Railway's in the 50's

[mike jenks]

Hi

Not sure of this one but Railway's in the late 40's and early 50's
was all we had. For a few bob for a book that lasted years the hours
of excitement and Travel around Brum and the wider area by 12 i
new every nook and cranny where every road was Railway stations
played an important part. Later on the road i never got lost. My
SAT nav was in my head. Fit as fiddle walked for miles.
Have enclosed an article covering these happy days
No money just a bottle of pop.

Mike

 

[Alf]

Most of us did it Mike and oh what great memories thanks

 

[mike jenks]

gods Wonderfull Railway

One for Alf

Recent picture of Rood Ashton Hall
on the Shakespeare Run.

Mike Jenks

 

[Alf]

Thanks Mike great picture

Chrch this out Mike

https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/getfaq.php?id=111

 

[TerryD147]

I hope this thread produces some good reminiscences. As a 5 year old I had many a happy Sunday afternoon at Bentley Heath watching the traffic in and out of Snow Hill GWR. Trains used to come through there at a rate and often the driver was hanging on the whistle. It was the most exciting thing I had seen.

Several years later I used to spend a happy hour or two on a Saturday morning on New St station (1957-8) and the variety of locos and stock you used to see then and the frequency that trains came in and out of the station was phenomenal.

It inspired me to make my own models of 45556 Nova Scotia and 45538 Giggleswick. There must have been many others but those 2 stand out.

 

[mw0njm.]

i had a friend at new st. he was a wheel taper. his shed was on the end of the platform just under the bridge, it was lit by gas .The lamp he used was a carbide lamp and a hammer similer to the ones below we would sit and talk to him eating burned roast spuds.that was done on a old stove.

.

 

[Morturn]

i had a friend at new st. he was a wheel taper. his shed was on the end of the platform just under the bridge, it was lit by gas .The lamp he used was a carbide lamp and a hammer similer to the ones below we would sit and talk to him eating burned roast spuds.that was done on a old stove.

.

View attachment 163483

I can remember the wheel tapper going along the trains in New Street Station, must have been in the early 60’s.

I’m told it’s all done electronically now as the train is moving?

 

[A Sparks]

Yes! Now you've mentioned it, I can remember that too.
We didn't have a car until I was 12 so we used the trains to visit my Nan in Worcestershire and other relatives in Bournemouth in the 50's.

 

[devonjim]

I hope this thread produces some good reminiscences. As a 5 year old I had many a happy Sunday afternoon at Bentley Heath watching the traffic in and out of Snow Hill GWR. Trains used to come through there at a rate and often the driver was hanging on the whistle. It was the most exciting thing I had seen.

Several years later I used to spend a happy hour or two on a Saturday morning on New St station (1957-8) and the variety of locos and stock you used to see then and the frequency that trains came in and out of the station was phenomenal.

It inspired me to make my own models of 45556 Nova Scotia and 45538 Giggleswick. There must have been many others but those 2 stand out.

As a nipper I use to get taken to Bentley Heath. Remember on one occasion getting invited into the signal box to operate the gates!

 

[TerryD147]

i had a friend at new st. he was a wheel taper. his shed was on the end of the platform just under the bridge, it was lit by gas .The lamp he used was a carbide lamp and a hammer similer to the ones below we would sit and talk to him eating burned roast spuds.that was done on a old stove.

.

View attachment 163483

It's great to get first hand accounts of these trades (and tools) that have long since disappeared.

I'm also fascinated by the New St photo; what looks at first sight to be one of the ubiquitous Jinties shunting stock is apparently something different. Although not entirely clear, it SEEMS to be one of the rare 0-4-4 tanks propelling its "push-pull" train out of the station into the tunnel. Note the direction of the smoke! Only the fireman will be on the footplate; the driver will be in a driving cab at the other end of the train.

 

[mw0njm.]

It's great to get first hand accounts of these trades (and tools) that have long since disappeared.

I'm also fascinated by the New St photo; what looks at first sight to be one of the ubiquitous Jinties shunting stock is apparently something different. Although not entirely clear, it SEEMS to be one of the rare 0-4-4 tanks propelling its "push-pull" train out of the station into the tunnel. Note the direction of the smoke! Only the fireman will be on the footplate; the driver will be in a driving cab at the other end of the train.

ta. did you notice in the railway children movie
As the engine approaches Bobbie in the 'landslide sequence' and comes to a halt, drifting steam is seen coming down from the sky and entering its funnel, indicating the shot is actually reversed footage of the train backing away from Bobbie so as to not endanger the actress by attempting a precision stop inches away from her.

 

[mw0njm.]

It's great to get first hand accounts of these trades (and tools) that have long since disappeared.

I'm also fascinated by the New St photo; what looks at first sight to be one of the ubiquitous Jinties shunting stock is apparently something different. Although not entirely clear, it SEEMS to be one of the rare 0-4-4 tanks propelling its "push-pull" train out of the station into the tunnel. Note the direction of the smoke! Only the fireman will be on the footplate; the driver will be in a driving cab at the other end of the train.

could be

 

[Radiorails]

Unlikely. This is an old tread last post was in 2007 - but with luck it will progress.

 

[Richard Dye]

I can remember the wheel tapper going along the trains in New Street Station, must have been in the early 60’s.

I’m told it’s all done electronically now as the train is moving?

I used to marvel at the wheel tapper climbing between locos and platforms all day long. I wonder in hindsight what the mortality or injury rate was?

 

[TerryD147]

could be

You're right, this is an 0-4-4 tank, but it's an Isle of Wight loco, a London & South Western O2. The 0-4-4 I had in mind was an LMS loco, one of only 10 built in 1932 and numbered in the 41900-9 series. Unfortunately the number on the loco in New St is too blurred to read.

 

[mw0njm.]

what about a 062t it looks about the right size

 

[mw0njm.]

found it
its a Stanier's first design for LMS, Class 2 0-4-4T 41902 is pictured at the far eastern end of the LNWR side of the station.

 

[paulinehorton]

i had a friend at new st. he was a wheel taper. his shed was on the end of the platform just under the bridge, it was lit by gas .The lamp he used was a carbide lamp and a hammer similer to the ones below we would sit and talk to him eating burned roast spuds.that was done on a old stove.

.

View attachment 163483

In the above picture of New Street Station, with the train leaving the tunnel, are the gabled structures over the tunnels those on Worcester Street as the attached picture ?

 

[MWS]

A more distant view of Worcester St here, probably taken at around the same time (scaffolding to the right in both pictures)...

Bull Ring 1960s - 1980s

A selection of view around the Bull Ring the majority previously shown on Old Birmingham Photos by SteveBhx all around 1971

birminghamhistory.co.uk

 

[Lloyd]

In the above picture of New Street Station, with the train leaving the tunnel, are the gabled structures over the tunnels those on Worcester Street as the attached picture ?

Correct. The far left one was built on the corner of Queens Drive and had the Railway's parcels offices on that side, but the next one (or two) were very thin, possibly just one room on each floor!

 

[mw0njm.]

2F 0-6-0 No 58271 heads a southbound enthusiasts' special, waiting to leave Birmingham New Street's Platform 9, on Saturday 30th May 1959​

warwickshirerailways

 

[Lloyd]

2F 0-6-0 No 58271 heads a southbound enthusiasts' special, waiting to leave Birmingham New Street's Platform 9, on Saturday 30th May 1959​

View attachment 191026
warwickshirerailways

The same train later, in Halesowen station. The small engine was necessary because of a severe weight restriction on the Dowery Dell viaduct between Rubery and Halesowen, which was a 234 yards (214 m), nine span lattice steel, single-track railway viaduct that carried the railway. A 10 mph speed limit was in operation. The line opened in 1883. Trains ran until 1964 and the viaduct was dismantled in 1965. (NMP)

 

[Radiorails]

Thank you Lloyd for this information. The loco concerned was hardly up for a log trip and I guess was for a local trip.

 

[Lloyd]

Thank you Lloyd for this information. The loco concerned was hardly up for a log trip and I guess was for a local trip.

Just around the west midlands area, including the branch line to Harborne. Routes where passenger services had long finished.
Pictured: the sane train at Harborne. This might be the 'other' engine at the tail of the train, as they would change direction a few times. Could you imagine spotters climbing all over the tracks like that today?

 

[mw0njm.]

Midland 0-6-0 No 58271 at Monument Lane shed in Birmingham. This superb loco was built by Neilson & Co in Glasgow in 1896 and remained in service until 1961.

58271 at Harborne, about to return to New Street, with 58283 on the rear. no H&s then
(photo: Robert Darlaston)

 

[Donbogen]

Just love the kids on the tracks
we used to play house in brake vans

 

[mw0njm.]

we used to go in the parked up railway carriages in aston church rd sidings for a crafty smoke untill the security found us and told us to get out

 

[Eric Gibson]

My memory of trains in the fifties is from my National Service, a railway warrant to get to Honiton for basic training, back and forth to Taunton for trade training.
Later on return from Egypt back and forth to South Benfleet in Essex via Euston and Fenchurch Street, those trains were filthy, choking acrid dust clouds rose up from the seats when you sat down.
We used to get a black cab from Euston to Fenchurch street, the taxi driver would pile eight of us in and split the fare equally.

 

[Richard Dye]

My memory of trains in the fifties is from my National Service, a railway warrant to get to Honiton for basic training, back and forth to Taunton for trade training.
Later on return from Egypt back and forth to South Benfleet in Essex via Euston and Fenchurch Street, those trains were filthy, choking acrid dust clouds rose up from the seats when you sat down.
We used to get a black cab from Euston to Fenchurch street, the taxi driver would pile eight of us in and split the fare equally.

Great memories! Could not imagine that being done today.

 

[Richard Dye]

we used to go in the parked up railway carriages in aston church rd sidings for a crafty smoke untill the security found us and told us to get out

Woodbines I’m sure