Tyseley Locomotive Works

GWR 4073 Class 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe on the turntable at Tyseley
New build steam locomotive 60163 Tornado at the Tyseley 101 Gala. Built at Darlington Locomotive Works, her frames were laid down and assembled at Tyseley in 1995
Duchess of Hamilton at Tyseley Locomotive Works. The original GWR coaling stage is visible in the background

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

Tyseley Traction Maintenance Depot (top); Tyseley Locomotive Works (around the turntable); and carriage sidings

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 Image
4965 Rood Ashton Hall GWR 4-6-0 49xx Hall Class 1931 Operational, Mainline Certified 2016 GWR Green Tyseley Locomotive Works
5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe GWR 4-6-0 4073 Castle Class 1936 Operational, Mainline Certified 2018 BR Green, Early Emblem Tyseley Locomotive Works
7752 (L94) GWR 0-6-0PT 57xx Class 1930 Operational, Mainline Certified 2018 Late 60's lined LT Livery Tyseley Locomotive Works
9600 GWR 0-6-0PT 57xx Class 1945 Operational, Mainline Certified 2016 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
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. On static display awaiting overhaul. LMS Crimson Lake
7029 Clun Castle GWR 4-6-0 4073 Castle Class 1950. Undergoing overhaul, with completion expected in 2017. 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
71000 Duke of Gloucester BR Standard Class 8 4-6-2 1954. Undergoing overhaul. BR Green
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. 1 2 http://www.vintagetrains.co.uk/brm.htm
  2. ↑ Nabarro, Gerald (1972). Steam Nostalgia: Locomotive and Railway Preservation in Great Britain. Routledge. pp. 39–42. ISBN 0-7100-7391-7.
  3. ↑ http://www.shakespeareexpress.com/sua/index.html
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Coordinates: 52°27′16″N 1°50′44″W / 52.4544°N 1.8455°W / 52.4544; -1.8455

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