Chasewater Railway
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chasewater Railway is a former colliery railway running round the shores of Chasewater in Staffordshire, England.
Significant change has happened in 2002/2003 caused by the closure of the old Brownhills station, due to the building of the M6 Toll motorway. This lead to the rebuilding of Brownhills West with significantly improved facilities 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. Currently in use are steam locomotives Asbestos, a Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0 saddle tank built in 1909, and Sentinel a vertical boilered 0-4-0 built in 1957. Diesels are used for maintenance trains and some passenger services. Passengers are conveyed in ex-DMU carriages, as well as brake vans on gala days.
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 foot gauge railway close to the heritage centre.
[edit] Stations
- Brownhills West
- Norton Terrace
- Chasewater Heaths (adjacent to Burntwood bypass)
- Chasetown Church Street
[edit] Locomotives
- Steam Locomotives
- Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Asbestos (currently in use)
- Sentinel 0-4-0VBT (currently in use)
- Neilson 0-4-0ST, built 1882. (Currently under overhaul)
- Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T No. S100. (currently under overhaul)
- Peckett and Sons 0-4-0ST, built 1902 (currently stored)
- Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST, No.431. (currently stored)
- Diesel Locomotives
- Diesel Multiple Units
