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Snow Hill Station

Thanks Eddie. Very poignant and a sad reality of war. I think they're in the process of transferring a soldier on a stretcher. Viv.
 
Many remember the wonderful Great Western Railway station at Snow Hill the superb G.W.R. locomotives, and trains, but the Great Western Railway ran another service from Snow Hill Station.

Taking a bus, from Snow Hill station, to Castle Bromwich, one could FLY Great Western Railway !

This service commenced on May 22nd 1932. CASTLE BROMWICH to CARDIFF. A Single fare was 40 shillings, and a Return fare was 75 shillings. It was operated by the Great Western Railway, in conjunction with Imperial Airways Ltd.

A photograph of the De Havilland Dragon Rapide "City of Birmingham", and the relevant timetable.
 

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Whilst on my Great Western Railway tribute to Birmingham, here is a photograph, and name plate of County Class locomotive 1028 "County of Warwick".

This locomotive was built at the G.W.R Swindon works in March 1947, so it was a true Great Western Railway locomotive, and withdrawn on December 2nd 1963, having covered 723,639 miles.

In 1903 the G.W.R. also built a locomotive, number 3434 "City of Birmingham", and this locomotive was withdrawn in 1930. A sister engine "City of Truro" claimed to be the first steam engine to reach 100m.p.h.

Eddie
 

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norfolk brummie said:
Whilst on my Great Western Railway tribute to Birmingham, here is a photograph, and name plate of County Class locomotive 1028 "County of Warwick".

This locomotive was built at the G.W.R Swindon works in March 1947, so it was a true Great Western Railway locomotive, and withdrawn on December 2nd 1963, having covered 723,639 miles.

In 1903 the G.W.R. also built a locomotive, number 3434 "City of Birmingham", and this locomotive was withdrawn in 1930. A sister engine "City of Truro" claimed to be the first stream engine to reach 100m.p.h.

Eddie
Click to expand...
The LMS also had a "City Of Birmingham". Built in 1937, #6235. Princess Coronation class, known as "semi's"
Dave A
 
Before anyone else informs me, I am aware that, in 1904 there was also a G.W.R 3836 "County of Warwick". Will try and find a photograph from my collection.

Eddie
 
None of those places listed as airfields now exist as such. Castle Bromwich is now housing and light industrial I believe, Cardiff became RAF during the war but is now housing and industrial units, Haldon reverted to nature and leisure usage and Roborough is extant but closed for commercial use and awaits redevelopment.

The GWR post WW2 County Class locos were 29 in number. 1028 was the penultimate built. Sadly none are in preservation.
 
adap2it said:
The LMS also had a "City Of Birmingham". Built in 1937, #6235. Princess Coronation class, known as "semi's"
Dave A
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Correct Dave, but it was NOT an aircraft.

Also LMS "City of Birmingham" was initially fully streamlined, (removed 1948), to 'semi' condition, before full smoke box was installed. Withdrawn in 1964, but I guess you know all this anyway !!
 
Never knew about the civil use of Castle Bromwich(Castle Vale). A family link to Snow Hill to Cardiff, in 1940's my Great Uncle(Ernest Williams) regularly drove on the purely train service to Cardiff via North Warwickshire line. I think on Grange or Hall Class locos.
 
I had always been under the impression that trains from the south of Birmingham that went to Moor Street Station terminated there and did not go on to Snow Hill. Is that how it used to be? Yesterday I caught a train from Stratford-upon-Avon that followed the North Warwickshire line through Henley-in-Arden, Earlswood, etc and stopped at Moor Street, Snow Hill, the Jewellery Quarter (where I got off) and onwards to Stourbridge. Incidentally, an off-peak day-return fare, with senior railcard, from Stratford to either Moor Street or Snow Hill was only £5.20. I paid an excess fare, on the train, of 20p return to get to the Jewellery Quarter. Dave.
 
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Bit of a comedown having to go by coach to the airfield. They could have course gone by train, but then that would have been LMS and beyond the pale!
 
farmerdave said:
I had always been under the impression that trains from the south of Birmingham that went to Moor Street Station terminated there and did not go on to Snow Hill. Is that how it used to be? Dave.
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Certainly how it used to be. It appears that Moor Street station has had extra platforms to serve the lines that enter the tunnel through to Snow Hill. Earlier today I posted on the New Street 1854 thread a picture of a train entering this tunnel which shows I imagine where these platforms must now be.
 
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A 1933 aerial view of Moor Street station showing the line from the Snow Hill tunnel crossing the view from top right of centre.
MoorStall2.jpg
'britainfromabove' image.
 
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devonjim said:
Certainly how it used to be. It appears that Moor Street station has had extra platforms to serve the lines that enter the tunnel through to Snow Hill. Earlier today I posted on the New Street 1854 thread a picture of a train entering this tunnel which shows I imagine where these platforms must now be.
Click to expand...

I commenced work in a music store in Moor Street, right next door to the station, at the end of 1948. A few times I caught a local train from Small Heath to Moor Street to work, and Moor Street was the terminus for those trains. Made a change from the bus ride.
 
There is much to see in this 1933 aerial 'photo.
Most noticeable is, of course, the Typhoo Tea factory with the Typhoo basin and narrow boats which was part of Digbeth Canal.
Top left are glimpses of St, Martins church and a little of the Market Hall. I am sure others will identify other buildings.
I wonder how many of those building shown in the picture disappeared the during WW2 bombings. I know some in the Bull Ring, just about visible, were destroyed.

PS: This really belongs in a Moor Street thread I believe
 
This view dated 1949 shows smoke drifting out of the Snow Hill tunnel. It also shows the considerable bomb damage in the area.
TunnelToSnowHill.jpg
'britainfromabove' image.
 
Because of the size of the Dragon Rapides on the Railway Air Services, luggage had to go by train using the Luggage in Advance service which the railways used to operate.
 
Radiorails said:
There is much to see in this 1933 aerial 'photo.
Most noticeable is, of course, the Typhoo Tea factory with the Typhoo basin and narrow boats which was part of Digbeth Canal.
Top left are glimpses of St, Martins church and a little of the Market Hall. I am sure others will identify other buildings.
I wonder how many of those building shown in the picture disappeared the during WW2 bombings. I know some in the Bull Ring, just about visible, were destroyed.

PS: This really belongs in a Moor Street thread I believe
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In my posts the Snow Hill tunnel is mentioned.
Regarding bomb damage in the area see the post link below
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...unidentified-streets.45254/page-4#post-550352
 
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norfolk brummie said:
Correct Dave, but it was NOT an aircraft.

Also LMS "City of Birmingham" was initially fully streamlined, (removed 1948), to 'semi' condition, before full smoke box was installed. Withdrawn in 1964, but I guess you know all this anyway !!
Click to expand...
I was referring to the locomotive #3434, that you mentioned. I did know about the streamlining, but I wasn't sure if all the semi's were like that originally. It's great to share some of the enthusiasm over steam engines, should it have it's own thread?
Dave A
 
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adap2it said:
I was referring to the locomotive #3434, that you mentioned. I did know about the streamlining, but I wasn't sure if all the semi's were like that originally. It's great to share some of the enthusiasm over steam engines, should it have it's own thread?
Dave A
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Dave. Good to share Birmingham railway history with a fellow 'Brummie' enthusiast.

So not to cause confusion on websites, under the STEAM LOCO thread, I have posted photographs of the tell tale difference between Coronation class former streamlined, and un-streamed loco's.

My post #104 refers.

Eddie
 
In post 574, which shows bomb sites near Moor Street, opposite the bomb site, which has been cleared, it shows a building that I am certain was the subject of a recent thread. If I remember correctly the shape of the arched windows and some trolley bus overhead was used to try and identify the place. I don't recall if there was a definite identification made at the time. Anyway it seems that the damaged building is now in good order - which I guess it should have been by 1949.
 
A less busy view of platform 5 than in the photo in post #523. I think this might be just before WW1. Maybe someone can date more accurately by the train in the station. Viv.

image.jpeg
 
The GWR coaching stock livery between about 1908 and 1922 was as seen in the 'photo - an all over dark brown. It replaced the familiar brown and cream which was restored after the 1923 grouping of the UK railway system. As the place seems quiet it may well be before WW1 and I would think that post WW1 would show a variation of clothing.
 
Some of those old Snow Hill signs got rescued and are now at Moor Street Station (or replicas of the same design)



 
Ell, the platform sign that you showed would be a modern sign in the same pattern as used by GWR because the platform numbers would have been different in the original station as platforms 1 & 2 are new platforms dating from the reopening of the tunnel in 1987
 
A 'double header' train in Snow Hill Station with the Taylor & Challen building in the background.
A gantry jutting out from the platform with unusual objects on it or behind it. Does anyone know what they are ?
Snow-Hill-Station-Double_Header.jpg
 
norfolk brummie said:
Having just looked at the very modern photographs on posting 531, by ellbrown, I thought this may be a good time to once again compare those photographs to the old Snow Hill Station.

This is a wonderful Birmingham Mail compressed photograph, showing Snow Hill Station, looking down Snow Hill, from the Snow Hill/Colmore Row crossroads.

Note the steep incline down Snow Hill, compared to the railway level.

In the 1950's I worked in a music store down Snow Hill, opposite the station, and every lunchtime, I would go up to our third floor, where I had set up a drum kit around the stock area, and practice, looking out of the window, at this view.....so happy memories.

Eddie.

P.S Unfortunately I have had to crop the photograph, in order to upload it, so it loses a little of the wonderful incredible photograph.
Click to expand...
I took sax lessons in that building on one of the top floors. Also rode my bike every Sunday going back to camp up the bloody hill
 
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