Foxfield Railway

The Foxfield Railway was built in 1892-1893 to provide a link to the North Staffordshire Railway for the Foxfield Colliery. The railway was built by local labour provided by North Staffordshire Railway employees at weekends and supervised by the North Staffordshire Railway foreman plate layer Noah Stanier, using second hand material, again obtained from the North Staffordshire Railway.[1]

When the colliery closed in August 1965,[2] local volunteers formed the Foxfield Light Railway Society to preserve the line. At first, passengers were taken in converted trucks up the formidable 1:19 to 1:26 gradient out of the colliery site at Dilhorne, accompanied by a tank engine.

Eventually, new coaches were purchased and a station was built at Caverswall Road, Blythe Bridge, half a mile from Blythe Bridge station. The service runs for 2+1⁄4 miles (3.6 km) from there to the top of Foxfield Bank. The last half mile into the colliery is currently being relaid to suitable standards for passenger trains to be re-introduced.

The museum is currently being renovated to tell the story of the preservation era.

The original line left the Crewe to Derby Line a little west of the station. The link has been lifted, but several abandoned wagons can be seen in the old sidings from passing trains. A station and depot have been built at Caverswall Road, half a mile north of Blythe Bridge railway station along Blythe Bridge Road.

Although located in Staffordshire, the railway has been used for the filming of sequences for the BBC Television series Cranford, which is set in Cheshire. The railway featured in the two-part Christmas special that was first broadcast in December 2009. Judi Dench, who played the part of Matilda 'Matty' Jenkyns, invited several of the main characters to ride on the train in an attempt to alter their opinions about the benefits of the railway being extended into the town of Cranford.[3]

The station at Caverswall offers visitor facilities such as a Buffet serving hot and cold food and drinks and a Real Ale bar "The One Legged Shunter". Also a museum building displaying a variety of artifacts relating to local railways and locomotives currently out of service. The adjacent Olcote Animal Sanctuary has an enclosure next to the miniature railway where animals can be found the first three Sundays in a month.

The railway operates Sundays and Bank Holidays from April to October and Santa Special trains during December.

The Foxfield Railway has the largest collection of standard gauge steam locomotives in Staffordshire, most of which are of industrial origins. Also a reasonable sized collection of industrial diesels and a recently arrived (August 2020) class 142 Pacer no 142055 in working order.

Operational steam locomotives

Origin	Number/Name	Wheel arrangement	Class	Notes	Photograph
Hawthorn Leslie and Company	3581 Marston, Thompson & Evershed No. 3	0-4-0ST		Works number 3581 of 1924.[4] Returned to service December 2021 following long term restoration.
Kerr Stuart	4388	0-4-0ST	'Witch'	Built in 1926. Overhaul commenced following a change in ownership to Fred Dibnah's son in June 2020, and was completed in July 2022. Boiler ticket expires 2032.
W. G. Bagnall	2623 Hawarden	0-4-0ST		Built in 1940. Returned to service in 2023 after major overhaul. Boiler ticket expires 2033.

Steam locomotives off site

Origin	Number/Name	Wheel arrangement	Class	Notes	Photograph
Hunslet Engine Company	3839 Wimblebury	0-6-0ST	Austerity 0-6-0ST	Built in 1956. Returned to service in July 2017 after 10-yearly overhaul. On loan to the Avon Valley Railway.
Andrew Barclay Sons & Co.	1984 Boots No. 1	0-4-0F		Built in 1930. Offsite on long term loan to West Somerset Railway, awaiting restoration.
Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns	7063 Eustace Forth	0-4-0ST		Built in 1942. Entered service in July 2017 following extensive overhaul. On loan to Peak Rail.

Steam locomotives undergoing overhaul or restoration

Origin	Number/Name	Wheel arrangement	Class	Notes	Photograph
Beyer, Peacock & Co.	1827	0-4-0ST		Built in 1879. Re-entered service during 2013 and withdrawn for overhaul in 2022.
Hunslet Engine Co.	3694 Whiston	0-6-0ST	Austerity	Built in 1950 to the famous 'Austerity' design of which 485 examples constructed between 1943 and 1964. Worked all its commercial life in the Lancashire coalfield before coming to Foxfield in very poor condition on 26/03/83. Overhauled and entered service on 19/04/86 and constant performer in traffic apart from two further overhauls from 1994–96 and 2006-2010. Last in steam on 31 December 2020 when current boiler certification expired. Complete new saddletank delivered to site in April 2021 and new smokebox / door in course of installation in May 2021. All 181 boiler tubes and all 130 off rigid and flexible roof stays removed November / December 2021. Boiler lifted from frames in April 2022. Much copper side stay replacement completed November 2022. Frames lifted off the wheels in early February 2023. Hoped for return to traffic in 2024.
Avonside Engine Co.	1563 John Paton	0-4-0ST		Built in 1908. Undergoing long term restoration.
Peckett and Sons	1567 Ackton Hall No 3	0-6-0ST		Built in 1923. The only surviving example of an inside cylindered 0-6-0 Peckett. Acquired from the National Coal Mining Museum in July 2015. Dismantled for restoration.
W. G. Bagnall	3059 Florence No. 2	0-6-0ST		Built in 1953. Returned to steam in 2008 after an extensive restoration. Withdrawn at end of 2015 for overhaul which is underway.

Stored steam locomotives

Origin	Number/Name	Wheel arrangement	Class	Notes	Photograph
North Staffordshire Railway	2	0-6-2T	NSR New L Class	Built at Stoke works in 1923. On static display in the museum building. Transferred from the National Railway Museum to Foxfield and arrived at the railway on 21 April 2016.
Haydock Foundry	C Bellerophon	0-6-0WT		Built in 1874. The oldest locomotive in the collection. Boiler ticket expired in 2018. Owned by the Vintage Carriage Trust.
Robert Heath & Sons Ltd.	6	0-4-0ST		Built in 1886, rebuilt in 1934. Purchased by the Knotty Coach Trust in 2020 who are fundraising for the resumption of its overhaul.
Peckett and Sons	933 Henry Cort	0-4-0ST	W4 Class	Built in 1903. On static display in the Museum building awaiting overhaul.
Peckett and Sons	1803 Ironbridge No. 1	0-4-0ST		Built in 1933. Awaiting overhaul, on display in the museum.
Peckett and Sons	Works No. 2081 No. 11	0-4-0ST	OY Class	Built in 1947. Awaiting overhaul, on display in the museum.
Manning Wardle	2107 The Welshman	0-6-0ST		Built in 1890. Stored at Foxfield Colliery awaiting restoration. On Loan from the National Coal Mining Museum
W. G. Bagnall	2221 Lewisham	0-6-0ST		Built in 1927.[5] Stored awaiting overhaul after its boiler ticket expired in late 2007.
Dübs and Company	No. 4101 Dubs	0-4-0CT	Dübs and Company crane tank	Built in 1901. Returned to steam in September 2010 after major restoration. 2010 winner of the Heritage Railway Association John Coiley award for Locomotive restoration. Boiler ticket expired in 2020.
Kerr Stuart	4127 Moss Bay	0-4-0ST		Built in 1920. On static display in the museum building.
Sentinel Waggon Works	9535	0-4-0		Built in 1952. On static display in the yard. However, restoration is being considered.

Operational diesel locomotives

Builder/class	Number/Name	Wheel arrangement	Notes	Photograph
Thomas Hill	111C	4wDH	Restored in 2014.
W. G. Bagnall	3150 Wolstanton No. 3	0-6-0DM
Bagnall	3207 Bagnall	4wDH
Kerr Stuart	4421	6wDM	Worked its first passenger trains at the Staffordshire Steam Weekend 2022.[6]
British Rail Class 142	142055	Two car unit	Arrived in 2020. Being commissioned for service.

Diesel locomotives undergoing overhaul or restoration

Builder/class	Number/Name	Wheel arrangement	Notes	Photograph
Thomas Hill	103C	4wDH	Undergoing restoration off site. Originally converted from a Sentinel 4wWBT steam locomotive, like Sentinel 9535.
Andrew Barclay	486 Clive	0-6-0DH	In process of being returned to working order. Bodywork repaint in BR warning yellow as per Central Electricity Generating Board livery completed 5 November 2016. Lettering saying CEGB, Meaford Power Station and varnishing to take place and the frames will be blacked with red wheels. New engine mounts have been fitted and the engine run up a number of times (latest February 2021) and in order.
English Electric/Drewry Car Co.	WD820	0-4-0DM	Used on the D-Day landings in 1944. Undergoing overhaul.
Janus class	2868 Ludstone	0-6-0DE	Restoration started in 2015, which mainly focused on cosmetics, and the prevention of further corrosion to the locomotive. Mechanical work is now underway.
Ruston and Hornsby 88DS	408496 Shanks No. 444	4wDM	Undergoing long term overhaul which began in February 2017. Engine lifted out in November 2017 along with most of the cab. Gradual reassembly underway.
Ruston and Hornsby 165	424841 Roman	0-4-0DE	New generator bushes fitted along with new batteries. New starter motor sourced and waiting to be fitted. Bodywork has also received some attention.

Stored diesel locomotives

Builder/class	Number/Name	Wheel arrangement	Notes	Photograph
Motor Rail Simplex	2262 Helen	4wDM	Stored awaiting restoration.
Ruston and Hornsby 48DS	242915 Hercules	4wDM	A narrow gauge Ruston diesel locomotive that is attached to a standard gauge chassis. Stored awaiting overhaul.

Electric locomotives

Builder/class	Number/Name	Wheel arrangement	Notes	Photograph
English Electric	1130	4wBE/WE	Non-operational due to a lack of batteries or overhead lines on site.

The railway has a collection of carriages from a wide range of years which are used to take passengers up and down the line.

• • Mk 1 Corridor Second (SK) No. M25607. (Operational, overhauled in 2019).
  • Mk 1 Brake Corridor Second (BSK) No. M34672, named 'Eric Swift' after a member who left a legacy which financed the overhaul of the railway's coaching stock. Operational following a major in-house rebuild, including conversion of the luggage area to a on train bar in 2021
  • Mk 1 Tourist Second Open (TSO) No. M4762. Operational following overhaul and completion of accessible conversion at the Llangollen Railway in 2020
  • Mk 1 Tourist Second Open (TSO) No. M4243 undergoing major rebuild following discovery of major corrosion, Privately Owned.
  • Mk 1 Corridor Second (SK) No. M25225. Stored at Dilhorne Park awaiting major restoration. Privately Owned.
  • LMS Theatrical Scenery Van No. 37519 (converted to the passenger carrying Bass Belle Observation Bar Car). On static display but eventually planned to be overhauled to working order.
  • LMS third class gangwayed vestibule coach No. 27249. (Stored awaiting overhaul).
  • LTSR PMV No. 1 (rebuilt by MR in 1920 from Composite vehicle). (Stored out of use. Previously used as Kitchen vehicle).
• The NSR Rolling Stock Restoration Trust

In 2008 a small group was formed with the aim of restoring the two surviving North Staffordshire Railway 4-wheeled coaches, with a long term aim of recreating a proto-typical Victorian train that would have once operated in the local area. The Knotty Trust, as it has become known as, was registered as a charity in 2009 and in 2012 received a £30,000 grant for the completion of the first vehicle (no. 127).[7] This was completed at Stanegate Restorations, who have become a major supporter in the recreation of a Knotty Train.[8] Since then the collection has grown to include other former 'Knotty Coaches' that have been discovered, as well as other historically important vehicles.

The railway also has a selection of freight wagons, in order to preserve what remains of Britain's industrial history.

These include the ubiquitous '16 ton' mineral wagons which were associated with coal trains and the railway in the 1960s, examples of 21 ton hopper wagons also used for coal traffic and a rare ex Central Electricity Generating Board 21 ton tippler wagon that worked all its commercial life in the North Staffordshire coalfield.

• Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (2016). Derby to Stoke-on-Trent. West Sussex: Middleton Press. figs. 111-120. ISBN 9781908174932. OCLC 954271104.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Foxfield Light Railway.

• The Railway website
• Foxfield Virtual Stock List
• BBC Staffordshire - Out & About: Foxfield Railway