The Great Western engine shed at Tyseley, 2 miles from Birmingham City Centre, opened in 1908. It came under the control of the London Midland Region in 1963 but closed in 1967. During 1968 the former coaling stage was converted into a shed for preserved steam locos and that part of the site became the Birmingham Railway Museum and then Tyseley Loco Works. Four and a half decades on, it has become the first (and still the only) private heritage engineering company in the U.K. to restore steam, diesel and electric traction.
The other part of the original site became a Maintrain facility which is currently operated by London Midland as a DMU servicing point. During the restoration of 86259 at Tyseley, the Maintrain depot hosted it for testing of the blower motors, compressors and vacuum exhausters.
Taken a couple of days after 86259's arrival at Tyseley, in late March 2005, after 17 months in store at Immingham. To make sure it complied with the old Great Western style a lower quadrant semaphore signal was immediately fitted to the roof!!!!
During its first year in store at Tyseley the 86 was moved around the site. Here it is in the Warwick Road platform looking as though it's just arrived with a train - well maybe, sometime ....
The restoration of 86259 began in summer 2006 and then, in late November, it was shunted into Tyseley's 'King' shed for bodywork repairs and painting into electric blue. Richard Thompson does the honours in his Ruston shunter.
"Wonder what the scrap value of this is...?" The nameplates went back to Virgin in 2003 but now they have kindly returned them.
December 29th, 2006. 86259 has emerged from the shed and is displayed in all its Electric Blue glory on the Tyseley turntable.
During its six years at Tyseley, 86259 had a variety of neighbours. Here it is flanked by two Class 47 diesels (Tyseley's own 47773 and the Stratford 47 Group's 47580 "County of Essex") and two classic steam engines (Great Western 4-6-0 4936 "Pitchford Hall" and the mighty LMS Pacific 6201 "Princess Elizabeth").
Regal "Princess Elizabeth" stands next to Commoner "Les Ross".
86259 has featured at several Tyseley Open Days - in 1966 when it emerged from Doncaster works it could well have been pulled out by an Eastern Region tank engine - but I am pretty sure this is the first time an a.c. loco has been shunted by a Great Western pannier tank!
On the footplate of 9600 is Dave Fisher who was very involved in the restoration of 86259.
Clever idea - posing the Hornby model in front of the real thing.
Stupid mistake - the model is the wrong way round!
By the way, the 47 is 47770 which now works for the West Coast Railway Company in its former identity of 47500.
Not only was 86259 stabled at Tyseley but the model 86259 is stabled on the model layout of Tyseley which was housed at Tyseley!
The Sutton Coldfield Railway Society visit Tyseley as 86259 sits on turntable road 13.
Note the obvious salute to the loco by the many members wearing blue!
The Blue 86 and the Black 5 in the white stuff ..
Some of the Open Days at Tyseley Loco Works were shared by the Central Trains depot next door. 259 went across there as a visitor which is why it is parked here!
"Buffered up to a railway icon" ..... said a member of the D1015 Diesel Traction Group - only joking!
Another Tyseley Open Day - as "Tornado" showers 86259 with soot .... all part of the fun!
A Chiltern Railways heritage dmu visiting.
Tyseley resident steam engine 5629 "Nunney Castle" behind, 86259 end-on to 47770, which about three years later will become 47500 again and will be bringing into Euston the stock for a 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' which 259 will be hauling northwards - funny how things work out!
Tyseley's resident cat "Puss Puss" pays an inspection visit.
May 10th, 2011. 86259's final day at Tyseley as it is being prepared to leave for Willesden. Tyseley shunter 13029 is about to move the electric into position for attachment to West Coast's 37516.
Nearly time to leave Tyseley.