Foxfield Railway
INFORMATION FOR THE VISITOR
RCD’s Overview
This heritage railway runs along a former colliery branch line, originally built to link the Foxfield colliery to the North Staffordshire railway at Blythe Bridge. Today the railway has its own station at Blythe Bridge, half a mile from the national rail station, called Caverswall Road. As a former colliery line, the railway has some of the steepest gradients, and some of the tightest curves, on any passenger carrying railway. In keeping with its history, the railway specialises in industrial steam locomotives of which it has a sizeable collection.
The support group is the 'Foxfield Light Railway Society' (see 'Information on the Suport Group' below).
Happening This Month on the Railway
Go to 'Homepage' and click into 'Railway Club Calendar'
Key Facts (where and when)
Extent of Railway (where to where):
Blythe Bridge (Caverswall Road) to Dilhorne Park
Principal Visitor Centre:
Caverswall Road Station (ST11 9BG)
Period of Operation*
- May (Selected Sundays)
- June: (Each Sunday)
- July (Sundays and selected Weekdays)
- August (Sundays and Wednesdays)
- Late November and December (Special event trains)
[* This is a summary. Please go to the railway’s website for definitive operating days]
Key Facts (what you’ll see)
Services usually steam or diesel?
Steam
Type of Steam / Diesel Locomotives Used:
Small industrial steam locomotives
Length of Line:
2.25 miles
Time taken for a round trip:
50 minutes
Number of trains per day:
Up to 4 in each direction
Number of Stations:
2 stations
Prices:
Adult: £10. Senior: £8. Child: £5. Compartment for 4: £35
Time to allow for Visit:
1 to 2 hours
Museum:
Small museum at Caverswall Road Station
Shop/Cafe:
Yes/Yes
Picnic/Play areas:
No
Preservation Established:
1967
Car Park Facilities:
At Caverswall Road Station
Key Facts (Galas/Events/Dining)
Dining Trains:
- Afternoon Tea Trains
Event Trains:
- The North Pole Express: 26 Nov to 24 December
Principal Galas:
- Diesel Gala: April
- Summer Steam Gala: July
- Autumn Steam Gala: September
Experiences:
- Steam Driver Experience
Contacts
Email: flrsenquiries@foxfieldrailway.co.uk
Telephone: 01543 452 623
Website: www.foxfieldrailway.co.uk
Social media: www.facebook.com/FoxfieldRailway
Also on Twitter/ Instagram/ YouTube/ Flickr
INFORMATION FOR THE ENTHUSIAST
Brief History of the Railway and its Preservation
The Foxfield railway line was built in 1893 to serve the Foxfield colliery at Dilhorne. It joined the North Staffordshire Railway line near Blythe Bridge. The colliery closed in August 1965, and the colliery line closed at the same time. In 1967 the Foxfield Light Railway Society was formed to preserve the line. Initially preservation operations revolved around the steep gradient out of the Dilhorne colliery site, but later a station was built at Blythe Bridge (Caverswall Road) and passenger trains run from there in the direction of the former colliery.
Principal Aspiration
To extend services into the Dilhorne colliery site.
Steam Operational Locomotives:
(1) Beyer, Peacock & Co - 1827
(2) Hunslet - 3839 ‘Wimblebury’
(3) Hawthorn Leslie - 3581 Marston, Thompson & Evershed No. 3
(4) Kerr Stuart - 4388
(5) Robert Stephenson Hawthorns - 7063 ‘Eustace Forth’ (out on loan)
Diesel Operational Locomotives/DMU:
(1) Bagnall shunter - 3150 ‘Wolstanton No. 3’
(2) Bagnall shunter - 3207 ‘Bagnall’
(3) Kerr Stuart shunter - 4421
(4) Pacer DMU Class 142 - 142055
Steam Locomotives Under Overhaul:
(1) Hunslet - 3694 ‘Whiston’
(2) WG. Bagnall - 2623 ‘Hawarden’
(3) WG Bagnall - 3059 ‘Florence No. 2’
Diesel Locomotives Under Overhaul:
(1) Andrew Barclay - 486 ‘Clive’
(2) English Electric/Drewry Cars - WD820
(3) Janus class 0-6-0 - 2868 ‘Ludstone’
(4) Ruston and Hornsby 88DS - 408496 ‘Shanks No. 444’
(5) Ruston and Hornsby 165 - 424841 ‘Roman’
Stored/ Under Restoration/ Out of Service:
- Avonside Engine Co - 1563 ‘John Paton’
- Peckett and Sons - 1567 ‘Ackton Hall No 3’
- Haydock Foundry - ‘C Bellerophon’
- North Staffordshire Railway 0-4-0 - No. 2
- Robert Heath & Sons 0-4-0 – No. 6
- Peckett and Sons 0-4-0 - 933 ‘Henry Cort’
- Peckett and Sons 0-4-0 - 1803 ‘Ironbridge No. 1’
- Peckett and Sons 0-4-0 - 2081 No. 11
- Manning Wardle 0-6-0 - 2107 ‘The Welshman’
- W. G. Bagnall 0-6-0 - 2221 ‘Lewisham’
- Kerr Stuart 0-4-0 - 4127 ‘Moss Bay’
- Sentinel Waggon Works 0-4-0 - 9535
INFORMATION ON THE SUPPORT GROUP
Name of Support Group:
Foxfield Light Railway Society
Annual membership fee:
Adult: £20. Senior: £15 Junior £8
Benefits of membership:
- Three full round trips per year for free
- Newsletter issued periodically with regular updates and information
How to Join: Go to www.foxfieldrailway.co.uk/membership-volunteering
What They Say About Volunteering:
Foxfield is run by our volunteer members who really make it the special place it is. We need about 10 volunteers for every activity we run. We not only need volunteers to help with restoration, maintenance, driving & operations but also customer care liaison, ticketing support, shop & buffet staff & general help on our opening days.
How to Volunteer: Go to www.foxfieldrailway.co.uk/membership-volunteering
and scroll down the page to ‘Become a volunteer at Foxfield’.
How to Donate: Send email enquiring about donations
WHY JOIN: Help the railway extend services into the Dilhorne colliery site
INFORMATION ON OTHER SOCIETIES WITH RELATED INTEREST
Those interested in this railway may also be interested in the following railway societies also listed on this
website:
Traditional Railway Societies:
- Industrial Railway Society
- North Staffordshire Railway Study Group
Model Railway Clubs:
- Stafford Railway Circle