Tyseley Locomotive Works


Tyseley Locomotive Works, formerly the Birmingham Railway Museum is the engineering arm of steam railtour promoter Vintage Trains based in Birmingham, England. It occupies part of the former Great Western Railway's Tyseley depot, which was constructed in 1908 as a result of expanding operations in the West Midlands, particularly the opening of the North Warwickshire Line as a new main line from Birmingham to Bristol.
As well as supporting the trust's operating wing Vintage Trains, it is home to an extensive collection of steam engines, ranging from small industrial builds to Great Western Railway 'Castles' and 'Halls', and large ex-mainline diesel engines.

Background

Following the purchase of GWR Castle Class No.7029 Clun Castle in January 1966 by Patrick Whitehouse, the locomotive needed a base close to its central West Midlands supporters' base. Whitehouse found space available at Tyseley, on the site of the former GWR depot, and formed 7029 Clun Castle Ltd to own both the locomotive and the rights to stable it at the depot.
In October 1968, 7029 Clun Castle Ltd purchased LMS Jubilee Class No.5593 "Kolhapur". With further locomotives and railway artefacts available as a result of the Beeching Axe, the supporters established the Standard Gauge Steam Trust as a registered educational charity, to preserve and demonstrate the steam locomotives. Following negotiations the trust acquired a long-term lease on a large part of the Tyseley site, and established the Tyseley Collection which still owns the locomotives and artefacts via the limited company; the depot site became the "Birmingham Railway Museum".
The trust cleared buildings and repaired the dilapidated tracks, and two water columns were repaired to allow steam locomotives to stay at the site. In 1968 the old coaling stage was converted into a two-road shed with an inspection pit to hold both acquired locomotives. In November 1966 Clun Castle was stripped and restored.
In 1999 the trust achieved its long-held objective of running a regular steam train service on the national main line railway network: the Shakespeare Express between Birmingham Snow Hill and Stratford-upon-Avon. At this point the trust felt that the term museum was inappropriate for its new status, and hence separated its assets and operations into two new organisations, Tyseley Locomotive Works and the operating arm Vintage Trains, with the third arm remaining the Tyseley Collection.

Present operations

There is an emphasis on running a professional locomotive overhaul and maintenance site, with significant numbers of other preserved railways and other private operators contracting work to Tyseley. To this extent the site was for a time used as a base of operations for Fragonset Railways.

Location and access

Located close to Tyseley railway station, the No.4 or 4A bus routes operated by National Express West Midlands passes the site. Located on the A41 Warwick Road, the site is approximately 3 miles from Birmingham city centre, or 4 miles from Solihull.
The site is no longer open to the public, except on open days.

Shakespeare Express

As part of its educational programme the trust's operational arm Vintage Trains runs the Shakespeare Express between Birmingham Snow Hill and Stratford-upon-Avon. Aimed at recreating the feeling of the 1950s holiday trains, it has strong appeal to families. It is increasingly being used by coach and tour operators as a new feature within their programme.
In October 2004 the trust announced the acquisition of a site adjacent to Stratford-upon-Avon railway station for future use as the Stratford Railway Tourist Centre and Steam Locomotive Centre. This will provide a steam loco servicing centre at the southern end of the Shakespeare Line. A small museum is also being considered.

Stock list

Operational Mainline locomotives

Not all locomotives listed below are owned by Tyseley Locomotive Works

Steam Locomotives

Diesel Locomotives

Operational locomotives used on open days or shunting

Loco NumberNameDescriptionYear BuiltCurrent StatusLiveryPhotograph
2004PercyPeckett and Sons 1942Operational, Runs demonstration trains at open days.Lined Maroon
3783 "Tyseley 100"BR Class 081959Operational, re-numbered and named during the Tyseley 100 Celebrations.London Midland Colors
10255"Sentinel"Rolls-Royce Sentinel 1966OperationalBlack
13029 BR Class 081953OperationalBR Black
299099Ruston Hornsby 88DS1950OperationalBlue

Non Operational Engines

Locomotives Undergoing Work

Steam Locomotives
Loco NumberNameDescriptionYear BuiltCurrent StatusLiveryPhotograph
670LNWR Bloomer Class replicaN/AConstruction began in 1986; it was 90% complete by 1990 but has never been finished. The tender is painted in an approximation of LNWR Southern Division green. The LNWR Bloomer project was launched in June 2019 in order to complete the locomotive.
778N/AUnder overhaul.N/A
789GER Class M15N/AUnder construction.N/A
3278Franklin D. RooseveltUSATC S160 Class1944.Undergoing overhaul. Arrived from Long Marston in November 2014.N/A
4121GWR 5101 Class1937.Undergoing restoration.N/A
4588TrojanGWR 45751927.Undergoing overhaul for Peak Rail.GWR Green
5043Earl of Mount EdgcumbeGWR 4073 Castle Class1936Undergoing Overhaul.BR Green, Early Emblem
6880Betton GrangeGWR 6800 Grange Class20##Undergoing constructionBR Green, Late Crest
7802Bradley ManorGWR 7800 Manor Class1938Undergoing repairs following incident at West Somerset RailwayBR Green, Late Crest
7812Erlestoke ManorGWR 7800 Manor Class1939Undergoing overhaul following expiry of its boiler ticket in Dec 2017.N/A
34070ManstonSR Battle of Britain class1947Undergoing overhaul and repairs following collision incident at the Swanage Railway where the engine ran into 80104N/A
71000Duke of GloucesterBR Standard Class 8 1954.Undergoing overhaul.BR Green

Diesel Locomotives
Loco NumberNameDescriptionYear BuiltCurrent StatusLiveryPhotograph
40118BR 1Co-Co1 Class 401961.Undergoing major restoration with work focused on the interior.BR Blue

Locomotives Stored and Awaiting Work

Steam Locomotives
Loco NumberNameDescriptionYear BuiltCurrent StatusLiveryPhotograph
18"Cadbury No.1"Avonside 1925.Worked its entire life at the Bournville Works Railway, on its closure in 1976 donated to the museum by Cadbury's. It has recently returned to Tyseley following a long-term loan to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, where it pulled the first paying steam train. With an expired boiler certificate, it has undergone a cosmetic repaint and is stored undercover.Cadbury Brown
65Hudswell Clarke 1929Built for Stewarts & Lloyds. Owned by Grinsty Rail Ltd.
'Pony/Achilles'Hawthorn Leslie & Co. 1912Static display. Built for Blyth Harbour Commissioners. Owned by Grinsty Rail Ltd.Green
2885GWR 28xx Class1938.Moved from Birmingham Moor Street station in June 2013 after 8 years on display and now awaiting restoration to working order.GWR Green
4965Rood Ashton HallGWR 49xx Hall Class1931Stored, awaiting overhaul. Withdrawn from service on 9 September 2019.GWR Green
5080DefiantGWR 4073 Castle Class1939.On static display awaiting overhaul, returned to Tyseley from the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre in May 2017.GWR Green
5593Kolhapur5XP Jubilee1934.On static display awaiting overhaul.LMS Crimson Lake
7760GWR 57xx Class1931.Stored, Awaiting OverhaulGWR Green
9600GWR 57xx Class1945Stored, Awaiting OverhaulBR Lined Black
71480FredRobert Stephenson & Hawthorn WD 1945.Stored.N/A

Diesel Locomotives
Loco NumberNameDescriptionYear BuiltCurrent StatusLiveryPhotograph
376 Andrew Barclay loco1948Static DisplayRed
800 Baguley Petrol loco1920Static displayChalk White
347747Ruston Hornsby 'LWS'1957StoredDark Green