# Tyseley Locomotive Works

Tyseley Locomotive Works, formerly the Birmingham Railway Museum, is the engineering arm of steam railtour promoter Vintage Trains based in Birmingham, England. It occupies part of the former Great Western Railway's Tyseley depot, built in 1908 to accommodate expanding operations in the West Midlands, particularly the opening of the North Warwickshire Line as a new main line from Birmingham to Bristol.
As well as supporting the trust's operating wing Vintage Trains, 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 and repaired the dilapidated tracks, and two water columns were repaired to allow steam locomotives to stay 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 stripped and restored.
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 of the locomotives has been an ongoing process with a high level of craftsmanship.

## Locomotives

| Number | Name | Class | Wheel Configuration | Year Built | Builder | Status | Notes |
| 2885 | - | GWR 2884 Class | 2-8-0 | 1938 | Swindon Works | Undergoing Restoration | |
| 4121 | - | GWR 5101 Class | 2-6-2T | 1937 | Swindon Works | Stored | |
| 4936 | Kinlet Hall | GWR 4900 Class | 4-6-0 | 1929 | Swindon Works | Undergoing Overhaul | Overhaul being done to mainline standard. |
| 4965 | Rood Ashton Hall | GWR 4900 Class | 4-6-0 | 1930 | Swindon Works | Awaiting Overhaul | |
| 5043 | Earl of Mount Edgcumbe | GWR 4073 Class | 4-6-0 | 1936 | Swindon Works | Operational, Mainline Certified (2023-Ongoing) | Boiler ticket expires in 2031. |
| 5080 | Defiant | GWR 4073 Class | 4-6-0 | 1939 | Swindon Works | Undergoing Ovehaul | Overhaul being done to mainline standard. |
| 5164 | - | GWR 5101 Class | 2-6-2T | 1930 | Swindon Works | Stored | |
| 5551 | The Unknown Warrior | LMS Patriot Class | 4-6-0 | 20## | Tyseley Locomotive Works | Under construction | |
| 5593 | Kolhapur | LMS Jubilee Class | 4-6-0 | 1934 | North British Locomotive Co. | Awaiting Overhaul | Awaiting sale to a new owner as part of Tyseley's future development plans. |
| 5952 | Cogan Hall | GWR 4900 Class | 4-6-0 | 1935 | Swindon Works | Stored | |
| 6880 | Betton Grange | GWR 6800 Class | 4-6-0 | 2024 | Tyseley Locomotive Works | Operational | |
| 7029 | Clun Castle | GWR 4073 Class | 4-6-0 | 1950 | Swindon Works | Operational, Mainline Certified (2019-Ongoing) | Boiler ticket expires in 2027. |
| 7752 | - | GWR 5700 Class | 0-6-0PT | 1930 | North British Locomotive Co. | Awaiting Overhaul | |
| 7760 | - | GWR 5700 Class | 0-6-0PT | 1930 | North British Locomotive Co. | Awaiting Overhaul | Awaiting sale to a new owner as part of Tyseley's future development plans. |
| 7802 | Bradley Manor | GWR 7800 Class | 4-6-0 | 1938 | Swindon Works | Operational at the Severn Valley Railway | Based at the Severn Valley Railway |
| 9600 | - | GWR 5700 Class | 0-6-0PT | 1945 | Swindon Works | Awaiting Overhaul | |
| 71000 | Duke of Gloucester | BR Standard Class 8 | 4-6-2 | 1954 | Crewe Works | Under Overhaul | To be based at LNWR Heritage, Crewe upon completion of overhaul. |