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Acocks Green Station

Vivienne14

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
Three images of the station. Strangely there are men working on the tracks in both of the first two images. Viv.
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There coundnt have been many gardeners about, judging by the amount of hores manure in the road.
 
The coloured picture can be dated between 1912 and 1922, because that was when GWR passenger carriages were painted in crimson lake rather than the previous and subsequent more familiar 'chocolate and cream'. In the picture (Edwardian) of the station approach there appears to be, rather unusually for the UK, a pillar fire hydrant. Normally fire hydrants (and washouts) are below ground and accessed by removal of a removable cover. I would be sure many here have trodden on these covers when walking on pavements or crossing roads.
There was ample supply of manure for gardeners, often from stables and from the stables of estates. Gardens, for those fortunate enough to have them, of a good many working people were for growing food; flowers were for the smaller frontage areas. Besides, horses were the principal method of cartage and transport until motor vehicles started to increase post WW1. The place must have been quite aromatic! However, a healthy aroma rather than the diesel fumes of recent and present times.
 
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Looking at those first two photo's, the 6 foot (the space between opposing tracks) looks rather large. Was this Station ever part of Brunel's 7 foot gauge in the same way as Bishop's Lydeard was?
 
I have the belief, Ken, that this was part of the Oxford, Worcester & Wolverhampton (affectionately? known as the 'old worse & worse'. This opened in 1852 and was, I believe due to the Act, to be mixed gauge. This was useful when the Shrewsbury (standard) gauge became part of the GWR.
 
Robert said:
May be the hydrant was being used by the workmen.
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Possibly. At that time I guess it as the local water company that were responsible and gave permission. The water companies today have a statutory obligation to provide hydrants and their use is limited to fire brigades and those who get their official permission.
 
Sherbourne Road railway bridge before the station ticket office as we see it today was built.

Acocks Green Sherboune Rd Railway Bridge.jpg
 
Radiorails said:
I have the belief, Ken, that this was part of the Oxford, Worcester & Wolverhampton (affectionately? known as the 'old worse & worse'. This opened in 1852 and was, I believe due to the Act, to be mixed gauge. This was useful when the Shrewsbury (standard) gauge became part of the GWR.
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Sorry Alan to correct you but this was on the Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway and yes it was mixed gauge. Opened 1st October 1852 as Acocks Green and South Yardley and renamed Acocks Green 6th May 1968. The OWW ran via Kidderminster and Stourbridge to Wolverhampton.
 
Vivienne14 said:
Three images of the station. Strangely there are men working on the tracks in both of the first two images. Viv.
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View attachment 119647

View attachment 119645
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Viv
I have been looking at the top two pictures and I wonder if they were taken by the same photographer on the same day at different times and also from a slightly different angle. Look at the big tree, there are straggly branches that are identical in both pictures, the crowd on the platform have probably just left the train that is departing. Because pictures were hand coloured, there is no knowing what may have been painted out. It is not unusual to see the same picture published by different companies in the early days of postcards as well as some postcard publishers allowing local shops to add their own name to a card. In my collection, I have the same card with a Frith style Post Card back that was sold by a least three of the local shops in the village I collect, with the shop's own imprint on. Are these cards you own and if so who is the publisher? I have no knowledge of local Birmingham publishers but if we can identify the publisher/s we may even be able to date the card. Lastly the title on the photographed card may lead to a local collector knowing who the publisher was or even who the photographer was. At the time these postcards were printed, they were being collected and there was a huge interest in the business of postcards which is why we are so lucky today to have events (particularly tramline openings etc) being available. The whale picture I posted on the stuffed whale forum, was only a photograph printed with a postcard back, but 100 years later has become a postcard. Whether it is Acocks Green Station (one of the more valuable types of postcard ) or Corporation Street, there is an awful lot of history in every card.
Bob
 
Hi Bob. Afraid there's no more information about the cards. They're for sale on eBay. Viv.
 
I may have posted these modern photos of Acocks Green Station in other threads before.



Inside the ticket office



New lifts



Passing Chiltern trains



 
Radiorails said:
The coloured picture can be dated between 1912 and 1922, because that was when GWR passenger carriages were painted in crimson lake rather than the previous and subsequent more familiar 'chocolate and cream'. In the picture (Edwardian) of the station approach there appears to be, rather unusually for the UK, a pillar fire rahydrant. Normally fire hydrants (and washouts) are below ground and accessed by removal of a removable cover. I would be sure many here have trodden on these covers when walking on pavements or crossing roads.

There was ample supply of manure for gardeners, often from stables and from the stables of estates. Gardens, for those fortunate enough to have them, of a good many working people were for growing food; flowers were for the smaller frontage areas. Besides, horses were the principal method of cartage and transport until motor vehicles started to increase post WW1. The place must have been quite aromatic! However, a healthy aroma rather than the diesel fumes of recent and present times.
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Radiorails
I bow to your knowledge and would agree with your dating, however the seller on ebay has the card as postally used 1905. Because of the long life of some postcards, it could be a bad and misread 1915 stamp. The colour is certainly reminiscent of pre WW1 Cards. The decisive thing would be to see where it was printed......if Saxony or another German state then it is pre WW1 or more importantly find out who published it.
Bob
 
RE. Stitcher's photos in posts #11, 12 and 13. Are they 1970s? I notice there's a boy on a BMX bike in #13. BMX bikes were popular in the 70s. Viv.
 
Bob Davis said:
Radiorails
I bow to your knowledge and would agree with your dating, however the seller on ebay has the card as postally used 1905. Because of the long life of some postcards, it could be a bad and misread 1915 stamp. The colour is certainly reminiscent of pre WW1 Cards. The decisive thing would be to see where it was printed......if Saxony or another German state then it is pre WW1 or more importantly find out who published it.
Bob
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I have done some more searching. There is other copies of the coloured postcard on Ebay and this has it's reverse side on show also. The publisher was Harold Bott, Birmingham. The postmark on this one is Dec 22 1906. According to the 1908 Kellys, Harold Bott was a postcard printer located at 14 New Street. However in the 1911 census the only Harold Bott I could find lived at 162 Golden Hillock Road and was a printer/compositor. I have no information on the second picture as yet. Interestingly enough, there are three of the Bott pictures for sale on ebay, but none with the backs shown and for railway station postcards, these of Acocks Green with two exceptions are quite reasonable in price. Perhaps someone on the forum can throw some light on Mr Bott. Incidentally a similar postcard is titled the old Acocks Green Station. When was the station converted to four tracks with an island platform. A final point on all the postcards of the station on ebay, the bulk of the old ones show the same view as these two cards and are quite well animated, with human life on the platform from which the photo was taken almost non existant. The best view and dearest could also feature in the forum when everybody wore a hat.
Radiorails, I suspect that the coaching stock colour was the work of the colourist and being as Mr Bott was in New Street, perhaps she just slipped down to the station to look at the colour of the coaches on the Midland Railway, rather like the blue Midland Red bus shown in another forum picture.

Bob
 
Bob Davis said:
I have done some more searching. There is other copies of the coloured postcard on Ebay and this has it's reverse side on show also. The publisher was Harold Bott, Birmingham. The postmark on this one is Dec 22 1906. According to the 1908 Kellys, Harold Bott was a postcard printer located at 14 New Street. However in the 1911 census the only Harold Bott I could find lived at 162 Golden Hillock Road and was a printer/compositor. I have no information on the second picture as yet. Interestingly enough, there are three of the Bott pictures for sale on ebay, but none with the backs shown and for railway station postcards, these of Acocks Green with two exceptions are quite reasonable in price. Perhaps someone on the forum can throw some light on Mr Bott. Incidentally a similar postcard is titled the old Acocks Green Station. When was the station converted to four tracks with an island platform. A final point on all the postcards of the station on ebay, the bulk of the old ones show the same view as these two cards and are quite well animated, with human life on the platform from which the photo was taken almost non existant. The best view and dearest could also feature in the forum when everybody wore a hat.
Radiorails, I suspect that the coaching stock colour was the work of the colourist and being as Mr Bott was in New Street, perhaps she just slipped down to the station to look at the colour of the coaches on the Midland Railway, rather like the blue Midland Red bus shown in another forum picture.

Bob
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In the 1911 census, the Harold Bott at Golden Hillock Road was a factor in postcards and was born in Dudley
Bob
 
Thanks Bob, I see the probable obfuscation. A gander at the nearest line, which happened to be the Midland. :eek:
One thing is sure and that is research into the past can be completely misled by false interpretations made in the expediency of commerce. (in short, as Mr. Micawber, could have said, "forget accuracy, just get it printed"). :eek:
 
Radiorails said:
Thanks Bob, I see the probable obfuscation. A gander at the nearest line, which happened to be the Midland. :eek:
One thing is sure and that is research into the past can be completely misled by false interpretations made in the expediency of commerce. (in short, as Mr. Micawber, could have said, "forget accuracy, just get it printed"). :eek:
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Tell me about it you should try putting postcards into a book for publication and then asking the oldest inhabitants for information about a picture....one picture, five oldest inhabitants...ten answers, cos I'll just alter what I say m'dear us was wrong that was Mrs......., you smile sweetly, say thank you and walk away.
Bob
 
Thanks Bob. You certainly 'obfuscated' me. I had to resort to Google to see what it meant. I name you the BHF Scrabble champion for 2017
Old Boy
Bob Davis said:
Tell me about it you should try putting postcards into a book for publication and then asking the oldest inhabitants for information about a picture....one picture, five oldest inhabitants...ten answers, cos I'll just alter what I say m'dear us was wrong that was Mrs......., you smile sweetly, say thank you and walk away.
Bob
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Old Boy said:
Thanks Bob. You certainly 'obfuscated' me. I had to resort to Google to see what it meant. I name you the BHF Scrabble champion for 2017
Old Boy
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It was Radiorails used it not me, but I like it and am now obfuscating everyone I can. However it shows that that gentleman is literate and erudite (there's tautology for you) and also like our selves from an age when words were used to define what we were saying...know what I mean M8... and we could all put our thoughts into words. Nowadays of course it would be obfusc8. By the way back on theme, I have no further details on the second station picture.
Mike Thanks for the reference to Acocks Green alterations.
I think I'll sign myself Bobfuscate (Thanks for the word Radiorails
 
There is no publisher for the second postcard and it is not postally used, so it will remain a mystery unless some local postcard collector can recognise it from the way the location is written on it/
Bob
 
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