Tyseley Locomotive Works
Tyseley Locomotive Works, formerly the Birmingham Railway Museum is the engineering arm of steam railtour promoter Vintage Trains based in Birmingham, England. It occupies part of the former Great Western Railway's Tyseley depot, which was constructed in 1908 as a result of expanding operations in the West Midlands, particularly the opening of the North Warwickshire Line as a new main line from Birmingham to Bristol.
As well as supporting the trust's operating wing Vintage Trains, it is home to an extensive collection of steam engines, ranging from small industrial builds to Great Western Railway 'Castles' and 'Halls', and large ex-mainline diesel engines.
Background
Following the purchase of GWR Castle Class No.7029 "Clun Castle" in January 1966 by Patrick Whitehouse, the locomotive needed a base close to its central West Midlands supporters' base. Whitehouse found space available at Tyseley, on the site of the former GWR depot, and formed 7029 Clun Castle Ltd to own both the locomotive and the rights to stable her at the depot.
In October 1968, 7029 Clun Castle Ltd purchased LMS Jubilee Class No.5593 "Kolhapur". With further locomotives and railway artefacts available as a result of the Beeching Axe, the supporters established the Standard Gauge Stream Trust as a registered educational charity, to preserve and demonstrate the steam locomotives. Following negotiations the trust acquired a long-term lease on a large part of the Tyseley site, and established the Tyseley Collection which still owns the locomotives and artefacts via the limited company; the depot site became the "Birmingham Railway Museum".[1]
The trust cleared buildings and repaired the dilapidated tracks, and two water columns were repaired to allow steam locomotives to stay at the site. In 1968 the old coaling stage was converted into a two-road shed with an inspection pit to hold both acquired locomotives. In November 1966 "Clun Castle" was stripped and restored.[2]
In 1999 the trust achieved its long-held objective of running a regular steam train service on the national main line railway network: the Shakespeare Express between Birmingham Snow Hill and Stratford-upon-Avon. At this point the trust felt that the term museum was inappropriate for its new status, and hence separated its assets and operations into two new organisations, Tyseley Locomotive Works and the operating arm Vintage Trains, with the third arm remaining the Tyseley Collection.[1]
Present operations
There is an emphasis on running a professional locomotive overhaul and maintenance site, with significant numbers of other preserved railways and other private operators contracting work to Tyseley. To this extent the site was for a time used as a base of operations for Fragonset Railways.
Location and access
Located close to Tyseley railway station, the No.37 bus operated by National Express West Midlands passes the site. Located on the A41 Warwick Road, the site is approximately 3 miles from Birmingham city centre, or 4 miles from Solihull.
The site is no longer open to the public, except on open days.
Shakespeare Express
As part of its educational programme the trust's operational arm Vintage Trains runs the Shakespeare Express between Birmingham Snow Hill and Stratford-upon-Avon. Aimed at recreating the feeling of the 1950s holiday trains, it has strong appeal to families. It is increasingly being used by coach and tour operators as a new feature within their programme.
In October 2004 the trust announced the acquisition of a site adjacent to Stratford-upon-Avon railway station for future use as the Stratford Railway Tourist Centre and Steam Locomotive Centre. This will provide a steam loco servicing centre at the southern end of the Shakespeare Line. A small museum is also being considered.[3]
Stock list
Operational Mainline locomotives
| Loco Number | Name | Description | Year Built | Current Status | Mainline Ticket Expires | Livery | Current Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4965 | Rood Ashton Hall | GWR 4-6-0 49xx Hall Class | 1931 | Operational | 2016 | GWR Green | Tyseley Locomotive Works |
| 5043 | Earl of Mount Edgcumbe | GWR 4-6-0 4073 Castle Class | 1936 | Operational | 2018 | BR Green | Tyseley Locomotive Works |
| 7752 (L94) | GWR 0-6-0PT 57xx Class | 1930 | Operational | 2018 | Late 60's lined LT Livery | Tyseley Locomotive Works | |
| 9600 | GWR 0-6-0PT 57xx Class | 1945 | Operational | 2015 | BR Lined Black | Tyseley Locomotive Works | |
| 37263 | BR Co-Co Class 37 | 1965 | Operational, Returned to mainline condition in 2009. | Variant on BR Large Logo Blue | Tyseley Locomotive Works | ||
| 47773 | BR Co-Co Class 47 | 1964 | Operational | BR Two-Tone Green | Tyseley Locomotive Works |
Operational locomotives used on open days or shunting
| Loco Number | Name | Description | Year Built | Current Status | Livery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Percy | Peckett and Sons 0-4-0ST | 1942 | Operational, Runs demonstration trains at open days. | Lined Maroon |
| 3783 (08616) | "Tyseley 100" | BR 0-6-0 Class 08 | Operational, re-numbered and named during the Tyseley 100 Celebrations. | London Midland Colors | |
| 10255 | "Sentinel" | Rolls-Royce Sentinel 0-6-0 | Operational | Black | |
| 13029 | BR 0-6-0 Class 08 | Operational | BR Black | ||
| 55034 | BR Class 121 | Returned to traffic with Chiltern Railways as 121 034. | BR Green |
Locomotives Stored, Awaiting work, Undergoing Overhaul or Restoration
Steam Locomotives
| Loco Number | Name | Description | Year Built | Current Status | Livery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | "Cadbury No.1" | Avonside 0-4-0T | 1925. | Worked its entire life at the Bournville Works Railway, on its closure in 1976 donated to the museum by Cadbury's. It has recently returned to Tyseley following a long term loan to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, where she pulled the first paying steam train. With an expired boiler certificate, she has undergone a cosmetic repaint and is stored undercover. | Cadbury Brown |
| 670. | LNWR Bloomer Class 2-2-2 replica | N/A | Construction began in 1986; it was 90% complete by 1990 but has never been finished (2016).The tender is painted in an approximation of LNWR Southern Division green. | ||
| 778 | 0-4-0T | N/A | Undergoing overhaul. | N/A | |
| 789 | GER 2-4-2T Class M15 | N/A | Under construction. | N/A | |
| 2885 | GWR 2-8-0 28xx Class | 1938. | Moved from Birmingham Moor Street station in June 2013 after 8 years on display and now awaiting restoration to working order. | GWR Green | |
| 3278 | Franklin D. Roosevelt | USATC 2-8-0 S160 Class | 1944. | Undergoing overhaul. Arrived from Long Marston in November 2014. | N/A |
| 4121 | GWR 2-6-2T 5101 Class | 1937. | Stored, awaiting restoration. | N/A | |
| 4588 | GWR 2-6-2T 4575 Class | 1927 | Stored, awaiting overhaul | GWR Green | |
| 5080 | Defiant | GWR 4-6-0 4073 Castle Class | 1939. | On static display at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre. | GWR Green |
| 5593 | Kolhapur | 5XP Jubilee | 1934. | Static display - awaiting restoration | LMS Crimson Lake |
| 6201 | Princess Elizabeth | LMS 4-6-2 Princess Class | 1933. | Undergoing heavy overhaul with planned return in the latter half of 2015. | N/A |
| 7029 | Clun Castle | GWR 4-6-0 4073 Castle Class | 1950. | Restoration in progress - Completion expected in late 2015 (double chimney). | N/A |
| 7760 | GWR 0-6-0PT 57xx Class | 1931. | On static display awaiting overhaul. | GWR Green | |
| 45596 | Bahamas | 5XP Jubilee | 1935. | Undergoing contract overhaul - estimated completion in 2017. | BR Green, Late Crest |
| 71480 | Fred | Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn WD 0-6-0ST (LNER class J94) | 1945. | Undergoing overhaul. | N/A |
| "Henry" | Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST | 1901. | On static display awaiting overhaul. | Black |
Diesel Locomotives
| Loco Number | Name | Description | Year Built | Current Status | Livery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 800 | 0-4-0 Baguley Petrol loco | Static display | Chalk White | ||
| 97408 | BR 1Co-Co1 Class 40 | 1961. | Undergoing major restoration with work focused on the interior. | BR Blue | |
| 50021 | "Rodney" | BR Co-Co Class 50 | 1968. | Undergoing restoration | BR Large-Logo Blue |
| 50033 | "Glorious" | BR Co-Co Class 50 | 1968. | Undergoing restoration | BR Large-Logo Blue |
| 299099 | Ruston Hornsby 0-4-0 88DS | Stored | Blue | ||
| 347747 | Ruston Hornsby 0-6-0DM | Stored | Dark Green |
Car Company
The Tyseley Car Company, based in Tyseley, Birmingham made light cars between 1912 and 1914.
The company evolved around the Tyseley Locomotive Works and its main product was a Cyclecar fitted with Tyseley's own water-cooled twin-cylinder 1100 cc engine, two-speed gearbox and shaft drive. It was available with an open two-seater or a closed coupé style of body and sold mainly in and around Birmingham.
Production ceased with the outbreak of war and did not recommence with peace.
References
- 1 2 http://www.vintagetrains.co.uk/brm.htm
- ↑ Nabarro, Gerald (1972). Steam Nostalgia: Locomotive and Railway Preservation in Great Britain. Routledge. pp. 39–42. ISBN 0-7100-7391-7.
- ↑ http://www.shakespeareexpress.com/sua/index.html
External links
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Coordinates: 52°27′16″N 1°50′44″W / 52.4544°N 1.8455°W