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Hall Green Station

Put there purely for the photo Vivienne. You can still sit on them in many places. They weigh a ton!! I have painted them many times when I was a volunteer on a heritage railway. However, as we all got older - fearing ruptures and heart attacks it was decided to get extra feet and make two smaller ones out of the longer ones. Much more easily manhandled. :D
The seat end hopefully is clear of the platform edge as there is a train due - according to the signal.
Nice photo - I am sure there are many that were taken in pre-nationalization days.
http://www.hallgreenlocalhistorysociety.org.uk/hall-green-station.html
 
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The type of bench that is featured with the station staff was usually sited out in the open, on a platform, or under a small canopy. The present types, in Ells photos have been there for a long while - or similar ones. They were the types usually found beneath large canopies or in waiting rooms.
Railway benches are a great place to spend some time either watching trains go by - or the world. That depends, today, on how busy a line might be. I spent many hours, during summer, sat at Whitlocks End, Grimes Hill & Wythall and others between there and Henley-in-Arden. Whilst the tranquillity and interests of those days is not easily achieved today, they can be but it is only found in remote places now, whereas the places I mentioned were only a easy bicycle ride from 'civilization'.
 
In the 'modern' picture, those appear to be wooden benches. The 'early' picture appears to show bench cast 'ends' with the GWR logo within the casting. I believe there were two variants but, don't ask........:( In fact, these seat end castings are still available [new]. Both types, I believe.

From memory, when Hayles Abbey Halt was re-constructed, they placed in the platform shelter, a 'long' bench seat, on the basis that it would be too heavy for anyone to remove for the scrap value. I think it took six people to carry it down the slope and put in place.

As to the positioning of the bench in the 'early' photo, I believe that 'rules' dictate that obstructions should not be placed within 7 feet of the Platform edge. Clearly that, alongside the footbridge steps, was 'posed'.

Looking at the persons in the photo, back row, left, he certainly seems to have the demeanour of the 'Railway Detective' and, the person next to him, his hapless colleague.:)

Seated, far right. He'd just 'passed wind'.;)
 
My post 2 refers to the weight of the ones with cast iron feet. Four could manage to move them in Devon! :D
The two designs. The art deco type was introduced in the 1930's. the other a much earlier design.
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Hall Green was a station built to a standard GWR design and was on the line to Stratford Upon Avon. There was a goods yard, so the station staff numbers were there for the various jobs required on this extensive site. It was opened on July 1st 1908.

The 3rd Ordnance Survey of 1913/4 and published in 1916 shows the station, goods sidings and signal box.

The persons in the view may also include a signal man, or two.


Hall Green.png
 
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