Part of Staffordshire's industrial past was on show at Chasewater, the Stafford based locomotive builder Bagnall being prominent. Two of the locos in service were significant in that 0-4-0WT 'Willy' celebrates its 100th birthday this year and the diesel 'Ley's' is the penultimate locomotive to be built by Bagnall.
This was another of Chasewater's excellent gala's and I hope that this video portrays this delightful line to good effect. I followed my usual practice of catching the train from Brownhills and walking back, filming as I went. Looking at the rural setting it's hard to imagine that this area, the Cannock Coalfield, was once dotted with collieries and criss crossed with the railway lines that served them.
My day was made all the more enjoyable by spending it with my old friend Brian Murphy (SYKAROST).
I had no particular interest in industrial railways until, that is, I made my first visit to Chasewater. If you haven't visited this delightful line then you must surely add it to your 'must do' list.
28 май 2018
