Foxfield Railway

The Foxfield Railway was built in 1892-1893 to provide

 a link to the national railway network for the Foxfield

Colliery, on the Stoke-Derby main line.

 

 

 

The North Staffs Vintage set is made

up of two four wheelers

The work is superb

 

Hunslet 0-6-0 saddle tank Austerity class built 1956, number 3839 "Wimblebury"

"Wimblebury" is an example of an Austerity saddle tank built by Hunslet of Leeds. It was delivered new in 1956 to the National Coal Board at Cannock Wood Colliery near Hednesford in Staffordshire and worked there until withdrawn in the early 1970s. Originally earmarked as spares for another engine, "Wimblebury" was purchased privately for preservation and moved to Foxfield on 26 September 1973.

 

Once fitted with vacuum brakes "Wimblebury" became a regular performer on Foxfield passenger trains in the mid 1970s. After an overhaul in the early 1980s including a repaint in original livery, it put in many more years of service. "Wimblebury" also took part in a memorable photographic charter at Littleton Colliery in 1992. Out of traffic for ten years, it was much missed by footplate crews for its power and performance.  

 

Kerr Stuart 0-4-0 saddle tank built 1926, number 4388

A locomotive with strong local associations, it has had a varied career but never strayed far from North Staffordshire. The design is an unusual one, with outside valve gear and no front footplate, plus a very small saddletank, which makes it more like Kerr Stuart's narrow gauge designs. Delivered new in 1926 to shunt the sidings of the British Gas Light Company's gas works at Etruria in Stoke-on-Trent, number 4388 was the first locomotive employed there. It shunted coal wagons from the NSR mainline at Etruria yard, this work having previously been carried out by horses.
In 1949 and 1950 two new small Fowler diesel mechanical locomotives arrived and the Kerr Stuart locomotive was sold on to the Brookfield Foundry & Engineering Company Ltd. This foundry was appropriately located in the former Kerr Stuart works where number 4388 had been built 24 years earlier, Kerr Stuarts having gone bankrupt in 1930. The foundry gradually became inactive and rail traffic ceased in about 1962. Number 4388 was stored in the company of a Bagnall pannier tank in the former Kerr Stuart erecting shop, and eventually when the foundry went into liquidation in late 1982 and an auction was organised at the site. Enthusiasts had kept a watchful eye on the dormant locomotives for twenty years and there was intense interest in what might happen to them
When the two locomotives at the Foundry were auctioned, number 4388 was bought privately and came to Foxfield, arriving straightaway on 13 February 1983. While restoration was underway it moved to the Crewe Heritage Centre in July 1989, but returned in working order for visits to Foxfield in 1993, 1994 and 1995. It carries an attractive green livery but has certain modern fittings such as Oleo buffers, and carries lettering proclaiming its first owners at the Stoke-on-Trent Gas Works. It has since become a resident again but is currently out of traffic awaiting another overhaul.