© Geoff’s Rail Diaries 2014

The weather had put paid to yesterday’s planned outing, but today held promise of something slightly out of the ordinary - a “Burton Brewery Locomotive Day” at Chasewater. The locos in question, to be demonstrated / displayed at Brownhills West, are all diesels (can’t have everything!) but are all of less common types. Three were built by Baguley (of Burton-on-Trent, oddly enough), the fourth is a sit-up-and-beg Planet, former Worthington No. 21 (1612 of 1929). It’s been at Chasewater since the earliest days - it was in use on one of my early visits in 1972. In fact it’s many years since any of the four worked in Burton. All were elsewhere, in industrial service, when the IRS published its first book of “Existing Locomotives” in 1969. I met one - 3410 of 1955 - when I explored some industrial lines in the south-west more than 30 years ago. Employed at Western Fuel’s depot in Filton, Bristol, it bore a shabby pale (or faded?) yellow livery. Recently renovated, it now wears a smart lined green - with rather striking blue underframes and buffer beam. Wow! (My wife thought the blue went nicely with the green - it didn’t clash...) No. 3410 was originally Marston, Thompson and Evershed’s No. 4

The other two Baguleys were originally employed by Bass. Their No. 5, Bg 3027 of 1939, is a regular performer at Brownhills West on gala days (always reminds me of a child’s clockwork toy). Bass No. 11 (a recent arrival at Chasewater) is Baguley 3590 of 1962, and was the only one of the four not in action. I should say “when we arrived” - when we left, Worthington No. 21 had expired, suffering from old age and heat exhaustion. Happily, a replacement engine and radiator, due to be fitted soon, should see this remarkable locomotive into its second century. We’d driven to Chasewater Heaths station, and ridden the train (steam- hauled by the day-glow Bagnall 2842). Very pleasant - there were three or four deer lazing just beyond the lineside fence. Not sure whether they count as “less common” on the heath, thought it was the first time I’d seen any, and on a busy Sunday afternoon too. Links: • Chasewater Railway • Industrials - Bucks to Bristol Raildairies 1982