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DavidGrain
master brummie
The Turnpike trusts were abolished in 1888 so the reference to toll gates would imply before this date but locals might have continued to refer to the location of toll gates after this date
Lloyd
master brummie
The track far right is triple gauge, were they 4'8½" (British standard), 5'3" (Irish standard) and 7'¼" (Great Western broad) gauges?
That is the only conclusion that I could come to, but cannot find any evidence that the GWR, ever ran Broad gauage into Curzon St. There were parliamentary bills to this effect, and the Duddeston viaduct was built with this in mind, but never completed. I wonder if this was artist's licence
Lloyd
master brummie
Forget it ! I was looking at an enlarged version which hid the fact of two tracks crossing in the foreground! All are normal 4'8½" gauge tracks.
izzy eckerslike
master brummie
I spent hours in there in the 1950's, dad used to deliver BR parcels in Rubery & Barnt Green area and in the school holidays I often used to go with him. While he sorted out the order of the parcels at Curzon St I used to wander around, I remember gigantic curtains that could be used to block out the weather on the huge doorways, some let the daylight through and others were solid tarpaulins
I remember one foggy winter morning I wandered further than usual and vividly remember looking through a gap and seeing a whole row of ghostly looking disused steam engines with cow scoops on the front, like the wild west engines, maybe used for clearing heavy snow off the tracks?
I remember one foggy winter morning I wandered further than usual and vividly remember looking through a gap and seeing a whole row of ghostly looking disused steam engines with cow scoops on the front, like the wild west engines, maybe used for clearing heavy snow off the tracks?
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Heartland
master brummie
In the Science Museum of images of Curzon Street there is one captioned Curzon Street Viaduct. Not all the plans there were carried forward and this one seems not to have happened and the London & Birmingham Railway build a level crossing instead to reach their goods yard
DavidGrain
master brummie
Can you give us more details please as this sounds as if it might be the viaduct from Bordesley which was never completed.
Heartland
master brummie
in 1841 the Grand Junction Station buildings faced Curzon Street whilst the London & Birmingham building had its entrance from New Canal Street. Camp Hill Station, Birmingham & Gloucester Railway was also in existence by then. The railway from Camp Hill to Join up with the London & Birmingham Railway was opened August 17th, 1841 when Camp Hill became a goods station.
Aeriel view from 1979.
Heartland
master brummie
As work proceeds HS 2 there is still the lack of recognition in these modern times that there were two stations at Curzon Street; the London & Birmingham Station and the Grand Junction Station. Whilst traffic was exchanged at Curzon Street between the two railway companies they had their own agendas. As new schemes came into existence some would favour the Grand Junction and others the London & Birmingham if they intended to join with their separate routes. One such scheme led to the building of the Bordesley Viaduct as part of the Birmingham & Oxford Junction Railway. That scheme joined with the Grand Junction Railway at Curzon Street. When the Grand Junction and London & Birmingham railway merged into the London & North Western Railway priorities changed and although built the Bordesley Viaduct never saw a train from the Curzon Street end and simply had tracks associated with the goods station which was Great Western Railway