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Birmingham's railways - some personal thoughts


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Hi

 

Leading on from the discussion in the Proceedings of the Catle Aching Parish Council 1905 I thought the ramblings below might be of interest. These are entirely my personal reflections on  the 1970's Birmingham railway scene that I knew in my late childhood and early teens - a lot of text to wade through so probably best here in a separate new thread. No illustrations - I have no photos of my own, just the images in my head that I can't upload.  There are many online though (The DJ Norton photo collection and some wonderful images of Snow Hill as it reached the bitter end, as well as the truly beautiful St Chad's Budd mosaics). All subject to copyright so I won't upload any.

 

Ok - here's my attempt at some catharsis- I blurted the following out a couple of years back. I hope it's of interest!

 

Here's the first bit:

 

Memories of the Birmingham railway scene in the 1970’s

 

Birmingham. The early 1970’s. What a mixture. The city centre a brutal concrete Brave New World- the post-war re-construction masterminded by Sir Herbert Manzoni well established by now and the destruction of Heritage Assets still being actively pursued. A time of political unrest, which seemed to be centred around the motor industry and the escalation of the Irish “troubles”, following the terrible IRA pub bombings at the Mulberry Bush and The Tavern In The Town, which cast such a pall over the city.

 

Tucked away amongst the brash new civic spaces and in the outskirts there was some real quality (and in a few places there still is to this day). This was at a time when Conservation was readily dismissed and much was in decline and soon to be gone. This was not lost on my pre-teenage innocent mind and I recognized that some things were precious and not long for this world and, either through inherent nostalgia or their sheer presence they I saw these things for what they were and they stamped themselves indelibly on my mind.

 

The transport systems in and around Brum were being slowly modernized at the time. When we first arrived in the city in 1970 there were very extensive remains of the long-vanished tramway system, including Bundy clocks at the termini, bits of inset track and, at Rednal, a huge, beautiful and complete cast iron shelter which extended for most of the way around the outside of the turning dumb-bell. Rednal was a major Edwardian destination for working Brummies looking for clean air and green hills and the terminus was extensive, ornate and intact. One day, soon after our arrival this was all just gone. Just a few more years and this would have all been Listed. The long row of post-war pre-fab houses that followed Bristol Road South to the terminus lasted a few years longer but these too have gone now, although there is a preserved one at the Avoncroft open air museum near Bromsgrove.

 

I was too late for steam on the national railway system. It had died early within my lifetime, leaving me with nothing but the faintest memories. The related infrastructure was also disappearing rapidly as I began to become aware of railway heritage. However, aside from the nascent Severn Valley Railway, which we visited occasionally, and Tyseley (of which more later), I found to my delight that there were still some working steam locomotives in daily use very close to home. The Bristol Road ran right through the British Leyland works at Longbridge and crossed the internal railway system, which included a stub of the former jointly-run Midland and Great Western line to Halesowen and the Black Country. From the top deck of the 62 bus to town I could see a complex tangle of railway lines with a Midland signal box, lots of semaphore signals and, best of all, if I was lucky I could catch a glimpse of one of the two big Bagnall saddle tanks, sometimes with a train of bogie flat wagons loaded with new minis. “Victor” was the usual one to be seen- I think I only saw “Vulcan” once, if at all.

 

As my burgeoning interest in railways grew and I started to explore, my radius expanded. I became repeatedly drawn to certain favourite spots- invariably just too late to see them in all their glory and usually first visited just as the demolition was taking place. 

 

We lived a short cycle ride from the Birmingham-Gloucester main line and I found Barnt Green station very early on. As usual, this was being “improved” and when I first went there the station buildings were just about to be demolished and were, in the spirit of the time, easy to explore. The polychrome brick structures soon disappeared and some bus shelters arrived, although the long Midland Railway footbridge survives to this day (but not for long, I fear). I spent many days at Barnt Green- I was never a spotter as such and only ever took down numbers very half-heartedly. I just loved to stand on the bridge whilst a Peak, class 40 or similar loco and 12 coaches roared underneath, making the foot boards rattle. I could just get my head above the capping rail and can see the slightly metallic grey paint now. Still the occasional maroon coach and (very) occasional green loco when I first visited and all the points and sidings were intact. This station was where the truncated single line cross-country route to Broom Junction and Evesham left the main line- only as far as Alvechurch and Redditch by then. I only travelled it once- in a DMU with a mate to see “Digby the biggest dog in the world” at Redditch cinema, which puts the journey at 1973. Alvechurch was, apart from the siding and headshunt, absolutely intact and in great condition. The weigh house, timber parcels office, polychrome brick waiting room and station house were all there and there was even a platform bench with MR in Olde English lettering incised on the back rest, and a Station Mistress lived in the station house. Redditch had been completely obliterated, however although after watching Jim Dale and Spike Milligan in Digby I waded through stinging nettles and water to the tunnel mouth at the southern end of the old station site. One lasting memory of these days was of eventually being seen and chased off by a neighbouring resident at Barnt Green, who took umbridge to the simple, innocent and probably lethal game that I played of flattening coins under the wheels of fast travelling diesel locomotives at the Birmingham end of the main line platforms.

 

More to follow.....
 

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Here's the next bit:

 

For me, the highlight of all my explorations was Snow Hill station. This wonderful building, the pride of the GWR in the West Midlands when the rebuilt station was opened in 1912 and equipped with every modern facility, became something of a legend in its latter years due to its long decline and lingering death. Magnificent in scale and Gothic in its decay the place had an immense impact on me and I believe it did in many other people. Nicholas Whittaker describes a similar encounter with Snow Hill to one of my own, in his profound and treasured book “Platform Souls”. Like him, I “just wanted to look”.

 

I have difficulty remembering my first encounter but I must have been eight or nine, which would have put the date at about 1971-2, not long after final closure but long enough for dereliction to have set in. I never knew the station in use so had no yardstick to measure it against, having no memories of Kings, Castles, Warships, Blue Pullman or DMU’s or any fond recollection of former glory. I never once tried to imagine the past- the crowded platforms, holiday-makers, departing Great War soldiers or even the last commuters. The nostalgia, profound and deeply ingrained at an impressionable age all comes from the awe which the sepulchral and massive place inspired and the absolute freedom to explore it. 

 

How we first encountered the place I can’t recall but I remember sitting with my legs dangling over the platform and listening to my mum read to me from “The Model Railway Men” by Ray Pope. There were rails in front of me- there was track in-situ in both bay platform roads and the road which ran around the western side of the station- pretty weed-grown but intact. The main lines through the middle had gone and this area was partially infilled and the haunt of Allegros, Mk III Cortinas and other workhorses of the time. Much of the infrastructure was there- running-in boards, water cranes, tannoys, all the ironwork including the concertina gates to the subway- partially ajar (I think I only went down there the once). The hotel had gone by this time, although the row of Carrara marble booking windows were there, later to be broken up. I suspect that we were drawn into the station out of curiosity whilst in town. 

 

This was the start of many visits over the next three years or so- accompanied at first and then solo or with a chum from school. This was at a time when Health and Safety had not yet become part of British culture and the huge building, labyrinthine, mouldering and inhabited only by pigeons and the homeless was totally unloved and one could wander about freely. This was also a time when child safety was still not obsessively pursued and I’m amazed at the freedom I had. After school- primary school, don’t forget- I could catch the bus from Rednal nine miles into town, cross the city through the museum quarter and into vast tracts of dereliction, through underpasses that must have been pretty scary places and enter a huge and rotting structure full of a wide variety of hazards. Death by falling, impalement, being trapped underground, Weil’s disease, rape and murder all perfectly possible and if anything had happened then, in the spirit of the time, it would have just been “unfortunate” and no parental blame would have fallen. Not that my parents weren’t caring- my mum would have been heart-broken if anything had happened- it was just how things were. But nothing did happen. I walked the platforms, scrunched through broken glass and waded through debris of all kinds in the refreshment rooms and offices. From memory there was so much for the taking- ironmongery, furniture and light fittings. I wish I’d been light-fingered and tooled up. Totems- well, possibly but I don’t remember them, although I do remember “Way out to Great Charles Street” and some of the lesser signs so they may have still been there. Challenged only once by authority- a constable confiscated the only souvenir I ever tried to pinch- an aluminium switch housing with big round green and red buttons that I’d taken from the North signal box- and let me go on my way!

 

 

 

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A bit more:

 

I always felt fairly safe whilst exploring- although I never ventured into the tunnel to Moor Street or, strangely, explored the South signal box (a large and imposing, although soot-blackened and glass-less GWR one- the North box was very modern and on legs with a ladder up into its belly)- I just don’t think access to the South box was possible. I only had one incident there and that was when a mate and I set off along the track towards the tunnels to Hockley and as we approached the North box a gang of lads came down the ladder and surrounded us. These guys, from memory aged about 15 or so, looked hard and poor. The head honcho demanded inspection of the Beatties bags that we carried, having called in at the station after a visit to the New Street store and, positively pleading for a thorough bashing, I explained the contents (from memory some cardboard building kits and bags of lichen or some such) and our presence on his turf in words such as “We’re Railway Enthusiasts. It’s our hobby”. This cheery scamp repeated “Rail..way En…thoooo…siasts” and explained that we’d better be jolly careful as HIS hobby was mugging little boys. They had a splendid laugh at our obvious discomfort and turned and headed for the station and, much relieved, my chum and I continued towards the cutting and tunnels. I think I got the traditional clip around the ear the policeman failed to administer. We made our way eventually to Hockley (just platforms by then), found our way off railway premises via some torn chain-link fence or other and back to town through the Soho backstreets.

 

I remember Snow Hill for its silence. There must have been a roar of traffic- possibly muted- but it has to have been there, along with parking cars and shoppers coming and going- but I don’t recall it. The silence especially noticeable in the cuttings heading north, where there were also the scents of Wormwood and Rosebay-Willowherb. These still trigger the old memories, especially when walking the dogs in the Napoleonic brick canyons of Dover’s Western Heights that, apart from the absence of rails, resemble the urban railway cuttings of Birmingham. I dream of the place occasionally still.

 

The new station, which sits on the old footprint, is truly awful.

 

The area had many other attractions, too- in truth, the station was usually a distraction on the way to or from the ultimate destination, which was a tiny model shop - one of two branches of Bearwood Models in the city - not far from the triangular prow of an ornate Victorian terracotta edifice at the bottom of Constitution Hill, (which contained, I think, Barbarella’s. Unfortunately I missed out here and never experienced this famous establishment as we moved away from Brum before I was old enough to try the city clubs). 
 

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...and some more

 

Birmingham had some good model shops- Horton’s Corner springs to mind, just off Navigation Street “That shop that you don’t like, Mum”, which had an alluring window display of Aurora vampires, Mummies, Phantoms of the Opera, guillotines- and also Pryo dinosaurs and flintlock pistols, of which I eventually amassed a decent collection. Oh, to have them now. T

 

here was also a tiny model shop in Burlington Arcade, where the pub at the bottom had an LMS theme, with the windows made up to look like sections on an LMS carriage and a (7 ¼” gauge or so) Royal Scot inside- wonder what became of that… Beatties, too was not without its good points. There was also, as I’ve mentioned above, another Bearwood Models in the district bearing the same name, and with a full-size railway signal outside, although I only went there a couple of times- remembered mainly for the bus ride, which was on one of the elderly, immaculate and rather other-worldly vehicles still in use on certain routes- a dear old Crossley, I think- open at the rear to hop on and off like a Routemaster. I cycled to Halesowen on one occasion and discovered Tennents Trains, which are still around, although they’ve long since moved. I bought a lovely rake of Kitmaster coaches that had been well put together. The best model shop of all, though, was that provided by the array of preservation group stands at the Tyseley open days, where the long cinder path would become like a souk and, against the moving background of Kolaphur and Clun Castle, either end of a slowly-shuttling rake of Mk 1’s, there was a huge variety of second-hand model railway equipment and railway ephemera to be had. Health & Safety had not yet spoiled Tyseley either and the un-restored steam engines could be climbed on at will. I’ve been back since – it’s still a great day out but H&S has been very much tightened up and it’s not quite the same.


The branch of Bearwood models near Snow Hill was reached via St Chad’s Circus, which sat to the east of the station and contained some of the best public art I’ve seen- then or since. These were the Kenneth Budd mosaics and depicted the story of Snow Hill Station, with (probably about 2/3 life-size) side elevations of a broad gauge flyer, Dean 2-2-2 and various 4-6-0’s plus some signals and valancing. These were inspired and of the highest quality. Really, stunningly, breathtakingly good, although to my young and un-appreciative eyes the cut-away cab sides which showed a convincing footplate rather marred the otherwise complete engines. One of the engines was a Saint- “Lady of Lynn” and I thought the name impossibly beautiful. The murals sat within the central drum of a roundabout, with the rotting timber valancing of the actual station as a backdrop and were accessed by rather menacing underground passageways. This whole area is now completely re-developed and all is changed. I believe (and fervently hope) that the mosaics survive buried for future archaeologists to discover. Their destruction would be criminal in the extreme. A smaller set of recent mosaics (by Budd’s son, I believe) show a reduced and diminished version- they are alright but simplified and un-inspired and, at best, a token. I only saw the other Kenneth Budd mosaics- those depicting President Kennedy’s visit to the city- on one occasion- my parents dismissed them as “too political”. I think these have gone too. 
 

 

 

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The last bit!

 

This rather brings me to the other big (actually quite stupendous) destination, this time to the west side of Snow Hill- on Newhall Street. The Birmingham Museum of Science and Industry was one of the finest city museums in the land and its closure surely one of the worst acts of civic vandalism in recent years. Housed in the buildings of the Elkington Silver Electroplating Works this lovely museum was a source of delight and inspiration to many, many people. The prize exhibit was 46235 “City of Birmingham” which arrived straight from a cosmetic overhaul at Crewe in 1964 and, hence, is one of the few (if not the only) surviving steam locomotives in authentic paint. The poor thing was pushed and pulled hydraulically backwards and forwards, half-hourly, I think (this always seemed to me a rather cheap and un-dignified trick) and sat in a purpose-built hall along with “Leonard” a 2’ Kerr-Stuart 0-4-2ST and “Lorna Doone” a Bagnall 0-4-0ST of similar gauge. There was also “Secundus”, one of only two locomotives built in the city, a venerable 0-6-0WT with Gooch valve gear. I recently met this old friend again in the goods shed at Corfe Castle station on the Swanage Railway, close to where Secundus spent most of her (or his?) working life- quite an emotional re-union. There was also, amongst other locally-made exhibits, a circular button-making machine- perhaps the most complicated mechanical device I’ve ever come across. This wonderful device of oiled brown metal would be set into chattering and spider-like motion at the push of a button and was absolutely fascinating to watch. Indeed, much of the museum would often be a blur of movement, especially on the regular steaming days. A large model of a colonial railway carriage with the roof hinged up so that you could appreciate the lavish interior springs to mind also- this was next to a display of radios (you could listen to the same piece of music from each in turn by selecting buttons) and I hear the tune in my mind still. A diorama that I remember, still, with a degree of awe was that of an alchemist in his workshop, long straggly white hair and staring into the glass phial of who knows what in his hand- an absolutely haunted and terrifying figure that put me in mind of “Adam Eterno” (anyone else remember him?) the ragged time traveller from the comic “Lion”. A locally made Japanese suit of armour made a similar impression on me. Some of the exhibits made it to “Think Tank”, which is, I’m afraid, very much a shadow of the old museum and I found it desperately disappointing when I took my children there.   

 

We left the city in 1976, to pastures new in East Kent and a railway scene that had already seen a much earlier major upheaval and was evolving still. The endless array of EMU’s could not compete with the Peaks, Class 40’s and Westerns that I left behind and I missed them sorely.

 

During my late childhood and early teens the lost and abandoned railways were largely available for exploration, mostly illicitly but invariably easily. There were often big expanses of ballast with platforms, empty buildings and plenty of ironwork and all sorts of interesting things that could be liberated and brought home. Much of this is now built on and gone for good, with housing and out-of-town retail being the prime candidates. The trackbeds that have not been turned into cycle paths have become enclosed behind un-climbable fencing and really impenetrable undergrowth. The culverts choke and cuttings flood. There are sometimes main sewers along the old alignment and the infrastructure for these has patinated to the same degree as the surviving railway equipment- all part of the railway’s History but the ghosts of the old railwaymen are very faint now.

 

I haven’t been back much. The once excellent museums have been closed or dumbed-down, the derelict places have been sanitized and much of the city centre reconstructed beyond recognition. There is still quality to be had, and it’s not hard to find- Moor Street Station is a gem of good conservation practice and I’m told the Jewellery quarter, too has considerable charm though I've yet to go. I do miss the T Rex in the Natural History museum, though. 

 

Hope there's some food for thought in the above. It would be good to hear from anyone who shares some of these memories.
 

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8 minutes ago, Johnson044 said:

The Birmingham Museum of Science and Industry was one of the finest city museums in the land and its closure surely one of the worst acts of civic vandalism in recent years.

 

I really wished I remembered more about my one trip there. I have a strong memory of 46235 moving slowly up and down like a caged lion being made to perform for the public, but probably preferable to being placed in something more akin to a theme park than a museum.

 

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I arrived in Birmingham soon after you left, working in Great Charles Street for about 18 months or so in 1978-80 and commuting on the 86, I think [from memory the 85/6/7 all terminated in Great Charles St., these three used Ailsas then] from Bearwood. Snow Hill was just an empty site then, no buildings left, but I do remember the mosaics, found on a wander one lunchtime and Beatties, as I regularly travelled through New Street on my way to and from London. I once walked on the old track bed from Just north of Snow Hill as far as Smethwick. I also explored the Jewellery Quarter [I may still have some photos somewhere] and found the viaduct which never went anywhere, but mostly walked the BCN; I got as far as Wolverhampton once, but mostly went north or west to Dudley or Dudley Port [watching the electrics] and once what I think was Round Oak Steelworks, which looked derelict by then.

 

I presume you know about the work of Phyllis Nicklin and D J Norton, both of which are on the internet?

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3 hours ago, Johnson044 said:

Hope there's some food for thought in the above. It would be good to hear from anyone who shares some of these memories.

 

Early 70s I remember a primary school trip to a museum in Birmingham, the T Rex certainly rings a bell, and on the return journey on a bus down Great Charles Street Queensway the massive broken hulk of Snow Hill station rearing up above the road. I wasn't sure what I'd seen for years but it stuck in my mind.

 

Around the same time a trip with my mum and her friend to Birmingham city centre, which seemed to be all brightly coloured lighted subways. Also looking up from New Street station seeing a large red neon sign saying 'Bull Ring'. There was a sparse sophistication to coloured light installations back then, what little was there really stood out, it was modern.

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My Grandmother on my mother’s side lived in Lodge Road, Handsworth and was very keen …. Bless her ….. that I went to stay with her so that I could pursue my railway interests. 

Late 67 IIRC 

 

The plan was New Street on Saturday and Snow Hill on Sunday but a local intimated to her that Snow Hill would be futile so it was New Street on both days… little traffic on a Sunday Morning but one abiding cop was D5012….

 

My mothers elder sister lived in Hockley and visits there …. In earlier years …. We’re always to the accompaniment of shunting in Hockley yard although I was never allowed to go and investigate.

 

Happy days…

 

Edited by Phil Bullock
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The various lines of my family mostly moved to Birmingham in the second half of the 19th century, although I have traced one connection back to the time of Oliver Cromwell's mates having a bit of a scrap at Camp Hill. Three of my grandparents had railway in the family so it was I suppose inevitable that I followed on, eventually spending almost fifty years directly or indirectly earning a living from it.

My earliest railway memory was just before my second birthday. I had a great aunt who was married to a Monument Lane driver. My Dad took me down to New Street to get the tickets for our holiday trip to my Mom's ATS friend who lived in Brighton. He arranged it to coincide with a particular train that our relative was booked to work and I was lifted up onto the footplate. My earliest memory is of being held aloft to pull the whistle cord to acknowledge the Guard's whistle before being handed back down to the platform.

The next memories of the railway were trains running along the embankment between Selly Oak and where University station now stands, then when we got allocated a new house we used to catch the bus near Stechford station. That was where I saw my first Stanier Pacifics on Sunday diversions, We also walked up to the old airfield where Castle Vale estate now stands to visit the British Industries Fair and Battle of Britain displays. In those days if you were lucky you might catch a Garrett on the long coal trains into Washwood Heath. Growing up a bit and moving to a better house after my sister was born and it was train spotting at New Street on a regular basis before Snow Hill was discovered. I had been there before to catch the night train to Cornwall on a busy Friday in summer, a big adventure for a lad of about four at the time. 

Talking of model shops, I often used the one in Burlington Arcade, but mention of Bearwood Models brought back a lot of memories. Before the shop in Constitution Hill they had one on The Parade at the bottom of Summer Row which was close to where my Dad worked. I still have the Hornby Dublo 3-rail stuff which came from there in the 1950s, and it still runs perfectly. 

 

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My memories of Birmingham's railways are a little later - 1980 +/- 3 years either way; my secondary school years. They're dominated by the ex-LNWR lines (my enthusiasm for the Midland must have its roots in it being exotically "other"). We had moved in 1972 to a house backing on to the Litchfield Extension just short of Four Oaks station, with the signalbox, junction for the bay platform and the stabling sidings that still survived in view from the bottom of the garden, together with the LMS-style tubular post bracket signal complete with sighting boards.

 

One of my earliest memories of railway journeys also marked the moment at which the illusion of parental infallibility was shattered. Aged eight, I was taken into Brum by Mum, together with my baby brother in his pram. Getting the train back, I did question whether the one we were getting on was the right one. My distress at arriving at Smethwick Rolfe Street only caused amusement to Mum, who thought the episode very funny, whereas to me, getting on the wrong train was a matter of the utmost gravity; an error to be looked upon with the greatest shame.

 

Snow Hill was a name of myth, the favoured location of Dad's spotting days, at least not those spent in the famous field at Tamworth. The story was that there was a much better chance of "cabbing" at Snow Hill than at New Street. But for me, New Street was the centre of the railway world. All you claggy diesel lovers will be appalled but it was the Class 86 and 87 electrics that held my attention. That and the trains of Brutes rattling off down the slope to a mysterious underworld. 

 

The approaches to New Street on the Grand Junction line were full of fascination too - much industrial dereliction of course. There would sometimes be an 86 or two parked up on the north side of the bridge beyond which were those desolate platforms named Duddeston lengthways on the metal signage but Vauxhall crossways on the lights. Then the viaduct over the London lines and the Curzon Street parcels depot, with the large advert on the side proclaiming "London to Birmingham in 91 minutes". (In later years this became 97 minutes, then they went over to advertising the 30 minute service interval.) Finally, a glimpse of the elaborate facade of the Proof House, before the inevitable wait between the cavernous blue brick walls before the tunnel. 

 

School was alongside the ex-Midland Wolverhampton, Walsall and Water Orton line and the cycle or walk to and from was along a road that ran parallel, so Classes 25 and 47, and in due course 56, were familiar - the 25s on mixed trains of opens and vans, from what I recall - plus 20s in pairs, nose-to-nose. Walks in Sutton Park took one across that line and back again, with a good view of the long straight line from the bridges. One never saw a train, I suppose because such walks were always at weekends.

 

Blue! Blue! Overall blue! Blue / grey was confined to the Inter City trains at New Street; it was only in the 1980s, I think, that multiple units - both our Class 116 DMUS and the Walsall EMUs - got blue / grey. 

 

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I remember parking my car on Snow Hill station. No tracks but all the platforms were there and if you parked on the platform you had to be careful not to drive off the edge. The bid change for me was the opening of the Cross City line. I lived in Bournville at the time and worked at the University so I occasionally caught the train but it tended to be so crowded it was better to walk.

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14 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

Finally, a glimpse of the elaborate facade of the Proof House,

I had the pleasure as a ten-year-old of looking down on that from Proof House Junction signal box. My Grandad was signal lineman for that district covering from the tunnel mouth to Vauxhall and Adderley Park. Summer Saturday morning visits were the best of all, bus into town then walk down to Banbury Street, through the gate next to the Proof House and up the steps to the box at the top of the bank.

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My memories of Birmingham are later than my age belies, simply because coming from a Black Country family and living in Staffordshire, we had absolutely no desire or inclination to visit Birmingham.  It's really true, the Black Country and Birmingham are uneasy bedfellows.  However, in 1973, just pre Cross City, I did catch a train into Birmingham, age 10 to have an operation at the QE.  Our train from Lichfield City was a Cross Country DMU, which seemed quite posh although many of the stations looked as if they were closed, even though they weren't.  It wasn't then until the late 70s that I started using trains into Birmingham on a regular basis, mainly from Lichfield although sometimes I would catch the bus to Birmingham from Handsacre, then pick up the train from New Street to my grandparents in Walsall.  On one occasion I managed to blag the Summer Saturday Yarmouth to Walsall which at this time was double headed by 2xClass 25s, and comprised Mk1 corridor coaches.  It also ran via Soho, which the then hourly all shacks didn't use.  That was a superb, accidental cop.

In 1983 I had a disastrous one year at Wolverhampton Polytechnic trying to get to grips with a Computer Science degree, before crashing and burning in my first year exams and transferring to Birmingham Polytechnic to do Town Planning.  In the morning I would pick up the 79 from Darlaston to Wolverhampton (still running some of Hockley's ex Birmingham Fleetlines) but in the evening I would take the train from Wolverhampton to Birmingham, then the local to Walsall, which took twice as long as the 79 but was much more fun.  There were still some early electrics, and even some Mk1 stock still on frontline service which was always nice.  When I transferred to Birmingham Poly I used the train to Perry Barr every day, mainly the ghastly Class 304s with concrete suspension and trampoline seats, and over the poorly maintained Grand Junction the ride used to be awful, whoever thought shoving 1920s bogies under a modern electric unit was a good idea needs to have a word with themselves.  Occasionally a much nicer 310 or 312 would rock up.  When short of units, we'd sometimes get a 116.

New Street to me will always be a fascinating place, even today, but in the 1980s when my train riding got serious, it was sometimes so fascinating I'd let a couple of trains go just watching the activity.  There was always something of interest, although the nightly Harwich boat train, which the announcer took great pride in announcing all the continental connections you could make once you got to Hook of Holland, always provided comedy relief.  It was stretching credulity to think anyone heading to Berlin, Warsaw or Moscow - all destinations that were announced - would first dawdle across to Harwich from Birmingham New Street behind a 31 in an ancient Mk1 older than the Berlin Wall.

I loved the 1960s New Street, the fact it just got on with hosting far more trains than it was designed for, without fuss (for the most part) but with connections across the UK was fantastic, especially when between 1986 and 1993 I would have an annual all line railrover, pitch up at my nan's house ten minutes from Bescot, and by getting the first local to Birmingham go all over the country - and back in time for the last service.  The station worked despite it's shortcomings and was a fantastic asset for the city.  

Later I eventually ended up working for Centro, and had some input into the extension of the Snow Hill lines to Smethwick, the Midland Metro, and a number of other projects in the area, and used the station regularly throughout the 1990s as of course we were expected to commute by public transport as often as possible.  Even the damn 304s came back to haunt me when the Cross City line was electrified but the 323s had a nervous breakdown.  Riding one of those at high speed between Blake Street and Lichfield was purgatorial.  Eventually when the Hednesford line was extended back to Rugeley, that gave me another option, although a slower one, into Birmingham.  As a bit of a Sprinter fan, I quite liked to take the train from Rugeley into Birmingham, mainly the Tyseley thrashed 150s but on a couple of occasions a 156 turned up (I'll fess up to having a hooky cab ride in one from Birmingham to Rugeley, no names no packdrill) and on one journey a 158 graced the Chase line when I was returning from a trip to the Ian Allan emporium.

I haven't been back to Birmingham in nearly 20 years apart from one train trip to Folkestone which I made from Walsall.  I used the "fire escape" bridge to change from a lovely London Midland Desiro which managed to iron out the Grand Junction in a way the 304s never could, to the Virgin Pendolino which was a superb journey made all the more fun by the train manager using all the old station names like "Rugby Midland" and "Northampton Castle" when announcing connections, but I didn't get to see the "Grand Central" rebuild.  I believe it isn't as efficient a place to change trains now, unlike the dispersal bridge of the old station, with the magazine stall just aft of the exit barriers.  Whatever it's faults, the 1960s station was actually well designed for the train user to navigate.  Being younger and fitter back then, I often cut the timetable's suggested connectional time of 12 minutes down to less than 2 thanks to the simple layout of the station and familiarity.

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I enjoyed reading that. I well remember riding the last DMU services to Snow Hill from Stourbridge & Smethwick. A once proud mainline station reduced to just a couple of platforms handling local trains. In those days there was absolutely no prospect of the tunnel to Moor Street ever re-opening. Although the current Snow Hill is a mere shadow of it's former self I am very pleased you can once again catch trains to London from there. It also boasts a fantastic local service, if I want to catch the "train into town" I don't bother to look at a timetable because I know there will be one in a few minutes (well in 15 minutes at worst). Because it has seen a revival that was thought impossible I rather like it the way it is now. By far the best station nowadays is Moor Street; it has been carefully rebuilt to a heritage standard and well worth a visit.

 

Tennents Trains is still going well albeit after an ownership change a few years back. Bearwood Models was my local model shop and it was quite a good shop back in the day.

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Dear all

 

Thanks for the wonderful response - so many memories, many heartfelt.

 

I'll respond properly soon but work beckons.

 

In the meantime, a quick plug for Tennents Trains - they do some rather fine DVD's. Particularly recommend John Tennent's "Bygone Days - on the Severn Valley and Halesowen & Harbourne Branch Lines". All (except for some recent exploration of trackbed and an amazing bit with a Kirtley 0-6-0 at Longbridge in the 1920's) filmed in the late '50's and early '60's. Some shots of one of Bournville's 2f's at on the Halesowen branch and some lovely Midland Red buses. The other titles are good too.  An informative narrative with a gentle regional accent. 

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My experiences were a bit later, using the train from Bilbrook (1st station on Shrewsbury line) to University when I started working at the QE hospital in 1985. If I caught one particular train from University just after 17:00, there was about 2 minutes to make the change at New Street to the 17:22 all stations to Wolves and another 5 minutes to catch the stopper to Shrewsbury. If I missed the all stations at New Street, there was a gap in the service so I missed the service back home & had to wait at Wolves for about 45 minutes. There were about 4 of us from the QE who made the connection at New Street, we knew where to join the train at University so we stopped near the stairs, then a rapid run over to 7B for the Wolves train. It seemed the platform staff knew there were folks wanting to make this run and they would hold open the last compartment door for us to hurtle into, before slamming shut and giving the 'right away'. Then we had time to catch breath and try to find a seat. These were usually 304s, so we'd get that familiar bouncing and the hum of motors into the tunnels; I always thought it sounded like Star Trek warp drive building up but certainly didn't go like it! That service actually went through to Altrincham and the announcer at Wolves always tried to reel off all the stops, but had to resort to ".... Stockport, Manchester Piccadilly and all stops to Altrincham" as it was usually already rolling off down the platform!

 

Before the Cross City electrification, the Tyseley DMUs were famously on their last legs and increasingly mixed and matched rather than uniform sets. There were definitely ex Cardiff cars with Valley Lines maps inside and Red Dragon branding outside. I remember seeing a class 121 car with the class branding on the data panel at the end amended to read "Class 121i Ghia"!

 

On the way to work in the morning, for one winter timetable the Shrewsbury to Wolves stopper was actually one of the InterCity mk2E/F  sets with class 47 haulage, obviously filling in for DMU shortage. Due to the platform length we got into the First Class section at Bilbrook and it really didn't seem worthwhile moving along when the trip to Wolves was only about 10 minutes! Sadly the onward connection to Brum was then an EMU, a 310 if we were lucky...

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If I was late going home, the next viable service was a Euston to Shrewsbury from New St. as there was a stopping service from Wolves which would follow the express; this connection was almost always held if the Euston was delayed, so at least I wouldn't miss the stopper to Bilbrook. The expresses were frustrating though as they often had 4 first class carriages (rarely anywhere near fully occupied) and 4/5 second class, which would be packed out. I could at least watch the changeover from electric to class 47 haulage at Wolves before joining the DMU on platform 1C.

 

I caught a service to Preston from New St. once as it was the next one headed to Wolves, but had several minutes of worry as it set off southwards! It then went through Duddeston, Aston, and the Grand Junction to Bescot and off at Portobello to Wolves. Great for new mileage, but  at no point was there any P.A. announcement to reassure me it was the right train...! There were many alternative routes, I also remember going via the Soho loops on one occasion.

Edited by Ramblin Rich
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2 hours ago, Ramblin Rich said:

I caught a service to Preston from New St. once as it was the next one headed to Wolves, but had several minutes of worry as it set off southwards! It then went through Duddeston, Aston, and the Grand Junction to Bescot and off at Portobello to Wolves. Great for new mileage, but  at no point was there any P.A. announcement to reassure me it was the right train...!

That happened to me once as well.  To make it worse it was one that I had caught by the skin of my teeth - running down the stairs and on through the  nearest door just as the whistle blew. As soon as we started moving I went cold and wondered what train I had caught by mistake and where was its next stop going to be!

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On 23/05/2022 at 17:50, Johnson044 said:

Hi

 

 The long row of post-war pre-fab houses that followed Bristol Road South to the terminus lasted a few years longer but these too have gone now, although there is a preserved one at the Avoncroft open air museum near Bromsgrove.

 

 

More to follow.....
 

Still 17 of them in Wake Green Road:

1974146916_prefabs.jpg.10176cfcbc97f8a91980a842094d6a9e.jpg

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10518585/The-prefab-homes-standing-Moseley-temporary-tin-homes-local-landmark.html

 

Edited by melmerby
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One of the items I used to like to see in the old science museum was the "Orchestrion" a huge self playing musical instrument combo.

It used punched paper cards to play and I always listened to it when was operating.

When the "Think Tank" opened I looked for it and found it wasn't there so I contacted Birmingham City Council to find out why not.

Apparently it wasn't considered to be suitable for the new place so they gave it away!

 

Haven't been to the Think Tank since.

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12 hours ago, melmerby said:

One of the items I used to like to see in the old science museum was the "Orchestrion" a huge self playing musical instrument combo.

It used punched paper cards to play and I always listened to it when was operating.

When the "Think Tank" opened I looked for it and found it wasn't there so I contacted Birmingham City Council to find out why not.

Apparently it wasn't considered to be suitable for the new place so they gave it away!

 

Haven't been to the Think Tank since.

I'm not surprised they gave it away! BCC seem to have set themselves up as arbiters of what visitors might find interesting. I think I can remember the Orchestrion - but it's dancing on the edge of my memory. I remember a bike wheel with sheet metal over the spokes that you could spin to demonstrate centrifugal force- and the three Stirling hot air engines of different sizes just as you entered the museum, that always seemed to be running. 

 

So much has gone - i was very surprised that The Pinto collection of wooden objects had also gone from the art gallery.

 

I keep hoping for an opportunity to visit the reserve collection: https://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/collection/museum-collection-centre

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1 hour ago, Rugd1022 said:

What a fantastic thread and such a great subject - I'll post some thoughts and memories later but in the meantime here are some images around Brum which I've gathered from various sources over the years....

 

2055799831_BRUMSHD1001UPBP160762RM-Feb-p14.jpg.d8494604156e7f9ab479669a7c1ec37c.jpg

 

526425255_BRUMSHsnow_hill_buildings_snow_hill_side_ocy_1970_john_mann.jpg.fef2dbe313a4f5bd591b2d95044ee575.jpg

 

(I took this one whilst road learning through New Street several years ago, I was surprised to find it and a couple of others still intact)

 

1493792540_BrumNSz10.jpg.7828a988ba55edfecf172c5a1826b3f9.jpg

 

131397565_Birmingham20New20Street20Stn20from20Navigation20St.jpg.92714155305b41d3073fd25266c8fb0c.jpg

 

1348771587_NEWSTD292Saturday23rdDecember1961.jpg.bd8a37606d51865a2be5158271f0440e.jpg

 

22044280_BRMBNStD287May1964.jpg.f2d937d85c7b6774fa4d5d457f9040d1.jpg

 

343302071_BRMBNStD1599291066.jpg.6c1ac01088176b6c0e57564c755997a5.jpg

 

501419611_BRMD342D294BNSt080565.jpg.ecc3090574922a588f899b6195c0b3c8.jpg

 

85_snow_hill_running_in_board_oct_1970_john_mann.jpg.39a6b9c3f6c3cde4142dc5f739488a97.jpg

 

1329604743_BrumSnowHillFebruary1972WolvesDMUBubbleCar.jpg.3d890627a9f93e640950378768f4dbab.jpg

 

birminghamsouth1977pmc1.jpg.9bfd95fb14484107f747f2b7a76a8b8f.jpg

 

264523829_SnowHillBubbleCar.jpg.278516c2ff61771782da981fcd579416.jpg

 

snow-hill-station-south-signal-box-153964.jpg.744cbae5e390683ebe353a5bffeed177.jpg

 

 

 

 

These photos are terrific. When Snow Hill was built it really was a GWR flagship project.

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