• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Childhood Memories Of Trains

devonjim said:
In 1940's our garden backed onto North Warwickshire line which was also only used by the smaller engines. Had to go to Tyseley to see King, Castle and County Class locos.
Click to expand...
My backyard was the same but I did spend lots of time, especially in school holidays near the line and along the canal. I saw most of what the GWR had to offer (1943 - 1954) naturally except for a King. All other GWR named locos, and a big variety of 0-6-0PT's, 2-6-0's, 2-8-0's. ROD's, USATS and the grim 90XXX austerities all passed by at one time or another. Others, mainly passenger, were 2-6-2T, for a short time diesel railcars and in 1951 I saw the Royal Train. I can date that, as I had a home-made Festival of Britain flag flying. Admittedly the Castle and County (10XX) were not common but maybe it was The Cornishman that they hauled.
 
i remember getting the train many times from the old snow hill..stratford...evesham where my aunt lived and of course the yearly holidays to rhyl...love steam train travel and of course they go slow enough so that you can actually see the lovely views instead of just a blur..nice and comfy too with plenty of leg room no good of course for todays travellers life is too fast nowadays...which reminds me i must do the severn valley run again this year :) so for me i will stick to steam :D :D we are so lucky to have so many running up and down the country
 
In the 1950s I raced my bike a lot around Banbury and a few times took the train back to Brum after racing events so I may well have been on this very train. They had a baggage car in the back that had hooks that you hung your bike on real neat and safe.
 
Astoness said:
i remember getting the train many times from the old snow hill..stratford...evesham where my aunt lived and of course the yearly holidays to rhyl...love steam train travel and of course they go slow enough so that you can actually see the lovely views instead of just a blur..nice and comfy too with plenty of leg room no good of course for todays travellers life is too fast nowadays...which reminds me i must do the severn valley run again this year :) so for me i will stick to steam :D :D we are so lucky to have so many running up and down the country
Click to expand...
true lyn. seven valley my young grandchildren loved it on them steamers. and the1940s.get up
Special Events 2020 - Severn Valley Railway
 
Does anyone remember the daily coal or coke train to Windsor Street Gasworks?
This originated in the Chesterfield area and was usually hauled by an 8F 2-8-0 from Westhouses shed.
In the early 60s it as invariably held at Four Oaks waiting for signals. I often used to visit the footplate.
In earlier years the loco was an ancient 2F 0-6-0 and boy, did that struggle with the grade from Butlers Lane to Belwell Lane
 
ROGER C said:
Does anyone remember the daily coal or coke train to Windsor Street Gasworks?
This originated in the Chesterfield area and was usually hauled by an 8F 2-8-0 from Westhouses shed.
In the early 60s it as invariably held at Four Oaks waiting for signals. I often used to visit the footplate.
In earlier years the loco was an ancient 2F 0-6-0 and boy, did that struggle with the grade from Butlers Lane to Belwell Lane
Click to expand...
 
As an Aston fireman in the late 50s early 60s I think the trains you mentioned was the Lichfield day pick-up. The coal trains were picked up from Lichfield after being left by Burton men who then took a train of empties wagons back to Derby. From Aston we used to travel light engine to Lichfield we then spent a couple of hours shunting, about 12 o'clock we would start working back with a mix train to Shenstone where we again did some shunting, dropped off some wagons and pick-up some empties we then preceded to Fouroaks where we again shunted, we could be there for an hour or two, we then set off to Sutton where we shunted, dropping off wagons and picking up empties, our last stop off was Erdington, shunted, pick-up empties, we now set off for Aston Goods where we ran round the train and push it into the goods yard. That's us done, back to Aston, finished. The Diesel shunter a Aston goods would then shunt the coal wagons into Windsor St Gasworks. The engines that we used on these trains were mostly: Class 8s, 5s, and Crabs.
 
I went to BVGS and at the bottom of the playground but before the playing field was the Sutton Coldfield - Lichfield railway line, mainly the day long tank engine drawn passenger services, Lichfield to New Street. The engines were I believe Stanier 2-6-2T numbered 70 upwards. However there were a few goods trains drawn by 0-6-0 tender engines regularly used the line, this was 1947 to 1952.

Bob
 
Timbo90 said:
As an Aston fireman in the late 50s early 60s I think the trains you mentioned was the Lichfield day pick-up. The coal trains were picked up from Lichfield after being left by Burton men who then took a train of empties wagons back to Derby. From Aston we used to travel light engine to Lichfield we then spent a couple of hours shunting, about 12 o'clock we would start working back with a mix train to Shenstone where we again did some shunting, dropped off some wagons and pick-up some empties we then preceded to Fouroaks where we again shunted, we could be there for an hour or two, we then set off to Sutton where we shunted, dropping off wagons and picking up empties, our last stop off was Erdington, shunted, pick-up empties, we now set off for Aston Goods where we ran round the train and push it into the goods yard. That's us done, back to Aston, finished. The Diesel shunter a Aston goods would then shunt the coal wagons into Windsor St Gasworks. The engines that we used on these trains were mostly: Class 8s, 5s, and Crabs.
Click to expand...
Thanks Timbo. I have to disagree slightly. The train I remember was not a pick up goods but solely coal/coke. Loaded to around 40 wagons It usually arrived at Four Oaks around 4.25 pm. Always a Westhouses 18B loco. This would have been 1961/2. Wonder if the loco ever went onto Aston shed?
I certainly remember the daily pick up goods
 
ROGER C said:
Thanks Timbo. I have to disagree slightly. The train I remember was not a pick up goods but solely coal/coke. Loaded to around 40 wagons It usually arrived at Four Oaks around 4.25 pm. Always a Westhouses 18B loco. This would have been 1961/2. Wonder if the loco ever went onto Aston shed?
I certainly remember the daily pick up goods
Click to expand...
I remember working coal trains from Wytchna Juc,( changed footplates with Toton engine men 18A) via Lichfield, Brownhills, Walsall, Bescot, Perry Barr, Aston, ending at Aston goods, light engine to Aston shed. Finish. The trains you describe might have been specials.
 
Edifi said:
Might the engine have finished up in Saltley shed from Windsor st
Click to expand...
The only rail access to the Gasworks was via Aston goods, then the shunting diesel push them into the gasworks, there was always a train load of empties which had to be taken back to the coalfield from where they came, I assume the same engine would have taken them back the day after being serviced at Aston Loco. To take the engine to Saltley it would have at to travel to Proofhouse Juc and be switched to the midland side to get to Saltley Loco.
 
Timbo90 said:
The only rail access to the Gasworks was via Aston goods, then the shunting diesel push them into the gasworks, there was always a train load of empties which had to be taken back to the coalfield from where they came, I assume the same engine would have taken them back the day after being serviced at Aston Loco. To take the engine to Saltley it would have at to travel to Proofhouse Juc and be switched to the midland side to get to Saltley Loco.
Click to expand...
what about the branch line off the Lichfield line. going through nechells chemical works.
 
gasworks
nechells chemical works/gas works railway
yes it took me years to find out were the little loco went.... in the 50s,it was working on a branch line at the bottom of our garden, we would play on the coal trucks jumping from one to the other,and move the little loco up and down the track. when the driver was at dinner.The track bed is still there.alongside st.clements rd/cattells grove.the access to the main line is bricked up under nechells park road,
 
They were only access line for the works, no through traffic was allowed, they were not running line, only certain engines could go in there because of the tight curves.
 
On interesting goods movement, which was hauled by pannier tanks, was the Bordesley to Henley-in-Arden ( I believe) daily (except Sats and Suns) local goods. I was possible to watch it working at all Hall Green and Shirley where it dropped off loaded wagons and collected empties.
 
The pannier tanks came after Western Region took over the line from London Midland Region. I don't remember what date that was but I do remember reading that the GWR panniers were over gauge for the line and damaged the platform at Bromsgrove. The revised regional boundary was at Blackwell Summit
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top