Chasewater Railway

Chasewater Railway
Chasewater Railway
	The Chasewater Heaths station, with the new signal box rebuilt at the station in 2007
Locale	Brownhills West
Terminus	Chasetown (Church Street) (north); Brownhills West (south)
Commercial operations
Original gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Preserved operations
Operated by	Chasewater Light Railway & Museum Company
Stations	4
Length	2 miles (3.2 km)
Preserved gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

Chasewater Railway

Legend

(Church Street)

causeway

M6 Toll

Midland Railway

to Brownhills Watling Street

The Chasewater Railway is a former colliery railway running round the shores of Chasewater in Staffordshire, England. It is now operated as a heritage railway.

The line is approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) in length, contained entirely within Chasewater Country Park. The route, which forms a horse-shoe shape around the lake, passes through heathland, including a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and passes over a 1⁄4-mile (0.40 km) long causeway.

History[edit]

Prior to preservation, the line was part of the network operated by the NCB to serve the coalfields of the Cannock Chase area. The exchange sidings, where the colliery line connected with the Midland Railway, were situated about 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) north of the current Brownhills West Station.

Significant changes happened in 2002/2003 caused by the closure of the original Brownhills West station due to the building of the M6 Toll motorway. This led to the rebuilding of Brownhills West slightly north of the old station with significantly improved facilities, including a new carriage shed and heritage centre, and completion of the Chasetown section of the line (the 'Chasetown Extension Railway' between Chasewater Heaths and Chasetown Church Street).

In 2016 the Railway was awarded The Queens Award for Voluntary Services.