Thread: Chasewater and Brownhills West Preserved Railway

Chasewater and Brownhills West Railway. My place to blow away cobwebs. There is a lovely preserved railway here, with what can only be considered the best engine shed in the country. Its the envy of many a heritage line. (Straight from Train Geek John's mouth).

I visited a couple of weeks ago...I was completely unaware that they had a museum here and it turned into a delightful visit.

Here is some info, shamelessly stolen from Wiki...

The line is approximately two miles in length, contained entirely within Chasewater Country Park. The route, which forms a horse-shoe shape around the lake, passes through heathland, including a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and passes over a one-quarter mile long causeway.

Prior to preservation, the line was part of the network operated by the NCB to serve the coalfields of the Cannock Chase area. The exchange sidings, where the colliery line connected with the Midland Railway, were situated about a quarter of a mile north of the current Brownhills West Station.

Significant changes happened in 2002/2003 caused by the closure of the old Brownhills station, due to the building of the M6 Toll motorway. This led to the rebuilding of Brownhills West with significantly improved facilities, including a new carriage shed and heritage centre, and completion of the Chasetown section of the line (the 'Chasetown Extension Railway' between Chasewater Heaths and Chasetown Church Street).

The railway is home to a collection of steam and diesel locomotives of mostly industrial origin, many with local industrial connections. Passengers are conveyed in ex-DMU cars and BR Mk 1 coaches, as well as brake vans on gala days. In recent years the railway has also played host to various guest steam locomotives from other lines.

The railway also owns various vintage carriages, some dating back over a century. These, as well as other rolling stock, is accommodated in the newly completed carriage shed/ heritage centre.

Work is ongoing to establish a 2 ft (610 mm) gauge narrow gauge railway close to the heritage centre.


Steam Locomotives
Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST "Asbestos" (Currently operational) W.G. Bagnall 0-4-0ST No. 2648 "Linda" (Currently operational)
Sentinel 0-4-0VBT (Currently under overhaul)
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST G.W.R. No. 701 (Currently operational)
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST No. 1223 "Colin McAndrew (Expected to return to traffic in 2009 following overhaul)
Neilson 0-4-0ST, built 1882. (Currently stored)
Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T No. S100. (Currently under restoration)
Peckett and Sons 0-4-0ST, built 1902 (Currently under restoration)
Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST, No.431. (Currently stored)
Hunslet Engine Co. 0-6-0ST "Rhos". (Currently stored)
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST No. 2343. (Currently stored)
Diesel Locomotives
Ruston 0-4-0 diesel-electric
North British Locomotive Company 0-4-0 "D2911" (Currently Operational)
Many other ex-industrial diesel and petrol locomotives, in various stages of restoration, are also present at Brownhills West.

Diesel Multiple Units
BR Class 117 no. 51372 currently in BR Blue (used on push-pull duty's)
BR Class 101 Metro Cammell "Daisy" nos 53160 and 53164 (Currently being repaired)
Diesel Multiple Unit Centre Cars
BR Class 127 no. 59603
BR Class 116 no. 59444

http://www.chasewaterrailway.co.uk/




































Low water...we used to dive off here when we were kids!




Well worth a look at!

Looks like it's a good place to visit for a day out, thanks, Indy. And so many signs! People in the US laughed when I posted photos of Leek, they think it's a funny name for a town.

Oh...we used to catch the crayfish too Rob! The pipe in the last picture in the set was where we used to catch them. The water in this reservoir used to come halfway up that pipe - you couldn't see any of the struts on the pier opposite. There are a few gallons missing now though!

cool pics..........and nice weather for a dip

ched
http://cheddles.deviantart.com