Rails Around Birmingham

[Coombe Barton]

Was alerted to this site today, although it's probably been here before.. http://www.railaroundbirmingham.co.uk/index.php

 

I was interested in my local station, Perry Barr, which is a bit of a dump. The final bit of the entry on this website, with which I must agree:

 

"There really isn't much more to say about this station other than it is an eyesore and should be completely demolished and rebuilt."

[Paulb1973]

Take a look at Duddeston, down the line but nearer New Street. That'll cheer you up.

['CHARD]

Take a look at Duddeston, down the line but nearer New Street. That'll cheer you up.

ROFL!

 

Yes, we're well blessed with disgusting stations in this part of the world. To its credit though, Duddeston does have an awesome black & white cat that frolics on the overgrown disused island platform when the weather's fine.

[Coombe Barton]

Take a look at Duddeston, down the line but nearer New Street. That'll cheer you up.

 

Fortunately I don't have to get out at Duddeston. I use the line to New Street perhaps twice a year and it never fails to prove to me that the romance of travelling by train isn't any more. My local station closed in 1931 (but the Preservation Society are reopening it) so it must be car into Perry Barr for work.

[Steve K]

Was alerted to this site today, although it's probably been here before.. http://www.railaroun...co.uk/index.php

I'm certainly aware of that site - it's been a huge inspiration for my "Forgotten Railways..." thread on this forum.

 

As you say, it gives interesting history and observations on most existing stations, but to me, the real fascination lies with those long-forgotten stations around the region, traces of most of which can still be found if you know where to look - Blowers Green, Wednesbury, Hammerwich, Sutton Town... Not wishing to blow my own trumpet, but take a look at that thread: I'm sure you'll find some interesting snippets.

 

And yes, I agree with the previous comments. Don't go to Duddeston for a fun day out! The only thing of note about that station was that it was the only one on my daily trip to school which had the platforms on the "wrong" side. Not many island platforms on the cross-city line...

['CHARD]

King Edward's no doubt. But I reckon you're a couple of years after me.

 

It was great when all four platforms were active, and the parcels demics sat in the sidings under the bridge, accompanied by the occasional 'Roarer.'

 

On the subject of Sutton Town, I made another visit last week. Still well worth a poke around the old B'ham side building.

[Coombe Barton]

Thinking of it, I've never had such a surly booking clerk as at Perry Barr. But the last time I used it was last Christmas (use my university car park as a park and ride into town one day a year.) I doubt that everyone at PB is surly, just that I seem to get them. Their crappy office really does not help.

[Steve K]

King Edward's no doubt. But I reckon you're a couple of years after me.

Aye, Blake St to University, 5 times a week for 7 years...

[Grovenor]

Was alerted to this site today, although it's probably been here before.. http://www.railaroun...co.uk/index.php

 

Looking around there brought back a few memories, made me dig around a bit in my photos.

 

The nice clean new pic of the Queens Hotel reminded me of this

While looking at Longbridge and Halesowen brought back memories of the Uni railway club visit to Longbrige including driving lessons on the works shunter and a brake van trip up the branch in the big freeze of 1963.

Regards

Keith

['CHARD]

Dowery Dell viaduct if I'm not mistaken, Keith. What I'd give to have been able to check out the Longbridge works system, that's awesome.

 

Steve - yep, University didn't open until I was in the Rems in '78 so the first year was spent sampling red Leopards and Nationals on the 145 (at the suggestion of Oldbury lads who understood this dark side) or the bread & butter Selly Oak Jumbos, and - whilst the inevitable industrial action was afflicting WMPTE, exiled exotica from Harnall Lane garage Coventry. The godfather of my kids is from the Butler's Lane/ Blake Street neck of the woods. If only I could persuade him to sign up on here and start his threatened Glasgow QS in 'N' in the shed....

[Coombe Barton]

And talking of New Street, they won't now be demolishing the existing station, just relegating it to local traffic.

 

http://www.birmingha...65233-25268788/

 

P.S. It may look somewhat like Selfriges when completed - see the plan for stainless steel.

[iploffy]

Well this is a topic close to home as I live in Great Barr (renamed Hamstead some time in the dim and distant past),Perry Barr's station was an old structure when the concrete came and not omly did the re-build the station but most on the shopping arcade as well and what a modern complex it was looked good in the 60's but a tad dated now it's true it should be demolished but what to build in its place a glass structure that the vandals would use as a toilet and worse still smash the glass as in Smethwick Galton Bridge, or leave it alone and spruce it up there by cosmetically restoring it from an eyesore to less of a eyesore either way in my opionion I dont think it would make much difference. My wife uses the station every day to get to work on College Rd and she has remarked on the friendly attitude (said tonge in cheek)of the staff.now we move to Duddeston what a Mecca that was I signed the old carriage sheds on the down side and worked there more than once ( being a Senior Conductor and Train Manager for 21 years)when I was a kid we used to bunk the train from New street to get to Saltley well those were the days.

 

Ian

[big T]

I put forward Lea Hall as needing some TLC.

 

 

Once a week for 6 years there & back whilst going to Garratt's Green College. (bring back thos fantatsic 304's with the red hot super springy seats full of dust!)

 

Chard - what kind of stuff did you get from Harnall Lane then?

['CHARD]

Chard - what kind of stuff did you get from Harnall Lane then?

From early 1979 until the summer holidays (they'd been sent back to Coventry when we returned in the September) we enjoyed:

 

24Y aka KWK 24F and 39Y KWK 39F, ECW-bodied Fleetlines

65Y SWK 65J and 71Y SWK 71J, Park Royal bodied

360Y CRW 360C, 367Y CRW 367C and 370Y CRW 370C, Willowbrook bodied

 

these were full of character, and being of three strikingly different types always felt really quirky to travel on. Plus they were all freshly overhauled, which for whatever reason was all part of the indistrial relations unrest!

[Paulb1973]

From early 1979 until the summer holidays (they'd been sent back to Coventry when we returned in the September) we enjoyed:

 

24Y aka KWK 24F and 39Y KWK 39F, ECW-bodied Fleetlines

65Y SWK 65J and 71Y SWK 71J, Park Royal bodied

360Y CRW 360C, 367Y CRW 367C and 370Y CRW 370C, Willowbrook bodied

 

these were full of character, and being of three strikingly different types always felt really quirky to travel on. Plus they were all freshly overhauled, which for whatever reason was all part of the indistrial relations unrest!

 

 

Most of those ECW-bodied Fleetlines survived until 1982/83, a similar situation with the Park Royal-bodied ones (the Park Royal bodies were quite similar to other Fleetlines seen across the West Midlands). The Willowbrook bodied Fleetlines (and Atlantean's) had all disappeared by 1980.

 

Some ex-Coventry Corporation Transport East Lancs examples survived in the WMPTE fleet until as late as 1985/86.

 

Paul

(Coventrian)

['CHARD]

And as Fleetlines retreated to a core prior to their eventual demise in 1997, Walsall had a number of the much later, but uniquely Coventry 1977-78 build East Lancs vehicles. Amazing how even they, with muted lines compared to the buses of a decade ealier, stood out from the routine Birmingham Standards.