Foxfield Light Railway

"This is unrelated to the Foxfield railway station in Cumbria. For that and other uses see Foxfield"

The Foxfield Steam Railway is a preserved standard gauge line located south east of Stoke-on-Trent. The line was built in 1893 to serve the colliery at Dilhorne on the Cheadle Coalfield. It joined the North Staffordshire Railway line near Blythe Bridge.

When the colliery closed in 1965, local volunteers formed the Foxfield Light Railway Society to preserve the line. At first, passengers were taken in converted trucks up the formidable 1 in 25 gradient out of the colliery site at Dilhorne, accompanied by a tiny tank engine.

Eventually, new coaches were purchased and a station was built at Caverswall Road, Blythe Bridge, half a mile from Blythe Bridge station. The service runs for 2.5 miles from there to the top of Foxfield Bank. The last half mile into the colliery is currently being relaid to suitable standards for passenger trains to be re-introduced in 2009.

The connection to the Crewe to Derby Line has been disused for many years, but several abandoned wagons can be seen in the old sidings from passing trains.

team Locomotives

The Foxfield Railway has the largest collection of Steam engines in Staffordshire, all are industrial.

*Operational Steam Locomotives
**Hunslet 0-6-0ST No 3839 "Wimblebury" built in 1956. In regular service, restored to NCB dark blue livery, boiler ticket expires in 2018.
**RSH 0-6-0T No 7684 "Meaford No 2" built in 1951. In regular operation, painted in Meaford power station lined green, boiler ticket expires in 2013.
**Beyer Peacock 0-4-0ST No 1827, built in 1879. In service with occasional passenger use, painted in Black lined out in red and white, boiler ticket expires in 2009.
**W.G. Bagnall 0-6-0ST No. 2 "Florence". In regular service following an extensive overhaul, painted in unlined red, boiler ticket expires in 2018.
**Haydock Foundry 0-6-0WT No C "Bellerophon" built in 1874. The oldest Locomotive in the collection, in regular service, boiler ticket expires in 2018, painted chocolate brown.

*Steam Locomotives undergoing overhaul or restoration
**Hunslet 0-6-0ST No. 3694 "Whiston". Undergoing a ten yearly overhaul, the boiler is currently being retubed and could return to traffic later in 2008.
**Dübs and Company crane tank 0-4-0T No. 4101 "Dubs". Undergoing restoration with attention focussed on the boiler and final work on the frames, planned to be done late 2008/early 2009.
**Avonside 0-6-0ST No. 3 "Cranford". Undergoing boiler work with the frames, cab and saddle tank completed.
**W.G. Bagnall 0-4-0ST No. 2. Undergoing restoration with work currently foccused on the frames, wheels and cab and boiler away for overhaul.

*Stored Steam Locomotives
**Peckett and Sons 0-4-0ST No. 933 "Henry Cort". On static display in the Museum building awaiting overhaul.
**Avonside 0-4-0ST No. 1563 "Millon". Partly dismantled, will be one of the next to be overhauled.
**Kerr Stuart 0-4-0ST No. 4127 "Moss Bay". On static display in the museum building.
**Hawthorn Leslie and Company 0-4-0ST No. 3. Stored in the yard with the boiler removed.
**Kerr Stuart 0-4-0ST No. 4388. Stored in the yard awaiting overhaul.
**W.G. Bagnall 0-6-0ST No. 2221 "Lewisham". Stored awaiting overhaul after its boiler ticket expired in late 2007.
**Andrew Barclay 0-4-0F No. 1. Awaiting a cosmetic restoration for display in the museum.
**Peckett and Sons 0-4-0ST No. 1803 "Ironbridge No. 1". Awaiting overhaul and is on display in the museum.
**RSH 0-4-0CT No. 7006 "Roker". On static display in the museum building awaiting overhaul.
**Peckett and Sons OY Class 0-4-0ST No. 11. Awaiting overhaul which is planned shortly now Florence is done.
**Sentinel 4w No. 9535. On static display in the yard.
**Bagnall 0-4-0ST No 2623 "Hawarden" built in 1940. Stored awaiting overhaul, boiler ticket expired in May 2008.
**Robert Heath & Sons Ltd. 0-4-0ST No 6 built in 1885, rebuilt in 1934. Stored awaiting overhaul. boiler ticket expired in May 2008.

Passenger carriages

The railway has a collection of carriages from a wide range of years which are used to take passengers up and down the line.

*Operational passenger carriages
**LMS third class gangwayed vestibule coach No. 27249. In occasional use, mostly used in real ale trains.
**Mk 1 Corridor Second (SK) gangwayed carriage No. M25607. In regular passenger train use.
**Mk 1 Brake Corridor Second (BSK) gangwayed carriage No. 34672. In regular passenger train use.
**Mk 2 Tourist Second Open (TSO) gangwayed carriage No. 5175. In regular passenger train use.
**Mk 2 Brake Standard Open (BSO) gangwayed carriage No. 9410. In regular passenger train use, accesible for wheelchairs.

*Passenger Carriages undergoing overhaul, restoration or light work
**NSR 4w third class compartment carriage No. 61 (body only). An underframe and running gear is being worked on to hold the body which is in very good condition and will require very little work, planned to return to service in a couple of years.

*Stored passenger carriages
**NSR 4w third class compartment carriage No. 127 (body only). Awaiting restoration which is planned once 61 is complete.
**MR 6w Luggage/First/Third class compartment carriage no. unknown (body only). Awaiting restoration.
**MR bogie third class compartment carriage No. 01101 (body only). Stored awaiting restoration.
**Mk 1 Corridor Second (SK) gangwayed carriage No. M25225. Stored at Dilhorne Park awaiting major restoration. Unlikely to be restored.
**LMS Theatrical Scenery Van No. 37519 (converted to the passenger carrying Bass Belle Observation Bar Car). On static display but eventually plannd to be overhauled to working order.

*passenger carriages on loan elsewhere
**Mk 1 Tourist Second Open (TSO) gangwayed carriage No. W4762. On loan to the Churnet Valley Railway.

External links

* [http://www.foxfieldrailway.co.uk/ The Railway website]
* [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/foxfield/ Foxfield Virtual Stock List]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/going_out/venues/a_f/foxfield_railway.shtml BBC Staffordshire - Out & About: Foxfield Railway]
* [http://www.rlsr.org/ Rudyard Lake Steam Railway is a heritage steam railway nearby]