Crewe Heritage Centre

Coordinates: 53°05′41″N 2°26′17″W / 53.0946°N 2.43818°W / 53.0946; -2.43818

The Crewe Heritage Centre
'Get On Track For A Great Day Out'
Former name Crewe Railway Age
Established 24 July 1987 (24 July 1987)
Location Vernon Way, Crewe, England
Type Railway museum
Visitors 30,000 Annually
Chairperson Dorothy Flude
Owner Crewe Heritage Trust Limited
Website https://www.crewehc.org

Crewe Heritage Centre is a railway museum located in Crewe, England. Managed by the Crewe Heritage Trust, the museum is located between Crewe railway station and Crewe town centre; the site was the location of the 'Old Works' which was demolished in the early 1980s.

History

Established in 1987 and renamed in 1992 as Crewe Railway Age by the owning registered charity,[1] the museum returned to its original name of Crewe Heritage Centre in early 2008. The museum is located in the old London, Midland and Scottish Railway yard, which was once part of Crewe Works, between the junction to Chester and the West Coast Main Line. The site is operated by supporters of the Crewe Heritage Centre, and is open to the public every weekend between Easter and end of September.

Exhibits

The centre has a series of exhibits, ranging from the only surviving APT-P train, miniature railways, three open signal boxes (Crewe Station A, Crewe North Junction and Exeter West), and a varied collection of standard gauge steam, diesel and electric locomotives, as well as occasional visiting locomotives. The Main Exhibition Hall features many artefacts and exhibits associated with Crewe from its locomotive and carriage construction, and famous junction railway station. Brake Van rides are available to the public during special events.

Advanced Passenger Train

APT No.370 003/006 at Crewe heritage Centre

Built by British Rail (BR) the 1970s and 1980s, this Class 370 Advanced Passenger Train (APT) is the only surviving APT set. Numbered 370 003/ 006, it is open at all times, with an occasional cafe run from the original buffet car (selected days only). The APT-P museum can be found inside one of the carriages, with photographs on display from the APT project. The set was tilted for the first time in preservation in 2013. In early 2018 an additional surviving APT powercar (M46009) arrived at the museum. It is displayed separately alongside the main set.

Signal boxes

  • Crewe Station A: Open for display purposes, this box was moved onto the site after closure in 1985.
  • Crewe North Junction: Built in 1939 and designed to withstand the Luftwaffe bombs of World War II, the box is constructed out of concrete and has an 18" thick roof and 15" thick walls. Located between the West Coast Main Line and Crewe - Chester line, its location is perfect for viewing passing mainline trains. Demonstrations of how the box was used often take place, and are linked to a simulator. In 1987, the building was extended to provide more room for the Heritage Centre, including a cafe and small shop, and to include a large U.S. model railway.
Levers of Exeter West signal box, as preserved at Crewe Heritage Centre
  • Exeter West: Used to control the split at Exeter between the Great Western Railway and the Southern Railway. With 131 levers, it was a Special Class A signal box, with only the best signalmen authorised to operate it. Since being rebuilt at Crewe, volunteers operate it on every weekend using a demonstration 1960s timetable, which include the hectic Summer Saturday service, which saw famous expresses such as the Torbay Express, Atlantic Coast Express and the Cornishman.

Locomotives

Both mainline and miniature railways operate on most weekends. The standard gauge railway uses either the British Rail Class 03 03 073, [British Rail Class 47] D1842, [47192] or ex-Direct Rail Services British Rail Class 47 47 712. A cylinder and Caprotti valve gear from the locomotive, Duke of Gloucester, forms part of a permanent display. There may also be occasional visiting locomotives. The Center has its own Depot Code, CQ, but only 47712 and 87035 are classed as being locomotives of this Depot.

British Rail Class 87 87035 at Crewe Heritage Centre after recently undergoing an exterior repaint.

Rolling stock

ClassNumberPre TopsBuiltOwnerTypeLiveryStatus
British Rail Class 0303 073D20731959Crewe Heritage TrustDiesel shunterBR BlueIn use
British Rail Class 3737 108D68081963Private ownerDiesel locomotiveBR BlueUnder restoration
British Rail Class 4747 192D18421965Crewe Heritage TrustDiesel locomotiveBR GreenWorking exhibit
British Rail Class 4747 712 'Lady Diana Spencer'D19481966Crewe Diesel GroupDiesel locomotiveScotRailWorking exhibit
British Rail Class 8787 035N/A1974Crewe Heritage TrustElectric (AC) locomotiveBR BlueStatic exhibit
British Rail Class 370370 003/006N/A1980Crewe Heritage TrustElectric (AC) multiple unitInter-CityStatic exhibit

See also

Distinguish from

References

  1. ↑ Charity Commission. CREWE HERITAGE TRUST, registered charity no. 1011961.

Further reading

  • Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (2012). Stafford to Chester. West Sussex: Middleton Press. figs. 73-75. ISBN 9781908174345. OCLC 830024480.
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