Guest Book: add a comment

I welcome your thoughts on the site as well as receiving any comments on the captions or photographs. The site's webstats show that whilst several thousand people visit each month, with several hundred visitors spending over an hour viewing the site, only a handful make the effort to submit an entry. It has taken many years of hard work to develop this site for your enjoyment so please make the effort to make an entry as your contribution to this site.

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Guest Book Entries

Your site is at once wonderful and sad, because it reminds me so powerfully of what used to be. My contribution to the pedantry is concerned with picture 'mrf471a' of Five Ways. I think that the 'strengthened steel plate' referred to is in fact the end of the water tank shown clearly in the other photos. There seems to be no clue in any of the shots as to how people accessed the east side platform. In fact one of them shows two staircases down to the west side!

Phil Cheesewright

Phil. Many thanks for your kind comments regarding the site. Your sentiments are mine too. Thanks too for pointing out the error in my original description. I have now suitably amended the text. I too have looked closely at the photos and I fail to see where the steps might have been. Logic says that they might have ran from the two abutments to the right of the road bridge which are about 3 to 4 feet apart. It would be symmetrical to the steps on the up platform albeit they are off a corner of the street. However the brickwork looks original with no sign of in filling. I trust that you will continue to contribute to correcting any errors. As I repeatedly state - to maintain the accuracy of the site comments such as yours are very necessary and welcome.

Hi! I just thought I'd add an update on my previous posting below regarding the Platform 7 sign that used to hang above that iconic destination point at Birmingham Snow Hill from the 1950s until its demolition. This is now on display hanging from the roof of 'The Engine House' at Highley on the Severn Valley Railway. So anyone who remembers standing beneath it all those years ago may do so once more.

Bob Morriss

Bob - Many thanks for letting us know. We understand that it is because of your generosity that the sign is on display to the public. On behalf of many people may Robert and I say thank you.

I've recently bought the old Dunchurch Railway Station and wondered if anyone has any old photographs? It would be great to see what the gardens, yard and the front of the house looked like.

Thanks - Andrew 07760777100

Love your website and will almost certainly be talking to you again about research matters if that's all right with you.

Regards Lucy Cheney

Dear Sirs. I have three photographs of the derailment at Henley in Arden 24th June 1911 when the "Mafeking" was sent onto the wrong line by a signalman's error. These are official photorgraphs from the Engineers office Paddington Photographic Dept despatched on 28.6.1911 to John Gordon Hogg who I know was a GWR employee. I believe he was a stationmaster but do not know if he was ever at Henley in Arden but I believe that he was at one time stationmaster at a statiion in Wales. These came into my possession via John Gordon Hogg's family, notably his daughter Marjorie Gordon Hogg who later lived in Barnstaple, North Devon. Please advise whether you are interested in them or whether they may have any value to collectors.

Regards AR Summers, Berrynarbor, North Devon

I am researching information relating to my grandfathers career as a locomotive driver and have found some information on your site very useful. My grandfather was Alfred John Smith and was noted for being the driver on the last Weedon-Leamington branch line which closed in 1958.

Anthony James Lloyd

Have spent several hours enjoying this wonderful site. Incredible collection of history supported with great photos.

David Pooke

Alderminster Railway Station did a station ever exist? I live near ALDERMASTON in BERKSHIRE The wooden railway station buildings here were demolished in mistake for Alderminster so they say, but I think that was wishful thinking, unless you or your colleges know different.

Regards Gordon

Hi All. Regarding Archibald Cook and his George Medal award for bravery. We wish to thank all for all the help and abundance of information which we are still sifting through. A sincere thank to R A Walford for his contribution. However just to report that whilst researching his history we have found out that his medal has been stolen. May we ask everyone to help by keeping a look out for it. It will be easy to recognise as it will have his name around the edge.

Kind regards David & Margaret

Hi. I love your site. Really well put together and what a wealth of fascinating text and superb photographs. Can you tell me if volume four of Richard Fosters Birmingham New Street series was ever published?

Regards Nick Stanbra

Hi Nick Thanks for the kind comments. I do not know why but Richard never published the final book of the set. I can only assume it wasn't a commercial although that is surprising. If it wasn't achieving the level of sales it might have been too scholarly with two many parts (and therefore too expensive) for most people. It might also have been published too soon as detailed books are more prevalent today and publishing costs more competitive with new technology and printing abroad. Regards Mike

Hi Guys Just wanted to say that your wonderful site has stirred many memories of the 'old Snow Hill' that I recall as a lad of seven when it sadly closed and then so terribly allowed to rot away! You may be interested to learn that I have ownership of the iconic black platform '7' sign that so many Kings, Castles, Halls and Manors used to sit beneath. This is hopefully to be displayed to the public very soon, if you would like details of where I will gladly answer your enquiry.

All the best - Bob Morris

Bob. Thank you for sharing your memories of Snow Hill and kind words about the website. I would be very interested to know where the platform number sign will be displayed. For information, we have started a 'Friends of Warwickshire Railways' Facebook site. By chance the profile picture that Mike chose for the Facebook site is a delightful painting of 'The Cornishman' drawing into Platform No 7 at Snow Hill, with the black sign that you have in a prominent position. We thought you might like to take a look. Regards Robert

Hi. Will you be getting a "Twitter" account now you are on Facebook?

Ian Farey

I think my leg is being gently pulled. Using Facebook was suggested to me by Pete Waterman (who by the way has kindly agreed to be Patron of Friends of Warwickshire Railways). He also suggested that we subscribe to a 'YouTube' account too. Both of these Social Networks offer for free features that Warwickshire Railways cannot provide because the software I use is 14 years old, HoTMetaL Pro having been bought out by Dreamweaver in 1997. The 'YouTube' facility would allow me to pursue my dream of adding geographically relevant historical videos. Not only is the technology 'free' but the cost of the band width used by people viewing the video would be too. I currently bear all of the costs I cannot afford to increase this expense.

Examining the webstats is very revealing. In January 2012, a total of 15,595 visitors were recorded of which 8,896 were unique. The total number of pages visited was 86,626 with 823,477 hits being recorded. Over 1000 visitors spent between 30 and 60 minutes, nearly 800 visited for 15 to 30 minutes whilst another 2500 spent between 2 minutes and 15 minutes visiting the site. The page receiving the largest number of visitors is the 'Guest Book' (2275), followed by the 'Home Page' (1662) and then the 'What's New' (808) page. In January, of the top 25 pages visited only Saltley Shed and Washwood Heath Sidings were listed in January's 'What's New' section. The majority of the other top 25 pages visited were either major railway centres (New Street, Snow Hill, Rugby, etc) or they were routes - Banbury to Wolverhampton, Rugby to Wolverhampton, etc. These pages tend to feature every month with the number of visitors to each of these pages being approximately 200-250. A total of 7022 pages were visited with most only receiving low double figures. What this tells me is that most visitors prefer to read comments or stories by others and mainly look at locations they are interested in and not just those that has been updated. Therefore the combined number of people interested in the smaller updates could be greater than the number looking at a major upgraded location.

Given the number of visits to the website in January - 15,595 with 8896 being unique with 2275 reading this page - the number of people who leave comments in the Guest Book is almost non existent as numbers often fail to reach double figures. The phenomena of poor interaction and engagement by audiences is well documented and is typical in other activities too - in both the virtual and real worlds. It would appear from the number of members joining Social Network sites (of all ages, not just young people) that the ability for Facebook et al to allow different types of responses - Like, Dislike, Tag, Become a Friend which require different levels of effort - promotes a better level of engagement. Other features such as its ability to notify 'friends' of the changes made to the page will hopefully promote more people to visit or return to the website. It is hoped that more comments will flow as a result of having a Facebook page which will in turn promote more activity by visitors. From my point of view it would be nice to receive more comments and inputs than we do at present.

Finally, the Facebook page allows us to feature sections most probably missed. Many visitors apparently hadn't realised the website included a 'Rail Art' section. Therefore I am hoping that Facebook will help us to reach a wider and younger audience as well as provide a better level of service and interaction. In the long term for the site to become self-sustainable it must be seen as an attractive proposition to any organisation that we invite to look after it, otherwise one day - hopefully long into the future - when the hosting costs should be renewed, it will disappear.

Like the Facebook page. Signed up already.

John Fancote

Great pictures as ever. Regarding Tamworth Station: lnwr_tam2351. I think it might be a Class 24 rather than 33. I'm not an expert on these things but the grill pattern looks like a Class 24. Keep up the good work, very inspiring for my Kenilworth model railway.

Mark Barnes

Mark. Many thanks for you kind words and the correction which is essential for ensuring the site is accurate.

Your picture of the LNER 04 locomotive in image 'gcct3' at Catesby Tunnel mouth says that it an ex-NER 2-8-0. It is an ex-GC 2-8-0 as the NER never built any 2-8-0s. Ex-NER locomotive were regularly seen on the GC London Extension. Normally they were B16 4-6-0s on the York-Woodford fitted freights.

Chris Youett

Chris. Many thanks for the correction not least because you have shown me that I need to upgrade and update the entire GCR/LNER section of the website. I am nearly finished on upgrading the MR routes around the B&DJR and Water Orton to Walsall and will start on the GCR/LNER afterwards.

Wonderful site which seems to be growing and a steady rate, and is always worthy of browse for something fresh. I keep staring through that bridge hole at Great Barr station, just hoping to find some images of Bescot have been tacked on - fruitless I know as we would be venturing into Staffordshire then !!! Talking of Great Barr, I have a minor niggle over the caption of 'lnwrgb2285' photograph. I suggest the train isn't passing through the station - it is actually a trip locomotive shunting Hamstead colliery sidings. If you look closely you'll see the loco lamp above the tender buffer, the fireman looking back towards Hamstead, and the smoke pouring vertically out the chimney, suggesting the engine is more or less stationary. Lovely work - very enjoyable.

Thanks for your efforts. Phil Bartlett

Phil - Thanks both for the compliments and for the correction which I have now made to the page.

Fabulous site. Full of information and images to stir up the memories. What are your plans to ensure your website doesn't just disappear one day?

Pete Malenkov

Great website. I note that you mention limited resources in some of your responses. Have you considered asking for donations? Keep up the good work.

Pat Williams

The two e-mails above prompted some thought and discussion between Robert Ferris and myself. Having given it some serious consideration we are going to set up a Friends of Warwickshire Railways group and try to create a means of attracting sponsorship etc. The long term survival of the website is dependent upon both funding and people. Funding is needed not only to defer its running costs but to provide the tools (see below) to make it better plus creating the option of adding other services such as video streaming (I have always wanted to stream related video images from the website). Who will take responsibility for the website has yet to be decided. Would the Friends of Warwickshire Railways group be the most appropriate or should we look for either an existing public or voluntary organisation with a proven history and track record?

Hi. Really interesting site, and I am enjoying "exploring" around Coventry. Unfortunately, there is a missing link on the 2nd photo on the Coventry Gasworks page. Hope this is a small bit of help to improve the site.

Keith Williams

Keith. It certainly has helped. With approximately 7000 pages on the website and not having the expensive tools to check for broken links etc we have to rely on visitors to advise if links become broken.

Hi I wonder if you can help I am trying to find out and obtain the official closure date for HOCKLEY HALL & WHATELEY COLLIERIES & BRICKWORKS CO LTD I know that this company was taken over by Kingsbury Collieries around 1900 but I can't find out any closure dates for Hockley Hall or Whateley Collieries. My hobby is collecting Brass Embossed Colliery Lamp Checks these were used by the miners when they went down the pit they are a brass disc with the name of the colliery on them Any help you can give mer on the subject would be very much appreciated.

Kind Regards Peter Wall

Hi Peter. I believe that Roger Monk of the IRS has answered this question for you.

Again many congratulations on your site. Fully support the idea of contributions to preserve it if necessary. By the way, the rare photo of Soho Pool for which the thumbnail is lnwrsoho2280 defaults to a larger picture of lnwrsohord1518 when clicked on. Shame as this is the only photo of the Pool goods yard in railway days that I have come across.

John Reeves

John. I have now restored the link. Unfortunately its a very poor image but as you say photos of the goods station are just not around, hence including a 1980s image too.

Hello I a committee member of Welford & Weston Local History Society. We are looking at the possibility of a Speaker for an evening talk regarding Binton Station and also Milcote Station if possible which are in our locality. Do you offer this sort of meeting. It would at our Memorial Hall in Welford on Avon. We would be looking at a date between August and November. If this is not feasible could you recommend anyone outside of your Society. I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards Bob Brown

Great Site. I am compiling a shot history on the restaurant cars BR Southern region 1955-1965 on which I worked 1958-1963

John Quinlan

Several of the Albany Road photos in the Nuneaton -Leamington section show a major derailment without giving a date which was I believe 1904. Also there are several references to the Coventry -Leamington line which should either read Coventry - Nuneaton or Nuneaton- Leamington.

John Burgess

John. Thanks for the correction which has now been made

Love your site, and the fantastic job you are doing.

Cheers - Rory O'Connor

Full credit to everyone involved with this most informative website which also works very efficiently. A lot of hard work must go into running a site as comprehensive as this and I am extremely grateful for having the opportunity to rekindle memories of train spotting days 50 years ago in some of the areas covered.

Thanks to all. John Griffiths

Hello Mike. Congratulations on your excellent website which I have recently "discovered" thanks to a friend. I found the photos of Longdon Road on the Moreton-in-the-Marsh to Shipston-on-Stour line particularly interesting as my auntie (my father’s sister) and uncle were the crossing keepers in the early 1950s. My parents used to take myself and my sister to stay at the cottage – a trip involving three buses from Tile Hill and taking what seemed like several hours to a five year old. Obviously, the passenger trains had ceased many years previously but the goods trains used to stop to drop off water in huge churns at the cottage as it was not on the mains. The train drivers often gave my sister and I rides on the footplate or in the guards van for a mile or so before stopping to let us off and we walked back to the cottage. Happy, happy days and your photos brought the memories flooding back. As you probably know, the cottage has now been incorporated into a large complex involving three or four dwellings, all of which, presumably are on the mains!

Phil Horsfall

I have only just seen your website today!! Fantastic. Why it is particularly relevant to me is that I was born in the Radford district of Coventry in 1940 and became fascinated with railways and later a dreaded trainspotter. My local station was Foleshill and I also passed Daimler Halt usually on the bus every day. Even so the GWR was my favourite railway company. Your site enables me to visit many sites around Warwickshire that were familiar to me and you have brought me many happy memories! Thank you.

David Bloodworth

I would like to congatulate you on a wonderful site which has given me hours of enjoyment, revisiting the past.

Well done and thanks. Paul Orme

Dear Mike. What an excellent web site this is. I am not into minutiae detail of factual accuracy like some experts. For me it does what it says on the tin.

Julian Randall DOB 20/12/1956 so sadly missed out on the golden age of steam—remembered having my 'collar felt' by some BR employee at the age of 11 at Nuneaton shed in 1967 the last few months of steam!

I have spent a most enjoyable hour or so wandering through the wealth of info available. It's a boon to anyone even remotely interested in railways and associated infrastructure as well as those interested in modelling. The photographs have an air that could never be picked up from simply reading, no matter how informative the book. Who could know what mucky places those goods yards were without a picture that says more than a thousand words might. Thank you for this wonderful site and the obvious effort you've put into it.

Neil Marshall

Mike, 'I've read your pages on Bordesley station with interest. The first time I remember using the station was in 1968 as an 8 year old. It was just before the current layout. This what I believe - The entrance wasn't the current one it was to left (if facing towards Small Heath}. You went in and turned right to get to the stairs. In front of you was a ticket office - which even then had been closed. Soon after the entrance was bricked up. At the bottom of the stairs you can see where the way to the ticket office was.'

Are my memories correct? I guess the ticket office is still behind the bricks.

Simon Richards

Great site. Brings back many memories of watching trains at Hockley as a child. I lived at the back of Pitsford Street and your photos and articles have brought back many memories. I also remember New Street and Snow Hill Stations. Thanks for the memories.

Thanks again for your great site. Brian Lawrence

Thought you might like to know that the link at the foot of image lnwr_oldmil1445a to the original article, fails with the usual "error 404". Trying to help, not just nitpicking...

Regards, John Gledhill

John. Corrections and error reporting are not only very welcome but essential if we wish to grow the site's reputation as a resource of value. With some 7000 pages the time has long gone where I can check to see the links are working. Links to external sites are a problem because if their website no longer exists or if they move the page or download then the link is broken forever until reported. Free tools to look for broken links do not work on such large sites as this and professional tools are far too expensive for my wallet. In this instance I can no longer find on their website the report on the Leek Wooton accident. In recognition of this problem, I am now copying the information (after acknowledging the source) and placing the information within my own pages.

Hi Mike. You may remember that I contacted you some while ago regarding my Grandfather (Ernest Kilby) being Station Master at both Alcester and Studley during his career with The Midland Railway. I have just seen the Posed Photograph 'mra462' and am pretty sure that my grandfather is in fact the gentleman on the left of the picture. As this was taken in circa 1910, he would have been a relatively young man (30+?) where the gentleman sitting centre looks to me to be much closer to late 50s or early 60s. I lived with my Grandparents in Crooks Lane, Studley in the middle 50s for about a year and Grandad Kilby was retired then, although he was still very active and had his allotment on the embankment on the Astwood side of the station, I used to go there with him.

Just as an aside, my wife and I went to Studley Station a couple of weeks ago, just to see the old place and really to see if it was still in some reasonable state of repair, I am delighted to say that the present owners, Mr & Mrs Poole, have maintained it to a very high standard and retained much of the original featurework such as the Station Master door leading I think into what is now their lounge, the original tiled flooring in the Ticket Office area, original brass light switches etc. it was an absolute delight to see the effort put in to retain the old place in it's original form. They were most helpful and really kind in showing us around some of the old station house and where the platform used to be. We took photographs of the building and Mr Poole also allowed us to take photographs of some of the old photographs he has managed to collect. When I can find the time to edit them, I will send the best to you, although some are fairly poor quality.

Hope this is of some interest.

Best regards Mike Boote

Mike. Thanks for the correction and for the information. I would be very interested in the old photos. Not being a book we can accommodate poor quality photographs - its the history that's important. We cannot go back and take another!

Hi Mike. I'd just been looking to see what your updates have been and I noticed that you'd done some work on the Sutton Coldfield pages. If you remember I'd sent you a copy of a picture of my Great Grandfather who was Station Master there but unfortunately you'd put him on the Sutton Town page. Still any chance of giving him a transfer? Still a brilliant site.

Cheers, Paul Rivitt

Paul. My sincere apologies. Now actioned. Circumstances stopped me from making the correction immediately and then my failing memory did the rest. I urge anyone who has been in contact with me but have had no response - or if I have failed to do something promised - to contact me again. At my age I appreciate the nudge.

Hi. I just read the item on Snow Hill, the ramp going down to Great Charles Street used for parcels was also used as a car park for staff. My brother-in-law worked for the NCL and kept a Morris 8 van down there. His dad was a driver for the Lord Mayor of Birmingham. They cleaned his limousine down there too. In 1964 he gave me the Morris 8 but as I was too young to drive. it stayed there just going rotten because it was very wet and damp under the platforms. Thanks for the memories.

Pete

Mike. Hi, enjoyed very much looking over the Website, but there is an inaccuracy on the text for lnwrlave1380a – which has a comment regarding ‘S.E Collieries’ I believe that this should be S.E Collier as they were the largest brick makers in Reading and who supplied the bricks for the town hall. Here is the Reading museum leaflet on them. It would fit with the rest of the text on the wagon relating to brick and tile manufacture. Once again – great site.

Neil Scriven

Just looking for more info on the Stratford Tramway & I came across this cornucopia of information, photo's & film. Fantastic. Please keep up the good work.

Rob Neill

I am the great grandson of Robert Hatfield - one time stationmaster of Clifton Mill Station, Clifton on Dunsmore, Warks from about 1880 to 1894. I have a photograph of the station platform taken from the station house end showing the platforms and buildings and a couple of the staff working there (probably Richard Mewis and John White). It is a somewhat distance shot so the features of the men are not discernable. My grandfather Oliver John Hatfield and one of his sisters stand on the platform along with their father Robert in about 1890. I also have a head and shoulders photo of Robert in his stationmaster's uniform at about the same time. Would you like copies for your collection? Incidentally, my brother saved the photograph from being thrown onto a bonfire by a distant relative in whose possession it was!!! Looking on the 1891 census forms there are upwards of 36 staff working on the railway living in Vicarage Hill, Clifton - I don't imagine they are all employed at Clifton Mill although if they were working in Rugby they would be living there in those days, as my great grandfather moved to Rugby in 1894 to work there on the railway until his death in 1903 from Influenza.

Neil Hatfield

Neil. We would love to have a copy if that is possible. Best wishes - Mike

Hello, was browsing your excellent website looking for a specific piece of information. I realise it might be a bit out of the period you cover, but hopefully you or a contact will know when Kings Norton station was renamed Kings Norton for Cotteridge? I have tried various railway contacts and have not yet discovered the answer. And no website I have looked at so far mentions the change which only occurred in very recent years, As evidenced by your website, it was never called that before in its long history.

Hope to hear from you, thanks, Stephen Mourton.

Hi Mike. Love the site, have done for several years. Still trying to rebuild my photo galleries following the demise of Fotopic - using Zenfolio, One is "Coventry in Photographs", a section of which features the remains of lines around the city - working on it now. Just looked at your site, must take issue with the caption to Three Spires Junction: lnwr_3spires2090. This is not looking towards Foleshill Station, but towards Foleshill Gas Works, from Lythalls Lane bridge Foleshill Station is a distance to the south of this point.

Cheers Cliff Jones

Cliff. Thanks for both the comments and the correction. I have to say your own website is extremely fascinating. Regards Mike

Hello Mike. As a small boy I spent many happy times around Small Heath, Tyseley, Bordesley and Snow Hill. Your wonderful archive is extremely evocative and brings back the sight and sound of those years as if it was only yesterday.

Well done! Chris

I am desperate to find the history of the Great Western Hotel at Deppers Bridge or maybe it would come under Harbury. The now restaurant looks a very imposing building with a history. Any advice please. Nothing at the Warwicks record office.

Thanks. June

Hi June. I cannot immediately find any railway reference to the Great Western Hotel at Deppers Bridge. In my view there would be no obvious reason for the GWR to build a hotel at Deppers Bridge. I may be wrong but my guess is that there is no connection other than the hostelry, like many others across the country, was named after a railway company associated with the area. I suggest that you inspect large scale Ordnance Survey maps or similar as these can often show names and even internal configurations (rooms etc) of buildings which the public access. Census records would give names of occupants and their occupation which would help to determine whether they worked for the railway. The local council, parish church and county records office should all be able to help. Best wishes in your search. Regards Mike

Book Review - The Branch Lines of Warwickshire by Colin Maggs

A new feature for the site is reviewing books on the county's railway history considered of merit.

I was sorting out my very old photographs and came across a couple from when I was a fireman at Tyseley in 1952-1953 prior to doing National Service. I stayed in the Army, got married & had a family so have never been back. Given the opportunity I shall try to visit before it is to late.

John Lorton

Very comprehensive website which has much of interest even for those of us whose interests are far beyond the bounds of Warwickshire. Would you like to include a link to our main website as above under your list of Line Societies. The Cumbrian Railways Association is the line society for the Furness Railway and all other companies in Cumbria and North Lancashire. See also our photographic website at cumbrianrailways.zenfolio.com

Peter Robinson

Hi an interesting read found while I was doing some research. If you would like any copies of documents from the Rail Archive for the site please let me know - they are free.

Regards - Ian Dinmore

Ian. Many thanks for your kind comment and offer. I am well aware of your website's collection of photographs and railway documents. Visitors might be interested to know that the Rail Archive library aims to provide a resource which is free if using the low resolution copies of images. As with all website authors and web masters including myself, Ian would appreciate an acknowledgment of the source if used on any media. Mike

Dear Sir. My name is Herman Koerts and I live in the Netherlands. I have always had something with trains since my father bought his first train from TrixExpress in 1956 or 1957. This interest diminished around 1964 but was rekindled in 1983 when I visited the NRM in York. Mallard was on display without it's streamline cladding but King George V made the most impact; making me a GWR fan from that moment on.

I have just stumbled across your Warwickshire Railways website while I was searching for information on the Achilles Class. I came to the part of the old Henley in Arden station while looking around. This station got my interest in 1994 when I got a copy of the Great Western Railway Journal No 11. You will probably have it yourself too. It was love at first sight and I started to work my way through the photos to try to make drawings to build a model of the building and part of its surroundings but failed in the attempt. In 2002 I found by cheer luck the address of the Henley in Arden Heritage Centre where a real friendly gentleman helped me with more information.

My problem is however (still) the Platform side of the building; I don't have a proper picture to see exactly how this part was constructed. I know from the photo in the GWR journal that the wall is build (how do I describe this...) partly into the structure. This left some space; covered by the roof for shelter. I know there were at least two benches there. There should also be (I guess) more doors and Windows as I can see in the pictures I have. Unfortunately any attempt to get more information ended there. Unfortunately the Photo of the old station on your Website (the same as in the magazine) does not give away many more clues than I already know.

The Gentlemen at the Heritage centre sent me two scans of the station; the quality is not great due to the equipment he had to use but of great interest (I think). He told me they came from a book but I can't remember which book it was. I digitized the scans and used these to learn more details. They are under copy right of course so you can't publish them but they are interesting to see; despite the quality. It is always possible you already know them of course but you never know...

I have a question; do you know about or have any other pictures of the Platform side of the station building? A floor-plan would also be great. If so please let me know; I would really appreciate this.

Kind Regards, Herman Koerts (koerts.h@zonnet.nl)

Herman. I need to find some plans and maps for other stations so I will look for ypu too. Regards - Mike

I have steam pictures from around Coventry, Nuneaton, Rugby and Leamington from my trainspotting days in the 1960's - would they be of interest to you?

Patrick Leonard

Patrick - All photos are very welcome. If possible would you kindly scan them at 300 dpi which allows me to maximium flexibility in editing the photograph. Many thanks - Mike

My interest is mainly GWR 1923-39 and I am finding the website fascinating, and a source of inspiration in modelling a representation of Hockley Goods in 4mm scale for the Model Rail and RMWEB 2011 Challenge. Have linked this site a couple of times in my account of progress in this project. Thanks for the effort you put in.

Don Blackhall

Don. Many thanks for the positive comments regarding the website. With regard to Hockley (and all points north of Snow Hill) I will be revisiting the site soon to upgrade the quality of images etc. Regards Mike.

Excellent tour with real atmospheric ambiance. Just a minor carp the Castle No 4088 at Moreton-in-Marsh should be Dartmouth Castle not Darlington.

Allen Jackson

Hi Allen. Thanks for the kind remarks and the correction.

Reference: gwrim594 on the Long Marston/MOD depot page. I fear this photo has been printed from the wrong side, since the caption describes everything as being on the LEFT HAND SIDE. However . . . the photograph clearly shows everything on the RIGHT HAND SIDE. Have to say though I love the whole site. Nuneaton, where I grew up with Weddington fields on the WCML we could see the Ashby lines, Abbey to and from Birmingham and Leics . . . the area of the soon to be built Nuneaton North Chord.

Colin Bishop

Whoops! Another instance where my brain failed to fully engage so I would recognise my left from right. As you guessed, the photograph is indeed correct so the error is all mine. All sorted now. Any comments on errors spotted or reports of broken link are very welcome as it helps to improve the website. Thanks too for the kind comments about the website - its most appreciated. Mike

Hello Mike. What a fantastic site you have created. Looking at some of the photo's bring back a lot of memories for me as a former Stafford Road 84a and Oxley 84b fireman. May I point out one possible mistake in a photo ref 'gwrt306' of King Class locomotive No 6006 'King George I' which is shown to have been taken on Tyseley shed. I don't think this could have been taken at Tyseley. The coal stage shown in the background of the loco is not of the design of Tyseley's coal stage. I think this photo was taken either at Stafford Road or Old Oak Common Keep up the great work you are doing, it's fascinating.

Yours Sincerely - Bill Perrin

Many thanks Bill for your kind words and more importantly correcting my error. As I only visited part of the county's network and only from 1958 onwards (being born in 1948) I do have to rely on third hand material. Therefore its great when people can either add extra information or correct it. I have deleted the image from the Tyseley page although I have left the larger image linked to the guest book.

Dear Sir, I recently found a picture (see image 'gwrls191') on your site which was of great interest to me as it showed a part of Leamington Spa from the thirties, (GWR Routes-Banbury to Wolverhampton-GWR Period Locomotives) the description though for this photo is I believe wrong. It says that the engine is about to cross the High street/Bath street/ Clemens street bridge before arriving at Leamington station. Having looked at the picture and comparing it with a street map of nineteen twenty three and visiting the area myself I believe the picture to show the engine crossing the bridge over Lower Avenue the last bridge before the station it self (there are six bridges in this area one crossing the Warwick to Napton canal by Ashgrove place now replaced by part of a light industrial estate another crossing Althorpe street the next crosses Court street followed by the High/Bath/Clemens street junction another crosses over Bath place and finally the last one crossing Lower Avenue.) The buildings which can be seen to the right of the picture are on High street (north side and only the far building exists today) and the buildings that can be seen between the Signal Box and the set of signals are of the rear of Bath street (west side). I would imagine that the picture was taken from the old hand cart path which and still does run up to the platform from the car park and taxi rank. The description that Bath street was a continuation of the Parade is also misleading as Bath street was in existence before the Parade. I hope this will be of some use to you.

Yours sincerely - Alan Orton.

Many thanks Alan for correcting my error. As I state above I only visited part of the county's network as a young trainspotter and that was only for a brief ten year period. Therefore I do have to rely on third hand material. Therefore its great when people can either add extra information or correct it. I have added your information to the caption and credited the text to you.

We now live at 2 Station Cottages, (Broadwell), used to be Stockton...we would love to know more of the history of our home, such as who lived here before us etc etc. We have some old photos, but would like all we can get. Hope you can help.

Clare and Ian Cowley (ian.cowley369@btinternet.com)

Hi Clare and Ian. My information on the station is very much limited to published accounts or information and photographs that people are kind enough to send to me. The obvious places to look are Parish Records of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Church records too for same plus Christenings. The annual census for the years 1901 through to 1951. From these records you might be able to determine the names of the families living in your property from which you could use to track down descendants who might be able to give you more information. Hope this helps. Please keep us informed and any information that you might collect would be useful to add to the site - credited to you of course. Best of luck - Mike

Bournville Model Railway Club

We are at present working model of Bournville Engine Shed in N gauge and are about to start work on a 00 gauge layout. New members are always welcome and if you are interested on joining or would like anymore information please ring: 0121 478 2587 Barrie Hoverd, Chairman, Bournville Model Railway Club, or email barrie.hoverd@hotmail.co.uk or visit Bournville Model Railway Club.

Paul Wilkes

I grew up in Lapworth during the 50's & was very familiar with Lapworth Station, Dad was a signalman there for a few years & my brother & I used to be allowed to go on Sundays (not a lot of traffic) we were allowed to pull the detonator handles as they were the only ones we could move. The brass was kept immaculate & woe betide us if we touched any brass without the yellow duster to keep finger prints off. We also got to ride on the footplate of engines that came from B'ham & turned around on the 3rd line.

Fascinating website thank you - Diana Lovatt.

Congratulations on an excellent site. A few comments. Some of your caption statements about loco allocations, withdrawals and disposals suffer from reference to the Peter Hands books, although you presumably have nothing else to go by so it is to be expected that many are not quite right or completely wrong. One ought to be able to trust railway researchers. Sadly, in respect of matters like allocations, withdrawals and disposals, almost no original research has been carried out by authors and publishers. They simply reprint what was in contemporary Society magazines or in the Peter Hands books, many of them not even acknowledging their sources. I readily acknowledge that much of what is written about withdrawals and disposals is not incorrect, but believe me, more often than not that is only because the datings are so vague!

As I usually try to point out to anyone relying on dubious data, most of what has been published has its origins in the Hands books, and that gentleman examined not one official record during his "research". Indeed, if you have followed the 'HSBT' articles by Roger Butcher in the Railway Magazine, you will have read that we have concrete evidence (including an acknowledgment from the author himself) that around 3000 disposals were literally made up by an acquaintance of the author's! Of the remainder, almost every date of disposal is the result of guesswork by the author.

Richard Strange

Richard - Many thanks for supplying the corrections to the photographs which I have now updated. I have to confess that I have undertaken little 'empirical research' myself in populating the website being reliant upon the work of others. I see my role as an editor insofar I make available the work of others through the Warwickshire Railways website. I trust this is evident to visitors to the website.

Your efforts are greatly appreciated by this Yank. I have a keen interest in UK rails. Sites like yours are enjoyable.

Thank You Allen Jeffries

Absolutely first-rate site. It is well constructed and extremely easy to navigate. It provides an unequalled depth of archival information for historians and Modellers alike-quite literally hours of enjoyable browsing.

Wayne Burge

Found your site whilst doing some research for a walk along the Harborne branch line. I now know what to look out for there but will definitely be returning to seek out some more walks and just to see what the places I've heard of once looked like. Many thanks for creating this excellent site.

Alan Baylis

Hi Alan - Many thanks for the kind words which are now in the guest book. BTW I have a number of other photos which I hope to add to the site in a few months. I am working my way up the Gloucester to New St route currently at Kings Norton. After I complete this and the West Suburban line Harborne is next. Regards Mike

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