Leighswood Bank...

A cutting from the Walsall Chronicle of Thursday June 11th. I think the embankment referred to runs parallel to Stubbers Green Road but is concealed from this road, being situated behind the duck pool and trees. Apart from this embankment the only other relics of the Leighswood Branch seem to be the bridge wall at Lichfield Road and abutments of Barnfield Bridge over the canal.

Also enclosed is a view of Leighswood Colliery (Aldridge No.2) at the end of the branch, from a 105-year old postcard...

4L68

A fairly hazy shot of 66571 with a freightliner service, interesting only because some of the outsize containers dwarf the large Class 66 engine at the front.

The train is 4L68 from Birch Coppice to Felixstowe Port, which runs in the path of the discontinued Fastline Freight Class 56-hauled 4O90...

Department 97

Departmental loco's 97301 + 97303 enjoy a trip across the Park in early August.

73901

This Colas Rail tamping device number 73901 (not to be confused with the Electro-Diesel Class 73 loco's) was seen crossing the Sutton Park line on Thursday 13th June 2009. The machine was apparently running from Preston to Walsall (via Nuneaton).

Inside Aldridge

A rare glimpse of the interior of Aldridge Junction Signalbox showing the block instruments and part of the 40-lever frame. This was the original Midland Railway box built in 1879 for the opening of the line between Water Orton and Walsall. Fancy a cuppa ?

The box stood just off the end of the downside platform at the junction for Walsall Wood (today's up-to-down line crossover), and was closed in May 1969 being demolished in August of that year. The box was last worked by a late-turn lady signaller who went on to work the signalbox known as "Bodley's" at Walsall. Mr A Hine was the signal inspector who signed off the train register. Thanks to Pete for the photo, copyright unknown.

A brief summary of the other Midland Railway boxes along the Sutton Park route -

Ryecroft Junction (located near the Butts Road bridge, this signalbox controlled the famous four-way junction just east of Walsall, and also the entrance road to the Steam Shed. The original box was replaced in the 1950s, and the replacement went in the late 1960s when Walsall PSB took control of signalling in the area).

Lichfield Road Junction (located at the upside near Lichfield Road bridge, Walsall, and closed circa 1965. Alan Downes writes that during it's later years the box was switched out after 1800 in the evening, with the route being set towards Ryecroft Jcn and Aldridge... the box controlled the MR line that went off to North Walsall and Wolverhampton, coaching stock being turned in the triangle here as and when required).

Streetly (located on the down island platform, this box had certainly closed prior to 1957 as a temporary block post had to be installed to cope with the huge amount of extra trains generated by the Scouts Jamboree at Sutton Park in July of that year). (For a photo of Streetly station and signalbox see my post of 6th July 2008, under the "signal box" label).

Sutton Park (as at Aldridge the box was located at the end of the down platform, in this case near the junction for the parcels depot. A crossover junction between up and down lines still exists here, being groundframe-operated. Box closed at the end of 1969).

Penns Goods Frame (located on the upside opposite Penns Goods depot near Ashurst Road bridge, Walmley. Seemingly this box closed in the 1950s, i've been unable to locate a photo of it).

Park Lane Junction (located on the upside near Park Lane bridge about a mile east of Penns Goods Frame, the box was an LNWR design, the original Midland Railway signalbox being replaced around 1920, reason unknown. The boc controlled the junction for Water Orton and Castle Bromwich. Closed in September 1969).
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DBS 37....

Looking very smart following it's surprise repaint into DB Schenker livery at Toton, 37670 St Blazey T&RS Depot was unusual traction on 6O12 out of Bescot this morning, seen here at Pleck.

Big Blue DRS Machine

"Are there any trains due?" said the young lady on the crossing. "Nothing for a while as far as I know" I replied.

No sooner had she continued on her way than 57012 appeared light engine from around the corner, wearing her smart blue "compass" livery. I expect she was returning to Crewe from who-knows-where, and for all I know so was the engine...

Hardwick Wood, Friday 24th July.

Sutton Town (downside)

The main station buildings along the Sutton Park line were all pretty much of the same 1879 Midland Railway design, resembling two gable-end cottages joined by a central structure.

Those at Aldridge were demolished in 1972, with Penns following shortly afterwards.

Streetly and Sutton Park survived in private use until the 1990s, when they too were reduced to rubble.

The real surprise is at Sutton Town, which was the first station along the route to close as long ago as 1925, where both up and down-side buildings remain !

Here we see

1 The gate at High Street across the pathway leading to the Town station (actually on the upside of the railway).

2 The railway below High Street bridge (no.32) looking towards the Sutton Town site.

3 Looking back towards bridge 32 from rail level.

4 37603 + 37601 passing the downside building with 6M56 Berkeley - Crewe flask.

5 Another view of the buildings, looking towards the Sutton Park and Walsall direction, which are now used as solicitors offices and are fenced off from the railway.

No trace of any platforms remain on either side...

Sutton Town (upside)

Inspired by an article (see Sutton Town - A Recent Visit, on the right hand side) I went to have a look at the derelict upside station building at Sutton Town. The pathway has recently been cleared of brambles etc and so was quite easy to negotiate. Passing over the electrified Cross City north route below we passed the remains of an old railway gate and came out at the building, which seemed quite substantial for such a small station. Although windows and doors have been bricked up the local kids have knocked out large holes in them so entry was easy.

1. The overgrown and derelict upside platform building, which almost mirrors the downside one in style and size. The platforms have long been removed, and the railway corridor blocked off with nasty pallisade fencing.

2. Exposed girders and surviving chimney at the east end.

3. Close up of ornate brickwork detail.

4. Inside the tall room at the eastern end of the building block, presumably the waiting room area. It's quite eerie in here as the outside world is instantly shut out, the darlness adding to the effect. A great place for a kids den, though I wonder how sturdy the structure is...

5. Amazingly these seem to be original Midland Railway benches, and there are more along the walls in the west end waiting room ! Also note the brick tile patterned floor...

I can't see this old building lasting much longer, I assume it's been virtually derelict since disuse as storage rooms for railway items in the 1970s, and would cost a fortune to renovate, and what purpose could it serve nowadays ?

Sutton Town (more photo's)

1. End-wall of the deteriorating upside building.

2. Bricked-up waiting room fireplace.

3. Locally made bricks.

4. The desolate upside building before the trees took over. Photo taken by R.Paddison around the 1970s. According to John Bassett ("Cross City Connections") the building was bought by two conservation-minded couples in the 1970s. A number of railway relics stored in the building were sold off in 1977. Plans to use the rooms as a sort of railway museum came to nothing, and the buildings were abandoned after local youths set fire to them. Who owns the site now I have no idea.

5. Detail of the downside building, now in use as an office. Note the windows added to the roof since becoming offices.

It's odd to think that although this station was the first to close back in January 1925 - exactly 40 years before the other 4 stations along the Sutton Park line finally came to end - Sutton Town is the only one with practically all buildings intact !

37422 Dead In Transit....

Tuesday 21 July's 6D44 Bescot ES to Toton had 66086 and 37422 in the consist, the train engine was 66055. The service is seen here at Pleck Junction.

Park stock

47245 storms across Sutton Park with WCRC empty stock bound for Carnforth on Monday 20th July 2009. This stock had formed the Hogwarts Express tour of 18th July.

Hog Wash

While expectations have been raised a notch or two recently regarding the re-instatement of regular passenger trains, charter excursions continue to run across the Sutton Park line almost every other week. Here the empty stock known as the Hogwarts Express is seen blasting past Branton Hill on the dark evening of Thursday 16th July.

The ex-GWR engine is 5972 Olton Hall, aka "Hogwarts Castle" as seen in the Harry Potter films...

The train was getting a free wash in the heavy rain that had begun falling an hour earlier.

1997 at Walsall

Seen passing through the middle road at Walsall station in 1970 is Brush Type 4 loco 1997. Although the loco has full yellow ends she is finished in the old BR two-tone green colours. The train is 6Z61, a special tank service possibly from Rowley Regis to Teesport. Note the barrier wagon immediately behind the loco.
The photo was taken from platform one, which still retained it's buildings and roof canopy at that time. The middle road was eventually lifted, BR deeming it superfluous to requirements...

Photo copyright PP Newell

Caroline at Water Orton

DRS loco 37423 is seen providing power for the engineers saloon 975025 "Caroline" (with red nameplate), being propelled through Water Orton en route Nuneaton, 27th April 2009. The saloon has driving controls at the front of the coach.

Aldridge from above

A terrific aerial photo dating from the 1920s and showing a very rural looking Aldridge town, station and signalbox. The station is located centre of picture with the railway running from the Water Orton direction (middle right) towards Walsall (bottom left), where the junction for Walsall Wood can be seen. A goods train appears to be standing along the downside platform with the tail end under Anchor Road bridge.

St Mary's church is located at the top of the photograph, with a clearly-seen pathway leading across the Croft towards it (the diagonal white line). Cows graze the Croft meadow and a large pond (now part of a car park !) can be made out left of the path.

The town shops and buildings have yet to spread along Anchor Road, and there is no sign either of the Avion cinema (apparently opened by George Formby in the 1930s).

Photo Aerofilms (copyright).

On the beast !

Anyone casually glancing at the blog might think we are overdosing on blue DRS engines of late, and that would be a pretty accurate assessment ! Just to add to the theme, here's some shots from today's 0Z86 move from Crewe to Eastleigh featuring 37612 + 261 + 605, with 47709 + 841 sandwiched in the middle for good measure.

File under bacon-snatcher...

Rain Flask

37610 + 37601 make for a pleasing sight as they coast through a rainy Aldridge 2 hours early this afternoon, with a solitary flask on 6M56 from Berkeley Power Station (Glos.) to Crewe.

The red nameplates attached to 37610 read "T.S.(Ted) Cassady 14.5.61. - 6.4.08.", he was a former member of the DRS management team.

Walsall Wood

A cracking shot sent to me by Trevor Shakespeare showing a Class 25 loco (number D5223, later 25073) at Walsall Wood station in about 1964. The loco is facing towards Aldridge near the Lichfield Road bridge, on a train of 16-ton mineral wagons.

The Aldridge - Walsall Wood branch closed to passengers in 1930 and the line became a freight-only branch, being singled and terminated at the colliery just north of Walsall Wood station (the line formerly ran to Brownhills Watling Street station and on to Chasewater).

The branch closed completely shortly after January 1965 when the Sutton Park line lost it's passenger services, so this may have been one of the very last trains to use the branch.

Trevor writes - "The tall buildings in the background are those of the now demolished Co-op store. The small brick building above the first wagon was a pumping house ; that area used to flood regularly and the pump house had a full time attendant who lived
in a house on the land between the pump house and the road which can be seen in front of the Co-op."

The Walsall Wood station buildings survived until the 1970s (as did those at Aldridge) when they were finally knocked down.

Photo copyright T Shakespeare.

Castle over Sutton

Ex-GWR engine 5043 "Earl of Mount Edgcumbe" runs along Sutton Park with her support coach on Friday 19th June heading for Crewe.

The loco was being sent in readiness to work Saturday's "Castle Over Shap" steam charter from Crewe to Carlisle.