Nsr News Letter 01

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NSR Rolling Stock Restoration TrustRegistered Charity No 1127895

The StaffordshireKnot

Jan March 2012,Issue No1

News from theKnotty Trust

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The news letter of the NSR RollingStock Restoration Trust

Conserving NSR coachs 061 & 127 for future operation on theFoxfield Railway

Dedication

This first edition is dedicated to the memory of Dr Jack Hollick who was responsible for the preservation of bothbodies and to that of Bert Davies and Frank Underwoodwhose conservation work was key to the survival of thetwo bodies over the last three decades.

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Introduction

Welcome to this, the first newsletter of the NSR RollingStock Restoration Trust. The purpose of this publicationis to draw attention to the activities of the Trust in itsendeavour to restore NSR coachs 061 & 127 tooperational use on the Foxfield Railway . Significantprogress has been made in recent years, No 061 is nowsitting on a rebuilt and extended box van frame.Restoration is now concentrated on the body itself in themuseum at Caverswall Road. The nominated frame for127 has been similarly rebuilt although no work has beencarried out on the body to date.

In this, and subsequent editions, the Trust will provide a

detailed update of restoration and future plans. We willalso review fund raising and research activities.

The creation of a new build NSR brake 3 rd of the 1870speriod is under active consideration by the Trust. Itspurpose is to provide suitable modern braking along withdisabled access whilst at the same time recreating thelook and feel a NSR branch train.

Many members of the Foxfield Railway consider that theVictorian engines within the collection would be better

suited to passenger operations using older coachingstock. It was from this base that the Trust was formed toensure that No 61 and No 127 are restored to operationalcondition. The Trust seeks to recreate travel as it was forthe majority some 130 years ago, for these coachs werenot designed for long distances but as close packed 3 rd

class travel over the branch line system that was theNorth Staffordshire Railway.

In recognition that greater emphasis must be given to

fund raising in 2012 the trust seeks your support, eithervia a one off donation or by a regular contribution. It isthe preference of the Trust to set up direct debitaccounts, although regular cash donations are stillwelcome ( signed duplicate receipts will be issued foreach donation ). A direct debit form is included at theend of the news letter.

A vintage train for the price of a pint ?.

Dave Scragg

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Restoration update - 061

The early ( 1970s) restoration work on no 61 will formthe basis of a future edition of the Staffordshire Knot.An archive record from this period will be included in thenew trust web site, contributions are welcome.

As is normal with conservation projects of this kind thelocation of suitable chassis is difficult, the location of aformer MR parcels van at RoF Glascoed around twentyyears ago and a pipe wagon more recently provided abasis for conversion.

That both conversions ( including lengthening and fulloverhaul ) are complete is a magnificent achievementand one that Dave Donkin and Richard Millward can be

justly proud. Future editions of the Staffordshire Knottwill focus in detail on the work involved and the momentwhen 061 was positioned on to its new chassis just over a

year ago.

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A new phase in the restoration of 061 began once thebody was in place, although appearing complete agreat deal of work remains to be done. Currently work isfocused around the replacement of corroded supportbrackets to ensure that the basic structure is rigid. Theprinciple aim with No 61 is to retain as much of theoriginal fabric of the coach as is possible , presenting therestoration team with many challenges. At the time of

writing around 50% of the support brackets are in placewith most of the lower teak side panels removed foraccess and conservation. Regular working parties takeplace most weekends and on Wednesdays, if you canhelp please contact Dave Donkin or Richard Millward.

Restoration update No 127

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The restoration of No 127 remains a prime objective of the Trust. Always viewed as in need of offsite restorationdue to its condition. John Allman has been instrumentalin the pursuit of quotations for a phased rebuild thatforms the basis of fund raising targets. Richard Warrenhas investigated various grant aid opportunities, wehope to have more to say in the next edition. Matchfunding is key to success in this area, hence the drive toincrease profile and regular income.

Put simply the more money that the Trust has availablethe greater the prospect of a full offsite restoration is. Inbroad terms, the Trust has sufficient funds to restore thewooden frame, floor and roof. Progress indeed anddemonstration that the project is viable if ever it was

needed. There is no reason why work could not start onNo 127 this year.

It is possible to sponsor a specific part of the coachsrebuild, any item ranging from a fully functioning door,roof spar or panel.

A historical perspective of NSR coachs 061& 127.

by Mark Smith

No 61

This carriage was built in the mid 1870s, probably 1876(see below). It was almost certainly constructed at theNorth Staffordshire Railway's own works in Stoke-on-Trent, in the carriage and wagon shops alongside theTrent and Mersey Canal which still stand today (localswill know "Hyde Park Tiles" as the actual building). The

coach is of a typical early NSR "deep waisted" panel stylewith square corners, and the hallmark end panelling style

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of seven long thin panels up to eaves level. It is only 20long by 8 feet wide, with virtually straight side framing,small windows, and four doors on each side.

The carriage is divided by a single partition into two pairs

of compartments, with a single oil lamp hole provided toilluminate both. Each seating bay is lettered A to D and,being less than 5'0" wide with narrow wooden seats, thepassengers would have had to sit with their kneesvirtually interlocked.

Many carriages were built by the NSR to this basic size,for close-coupled sets intended for use on the Loop Lineservices, though they were also employed much furtherafield. Later examples were wider and better equipped.After 1897 they were equipped with electric light, butthey never received any form of train heating.

The four wheeled oak underframes of these carriageswere originally carried on grease lubricated axleboxes inoutside W irons and long springs. NSR oil axleboxeswere fitted later. The short wheelbase of only 12 feetmust have created an uncomfortable ride at speed. Thepoor lighting and lack of heating would have made long

journeys such as on the NSR Market Drayton line, alongwhich these small carriages were frequently used even inthe late 1890s, insufferable.

A handful of such carriages even lasted until 1923 inworkmen's trains but were promptly withdrawn when theNSR was taken over by the LMS. For a slightly later,longer example of this type of carriage also preserved atFoxfield, see 4w third number 127.

There is a record of number 61 being involved in anaccident that befell the 5.43pm train from Rocester toAshbourne on 1 February 1900, in which appears to havebeen the third vehicle but was undamaged. Areplacement carriage, a six-wheel five compartmentthird, was built by the NSR in 1901. At that date number61 would have been placed on the "duplicate list"renumbered 061 and withdrawn as soon as any majorrepair became due. Three identical carriages to number61 were converted to milk vans by the NSR in 1907.These three (numbers 56, 57 and 60) are recorded by theNSR as built in 1876 so this may confirm the exact year of building for number 61. It did not survive in service longenough to be equipped with electric light, and it is notknown exactly when 61 was withdrawn and the bodyseparated from the underframe so it could be grounded,

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but it was probably by 1910. It was used as a platelayers'hut in the goods yard at Tutbury station on the NSR lineto Burton-on-Trent. By the late 1920s the body had beensold on even from this humble duty, and became agarden shed at a house in Tutbury.

Remarkably, the carriage body survived in this use ingood condition until the mid 1970s, when its historicalinterest became apparent to the owners, Mr and MissMelbourne. When they wished to extend the house anddispose of the body of number 61 they kindly allowed itscareful removal and it arrived at the Foxfield Railway by

road in Autumn 1976, by then 100 years old.A partial restoration was carried out while the body of number 61 was located on the wooden platform atFoxfield Colliery, but on 11 October 1992 it was placedtemporarily on modern underframe number 3415, one of the CEGB flat wagons (ex tank wagons), and moved toCaverswall Road station for a full restoration tocommence. This took place under the canopy at the sideof the museum building and was completed when movedinside the building, where it is now displayed

Wherever possible the original panels have beenretained, but a new central seat has had to beconstructed. One interesting find during restoration wassome football graffitti engraved on one of the windows:"Derby 1 Bolton 4" but it is not known which year thismight relate to. Internally the doors and walls have beenstained and painted as they would have been originally,and the exterior carries 1870s livery as far as theavailable evidence indicates.

A underframe from a passenger rated Midland Railway 12ton van dating from the early 1920s has been lengthenedby 2'6" and fully restored to carry the body of number 61.This will not be entirely authentic as the metal framesand inside W irons are very different to NSR practice of the 19th century. However, it should look the part andmost importantly allow an experience of this ancientcarriage on the move once again, literally to betransported back into a forgotten age. All work on theunderframe has been carried out at Foxfield byvolunteers.

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NSR 061 arrives at Foxfield in 1976

NSR No 127

This carriage is similar to NSR 061 and has the samestyle of square panelling, but the waist panels areshallower and it has rounded window bolectionmouldings, indicating that it is probably of slightly laterbuilding date. Indeed it may date from after 1876, thetime the North Staffordshire Railway began to adopted a"waistless" panel style very similar to the LNWR for itsprestige new six-wheeled stock, and altered the style of its humble four-wheeled stock too. In any case it musthave been built by 1884 as (apart from a couple of workmen's vehicles) the NSR built its last four-wheeled

carriages that year. It was probably built at Stoke Works,but may have been part of an order for a whole trainfrom and outside contractors. At 22 feet in length it is 2feet longer than number 61, but it ran on basically thesame design of simple 12'0" wheelbase underframe and3'6" Mansell wooden centred wheels. Inside it wasinitially very similar to number 61, with just a singlepartition in the middle and two oil lamps, each servingtwo compartments. The main difference was 6 inchesextra legroom in each compartment. However the factthat there are six oil lamp holes in the roof reveals a keymodification at some time. Two additional thin partitionswere added to make four separate compartments, for

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which four later lamp holes were cut. The mortice jointsfor the later partitions can also still be seen.

A replacement five compartment third class carriage wasbuilt in 1902. As a result number 127 would have beenrelegated to the duplicate list that year (renumbered0127), and probably ended up on workmens trains forcolliery workers. Eventually it would have gone intostorage at Cockshute carriage sidings in Stoke, pendingbreaking up.

One way or another, its body soon found its way toWaterhouses, on the famous narrow gauge Leek andManifold Light Railway, which provided a last restingplace for many old NSR carriages as waiting rooms, cyclesheds and stores. The NSR Board decided to strip a batchof old carriages (stored at Cockshute) from theirunderframes for this purpose in November 1907, sonumber 127 had certainly been withdrawn from anyactive service by then.

Some time after closure of the Leek and Manifold LightRailway in the mid 1930s the body of number 127 wasmoved to a farm at Ecton, also in the Manifold Valley,where it was used as a store shed. A doorway was cut

into one end and all the partitions were removed.Unfortunately one of the original doors was lost and the

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floor entirely rotted away, but it was rescued forpreservation in 1980 when the owner kindly presented itto Foxfield.

After arrival at Foxfield Colliery the body of number 127was used as a workshop and store for carriage andwagon spares. The missing door was replaced with asteel one from a much more modern vehicle. Somepreventative maintenance was been carried out on thebody to keep the roof watertight, but its conditiongradually deteriorated and the glass was vandalised.When Foxfield Wood sidings were cleared in 2007 it wasobvious to a small group of working members at therailway that a salvage plan was needed if the body wasto survive at all, and its restoration would be a fargreater task than that carried out on number 61. On 1

July 2007 the body was moved onto a temporaryunderframe, sheeted, and moved to the Colliery Yard. Inspring 2008 it moved down the line to Caverswall Roadstation, together with the underframe to be modified toenable number 127 to run again. This comes from BR 13 ton Pipe Wagon number B741715 , which was acquired in1994 for the purpose. The "new" underframe was aproduct of Wolverton Works in 1956, is already vacuumfitted, it has been extended by 6 inches, by modifying thebuffer planks at each end. The chassis is now ready forthe fitting of the body.

The body has now had almost all extra non-original itemsremoved, and some of the rotten panelling. The upperframe is in good condition, but probably only one of thedoors is worth saving. The lower framing and panellingwill be almost entirely replaced. Some of the door jambsand other vertical timbers are reusable, but new metalcorner brackets will be needed.

Coming up in the Next Issue of theStaffordshire Knot :-The next issue of the Staffordshire Knot will be publishedin April and will feature an in depth look at restorationprogress to date, a feature on NSR coach liveries anddrawings of four wheeled brake coachs.

Also featured will be a update fund raising can we hitthe 10,000 target by April ?.

Contributions to the next issue are welcome and must be

submitted to Dave Scragg by 15th

March.

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For further information regarding the Trustor its activities please contact;

Mr. R. H. Whalley C.Eng., FIET

Hon. Chairman NSRRSRT.

94, Wellington Road,

Bollington,

Macclesfield,

Cheshire, SK10 5HT

0774847 5120

NSR Rolling Stock Restoration Trust

Conserving the past for the future

Registered Charity No 1127895

Standing Order ApplicationPlease complete this form and hand to either John Allman, RichardWarren or Dave Scragg initially who will forward to your bank.Alternatively sign, scan & return to [email protected] or post to :-Dave Scragg, 57 Camborne Crescent, Westlands, Newcastle, Staffs,ST5 3NQ.

To your bank ,I wish to take out a Standing Order to The NSR Rolling StockRestoration Trust.I understand that the amount shown below will be paid at monthlyintervals as indicated.

To Bank plc: .............................................................................Branch: ....................................................................................Account number to be debited: .............................................

Standing OrderSORT CODE BANK/BRANCH CREDIT ACCOUNT

MONTHLY AMOUNT01-05-27 NatWest Longton, Staffs 38603241

..........................

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Please credit the account of The NSR Rolling Stock Restoration Trustwith the above monthly amount.First payment to be made on ................ (day), .......................(month), ................ (year) and thereafter each month until furthernotice.Name: ...................................................................................Address: ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... PostCode: .................................Email address: .......................................................................Signature:..............................................................................Date: .....................................

Gift Aid declarationPlease treat all donations and subscriptions that I make today

and in the future as Gift Aid donations.You must pay an amount of income tax and/or capital gains tax in each tax year at least equal to the tax that the NSR RollingStock Restoration Trust will claim from HM Revenue & Customson your Gift Aid donation(s).Name: ...................................................................................Address:....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... PostCode: .................................Signature: ............................................................................Date: ...............................

Please notify The NSR Rolling Stock Trust if you:1. Want to cancel this declaration.2. Change your name or home address.3. No longer pay sufficient tax on your income and/or capital gains.Charity Registration No 1127895

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Nsr News Letter 01