MRT Locomotives on display

Moseley Railway Trust has now installed the first part of a display at the Apedale Heritage Centre in Newcastle Under Lyme representing aspects of industrial Narrow Gauge Railways. The Heritage Centre, dedicated to the industrial history of the Apedale Valley near Chesterton, approached the Trust last year with a request to present a display on industrial narrow gauge railways since the Apedale site, a former colliery, had it's own 2-foot gauge system used during coal extraction from a drift mine up until closure by the NCB in November 1969. Subsequent mining operations continued until 1989 and also used short railway lines, and the Heritage Centre now contains displays on aspects of the mining heritage of the area including a Roman display, mining artifacts and the re-recreation of the interior of a miners cottage. Visitors are able to take a guided underground tour to see for themselves the conditions under which miners once worked with former miners as guides. Situated adjacent to the Apedale Country Park, the Centre is also used as a base for visitors wishing to spend time in peace away from the hubbub of the surrounding area. Refreshments and snacks are available, as well as a gift shop. The Heritage Centre is open to the public at weekends and bank holidays throughout the year.

The first phase of the MRT display at Apedale consists of a First World War 20HP petrol engined Simplex Locomotive builders no 1111 of 1918, and a former 28HP mines diesel locomotive built by The Hunslet Engine Co in 9056 from 1982. The 20HP Simplex was built to transport war material from dumps at main line railheads to the front line trenches, and was one of 746 of this type built by the Motor Rail & Tramcar Co of Bedford. The Hunslet mines locomotive displayed represents a type commonly found both underground and on the surface from the 1960's onwards and this example dates from 1982, having worked at RJB Mining at Calverton in Nottinghamshire. The locomotive is flame-proofed, allowing it to work safely underground, and is paired with an underground explosives store wagon which was used to store and transport blasting material to locations where it was needed underground. Both displays are on a short section of rail, with backdrops and photographs used to interpret the history and locations in which these loco's worked.

Two further locomotives will be installed in an extension to the display later in the year.

Apedale Heritage Centre, Loomer Road, Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs, ST5-7RR

1918 World War1 Motor Rail in 1-hour prime-time television programme.

The Channel 4 television program, Salvage Squad, in association with the Moseley Railway Trust have fully restored former World War 1 Motor Rail loco – LR3090 in just 3 months.

In what is thought to be a first for television, the Moseley Railway Trust & Salvage Squad, have undertaken the full restoration of former WW1 & Knostrop Sewage Works narrow gauge ‘Protected’ Motor Rail (MR1369 of 1918) locomotive. The hour-long programme, due to be screened in early 2003, will follow the full restoration process over a 3-month period at the premises of Dorothea Restorations in Derbyshire.

The petrol-engined machine (commonly known as a ‘Tin Turtle’), on permanent loan from Leeds Industrial Museum, had not operated since the early 1960’s when it was withdrawn from service. In 1980 this loco, in remarkably original condition, passed to Leeds Museum where it was to spend a further 15 years on static display. Acquired for eventual restoration by the Moseley Railway Trust, the machine arrived in 1995 in time for display at its Military Gala. Following the Moseley Railway Trust’s removal from the Cheadle site, this project was classed as low priority. The Trust’s current Buxworth restoration base is tackling more practical equipment in preparation for developing a railway at a new permanent home.

In early 2002 the Moseley Railway Trust were approached by Wall-to-Wall Television, makers of the Salvage Squad programme, to provide a suitable project. This resulted in the former WW1 locomotive being selected over 2 other Trust engines.

Although in substantially original condition, the locomotive was robbed for spares to keep its sister running whilst at Knostrop Sewage works. Amongst other things, this has resulted in the whole of the ignition system (carburettor, magneto, etc) having to be replaced with the correct pattern parts. Thanks are due to Mike Hart of the Ffestiniog Railway Heritage group, for provision of a very valuable source of engine spares.

Restored to original WW1 condition, this locomotive took part in a special Memorial Day on 11th November 2002, on one of the few surviving remnants of the WW1 light railway system in France; CF Cappy-Froissy-Dompierre (APPEVA).

Having arrived back in the UK again, the locomotive has returned to its berth in the Moseley Railway Trust’s Buxworth workshops. Hopes are high that the restored locomotive will make several working visits to UK Heritage railways in 2003.

For further information please visit either the Moseley Railway Trust homepage (www.mrt.org.uk) or the dedicated website for the ‘Tin Turtle’ (www.tinturtle.info)