Volunteers, many of them current or retired railway staff, at Crew Heritage Centre fear that all of their good work may be lost to the next generation if the local council sells the site’s lease to an unsympathetic buyer.
There is still 30 years left on the CHC lease, but the council is looking for someone to take it on a 125 year lease once the current lease expires, without the existing clause that the site has to remain as a museum.
The centre was opened by the Queen in 1987 and is home to 3 working signal boxes and numerous steam, diesel and electric locomotives, including the unique tilting APT.
It is also used to stable steam locomotives between main line running.
Crewe’s railway heritage goes back decades and includes not only the famous Crewe works, but also local heroic train driver Jack Mills, who was attacked trying to defend his mail train in 1963.
Such was the emotion surrounding Jack that cinemas refused to show the film Buster in the town.
Locals are also worried that the town’s Christ Church, built by the Grand Junction Railway company in 1845, could also be closed if money cannot be raised to carry out much needed repairs. It was the first railway funded church to be built in Crewe.
