50 Years of the Class 37s » Special Events » The Crewe Heritage Centre

50 Years of the Class 37s » Special Events » The Crewe Heritage Centre

50 Years of the Class 37s

27th November 2010 - 28th November 2010

With support from DRS Rail Services we are holding a 50 Years of the Class 37s...

More details through the link.

Royal Mail Truck Show and Postman Pat » Special Events » The Crewe Heritage Centre

Royal Mail Truck Show and Postman Pat » Special Events » The Crewe Heritage Centre
11th September 2010 - 12th September 2010 - see link for more details

Rail Ale Festival Weekend » Special Events » The Crewe Heritage Centre

Rail Ale Festival Weekend » Special Events » The Crewe Heritage Centre

LNWR Stores at Stockport

It's hard to live in Crewe as someone passionately absorbed in the Historic Environment and not develop an interest for Railway Heritage - especially the great London and North Western Railway Company. It was that company which saw the greatest establishment of the town of Crewe.

I've passed this towering building next to the train line many times over the years and wanted to stop to photo it. A fortuitous opportunity combined with perfect light was afforded me, and this is one of the shots I got of the building, with Christ Church Stockport's spire to the left.

It's now still being used for a storage space by one of the burgeoning storage industry's members.

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

Auction of Railwayana - 20th March 2010

Who's Who - Changes

The committee of Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre changed substantially at a meeting on 27th September 2009, and is now made up of these officers:

Chairman - R M Kenny
Vice Chairman - D Lever
Secretary - R Fenner
Treasurer - A Kettle
PR Officer - G Lewis
Membership Secretary - E Brockley
Newsletter Editor - I Haselgrove
Committee - P Robinson, S Haynes, J Silmon

These, and other members help out in a variety of up front and behind the scenes as and when time permits.

Keep watching for situations vacant; the Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre is growing and there are plans to do much more.

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

Crewe Heritage Centre Paranormal Vigils

On Friday 30th October, Saturday 31st and Saturday 7th November 2008 there will be paranormal vigils at Crewe Heritage Centre.

Other vigils, company parties, team building exercises on other dates are welcome by arrangement. Minumum number of 6 required.

Price is £30 per head. Places are strictly limited, advance booking and payment essential. No one will be admitted on the nights without prior booking and payment. Full details will be sent either by e-mail or by post upon booking.

Those coming along are invited to use their brains as well as their senses to evaluate what is perceived as paranornmal phenomena. Three vigils in 2008 had successful corroboration of phenomena - however unlike on TV, paranormal activity is NOT guaranteed - but a chance to be there just incase, is.

To book, send an e-mail to ghost@crewetours.com or phone 07952 984 229.

Responsible minors are admitted under the condition that guardians are fully in control and take responsibility for those in their care.

No refreshments are provided - please bring your own flasks, food, and warm clothing. Feel free to bring your own equipment (cameras, torches etc) - no responsibility is taken for their safety or functionality.

No admittance to anyone under the influence of alcohol or substances. Anyone under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or acting in any way detrimental to health and safety, or detracting from others’ enjoyment of the evening will leave the premises.

The event runs from 10pm to 3am. Secure parking will be available within the premises. If you need to leave the premises before the event concludes, please arrange to do so within one the of the breaks.

There will be no provision of Ouija Boards during the vigils.

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

New Crewe Heritage Centre Website

If you have not yet seen, there is a new Crewe Heritage Centre website - see here for a much more up to date and user friendly official site.

Updates should resume to the Friends of website later in September 2009.

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

Crewe Heritage Centre Volunteers - Commended "Team of the Year" 2008

Crewe Heritage Centre volunteers - nominated Team of the Year 2008.

At the Cheshire Awards for Tourism Skills Crewe Heritage Centre was up against 18 other nominations in this category, mainly from the Hospitality and Catering industries.

Though not winning outright, the Team still came out "Commended" as Crewe Heritage Centre's renaissance gathers further momentum due to the efforts of the volunteers.

2009 is set to be another very positive year for Crewe Heritage Centre.

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

Team of The Year - Crewe Heritage Centre Volunteers Nominated for Tourism Award

The team of volunteers at The Crewe Heritage Centre have been nominated for Team of the Year at Cheshire Awards for Tourism Skills 2008.

The achievements of the completely voluntary team under the guidance of new management as of early 2007 are noteworthy and commendable.

With limited funding and staff, the team have halted and turned around a prolonged period of decline at Crewe Heritage Centre. They are implementing new vision and enthusiasm to celebrate, inform and educate visitors of the world changing history which Crewe has made to the transport world and more.

The Centre's fortunes and outlook have turned around; instead of steady attrition, there is growth and pro-active work to better present the site in terms of gardens, painting, and displays.

The perception of The Crewe Heritage Centre has changed too. Once described as "an understated disappointment" or "Crewe's scrapyard", the centre is now tidy and in improving appearance.

It has formed and is nurturing a new reptutation as an engaging historical attraction not only on railways, but bus rallies and all things Historic Crewe.

The Centre now has displays concerning such variety as Crewe Alexandra Football Club, Bentley Motors, Crewe at War, the social history of the town, and general Railwayana, as well as of course specific Crewe Works and station history. Space is being prepared for further displays and improving the centre for the future.

Without the voluntary team the management would not have the staff available to implement the new vision, or have people to help share and shape vision for the great celebration of Crewe's Heritage - which is what the Centre should be.

The team recognise the economic and cultural benefits which an engaging attraction brings and the quality of life it can add to those who visit.

Not only is it contributing towards its own future as a tourist attraction, it is contributing towards the image of Crewe and benefitting the wider visitor economy of South Cheshire.

It can be said of any town or area that without its history, heritage and culture, there is nothing to see. Crewe, once seen in the Victorian period as a model town, has for too long been a town only to drive through, or change trains at the station.

A nomination brings more publicity in itself, but a win for the team would give wide recognition to their hard work and freely given time thus far, and promote the centre, the town and the area more positively with rewards all round. A win for the team would be a win for Crewe.

Crewe Heritage Centre's team is being represented by the manager, Mike Lenz, at the Awards Ceremony on November 20th.

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

Crewe Heritage Centre Paranormal Vigil - Halloween 2008

A sell out charity night for Crewe Heritage Centre saw an evening of excitement and suggestively scarey activity in the name of seeing if there was paranormal activity - real or perceived - at different locations in the centre.

One thing I am keen to stress on paranormal vigils is there is no guarantee of paranomal activity. Most encounters deemed as paranormal happen when folk aren't looking for it. However, vigils take in places, times and stories which often suggest odd encounters - so it is not suprising if some odd things are experienced.

Investigating Crewe Heritage Centre for paranormal activity has been almost like "If a tree falls in a forest and there's no one there to hear it, does it still make a sound?". To paraphrase it, "If some really odd things happen which may or may not be explainable, and there's no one there to experience it, is there still paranormal activity going on?".

Well, it seems the answer to this question in this instance is "yes". If not, certainly the human mind and suggestion are clearly at work. With little previous history of known strange activity at Crewe Heritage Centre, these have been explorations to discover unknown unknowns at what was once part of one of the world's most noted railway works.

Specific locations are not given espcially where reliant upon human perception so as not to bias future vigils.

Following a tour for familiarisation and safety, we got down down to business by half ten.

Even during the practical site tour one phenomenon previously recorded was encountered by all four people entering that specific area. Others encountered the same experience later in the night with efforts taken not to transmit knowledge of some peoples' perceptions in the intervening period.

In the Exhibition Hall where earlier in the year my EMF reader had done solitary blips which couldn't be accounted for, there were similar anomalous readings as I addressed the group in the old council seats from 1905, later removed from the Municipal Buildings.

In one location not observed earlier in the year, with curtains drawn for half an hour, it really did *appear* like there was a figure moving in the corridor leading to the room. It was after this one large contingent left! One chap had his head in his hands and exclaimed "I'm so scared! I can't believe I'm doing this!". A 'sensitive' in the group felt there was a named person present (only first) with an approximate height given.

Taking into account movement of trains either side, there were times when one room appeared to darken significantly to all without apparent cause.

Not far away from there four folk suddenly and independently felt dizzy and overcome. One had to leave the room. Another had an impression of a person consistent with what has been experienced there before during normal daytime hours.

Our last session was illustrative of the mind's powers to give a convincing scarey experience when there's something quite explainable going on. We became aware of what sounded like a loud aggressive whisper of "Get out! Get out!". Cue lots of goosebumps... in the best tradition of horror films, some brave souls investigated in the direction of the sounds... and lived to tell the tale. I'm not placing the finding here so if future groups hear it, I can see if they work out the source.

So, it does indeed seem there is a core of strange experience - explainable or otherwise - going on at Crewe Heritage Centre which can make for an engaging overnight vigil. Keep watching for details of future vigils... or if you would like to enquire concerning a special booking, do get in touch to discuss arrangements.

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

Festival of Transport at Crewe Heritage Centre

A superb day at The Crewe Heritage Centre today; these images, and others not included in the slideshow will be used as static images on this website in the weeks ahead. All images taken by TP.

Thanks to all involved, organising, staffing and running.

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

Festival of Transport

Crewe Heritage Centre is hosting a Festival of Transport from 10am to 4pm on Sunday, including the APT, Diesel Locomotives, Steam Trains, Classic Buses, Ferraris, Bentleys, Minis, Military Vehicles, Steam Rollers and more. Refreshments and stalls - plus the existing exhibits of the Exhibition Hall, restored Travelling Post Office, North Signal Box and more.

This is in aid of the "Changing Places" fundraising effort which will provide a specialist toilet facility for people with special needs and disabilities at Christ Church; as part of bringing a community focus back to Crewe's historic mother railway church, social services will be using the church hall on weekdays, bringing with it improvements to the facilities of the hall.

The cost of a family ticket is £5, adults £2.50 and children just £1. Please contact Nicky Gallimore via email here or call 01270-661812 after 5pm for more details...

Thanks to Crewe Blog for many of the details.

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th September 2008 - Miniature Railway Gala

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

In the press again...

Crewe Chronicle news coverage this week...

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

LNWR 2-2-2 3020 'Cornwall'

"Cornwall is a preserved steam locomotive that was built at Crewe in 1847 and extensively rebuilt in 1858. She was designed by Francis Trevithick son of Richard."

Believed to be currently in Shildon, County Durham.

Gratefully reproduced with permission - picture copyright Larry Shone aka Stumm47 from the Deviant Art website.

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

Slideshow...

One friend of Crewe Heritage Centre has compiled this slideshow put on to YouTube, which features 6201 '"Princess Elizabeth", Virgin 57's running Pendolino drags, and wrexham and Shropshire with EWS livery 67's' - all set to Billy Idol's 'White Wedding'. Thanks and credit to DJ.



Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

A Good APT Website

Devotees of the APT - the Advanced Passenger Train - will be very interested in seeing this website on the project, with links, details of publications and dedicated interest groups.

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

Remembering...The Great Gathering

With the continuing dimunition of Crewe's railway works, could something like this ever happen here again? If the station move went ahead, dare Crewe hope for a bigger, better space in which to share its world changing history in the current historic station? Would it be a dream or a nightmare? Whatever, Crewe Heritage Centre will continue to improve, educate, inform and do its best as Crewe's Museum, and perhaps we can hope for major events like this to return here one day.

This poster was found ready cut to be used as note-paper...

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

New Trustees of Crewe Heritage Centre

Crewe Chronicle, 3rd September 2008 - with a welcome to the centre's new Trustees.

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th September 2008

This coming weekend is a Signalling Weekend, with a National Model Railroad Association Day on the 13th.

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

Works Cab returns to Crewe

Crewe Heritage Centre had an interesting delivery from Carnforth on Monday:

The 'Works Cabs' or 'Crewe Cabs', were two, four wheeled boiler trolleys, which were fitted with a canopy, partial sides and closed ends. One of them, usually hauled by 0-4-0 Saddle Tank ran every working day to a timetable between the Old Works (Heritage Centre) and the West End of the Steelworks. It could be used by any workman or foreman who had business along the route, and to carry items required at other locations, and would also be used to transport the wages around the works on payday. This particular cab was used in the works until about 1975, probably just for pay.

The second Cab was used by managers and visitors, it only ran on instruction and was used between Crewe Station and the General Offices and any part of the works as required.

Both Cabs, were refurbished and upholstered including having glass doors fitted for use during the royal visit of King George V and Queen Mary in 1913.

This surviving cab will remain at Crewe Heritage Centre, and once restored, will continue to reside at the Centre.

Picture credit: SC; information credit GH citing Brian Reed's "Crewe Locomotive Works and its Men".

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

Triple Anniversary Weekend and Reunion

Triple anniversary weekend:

• 60 years since British Rail formed
• 40 years since End of Steam
• 20 years since return of Steam to Crewe

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

150 Years of Crewe - Shrewsbury Line

It's 160 years anniversary of Shrewsbury Station and 150 years anniversary of the Crewe to Shrewsbury line this year; a fortuitous train cancellation gave an hour on Shrewsbury station, where a temporary exhibition was found, celebrating these anniversaries in the tunnels beneath the station. Courtesy of Shrewsbury Railway Heritage Trust who were happy for me to take photos of the displays. Clicking the images will enlarge them.

Of particular relevance for Crewe were displays relating to the Shrewsbury Rail Disaster of 15th October 1907, which killed eighteen people - two from Crewe: Frederick Owen Fletcher, a fireman, and Samuel Martin, a driver. The train was formed at Crewe, and consisted of fifteen vehicles - eight of which were LNWR, including a Travelling Post Office (TPO). It derailed on a steep curve approaching Shrewsbury Station travelling at 60 mph instead of 10mph.

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

Old Tickets to Crewe

It's 160 years anniversary of Shrewsbury Station and 150 years anniversary of the Crewe to Shrewsbury line this year; a fortuitous train cancellation gave an hour on Shrewsbury station, where a temporary exhibition was found, celebrating these anniversaries in the tunnels beneath the station. This board showed tickets to / from Shrewsbury from 1899 to the present. Some Crewe tickets were located. Courtesy of Shrewsbury Railway Heritage Trust who were happy for me to take photos of the displays. Clicking the images will enlarge them.

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th August 2008

Signalling Weekend
National Model Railroad Association Day 17th

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

A piece of Crewe in Wales

A small testimony to the huge numbers of people, materials and products which went out around the country and world from Crewe Works, shaping the railway world in a very literal manner is this little signal box.

It is probably contemporary with station improvements at Llandrindod Wells around 1876, and is an early London and North Western Railway Company example of the flat gabled type - made in Crewe Works.

The box was moved from the level crossing further north, to its current site and officially opened again in 1990.

The Signal Box Museum is open mainly at weekends between May and September inclusive, and staffed by volunteers. Contact Builth Wells tourist information for specific times to see this bit of Crewe in the historic Welsh Spa town.

Llandrindod is served by The Heart of Wales Line between Shrewsbury (Amwythig) and Swansea (Abertawe). The town stages an excellent Victorian Festival in late August each year.

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

Sunday 3rd August 2008

Classic Bus Running Day

Today’s Bus Running Day was a great success, with buses taking visitors to Stapely, Bridgemere, Weston and Sandbach throughout the day. A small band of vintage and classic bus enthusiasts led by Keith Wood, assisted by Heritage Centre volunteers made sure that this was an event worth repeating.

Info and picture credit SC.

News cutting Crewe Guardian 31/07/08

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th July 2008

Crewe Heritage Centre 21st Anniversary Weekend

All the usual attractions plus some locomotives on site courtesy DRS, also vintage road vehicles, Class 03 cab rides, Class 87 and Class 47 cab visits, and refreshments.

Cutting from Crewe Guardian 24/07/08.

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk

Crewe Modernisation... North Box

In this shot, the top of the North Box (which forms part of the Crewe Heritage Centre) can be seen with ballast which seems almost as white as snow immediately following the remodelling... The Crewe Arms and Station are further south. Taken from "All Change at Crewe" published in 1985 to tell the ongoing story of further changes at the the historic rail junction of Crewe.

Friends of Crewe Heritage Centre - Supporting Crewe's Culture, History and Heritage from before the Railways to Today.

www.friendsofcreweheritagecentre.org.uk