Chasewater Railway
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Heritage Railway Template:Chasewater Railway The Chasewater Railway is a former colliery railway running round the shores of Chasewater in Staffordshire, England. It is now operated as a heritage railway.
The line is approximately Template:Convert in length, contained entirely within Chasewater Country Park. The route, which forms a horseshoe shape around the lake, passes through heathland, including a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and passes over a Template:Convert long causeway.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
History
Prior to preservation, the line was part of the network operated by the NCB to serve the coalfields of the Cannock Chase area.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The exchange sidings, where the colliery line connected with the Midland Railway, were situated about Template:Convert north of the current Brownhills West station.
Significant changes happened in 2002/2003 caused by the closure of the original Brownhills West station due to the building of the M6 Toll motorway. This led to the rebuilding of Brownhills West slightly north of the old station 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).
In 2016 the Railway was awarded The Queen's Award for Voluntary Services.
Stations
- Brownhills West
- Norton Lakeside Halt
- Chasewater Heaths (adjacent to Burntwood bypass)
- Chasetown Church Street<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Template:AnchorThe buildings at Brownhills West house Chasewater Railway Museum.
Rolling stock
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 British Railways Mark 1 coaches, as well as brake vans on gala days. 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, are accommodated in the Heritage Centre. Chasewater is also home to only preserved rake of MGR wagons in the UK. Currently there are 10 examples of various types at the railway.
All locomotives listed below have been confirmed via the cited source.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Locomotives
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- Steam Locomotives
- Hawthorn Leslie Template:Whyte No. 2780 "Asbestos" built in 1909 (On display/awaiting overhaul).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- W.G. Bagnall Template:Whyte No. 2648 "Dunlop No. 6" built in 1940. (Operational)
- Sentinel Template:Whyte No. 9632 built in 1957. (Under repairs/overhaul)
- Sentinel Template:Whyte No. 9366 built in 1945. (Operational)
- Neilson Template:Whyte No. 2937 "No.11" built in 1882. (Operational).
- Peckett and Sons Template:Whyte No. 917 built in 1902. (In storage).
- Hudswell Clarke Template:Whyte, No. 431 "Sheepbridge No. 15" built in 1895. (In storage)
- Hunslet Template:Whyte No. 3783 "Darfield No. 1/Hollybank No.3" built in 1953. (Operational, returned to service in 2021)
- Diesel Locomotives
- BR Class 08 Template:Whyte 08472 (Operational).
- North British Template:Whyte No. D2911 built in 1958. (In storage/under repairs).
- Baguley Template:Whyte No. 3590 "Bass No. 11" built in 1962. (In storage).
- Fowler Template:Whyte No. 4100013 built in 1948. (In storage).
- Hunslet Template:Whyte No. 6678 built in 1968. (Under overhaul).
- Andrew Barclay & Sons. Template:Whyte No.659 'Sam' (Operational).
- Hunslet Template:Whyte No. 9000 built in 1983. (Operational - donated from Sellafield Ltd.).
- Brush Bagnall Template:Whyte No. 3097 built in 1956. (Under overhaul).
- Kent Construction and Eng Co. Template:Whyte No. 1612/21 Planet built in 1929. (In storage).
- Ruston 48 Template:Whyte No. 305306 "Ryan" built in 1952. (Under restoration).
- Ruston 165 Template:Whyte No. 313394 "Jammo" (Operational, on loan from Telford Steam Railway).
- Hudswell Clarke Template:Whyte No. D615 built in 1938. (In storage).
- Bagnall Template:Whyte No. 3119 "Hem Heath" built in 1956. (In storage).
- Bagnall Template:Whyte No. 3208 built in 1961. (In storage).
- Bagnall Template:Whyte No. 3097 (In storage).
- Kent Construction and Eng Co. Template:Whyte No. 20 Planet built in 1926. (On long term loan to the National Brewery Museum).
- Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns 8366/Bagnall Template:Whyte No. 530003, "Myfanwy" built in 1962. (Operational, on loan to Foxfield Railway).<ref>Template:Irs-el</ref>
- Thomas Hill Template:Whyte No. 01568 "Helen" built in 1976. (Operational).
- Simplex Template:Whyte No. 15097 (works number 1930) "Ubique" built in 1919. (Operational/Storage).
- Simplex Template:Whyte No. 15099 (works number 2028) "Morris" built in 1920. (Operational/Storage).
- GEC Traction 5383/306 (Storage)
- GEC Traction 5414/251` (Storage)
- GEC Traction 5454/267 (Storage)
- FC Hibberd Co Ltd Template:Whyte No. 1612 (In storage)
- Diesel Multiple Units
Narrow gauge railway
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There is a Template:RailGauge gauge narrow gauge railway behind the heritage centre, where there are a few shed buildings, and a line that stretches along the heritage centre close to the steam shed.