Which engine shed?

[MarkK]

Long shot but, does anyone know which engine served the locomotives operating on Willenhall Stafford Street Station under the LMS?

[Old Gringo]

Long shot but, does anyone know which engine served the locomotives operating on Willenhall Stafford Street Station under the LMS?

 

Hi Mark,

 

'Which engine shed would have provided locomotives for the services at Willenhall Stafford Street under the LMS?'

 

Here's a few possibilities:

 

The station at Willenhall, on the Midland Railway's branch from Walsall (Ryecroft Junction) to Wolverhampton, was opened to passenger traffic on 1st November 1872.  This station began as Willenhall Market Place, to distinguish it from the London & North Western Railway's station, which had been opened in July 1837 (which was also renamed Willenhall Bridge in 1872).

 

Willenhall Market Place would be renamed twice more before its early closure by the LM&SR on 5th January 1931. First it became Willenhall Midland in 1904 and then Willenhall Stafford Street from June 1924 until closure.

 

Most of Willenhall Stafford Street's trains would pass through both North Walsall and Ryecroft Junctions and the locomotives for its local services would have been duties handled by the Midland Railway's engine shed at Walsall, Pleck East Junction.  This three-road shed was opened in 1880, designed to accommodate 12 locomotives and a sub-shed of Saltley shed.  See photographs on page 246 of LMS Engine Sheds, Volume 2, Hawkins & Reeve, published by Wild Swan, 1981: ISBN 0-906867-05-3.  "The 1892 allocation at Pleck shed included six 0-4-4 passenger tanks and four 0-6-0 locomotives".

 

However, soon after the Grouping of 1923, rationalisation of engine sheds began to take place and Pleck shed was closed.  Its duties passed to the ex-LNWR shed at Walsall, Ryecroft on 2nd September 1925 and fourteen locomotives were transferred to the twelve-road shed situated in the fork of Ryecroft Junction and which was built in the standard LNWR 'north-light' pattern in 1878.  See pages 215/216 of LMS Engine Sheds, Volume 1, Hawkins & Reeve, Wild Swan, 1981: ISBN 0-906867-02-9.

 

Later, Ryecroft would become a sub-shed of the well-known Bescot depot, constructed in 1892.  However at the period when Willenhall Stafford Street station was open, it is more likely that all local services were duties of Pleck and then later Ryecroft sheds.  Other services coming over the Midland route from Castle Bromwich direct to Wolverhampton would probably be Saltley diagrams.

 

Surprisingly, following closure, Pleck shed was used for many years for stock storage purposes and the building survived well into the late 1960s.  Just over the bridge from the shed was the famous Jupiter Cafe, serving superb bacon sandwiches.

 

Walsall, Ryecroft shed had a chequered history, with modern coal and ash apparatus installed in 1937 and a new roof planned as early as 1948.  However in 1955, after a succession of revisions Ryecroft would be one of the first sheds to be chosen for dieselization and was converted into a diesel only servicing depot by June 1958.  Diesel shunters and railcars took over duties and the coaling plant was demolished.  (The remaining steam locomotives had been transferred to Bescot and Aston sheds).  But, Ryecroft was situated in the wrong place at the wrong time and was closed in the early 1970s.

 

Hope some of this helps,

 

All the best,

John.

 

[MarkK]

Hi Old Gringo,

 

I did not expect such a comprehensive reply.  You have answered my question completely and I am very grateful for you having taken the time to reply with such an in depth reply.  I will keep an eye out for a copy of the book/s you suggested.  

 

Thanks again

 

Mark