Class 20s restored

Having been refurbished at Eastleigh, DRS Type One's 20304 + 20305 are caught being returned to Crewe by 37609 on the afternoon of 24th September. Hopefully the Class 20s will be seen working flask trains once more.

Streetly Station

A rare shot of Streetly Station from around 100 years ago. The photographer was standing on the upside platform looking towards Walsall.

On the downside platform can be seen part of Streetly Signalbox (extreme left), which was the first box to close along this route, prior to the 1950s. The box stood on an island platform, a loop running off the down main passing behind the signalbox.

A fine set of Midland Railway gas lamps and semaphore signals can also be seen. The main station buildings, a typical design for this line, are on the upside at right, and existed until the mid-1990s.

Copyright unknown.

R.A.F.

This chappie passed over Daw End on the afternoon of 1st September so I thought i'd get a shot in, lest it be some sort of experimental loco on a proving test...

SVR Here We Come!

Making their way to this weekend's Severn Valley Railway diesel gala are 47580 and 37264 working 0Z37 10:04 Tyseley to Kidderminster. Photo taken on 6th October 2009.

Leighswood Aerial

The main item of interest in this aerial view of Shelfield circa 1930 is that the dark shape of the single track Leighswood branch can be made out (just about !) on the extreme right of the picture.

In the bottom right hand corner the railway passes under Four Crosses Road (no trace of this bridge exists today), and continues upwards under the Lichfield Road (where one bridge wall currently remains). The line then heads dead straight towards Stubbers Green Road (near top right) which it passed by means of an overbridge. No trace remains of this bridge today, a mini-roundabout occupying the site. The railway line then curves to the right and just off-photo it split into two, the left hand track running to various Aldridge brickworks and the other line continuing across to Stubbers Green Colliery (which closed very early in the 20th century) and eventually to it's terminus at Aldridge No.2 Colliery at Leighswood (known as the "bare bones pit").

Lichfield Road crosses the photo diagonally from top left to bottom right, and viewers familiar with the area will recognise the Four Crosses pub. The Spring Cottage pub at the crossroads isn't really visible in this view.

Photo by Aerofilms (1930).

Nick Broome took this fine shot of 97304+97301 working 5Z97, a Network Rail test train running from Derby to Shrewsbury, seen here approaching Ryecroft Jcn on 29th September.

Crompton Charter

John Edkins took this cool shot of WCRC Crompton Class 33 33207 working the "Merry-le-Bone" railtour past Wylde Green on 5th September.

This class of loco was built at BRCW Smethwick, Birmingham but are now fairly rare visitors to the Midlands.