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Aston - Stechford special

pistonvalve

pistonvalve

master brummie
:)1955 -1956 special Aston Stechford Bham

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi, can anyone help with information?

Saturday's about 1.15pm in the 'up' direction a passenger train containing RAF personnel ran for several weeks usually 6P or 7P traction. One particular event the engine was 72009 Clan Stewart (68A).

Can anyone identify this working.

Thanks,

pistonvalve
 
I do remember missing two 'Clans' within a very short space of time when i
used to frequent Marston Green.

They had apparently worked south with specials on the occasion of the
official opening of the new Coventry cathedral.

Never did see one in all my years of spotting..

Don't know about this particular working though.
 
Thank you Neville, I used to live right by the Aston Stechford line (Grassy Banks) - on Sundays we had many diversions off the Trent Valley. I saw many Clans and Brits over the years. I just think you were dead unlucky in not seeing one. Thanks for your reply.
 
hi

right in my time frame. Diversions via the Trent Valley
were generally once a month unless there was a lot
more track work from Rugby to Stafford.
On diversion day it started after 8-00am we waited for
the Aston Signal to go up.
Never saw diversion work on this line on Saturday's although
I was alway's at New Street Snow Hill or Tamworth.
There tended to be more BR Types towards the end of Steam.
1955/56/ Scots Semis Princess Royals Jubs Patriots dominated
these day's. Never saw all that much BR stuff the odd Clan
and a few Brits.
stechford line was dominated outside of the diversion by Bushbury
Jubs 3b on the LBW runs.
Sorry cant help spent 5 years on Stechford Bridge.

Mike Jenks
 
Thanks Mike, I do rember the Sunday diversions, we walked down Aston Church Road to 'Grassy Banks' usually about 10 ish and watched the signal man (Washwood Heath box) switch in, then the down peg would be pulled off for the first down - a parcels usually a jube or scot. Then a long wait till 12.30, then the second down - 'The Royal Scott' 8p of course. followed by the 'Mancunion' and the 'Red Rose' both 7 or 8p. Then another long wait til 3.30 for the London- Blackpool again 7p. Box would be switched out at about 3.45. Those were the days.

Even better if the diversion was both ways, start early morning and finish late on Sunday evening.

Regards - pistonvalve.
 
What routing would these diversions take, for instance which way would
they route from the junction at Stechford heading North?

Neville..
 
I think that line went towards tyburn road and then on to nuneaton way
 
Hi

If we were heading North from Stechford it would pass
Ward End Park onto Aston via Witton then through wolverhamton via Bushbury then it would then pick up the trent valley line at Stafford..
There were some other routes to Rugeley via Cannock dependant
on the severity of the Track work

Mike Jenks
 
OK thanks that what i thought, but i was wondering where Washwood Heath Box came into things.

Isn't that on the former MR route via Water Orton?
 
Hi, The Box is on the Aston Stechford line, The high level. The Midland passed underneth. There are several pics of this Box if you type in the google search - LNWR Aston Stechford. It is confusing as all Boxes in the area, both high and low level are called Washwood Heath, the low level boxes are numbered.

Pistonvalve.
 
Hello Pistonvalve,

Thanks for the clarification regarding the Washwood Heath boxes.

I bet relief 'bobbies' used to love being asked to cover those you
wouldn't know which one you were going to be working.

thanks
Neville..




quote=pistonvalve;249195]Hi, The Box is on the Aston Stechford line, The high level. The Midland passed underneth. There are several pics of this Box if you type in the google search - LNWR Aston Stechford. It is confusing as all Boxes in the area, both high and low level are called Washwood Heath, the low level boxes are numbered.

Pistonvalve.[/quote]
 
To view the signal box and junction spur to the midland visit LNWR Aston Stechford Signalbox. There are several pics of this interesting junction.
 
pistonvalve said:
:)1955 -1956 special Aston Stechford Bham

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi, can anyone help with information?

Saturday's about 1.15pm in the 'up' direction a passenger train containing RAF personnel ran for several weeks usually 6P or 7P traction. One particular event the engine was 72009 Clan Stewart (68A).

Can anyone identify this working.

Thanks,

pistonvalve
Click to expand...

I also remember this working, having seen 46121 Highland Light Infantry of 66A, this was during the week at about 1-30 pm southbound at Lea Hall.
Did anybody ever see these excursions returning? I am pretty sure that they were Coventry Cathedral specials.

Do you also remember the Cadbury Specials, with their own Cadbury headboard, these would be every 1-2 months midweek, about 10am, and returning in the afternoon about 5-pm
They were often pulled by a 31B English Electric type 3 brush diesel, but on a number of occasions a V2 or B1 would be the motive power, these also were seen at Lea Hall.
 
Thanks fisho for the info - I envy you that Scot always alluded me and to think it passed by a few yards away from where i was living. Was never around at that time during the week. The Saturday working I refer to was always full of RAF personnel in uniform and the loco was always based in Scotland, pity it only ran for a few weeks. Never saw the return working. I wounder if the record book for Washwood Heath Box (Aston Stetchford line) is still available for that time (National Railway Museum)?
 
hi

A scene from Phils dads films of the location of the diversion.
We would watch the signal on the right around 9-00 am for the
diversion to start.
Sometimes it would be a couple a month but often we would trudge
home around 10-30.

mike
 
pistonvalve said:
Thanks fisho for the info - I envy you that Scot always alluded me and to think it passed by a few yards away from where i was living. Was never around at that time during the week. The Saturday working I refer to was always full of RAF personnel in uniform and the loco was always based in Scotland, pity it only ran for a few weeks. Never saw the return working. I wounder if the record book for Washwood Heath Box (Aston Stetchford line) is still available for that time (National Railway Museum)?
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply pistonvalve. 46121 was my last Scot so I know how you feel, this was the first and last time I ever saw this loco. When the diversions first started I would go to Lea Hall at 6.00am on Sunday morning before I did my paper round to see what was pulling the Stranraer to London sleeper, from memory this had a motorail section at the rear of the train, travelling southbound, occassionally a Polmadie semi would be working it, but most times it would be Crewe or Camden based, i would be hoping to see 46242 City of Glasgow, but this eluded me and i never got to see it at all.

I recently read that 46242 only ventured south of Crewe once after its involvement in the Harrow & Wealdstone rail accident.

After finishing my paper round I would make my way back to the Meadway bridge for the rest of the divi, sometimes it would go on until dark, when we would go into the waiting room of Lea Hall station, avoiding the Stationmaster when he would come on to the platform for the local D.M.Units! Incidentally the Meadway bridge was a very narrow sandstone or bluestone bridge then, and would flood quite badly, causing cars to get waterlogged as they passed over it, watching all this filled in the time while waiting for the next double amber and hopefully 46242!
The bridge and the road were eventually duplicated down to the Mackadown pub and a Macca's now stands next to it, Fisho
 
OK I know this is modern times but I travelled this line regularly on the late lamented Wrexham and Shropshire trains from Tame Bridge Parkway to London. Wes this the only ever scheduled passenger train over this line? Always seemed a slow journey as there was a 30mph speed limit from Aston to Stetchford. Last time I travelled on this train a family wanting Birmingham Airport caught this train by mistake at Tame Bridge Parkway assuming all trains went to New Street. Fortunately the guard had checked their tickets in time so was able to get the driver to stop at Stechford. This allowed the Virgin Pendolino to pass us otherwise we would have been held at International with the doors locked.
 
Hi David, even though I only lived yards from the Aston to Stechford line I never had a chance to travel along it. I am surprised the speed limit is 30mph, it used to be 60mph, in fact it was relaid to modern standards a few years ago. I too was sorry to see the Wrexham/Shropshire service withdrawn, a victim of the big boys greed I think. There was in the 50's a scheduled weekday service from Walsall to Stechford passing by at 7.30am and returning ecs at 7.45am the noise used to act as my alarm clock!!
 
For those interested in the Aston/Stechford line there is an article in British Railways Illustrated - January issue well worth a read.
 
pistonvalve said:
Hi David, even though I only lived yards from the Aston to Stechford line I never had a chance to travel along it. I am surprised the speed limit is 30mph, it used to be 60mph, in fact it was relaid to modern standards a few years ago. I too was sorry to see the Wrexham/Shropshire service withdrawn, a victim of the big boys greed I think. There was in the 50's a scheduled weekday service from Walsall to Stechford passing by at 7.30am and returning ecs at 7.45am the noise used to act as my alarm clock!!
Click to expand...

Years ago I used to travel regularly from Birmingham to London and I used to note how full the trains were by the time they had picked up at International and Coventry. I wrote to Virgin suggesting that it might be in their interests to put on an extra morning train running from Wolverhampton picking up at Bescot (for Walsall) and running via Aston to Stetchford for the benefit of passengers from International and Coventry. At the time I had read that Walsall was the largest town in England which did not have a direct service to London. Needless to say this was such a good idea they never replied or did anything about it.
 
Hi Pistonvalve,

I too lived near to the Stechford /Aston line in Frederick Road,
and my bedroom had a panoramic view of the junction and signals.

No wonder I was a train spotter too back in the 1950's! I remember
the Sunday diversions, and yes, they always seemed to be travelling
very slowly up the Aston line.

Kind regards

Dave
 
Lucky you Dave, I lived in Highfield Road and could only see them in the distance from my bedroom but had a clear view of the Washwood Heath S/B down distant signal by Wardend Park so I had some warning when a down diverted passenger train was due and could dash out and catch the number. Antony Brown who penned the article in British Railways Illustrated lived very close and could see the numbers both ways from his Bedroom. During dark Sunday evenings in Winter time we all used to gather at the bottom of his garden with a torch and spot the numbers. Such fun in the 50's.
 
There used to be a passenger service from International via the Aston branch which went to Liverpool only a few years ago.

I was very surprised at the routing, missing out New Street, but sadly it didn't last long.
 
Many years ago I went to the Motor Show at the NEC. Coming back from International I saw a train marked Birmingham at one platform and one marked Wolverhampton at the next platform. The Wolverhampton train was due out first and I thought that it would be going via New Street. It didn't it went nonstop to Wolverhampton and I had to get a train back. That was my first experience of both the Aston-Stetchford line and the Soho Loop line.
 
Hi David, I think your idea re a train to London from Wolverhampton via Walsall, Bescote and International a good one but I fear it would never get off the ground because the likes of Virgin would scupper it. Look what happened to Wrexham and Shropshire. I envy you and your Trip down the Aston/Stechford line.
 
pistonvalve said:
Hi David, I think your idea re a train to London from Wolverhampton via Walsall, Bescote and International a good one but I fear it would never get off the ground because the likes of Virgin would scupper it. Look what happened to Wrexham and Shropshire. I envy you and your Trip down the Aston/Stechford line.
Click to expand...

It was actually Virgin I wrote to. Now that they run trains to London every 20 minutes I don't know how crowded they get as I try to avoid travelling in peak periods now. When I wrote, Tame Bridge Parkway had not openned and Bescot was the park and ride station. I live in Harborne and if I wanted to go to London for a day it was quicker for me to drive over to Tame Bridge for the W & S train than to get a bus into Birmingham. Now I am back to driving to Sandwell to catch a Virgin train. Unless of course I get a Chiltern train. My taxi driver a few weeks ago was amazed when I asked him to take me to Moor Street Station, I think I was the first person to have asked him.

I can't remember how long ago it was that I did that journey from International to Wolverhampton.
 
The service that operated from International to Wolverhampton and onwards went either to Liverpool or Manchester i can't remember which it was.

But it was operated by Virgin, but as i said earlier probably only ran for one summer timetable.
 
Enids Dad was a LMS man, my Dad was a carter on Gods Wonderful Railway, BernardEdith + Horace Turville.jpgbelieve he worked on Stechford station at one time, Horace Turville that is;
 
Last edited:
pistonvalve said:
Lucky you Dave, I lived in Highfield Road and could only see them in the distance from my bedroom but had a clear view of the Washwood Heath S/B down distant signal by Wardend Park so I had some warning when a down diverted passenger train was due and could dash out and catch the number. Antony Brown who penned the article in British Railways Illustrated lived very close and could see the numbers both ways from his Bedroom. During dark Sunday evenings in Winter time we all used to gather at the bottom of his garden with a torch and spot the numbers. Such fun in the 50's.
Click to expand...
Ten years later and another reply.
I also lived near the Aston-Stechford line, near the entrance to Ward End Park from Ward End Park Road, and also remember the Sunday 'Divi'. At that time I went into the park with friends summer and winter to play football or cricket, and we would always stop as soon as either the 'peg' to the left on the embankment for trains going towards Stechford was raised, or when smoke was spotted approaching from the cutting in the other direction, and rush towards the track to see the train roll past. I remember initially many many ex-LMS locos, only ever one ex-GWR steam engine, and then a succession of 'new' diesels, D1 types (we didn't know at that time that the strange names were actually Peak District mountains), and D200 types, huge 1 Co-Co 1 locos.
I would love any photo of the trains passing through Ward End Park, particularly on the embankment; on another forum Curly kindly put one from the Birmingham Mail which could easily have me in the picture! If anyone has any others I would be very grateful.
A final question, does anyone know what the railway embankment in Ward End Park was made from? I remember it as light, black pumice-like pieces of coal (coke?) which cascaded down easily if you tried to run up the embankment (which of course I did not as it was banned) and into which whispy string-like grass tried to grow. I heard it said that the embankment was formed from thousands of loads of coke created at Nechells Gas Works - true or rumor? Anyone know?
 
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