10th March 2025: The Vintage Trains Story and Tyseley by Mike Corbett
Last year Mike spoke to us of his career on BR through their various workshops and depots around the network.
He is is now part of the Vintage Trains organization that operates from Tyseley. He told the story of the early days running steam specials pulled by Clun Castle and the development of the maintenance works facility on part of the site of Tyseley shed. It was an interesting insight into running a fleet of early BR coaching stock and the numerous hoops required to run it on the modern railway. He showed photos of the modern safety systems needed on the locos and the difficulties of fitting sensitive electronics on to the harsh environment of a steam engine. He also talked of the requirement to fit toilet retention tanks on Mk1 stock and the need for central door locks. We also looked at the facilities at Tyseley to maintain their steam engines, the fortune of grants from the long defunct Manpower Services Commission. Unfortunately time passes far too quickly as those early buildings of the early 1970s are showing their age and refurbishment is urgently needed to enable the stock to remain under cover.
Again it was a very interesting and informative talk especially the insight into the behind the scenes work and bureaucracy of running today’s railway.
The next meeting is on Monday 7th April at the usual venue and time, Weston Favell Village Hall Booth Lane South, Northampton NN3 3EP , 2pm.
The speaker will be John Hillier, talking about The Eric Oldham Legacy Collection.
Richard Deacon
Chairman/Secretary