Tyseley Locomotive Works, formerly the Birmingham Railway Museum, is the engineering arm of mainline railtour operator Vintage Trains, based in Birmingham, England. It occupies part of the former Great Western Railway's Tyseley depot. It is home to an extensive collection of steam engines, 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, repaired the dilapidated tracks and restored two water columns to allow steam locomotives to take water 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 overhauled at the site.
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. Since then, the restoration and maintenance of steam locomotives has been an ongoing process and long term goal.
Operation Tyseley Locomotive Works stores, restores, overhauls and maintains Vintage Trains' fleet of steam and diesel locomotives for use hauling mainline railtours. It also undertakes contract work for third party companies, where their locomotives may be overhauled, restored or constructed using the locomotive works' facilities, this helps generate revenue to assist the works in upkeep costs and continued operation. One notable project to emerge from the works is that of 6880 Betton Grange, which was primarily constructed at TLW. Tours are also occasionally available, so that members of the public may tour the depot with a member of staff.
Vintage Trains also operates railtours using hired steam and diesel locomotives such as 45596 Bahamas and D1015 Western Champion. These 'guest' locomotives may use Tyseley Locomotive Works as a temporary operating base, but are not included in the listings below.
Locomotives
Steam locomotives Locomotives listed here form part of the Tyseley collection except where noted. ImageNumberNameClassWheel ConfigurationYear builtBuilderStatusNotes2885 -GWR 2884 Class2-8-01938Swindon WorksUndergoing RestorationPrivately owned4121 -GWR 5101 Class2-6-2T1937Swindon WorksUndergoing overhaulPrivately owned4965Rood Ashton HallGWR 4900 Class4-6-01930Swindon WorksAwaiting Overhaul5043Earl of Mount EdgcumbeGWR 4073 Class4-6-01936Swindon WorksOperational, Mainline Certified (2023-Ongoing)Boiler ticket expires in 2031.5080DefiantGWR 4073 Class4-6-01939Swindon WorksAwaiting overhaulOverhaul being done to mainline standard.7029Clun CastleGWR 4073 Class4-6-01950Swindon WorksOperational, Mainline Certified (2019-Ongoing)Boiler ticket expires in 2027.7752 -GWR 5700 Class0-6-0PT1930North British Locomotive Co.Awaiting Overhaul9600 -GWR 5700 Class0-6-0PT1945Swindon WorksAwaiting Overhaul1Cadbury N01 -0-4-0 1925AvonsideCosmetic Overhaul1 -Peckett W70-4-01941Peckett & SonsAwaiting Overhaul670 -LNWR Bloomer2-2-220xxTyseleyUnder ConstructionReplica1Sutton BelleModdified bassett-lowke Class 304-4-21933Cannon IronfoundriesUndergoing overhaul15Inch Gauge2Sutton FlyerModdified bassett-lowke Class 304-4-21952Oldbury FoundryAwaiting Overhaul15Inch Gauge
Diesel locomotives Loco numbers in bold mean their current number. Pre-TOPS NumberTOPS NumberClassNameLiveryOwnerStatusMainline CertifiedLocationPhotographNotes D30291302908 -BR BlackTyseley Locomotive WorksOperationalNoTyseleySite shunter.D69403724037 -Transrail GreyTyseley Locomotive WorksOperationalYesTyseleyAcquired in 2022.D17554777347 -BR Two-Tone GreenTyseley Locomotive WorksOperationalYesTyseleyRepainted in May 2021.D4335003350GloriousBR Blue Large LogoTyseley Locomotive WorksOperationalNoKidderminsterOn three year loan to the Fifty Fund.4 - - -Sutton RedTyseley Miniature Railway ProjectOperationalNoTyseley15Inch Gauge
Former locomotives LMS Jubilee Class 5593 Kolhapur: sold to West Coast Railways and left in 2024. GWR 5700 Class 0-6-0PT No 7760: sold to a private buyer and left in 2024.
References
External links
Vintage Trains official site Tyseley Stock and In The Works Lists Double Headed Castle's Shareholder Trip (04/03/23)