At Hednesford, members are still working on the Royal Saloon and the TPO, and, as ever, more help is needed!

The Chasewater Branch Line

By Brian Kinder.

The Chasewater line is situated round half the perimeter of the Chasewater Pool.  The pool itself is now being extensively developed as one of the largest amusement areas in the Midlands, and to this end Brownhills Council is spending several thousands of pounds.  When development work is completed, it is hoped that a large proportion of Birmingham and area’s population will visit the pool annually.  It will therefore be appreciated, the great potential of a railway museum situated in this location, where there will be such a great concentration in the summer months, of day-trippers.

The proposed track itself was constructed in the main by the Midland Railway, and a small section by a colliery company.  The line was used for mineral traffic from the collieries, however a station was built at Brownhills, at which all passenger traffic terminated.

Due to our section of the line’s sole use for mineral traffic, the track is in a poor state of repair, the poorest part being from the marshalling yard to the north.  The main work therefore will be to relay the track in certain places, and clean out and in some places repipe the drainage system.

The work on the line will have to be completed by the end of 1965, if not sooner, depending on the closure of the connecting line by British Railways.  Therefore we will need everyone’s help to get the work done.

We will not be able to manage with the present sized work party of 14 or so members, as it takes these fellows every Sunday to keep the stock at the depot in order.  We are not asking you to attend every week, but if you could attend monthly or bi-monthly periods, it would help to clear up the situation tremendously.

The line is only one mile from Brownhills Station (BR – LMR) (Still a few months before closure!) and if you could see it, you would see its great potential if a success was made of it.  Success however can only be achieved with 100% help from YOU!!

Chasewater Railway Museum July 1960 Bits & Pieces 11

Bits & Pieces No.11 – also taken from RPS Newsletter 2.1 July 1960

The Tutbury Jinny

http://www.burton-on-trent.org.ukIvatt ‘2MT’ 2-6-2T No.41277  was photographed at Tutbury being prepared for its return run to Burton at 4.37pm.  The Tutbury platform was graced by beautiful cat lamps, silent and watchful platform sentries, as the tank simmered peacefully at the rear of its little train.  The fireman would be separated from the company of his driver during the 5½ mile amble back to Burton.  Hugh Ballantyne

Report of ‘Tutbury Jinny’ Outing

A party of 24 RPS members and friends and 10 Stafford Railway Circle members attended the sentimental, last journey of ‘Tutbury Jinny’ on Saturday, 11^th June 1960.  The party assembled at Burton Station and the train pulled out on time at 8.12 pm amid whistle blasts, bangs from detonators, punctuated by pleasant notes from a bugle.  The train made a record run down to Tutbury with lots of spectators lining the route.  The party de-trained at Tutbury, where a huge crowd awaited the final journey back.  The Booking Office did a roaring trade selling dog and cycle tickets and other various assortments being purchased by members.  The party crossed the line and watched the little push-pull train draw in, driving coach first.  It was noted that slogans were chalked all over the locomotive, including ribald remarks about Sir Brian.  Our President, Mr. C. E. Ives managed to have a few words with the MP for Burton, Mr. Jennings, who had championed the lost cause in the House of Commons.  Society members were rather disturbed in the fact of a party of interlopers called the 17 Club being present.  It appeared that these people were not railway enthusiasts.  In fact one of their members could not give an explanation as to who they were.  It appeared it was just some kind of gimmick.  The RPS did mot get the publicity hoped for in consequence.Most branch trains seem to pick up nicknames at some time or other, and the ‘Tutbury Jinny’ was no exception.  Once worked by Midland 0-4-4 tanks and latterly by LMS-type ‘1200’ class 2-6-2 tanks, the service was withdrawn after 11^th June, 1960.  The 4.15pm Burton-on-Trent to Tutbury, headed by No. 41277, passes Stretton & Clay Mills station on 4^th June.

The train left eventually at 8.55 pm amid cheers, tears, bangs whistles and factory hooters.  The gentleman with the bugle blowing the ‘Last Post’  The train pulled into Burton some 10 minutes later, spectators again lining the route all the way, and so ‘Tutbury Jinny’ came to her eventful and not inglorious end after 112 years’ service.

Date: 1894 – 1900 (c.)

Description: Opened in 1894 on the North Staffordshire Railway Company branch line between Tutbury and Burton-upon-Trent. It was named Rolleston on Dove to avoid confusion with Rolleston in Nottinghamshire. The name was first used for the whole parish in 1983.
The station was closed to passengers on 1 January 1949, and the line closed in 1968. The route of the track is now the Jinny Nature Trail, named after the local name for the train which used the track: the Tutbury Jinny.

Staffordshire Past Track

The Tutbury Jinny

The Tutbury Jinny was a little train serving the delightful country between Burton and Tutbury, a distance of some 5½ miles encompassing the catchment areas of the rivers Trent and Dove.  Intermediate stations served villages, farmsteads and cottages along the line’s sickle-shaped route.  The line initially headed east from Burton, before swinging north then north-west to Tutbury, with stations at Horninglow, Stretton & Clay Mills and Rolleston on Dove.

The service ran for over a century, commencing in 1848 and saw a considerable variety of motive power – North Stafford, LMS and BR – over the years.  The push-pull ‘Jinny’ was driven from the motor compartment of the end coach for the propelled return journey from Tutbury.  Although two coaches were the normal load, it was not unknown for the train to be formed of one or three coaches.  Final motive power came in the form of Ivatt tanks; the final train running on 11^th June, 1960.  Tributes to mark the closure of the service were chalked all over No.41277.  The intermediate stations, closed on 1^st January 1949 to regular traffic, came back to life as locals witnessed the passing of the final ‘Jinny’.  The ‘Jinny’ was an institution, its several daily journeys a ritual; now, alas, it is but a distant memory.