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HARBORNE BRANCH (LMS / LNWR)


Guest Harborne Railway Society
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Guest Harborne Railway Society

Im just starting out with modelling again after a gap of 30 years.

Looking for a long  gone LMS branch that i could base my shelf layout on, shelves will be 10 - 12" wide MAX, length of run is nearly 3 walls - my premise is a preservation society has just taken over and is rebuilding the line as was, requirements are end to end terminus at one end with a truncated line at the other (like lakeside & haverthwaite or SVR) although extension in either direction is physically impossible (for me) must be a preserved line so that just  about any motive power goes, and there also has to be a passing loop in the centre for operational interest, problem is where to base it ??

originally i wanted to base it on the old Harborne Branch, but at 2 1/2 miles its a little short, although modellers licence would allow a passing loop at Hagley Road, and obviously the redevelopement of the line at Harborne end has never happened (in my world) plus side again dictates that as everything (bridges excepted) has long been demolished plenty of scope remains for the buildings in LMS style...

 

any helpful ideas would be appreciated - building is not scheduled to start until early 2020 due to finance and getting c******** out of the way first........  :help:

Edited by Harborne Railway Society
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  • RMweb Gold

Harborne statiion building did last until the preservation era as a woodstore and sawmill for the Chad Valley Company.

 

A picture I took in 1971.

 

1044914033_04-RailwayStation.JPG.f596549385883ede79249bf2c73cca04.JPG

© C E Steele

 

Regarding the short length pf the line, It was originally supposed to connect with the GWR north of Hockley and continue past Harborne  to meet the proposed Halesowen & Bromsgrove Railway near Lapal. There would probably have had to be a tunnel passing under the village from what is now Wentworth Road to somewhere beyond Lordswood Road.  A bricked up tunnel mouth would make an ideal end to a preserved railway. 

Unfortunately the cutting makes it impossible to have a run-round north of Rotton Park Road.

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Guest Harborne Railway Society

yep, that is so, the idea that Rotton Park just terminates in a loop, although from Rotton Park station it would look like the Railway might extend one day (it wont)

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Guest Harborne Railway Society
4 hours ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

I feel you have made the most important decision, in basing the layout on an element of the lamentably neglected LNWR. Does it have to be a 'real' location? Assemble a collection of railway architecture and landscape features you enjoy, run a railway through it, apply euphonious names, and enjoy operating the trains.

well, it sort of stuck as i live near the old branch, i guess with a bit of licence it could be 4 or 5 miles instead of 2 1/2 it is after all just for me and S.W.M.B.O.

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1 hour ago, Harborne Railway Society said:

yep, that is so, the idea that Rotton Park just terminates in a loop, although from Rotton Park station it would look like the Railway might extend one day (it wont)

The old Selwyn Road bridge would be a good scenic break. It was at the main line end of the Rotton Park Road loop. You could have a bit of rusty overgrown track under it waiting for the extension through Summerfield Park.

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13 hours ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

The old Selwyn Road bridge would be a good scenic break. It was at the main line end of the Rotton Park Road loop. You could have a bit of rusty overgrown track under it waiting for the extension through Summerfield Park.

Agreed, thats sort of what i had in mind, buffer stop at the bridge which has a wall behind it, thats why i cant go any further anyway......

last time i never took the time and care i will this time, plus we didnt have internet etc we have never had so much technology and offers of help from people,.....

 

i was working from a book and poor photocopies of photos,  now there is so much info out there, ive spent 35 yeats researching the branch, its sort of a per project of mine, an old friend if you like, since i discovered it in 1984 when i moved here, i wish i could have seen it in steam days

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Guest Harborne Railway Society
13 hours ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

The old Selwyn Road bridge would be a good scenic break. It was at the main line end of the Rotton Park Road loop. You could have a bit of rusty overgrown track under it waiting for the extension through Summerfield Park.

i have an A4 folder full of research and pictures, everything i could download, made it into a sort of book, divided into stations etc.

 

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1 hour ago, Harborne Railway Society said:

an old friend if you like, since i discovered it in 1984 when i moved here, i wish i could have seen it in steam days

My Dad was in the Birmingham Fire Brigade. His first station from 1947 to 1961 was Albion Street which covered the Icknield Port Road bit of the line and the main line from Monument Lane to Winson Green.

In 1961 he moved to Harborne which was in Rose Road next to the Chad Valley factory. You could see the track from the top floor windows. It was converted to residential use after the brigade moved to the new station at Woodgate Valley.

 

Up to 1961 our school had a sports ground in Portland Road. After hours on games afternoon we used to go Station Avenue  to watch the Johnson 2F on the afternoon trip shunt Hagley Road coal wharf then depart for Harborne. Locos used were 58123/135/185/220/271, and sometimes Stanier 2--6-2T 40108 or 40129

. Later the 204hp shunters took over but they couldn't make it up the bank in the 1963 winter. 

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2 hours ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

My Dad was in the Birmingham Fire Brigade. His first station from 1947 to 1961 was Albion Street which covered the Icknield Port Road bit of the line and the main line from Monument Lane to Winson Green.

In 1961 he moved to Harborne which was in Rose Road next to the Chad Valley factory. You could see the track from the top floor windows. It was converted to residential use after the brigade moved to the new station at Woodgate Valley.

 

Up to 1961 our school had a sports ground in Portland Road. After hours on games afternoon we used to go Station Avenue  to watch the Johnson 2F on the afternoon trip shunt Hagley Road coal wharf then depart for Harborne. Locos used were 58123/135/185/220/271, and sometimes Stanier 2--6-2T 40108 or 40129

. Later the 204hp shunters took over but they couldn't make it up the bank in the 1963 winter. 

are you still based locally now ?

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  • Guest changed the title to HARBORNE BRANCH (LMS / LNWR)
Guest Harborne Railway Society
2 minutes ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

 

No, I left Harborne when I got married, although still had relatives living around there until recently. I moved away from the Birmingham area about 20 years ago. 

SHAME :sorry:

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8 hours ago, Chris M said:

All the best with this project. I've cycled along the route and seen some of the old photos. Modelling the urban scene takes a lot more time than rural but it is more interesting. Always thought Rotton Park would make a nice little station.

do you fancy joining up with us ?

if you  know the branch and love it like i do, maybe its worth coming onboard,  obviously all the brewery sidings etc. would be lost tho the reservoir would be the attraction for people to come too, plus sealife centre & icc not far away

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Guest Harborne Railway Society
On 07/11/2019 at 17:03, Harborne Railway Society said:

Im just starting out with modelling again after a gap of 30 years.

Looking for a long  gone LMS branch that i could base my shelf layout on, shelves will be 10 - 12" wide MAX, length of run is nearly 3 walls - my premise is a preservation society has just taken over and is rebuilding the line as was, requirements are end to end terminus at one end with a truncated line at the other (like lakeside & haverthwaite or SVR) although extension in either direction is physically impossible (for me) must be a preserved line so that just  about any motive power goes, and there also has to be a passing loop in the centre for operational interest, problem is where to base it ??

originally i wanted to base it on the old Harborne Branch, but at 2 1/2 miles its a little short, although modellers licence would allow a passing loop at Hagley Road, and obviously the redevelopement of the line at Harborne end has never happened (in my world) plus side again dictates that as everything (bridges excepted) has long been demolished plenty of scope remains for the buildings in LMS style...

 

any helpful ideas would be appreciated - building is not scheduled to start until early 2020 due to finance and getting c******** out of the way first........  :help:

Just found out while looking at stuff for starting next year im being advised by everybody new Hornby track is no good, and to go for peco code 100, well i found out the original track i had, although mine was scrapped, it is still made, R600, R601, R603, R604, R606, R610, R613, R621 ALL STILL PRODUCED, so it seems i no longer have anything to worry about, money pot is filling up fast, i would estimate current funds to be at 70% looks like March or April 2020 first trains should be working......

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