Press Release Time!

The Moseley Railway Trust has reached the end of another successful running season. Highlights of the year are many, but the Stanhope Gala in May was particularly well-received. A new event for 2017 was the Diesel Delights event in October. Of particular note is that this event was conceived and planned by a small group of the railway’s younger members. During this weekend, no fewer than 18 of the railway’s fleet of diesel and petrol locomotives had an outing on the passenger train – a figure which puts many Diesel Gala events on standard gauge railways to shame! 2017 was the first time an event focussed on the non-steam locomotives at Apedale had been run – but it seems set to be a firm fixture in the calendar in future years.

Phil Robinson, the Trust Chairman said “We are delighted with how the Diesel Delights event went. The weekend was a real testament to the abilities of our younger members, who showed that the have the organisation abilities to run a significant event – well done to all!”

The Diesel Delights weekend also saw three locomotives visit Apedale from the West Lancashire Light Railway at Hesketh Bank – a Lister petrol engine (which used to work at a tileworks near to Apedale), a Hunslet and a Motor Rail. This was part of an “exchange deal” which saw the Apedale-based Kerr, Stuart steam loco “Stanhope” return to Hesketh Bank for a few weeks. “Stanhope” ran regularly at Hesketh Bank in the years prior to the Moseley Railway Trust establishing a permanent railway at Apedale.

“Stanhope” is now approaching the end of its current 10-year boiler certificate; it is currently planned that the locomotive will operate the popular Santa Specials at Apedale prior to work commencing on the locomotive’s overhaul. The loco has been well cared for, and it is hoped that it will be back steaming at Apedale before too long.

The 2018 season at Apedale will see the usual array of special events, but the centrepiece of the year will be the third Tracks to the Trenches event, on July 13, 14 and 15 2018. These large and justly popular events mark the First World War Centenary and the role that light railways played in that conflict.

The Trust would be pleased to hear from organisations interested in sponsorship opportunities at this high-profile event, and also from potential exhibitors of items relevant to the 1914-1918 period.

More details of the Trust and the Apedale Valley Light Railway can be found on Facebook or on the website www.mrt.org.uk.

Lyme Lottery

A big thank you to everyone who has supported us this year. A new way of supporting the Trust is by buying tickets for the Lyme Lottery - this is run by our local authority, and is a new scheme to support charities in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Better odds than the National Lottery, and much more of the money goes to good causes. If you win big, please send us a postcard.....https://www.lymelottery.co.uk/cause-data/07f8e060-cd81-4aeb-b9a1-7cb6396d1f8b/leaflets/59661d54-fca5-48a4-9183-b0186878fe09/special-prizes-don't-miss-the-first-draw%20-%20digital.pdf

Local Lad made good

Despite the dire weather predictions, it's been a busy weekend at Apedale. We were honoured to host a visit by the owner of Lister 10805. The loco worked very locally to Apedale at Springfields Tileworks - predictably, now the site of a supermarket. The owner, on the other hand, had come from rather further afield - Norway to be specific. The loco is normally based at the West Lancashire Light Railway, and we are grateful to both the owner and the WLLR team for allowing a "local lad" to visit its old stamping ground for a few weeks.

Elsewhere, significant progress was made by the team of younger members on Motor Rail 21520 - a recent arrival. The wheels are a tiny bit on the tired side, so the loco has been turned over with a view to removal of the wheelsets.

Diesel Delights preparation

A busy day at Apedale getting ready for the Diesel Delights event next weekend. We have already taken delivery of three visiting locos from our friends at the West Lancashire Light Railway - a large Motor Rail, a Hunslet and a very charecterful petrol-engined Lister. The Lister is almost returning home, as it worked at Springfield Tileries, which was not too far from us. A key attribute of the Diesel event will be the chance to allow some of our small internal-combustion locos to work passenger trains, and this is being accomplished by means of a portable air-brake system. This is carried around the driver's neck. We took the opportunity today to test the system and it worked pretty much as expected, which is always encouraging.

Santa Claus is coming to town

We are pleased to announce that we are now taking bookings for the Santa Specials for this year. We are running on five days - 9th, 10th, 16th, 17th and the 23rd of December. Book ahead prices are £7 for children and £5 for adults. There are seven trains per day. Full details and on-line booking can be seen here. You can also make bookings in-person at our shop at the railway, which is open every Saturday plus Sundays 8th, 15th and 29th October. These trains have become extremely popular, and were completely sold-out last year - this is why we've added a fifth date to try to avoid disappointing anyone. The dates nearest to Christmas always sell-out the quickest, as to trains in the middle of the day. The Trust volunteers very much look forward to celebrating this special time of year with you and your family.

Lord Austin

Saturday saw intermittent torrential downpours, which rather limited passenger numbers, despote being able to ride in enclosed splendour in the FR coach. We steamed "Stanhope" this weekend, in what will be one of its final appearances before being withdrawn for overhaul. Hopefully, "Stanhope" will not be absent for too long. The loco has been well-cared for, and is in generally good order. Some boiler work is needed in additional to the expected re-tube.

Most sensible people stayed under cover, and this resulted in a fair bit of work being done on the cab of the Motor Rail petrol loco "Lord Austin". It's been invited for a jolly outing to the Amerton Railway at the end of the month, and there's nothing like a deadline for getting things done. The cab is now built, painted, glazed and fitted with a tin roof sheet. This will keep drivers dry, warm and especially snug. Especially the latter - a jar of vaseline will be made available at all times to aid our stouter drivers in gaining egress from the locomotive.

High Speed Link

A busy weekend has seen a couple of current projects making progress. The new high-speed rail link to the Diesel Container has been completed. This means that locos can be moved in and out without the need for a 76 tonne crane and/or a battalion of the Royal Engineers. This will be of great use during the Diesel event on 7 & 8 October, as it seems the Royal Engineers are washing their hair that day (they said). Meanwhile, Motor Rail 1320 has been regaining its wheelsets - this was proving to be a lot more challenging than expected, but hopefully we will have a mobile loco before much longer. It's an awful long way off being an actual locomotive again, since the engine remains under overhaul, but it's the important point in a project where bits are being put back together rather than always being taken and tutted over.