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 web statistics show that whilst up to seventeen thousand people visit each month, with many hundreds 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. Please send us your comments through the form below:

For previous guest book comments see below the list of supporters of the website.

Supporters of Warwickshire Railways

The following people have kindly made a financial donation supporting the website. Their generosity is gratefully acknowledged.

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Guest Book Entries

In your bibliography you cite Railways of the West Midlands - A Chronology 1808 - 1954 but no author. It was in fact compiled by Charles or 'C A' Clinker.

Dr Paul Collins

As someone who grew up in Brownhills but often enjoyed as part of a weekly visit on Thursdays (my fathers shops half-day closing day) to Birmingham, I was able to enjoy train spotting at New Street on a regular basis c. 1954-58. I noted recently that the LMS section list is headed with the photo. of 'Crab' 2-6-0 standing at the end of the platform adjacent to the Walsall/Wolverhampton bays. The man with in a suit with a cap and a coat or tool-bag on his shoulder is my father William Elkin who was born in 1907 in Wolverhampton. He worked for Gibbons the art metal and locksmith firm and was at the time that photograph was taken was probably fitting new bank grills/ staircase handrails etc. to one of the various businesses and banks that Gibons fitted out at that time. The picture with my father in it is purely con-incidental; I first spotted it in Whitehouse and Thomas's LMS 150 page 69.

It is unmistakably my father partly because he always stood slightly on the right leg as he had broken his left leg as a boy and, after developing osteo-myelitis, his leg was only saved by years of pioneering bone-grafting surgery just after the end of WW1. Although he retained the use of his left leg it was always a bit gammy and gave him that very characteristic stance that I would recognise anywhere.

Excellent web-site for this now aging LNWR/MIDLAND/LMS enthusiast even though I spent many years as a technology and transport museum curator in the Bristol - the heart of GWR territory country. Still, never forgotten my first glimpses of GWR Castles and Kings at Snow Hill in the late 50s 'though. I will make a donation to the web-site shortly.

Paul Elkin

Hi Paul. The photo you refer to is 'lnwrbns_lms520' and is my favourite photo too. I use it as my screen saver and it looks good on my 17 inch laptop screen. The photographer, Arthur Flowers, was a lovely man and I used to spend many a day at his house in the early 1980s. I moved and lost touch with Arthur and I understand he was taken into a home. His photographic negatives are believed to be lost but at least myself and the late Pat Whitehouse had copies of most if not all of his collection. I am about to revisit New Street and update the photos including increasing their size from 700 to 800 pixels wide.

Hi, my friend, many thanks for a superbly stocked site. I'm studying GWR Kings at the moment, and having viewed image 'gwrt306' at Tyseley Shed' I can agree with 'Bill Perrin' in stating that the location is Wolverhampton Stafford Road coaling stage, which is remote from the shed itself, and is next to the turntable. This is mainly because of the brick support arches, as Tyseley only had an earth mound.

Derek Dean

Thanks Derek. We have withdrawn the thumbnail photograph from Tyseley Shed's page but retained the large image linked only from the guest book.

What a fantastic site. Many thanks for your dedication. Later this year I will start modeling in 00 gauge, a small Lancashire town terminus on the LMS about 19th September 1947. (I was one year old). Your photographs and text are invaluable. My donation will follow.

Barry Read

Are you sure about your dates? I grew up in Kenilworth in the 1960s and I remember taking the train from Kenilworth with my friends (no adults). Even in that much more innocent time, I can't imagine parents letting 6 year olds taking a train by themselves. I still remember the rather intimidating sight of the train coming in from the Coventry end of the station, under the "new" footbridge.

Andrew Fisk

Hi Andrew. Yes the date of Kenilworth station's closure - goods traffic on 4th January 1965 and passenger traffic on 18th January 1965 - is well documented. I know that I was travelling by train when I was very young, albeit not as young as six.

Mike, The bridge in picture 'gwrhb2226' is the same one I blew up in 1980, see 'gwrhj1876'.

Regards - John Fancote

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to construct and maintain the Warwickshire Railways website. Although Warwickshire is almost entirely terra incognita to me, I enjoy visiting the website and find it very informative. May I suggest amendments to four captions, 'gcrsc200', 'gcrsc203', 'gcrsc220', 'gcrsc221' & 'gcrsc208' and provide more information for a fifth? Each concerns a photograph of Rugby Central.

Andrew Chilcott

Hi Andrew. Many thanks for your kind comments and suggested caption changes which are now added to the website. I must have had a bad day at the office with not noticing the Hillman Imp had a 'D' at the end because my Dad had a Hillman Minx with a C registration and I know that his car was a 1965 model. Please feel free to provide more information or suggest amendments. We need the website's content to be accurate, informative, and relevant so the more sources the better.

I was thrilled to see Jurassic and her siblings on the site. I think all four of the class are now back in the UK, though Jurassic needs a major overhaul before she can run again at Skegness. She still gets occasional outings into the fresh air, such as when there's a gala day and she's still the pin up girl for all of us volunteers. I still remember her being delivered to the original LCLR site at Humberston (price £50) - a copy of a 1956 Daily Sketch was in the back of the bunker. The loco dept cleaned out the ash, filled her up with water, lit the fire and a couple of hours later, she chugged off down the line. You are wrong to state that the Peckett saddle tanks operated by the cement works at Southam (Jurassic, Liassic etec) were 0-4-0STs. They were 0-6-0ST, as indeed your photos clearly show. Jurassic was sold to the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway in 1961 for £50 (along with a Ruston 4w diesel), moving to storage when that line closed in 1985 and then to the LCLR's new site at Skegness, which reopened in 2009. I am looking forward to exploring the rest of your website as these days I live in Brum and naturally find Warks railways of great interest.

Chris Bates

Hi there. I'm a project manager for Centro-ITA (West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority) - we have currently been undertaking improvements at Marston Green Rail Station to improve safety within the bus interchange area. During our works we found what seemed to be the remains of a Victorian era blue brink structure within the interchange - I've only recent come across your website to find a photo of the old level crossing and coal/coke goods yard (phot ref: lnwrmg1592) - we will get a photo taken of the same view as it is now. In addition we are developing a further car park expansion at Rowley Regis Station, do you happen to have any historic photo's of this site? during our investigations we found evidence of a subway running from this area underneath the tracks - but we cannot determine what its use was for. Thanks for such a great website.

Kind Regards. Scott Cooper

Hi Scott Many thanks for the kind words regarding the website. The website doesn't include Rowley Regis as it was never part of the county of Warwickshire. Some stations from Worcestershire and Staffordshire are included because up to 1972 Birmingham was within Warwickshire (albeit as an independent political/economic entity) and as such when towns and districts such as Bournville/Barnt Green were absorbed by Birmingham in the 1920s and 1930s they became within the County's borders by default. In other instances, such as Tamworth, the town was within the County when the railways first arrived but was later ceded (1870s from memory) to Staffordshire.

Robert Ferris writes, 'For information my father was the Manager of the Shell Mex Fuel Distribution Centre in Cakemore Road, Warley (Rowley Regis & Blackheath Station) in the 1970s. I understand that prior to becoming a rail feed fuel distribution centre, the site was previously a munitions store and the subway under the tracks liked the two halves of the site. In my father's time the subway was used for fuel pipes from the tanks located behind the up station platform to the three lorry loading gantries in the south east of the site. This was in front of the garages (which backed on to the motorway). The garage is the only building left on site from that period, or at least it was the last time I travelled that way. There were multiple fuel pipes on either side of the subway, these were lagged and with trace heating to prevent the fuel oil getting cold. In the centre was a walkway used for access between the two halves of the site. I have a plan of the site dated 1975 if Scott is interested.'

We are trying to save Water Orton station from being demolished and are looking for it to be refurbished, renovated and listed. For more news see our website www.waterortonstation.co.uk.

Rebecca

Hi Mike. I have been looking at the photographs on the Warwickshire railways website with interest because my great grandfather worked at Coventry Station from 1888 to 1927. He started work on the drays and horses and seven years later was made foreman. Attached are three photos. The first photograph shows John James King in the goods yard in about 1912 (date uncertain). Do you know what building is in the background? The second photograph of JJ King in front of the horse must have been taken quite early in his career, probably early 1890s. I don't know the date of the third photograph showing John James King as being the second from the right on the front row of the group photograph. You can just see the Spencer Park footbridge in the background. I haven't seen many pictures of individuals on your site so I'm not sure if this is the kind of photo you are interested in.

Regards Christine

We do like to include photos of people it just depends on whether we are able to find any such photograph. I have added your photos to the Coventry station page with my comments written up as captions. If you could add more it would be great. Regarding the photo taken circa 1912 could you scan and send a larger copy so that I can see the building in the background. You will note from my caption that I have some doubts as to whether it is Coventry. Many thanks Mike

Mike, regarding your photo of Coleshill Station which you updated with information about the Lurgi Gas Plant, as a follow up you might be interested to know that the sidings on the right joining the down line come from Hams Hall. Trains which were on the block between Water Orton and Washwood Heath on the down goods line, were routed into Hams Hall from Whitacre until there was room at Water Orton on the goods line. I trust this helps.

Vic Smith

Hi Mike. I enjoyed browsing through your site, particular the British Railways in WW2 films. Can you tell me where and when they were originally broadcast?

Regards, Richard

Richard. I regret that I have no idea as I have only linked the film from You Tube.

Dear Mike. A little time since our previous communications; I hope I find you well. Whilst doing some research in the History Group archives we came across the attached pictures, which I thought could be of interest to you. They were in a scrap book dated 1965, so would seem to fit in with the other information we have gleaned about the time the station was named Berkswell and Balsall Common. Very happy for you to add to your website if you deem appropriate.

Regards Dave Felthouse (Berkswell and Balsall Common History Group)

Superb historical site. Excellent, extremely interesting

Nigel Cook

I am looking for any photographs taken of Harbury Station dating 1950 to 1960s. I have a relative who is looking for a specific photograph as his father may be on it. It would be brilliant if you could help.

Thank you. Tracey Haynes

Hi! Very interesting site. Thanks for your efforts. Do you have any idea of the date of gcrcs195 showing ex-LMS 4-6-0 No 45335 crossing the Birdcage Bridge? I think I may be one of the trainspotters in the field beyond the bridge!

John Greer

Hi John. I believe that the photograph is dated early 1960s as the bridge carrying Clifton Road has been rebuilt as part of electrification. Hope this helps.

Great site - brings back heaps of memories. You have a broken link causing a missing picture - 'lnwrns2705'.

Julian Watts

I have always been fascinated by trains having travelled on steam trains to my Gran's in Warwick every Saturday as a child. I have found this web site a gem and have learned a lot like Maudsley moving to Great Alne my dads friend and my uncle worked there for many years it has filled me with nostalgia thank you so much

Angela Horsley

Hello like your site. Some very nice photos. A couple of possible errors:
1) the text below 'gwrl1860' is muddled it refers to the loco in the picture correctly - but then goes on to discuss the cutting up of 34088 which probably ought to be with picture 'gwrl1863'
2) the text below the picture is probably right on railway facts but the match was between Manchester united and Southampton - Wikipedia has lots about the FA cup

Best wishes, Mike James

Mike - many thanks for pointing out the errors which have been corrected. I must stress that we welcome people pointing out any incorrect information or typos etc so please contact us if you see something wrong. The error regarding the scrapping of the locomotive was my misreading the information provided for the SR Pacifics seen at Lapworth. The second error was because I didn't check who played who on that date. As you say Wikipedia provided the information.

Hello Mike. I am also interested in Bordesley Shed. I am a member of the Broad Gauge Society and have the two magazines you mention on your website. No 45 Spring 2001 contains an article by RS Potts with photographs and diagrams. No 47 Spring 2002 contains an article by ET Lyons with a map and diagrams. You seem to have covered most of the points mentioned though including the staged accident. I would be happy to send you a copies of the articles if you still need them.

Graham Jennings

Graham - Many thanks for your kind offer which I will certainly take you up on. Best wishes, Mike

Hi Mike. I have just visited your site and have seen you have updated with a lot of new photographs around Rugby Central, my special interest. Great pictures. I sent a letter to Steam Railway magazine that was printed by them a few months ago asking the readers of that magazine for photographs of the three special trains that ran from Southampton to Nottingham for the 6th round FA Cup game played on Saturday 30th March 1963. (The FA Cup games were badly delayed that year because of the severe frosts in Dec/Jan/Feb and the Cup final itself was delayed until the end of May.) Nothing came of that appeal, but blow me if you haven't came up trumps with the picture of No 34042 'Dorchester' passing Rugby Central. According to my old friend David Newmans notes for that day No 34042 was the second train to come down from Woodford Halse, the others being first No 34054 'Lord Beaverbrook', an unrebuilt Battle of Britain class locomotive, next was No 34042 'Dorchester', a rebuilt West Country, and last No 34102 'Lapford', an unrebuilt West Country class locomotive. So if you have any other photos that you cannot identify I would be very pleased to help. The only other photograph I have seen for these trains is on the www.sixbellsjunction.com website. The picture confirms No 34102 'Lapford' is standing at the north end box of Nottingham Victoria. To help you raise funds for such a great website I suggest you contact Steam Railway with your photo and if you have any others I am sure they would be happy to print them. For the record Southampton beat Nottingham Forest and went on to play Manchester United at Villa Park but lost.

Kind Regards Bob Haddon

Dear Mike. The donation (to support the website) is small recompense for the knowledge and pleasure gained from visiting your site. I have left a small correction with regard to 'lnwrcs2158' in that the gates which the cattle were about to pass through was to the Birmingham Corporation Cattle Market in Montague Street. The cattle dock was in the Banbury Street sidings and also had another access where cattle were lead toward Smithfield market via the bridge over the canal into Fazeley Street. This bridge still exists but is not accessible from either end or not legally should I say. I would like to track down the originals to both lnwrcs2158 and 'lnwrcs1496' as I am doing research into the Duddeston viaduct in an attempt to identify the construction of three underline bridges in this same vicinity. The viaduct section in lnwrcs2158 has long gone but included two intriguing iron beam spans which I believe very similar to a remaining part partially hidden amongst industrial buildings. The "toothless" gap is visible at the far end of the market. Your website gives them both as sourced from the Public Records Office (PRO) so I hope they are somewhere in the collections at Kew. From a high resolution RAW scan of both I may be able to tease some more detail out.

Best regards, Graham Laucht

I will e-mail you soon.

Bob Haddon

A truly fantastic site, well done. I'm so nostalgic for the Birmingham railway scene of the 60s. I used to sneak into Aston Shed at lunchtime, never got caught. I rode the GWR railcars from Snow Hill to Handsworth many times. My step-grandfather was the foreman ganger at Aston Goods yard. Now in the USA with a OO model railway.

Michael Young

Hi just found your site courtesy of a friend on the Model Railway Forum and I am looking for any pictures, track plans, etc for Newdigate Colliery branch line which would be most grateful.

George Mcdonnell

We were able to point George towards Roger Monk and Martin Kavanagh who able to help him.

I have a picture in my collection, a collection amassed over the last forty years that I am just getting around to looking at what I have. Attached is a copy of the picture, a picture which I have found on your website (see smjsa94). The copy has slightly more detail than the one you have should you want to use it. But just to be clear it is merely a copy I have, I have had it for years and do not know where it was acquired from. That said your website says it is a Ken Nunn photograph so you pretty much know it is not my work.

Best wishes Dave Ingham

Hi Dave. Many thanks for the photo which is as you say is a much better copy. I will replace the photo in a few weeks time. Why a few weeks? Because I realised when I visited the SMJ to look at smjsa94 that all the photos are 700 pixels wide and not 800 which is the latest standard. Therefore I need to upgrade the whole route which I will action after I have completed the GWR Warwick pages, the Coventry Loop Line and Coventry station's pages. Any other photos that you might have would be welcome - as would any plans or information. Best wishes Mike

Many thanks for a great website. I was a signalman at Water Orton, Kingsbury branch & Kingsbury Station Junction from 1955 till 1968. Your view of Coleshill station on the Birmingham to Nuneaton line, looking towards Birmingham, shows the gas plant not part of Hams Hall Power Station but is the Lurgi gas plant of the West Midlands Gas Company. Therefore your wording is a bit misleading.

Vic Smith

Hi Vic Thanks for pointing out the error. I have now made the correction. Best wishes - Mike

Hi. I am researching Coventry Station pre-1901 with the intention of building a layout. I have found your site very informative, clearing up several discrepancies in my research. Its a very well thought out site. Thanks for all your effort.

Regards Phil Bissell

Hi Phil. Glad you like the website. I will add your comments to the guest book shortly. I started to model Coventry circa 1930s in the late 1970s which is how I started to collect the photos. I then spread my net to other local areas and ultimately led to this website. From memory I think you can fit the line from Warwick Road to Quinton Road in about 26-28 feet. I am due to upgrade the Coventry page in the next few weeks. If you have any additional photos and in particular maps/layouts I would very much appreciate a copy. Best wishes Mike

Dear fellow Enthusiasts. I am doing a small history project with the children of my local community centre. Is it possible to get hold of a copy of the picture in the Warwick station collection that you have? It is picture ref; 'gwrw378a' by Gordon Coltas. I am doing a Before and After picture display in the community centre of local scenes. Any picture will be kept in my own collection after the event. Thank You.

Dave Watson

Hi Dave The image you are requesting is a close up of 'gwrw378. My fear is that it will not be possible to blow up the image without it becoming even more blurred. A larger copy than a postcard from the negative might be a better option and you would need to contact the Gordon Coltas Trust now that Gordon is no longer alive. I don't have contact details for them (as my collection was bought from Gordon when he was alive) so I will try to get it for you. Best wishes Mike

Please let me know if the videos on your site are available on DVD

Chris

Hi Chris Apologies for not responding sooner. All the videos on the website are via links to other sources. I have none that I own. If the site I link to is YouTube (which most are) you have an option to save them so you could make up your own DVD for free. Best wishes Mike

Hello. I have found your website enormously interesting and informative. I would like to know more about the cast iron plaque that I have. It measures approximately 28cm long x 16.5cm high x 12cm thick I presume these would have been attached to railway vehicles? Can you please advise me over which period of time this type of plaque was used and if possible the type of vehicle that it would have been attached to. Thank you in advance of your help in this matter.

Barry Saunders

Robert Ferris identified the plaque as being off a wagon or carriage built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Co Ltd probably pre-1921.

I love your site. I grew up in Warwickshire and am particularly interested in the stations near where I lived: Stratford, Kenilworth and Knowle. At the moment I am focussing on the early history of the East and West Junction Railway at Stratford and was interested to see the statement that they had originally used LNWR coaches without re-painting them. I haven't seen this before and wondered what the source is? If you did have the time to let me know I would be most grateful,

Many thanks Matthew Cadbury

I responded to Matthew stating that unfortunately I did not note down the source of this statement.

I am interested in the rail line between Northfield station to Redditch on the Evesham line

Barry Reed

Many thanks for producing these wonderful evocative railway pictures. The photo seen in 'image gwro256' of Olton Station, showing a 'Prairie' local had particular relevance to my childhood. Can I be terribly pedantic and point out that this train is in fact heading away from Birmingham Snow Hill, rather than towards it? It has stopped on platform 1 and will probably terminate at Warwick or Leamington Spa. Marvellous memories here!!!

Peter Lakin

Peter. Thanks for the kind comments and in pointing out my error which has now been corrected. Its important that such mistakes are identified and rectified so please keep on being pedantic. Best wishes - Mike

Hi there. Its so nice to be able to remember the days of steam via the photos especially my all time favorites - the Merchant Navy Class, the West Country Class and the Battle of Britain Class. I had the privilege to see many of those fine engines as a boy trainspotter back in the late 1950s and 1960s and miss that era so much. Thanks for enabling me to relive those great days.

Kind regards, Ken Weeks (Southampton)

Regarding image 'gwrl1441'. I was most interested to find this photograph as I knew Ted Giles very well - he and his wife were good friends. I spent many happy times with them both and when first married, we often had tea with them, in their dining room in front of a roaring fire! Do you have a date for the photo?

Ian Robinson

Hi Ian. I believe the photograph was taken in the early 1950s. Ted's wearing a peaked hat that has the British Railways insignia on it so its definitely post 1948.

Hi folks There is some stuff on my website Rail Archive from Gods own county, including images of original early railway documents from 1840's onwards and a few photographs as well - enjoy and copies available if wanted.

Cheers. Ian Dinmore, Curator of the Rail Archive

Ian's site is an absolute gold mine which I regular visit to add depth to the captions of Warwickshire Railway's.

Hi, I run a Flickr group called "Clerestory Coaches (Railways)", and I am constantly seeking contributions of photos. The site was originally started to support knowledge of the American Pullman imports of the MR, but has gone world wide! However, UK stock is still only a small proportion. Your site is a good source, but there is no 'contact us' I can find. Thus: How can I ask for copyright permission on photos I would like to have contributed, and Ideally it would be best for owners to contribute through their own Flickr account, of course, else otherwise this would mean authorising a download which would require loading with appropriate credit. Could that be done possibly? I would not be happy to do anything without your, or owners', agreement. Perhaps you could e-mail me to discuss.

Many thanks, Terry Browne

Great Site. May I point your members to my Facebook Site devoted to the 'Lickey Incline and Bromsgrove MPD' Although in Worcestershire the Lickey was close to the Warwickshire border and was always a place to watch in the past and even now.

Alan Spencer

Alan. Its my pleasure. It was a shame the Lickey incline wasn't in Warwickshire.

You've got some great photos on here - well done, a lovely website.

Frank Cheevers

Frank also was kind enough to make a donation to support the web site.

You have done a wonderful job with your website, which is very helpful for my modeling through the insights it gives on railways landscapes, ambiances and structures of the past. Best wishes.

Marc Patiou

Marc, who lives in Compiegne, Oise in France, kindly made a donation to support the web site.

Regarding 'lnwrk2046'. I was eight years old in 1959 and lived in Waverley Road in one of the houses on the left. This was my playground. Some corrections: Waverley Road, not Priory Road, is on the left - they met at the station. Bertie Road isn't shown - it's off picture left. It did not then join Station Rd. Another place for photography. I expect, was the footbridge just north of the station - just visible in front of the big sheds. Many pictures of the station, then and since, are from there. It was a open metal bridge with wooden steps and floor - replaced a few years later (when all the bridges were raised) by the current one. In the foreground the housing estate is being extended.

David Royal

Thanks David for the corrections and extra information which have now been added to the website.

I was signalman at Gibbet Hill Signal Box from 1970 until it closed in 1972. I was very interested to see your pictures of the box and to read the accident report. I had no idea an accident had occurred there in 1916. I would be very interested to see if any more pictures appear of this location, especially of the interior.

Malcolm Davenport

My congratulations on assembling a superb set of photos. I have recently been re-furbishing a model railway to the late 19th/early 20th century period and have found many of your photos invaluable.

Mike Flemming

Mike. Cracking website. Once logged on I am hooked. It's great to revisit my old spotting haunts. I am a Coventry Kid whose grandmother's houses backed onto the Coventry to Nuneaton line at Daimler Halt and Coundon Road stations. I hope you don't mind if I make a couple of comments concerning the text on a couple of photos.
i) 'lnwrns350' - I would suggest that the loco is standing in the short siding situated between the DOWN FAST and DOWN SLOW at the northern end of the station; not on the shed as stated. The date of the photo is nearer 1950 rather than 1960 and shows the LNWR signal gantry prior to it's replacement with a modern upper quadrant BR version. The old gantry can be seen in photo 'lnwrns1630' and it's replacement in photo 'lnwrns1658'.
ii) 'lnwrcov643' - The locomotive is No 41900 not No 41909 as stated. At the time of the photo, October 1960 I think, No 41902 and No 41909 were stored inside the closed Coventry MPD. I clearly remember seeing this loco on a parcels working at Coundon Road station whilst waiting for a Nuneaton train. I think this train did 3 possibly 4 trips a day between Leamington Coventry and Nuneaton with the motive power being supplied by Leamington (Milverton) MPD with No 41285 being the usual choice. I can only assume the Ivatt was unavailable such that Leamington had to borrow No 41900 to fill the gap.

John Taylor

I am researching my family tree and found ancestors employed by Birmingham Railway Carriages as a Woodworker. His son was then a toolmaker and engineer, later living in Newcastle. The family lived in Booth Street, Junction Road and Kentish Road. They attended St James church and Wattville Road School. With your site I have now made sense of all this information. Thank you so much.

Sylvia Southall

Thank you for your lovely site.

Philip Grierson

Very grateful for all you have done.

Regards, Howard (GWSG)

Howard's comments were sent at the same time he was kind enough to donate some money.

Im not an expert but photograph 'lnwr-tam2353' seems to have wrong engine number, and the picture date given is prior to the engine's build date. But love your picturess. Thank you. (Albeit would be nice if a little larger).

Bill Jones

Bill, thanks for pointing out the two errors. The original description gave the wrong name to the number and I blindly repeated it without checking so I am at fault. I then transposed the last two digits of the year it was built writing 1953 instead of 1935. All is now corrected. The size of photograph has increased since November 2006 when the site first went live. We followed the then practice of producing images 500 pixels wide. This size was the norm in 2006 because of the small monitor screens (which were 800 pixels wide) and the then slow download speeds. My son Alex, who designed the website, was adamant that it was bad practice to have a page so large that the viewer had to scroll from side to side to view the full photograph. I always thought it was too small and a few years later I increased the size to 700 pixels wide and it took me several years to revisit every page and to enlarge the image. (There are some in instances where the smaller width still exists. This is because the size seen is the only size the photo is available to me). When Alex redesigned the website I took the opportunity to increase the size to 800 pixels within a 1000 pixel wide page - which for 85 percent of visitors is their monitor size. There are still many images on the website still 700 pixels wide and these are being upgraded when I revisit a station to add new photographs. Flickr and other such sites have since adopted 1000 pixels as their standard width and to be frank I wish I had chosen this size too as I am sure in a few years time monitors will be the same width as mine (an 18 inch lap top screen). However as the website has currently nearly 9000 pages I have decided that it would take too long to revisit all of the site to upgrade the size (and be very boring to do) so the image size will have to stay as it is. You can change your monitor magnification if you want a larger image on the screen. The photographs in the main will take some magnification without becoming too blurred. Thanks Mike

Magnificent undertaking and a great success.

Bob Burchell

Bob was kind enough to donate some money. Photographs now cost in excess of £1 each so every little helps.

Magnificently detailed photographs with enough 'comment' on them to be interestingly enough for the layman and for the enthusiast alike. My father was on the footplate for years, first as a fireman and then as a driver and we lived in the railway cottages in Old Station Square which was the site of Rugby's first station. So many of those photos bring back happy memories. I was walking around Rugby's third station (a horrible hybrid of old and modern) when I saw a strange 'structure' on the south side and I took a couple of photos of it. Not knowing what it was I showed it around and even some Railway buffers weren't quite sure what it was. Answers ranged from 'a Soweto penthouse' to a 'bomb shelter on stilts'. If you want to have a look at it contact me at the above address and I will send it to you to put on your site if you find it suitable. I did think it might be a water tower, but why put a roof on it? Anyhow, hope to hear from you. PS. I have also got a photo of the railway 'cottages' in old station square that I purchased from the local library if you would like a copy of that as well, just ask.

Yours Brian Eite

I am in the process of checking with Brian what the image is.

Mike. I just visited your website again and saw updates of and around Rugby Midland station which I found moving. It brought back memories seeing images on the monitor that were previously only in in my head (memory). There was a row of railway houses called New Station, the front path to which formed a photo basis for many pictures of the down line start up point. Finally I see the row itself in some. I as a child lived in No 7. My father was a passenger train guard. I remember the goods yard behind. I remember the house shaking as north bound evening through expresses passed by. Yes, memories. I had a first class view of all that passed. The location is now a two story car park as I recall. I guess everyone goes through such emotive experiences in life with constant changes and development separating 'actuals' from memories. Thanks. I intend to contribute (donate) later.

Alec Bailey

Alec has kindly allowed us to reproduce several photos from his family album.

Just having a look at the pictures/video footage on your website. I am generally interested in all railways world wide

Graham Woodhall

I lived in Lime Grove, Tile Hill for my first twenty-three years. I did my apprenticeship 1970 to 1974 at Curriers Close which is just off Charter Avenue .... don't know if you'd recall that street name. I had Tile Hill signal box for about 1 year (1975-76) so I've particularly enjoyed the photos in around the area. I have one or two colour slides of the box from that date but the content features other items and people. As a schoolboy in 1960s I had the unenviable 2 week holiday job of cleaning out residue sludge from inside the large fuel tanks in the MOBIL siding (located off Torrington Avenue) and I had to have a break every 15 minutes as the fumes made me hallucinate .. Health & Safety eh!! LOL. An excellent website Mike. .. long may it continue .. Best Wishes

Phil Edgar

Phil. I certainly know Curriers Close as I lived at 16 Parkwood Lane which is also at the top of Charter Avenue. My childhood was spent playing in the fields that became the industrial estate in the 1960s.

Looks like a mammoth undertaking. Love the extended captions. Best Wishes

Alan Hayward

Mike. I was pleasantly surprised to see the drawing of Rugby GC booking office on here! The drawing of the details of the main span of the girder bridge also comes from the same source. The crane in the GC yard was rated at 10 tons, nearby Lutterworth only had a 5 ton version. The pictures of gun limbers being loaded are in Rugby yard on the loading dock , situated at the back of the yard, the field beyond became the site of the Unigate dairy. Barby RAOC depot was a second world war development, construction starting in June 1943. The length of the platform at the GC station was 500 feet as built, when the up line was looped in 1940-41 the platform was extended, something I believe to be unique on the London Extension. Keep up the good work !!!!!

Cheers - Tony (West)

Tony. On behalf of GC fans may I thank you for producing the drawings of Rugby's GC station and for the extra information given above. Mike

My primary search was for references to the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway but it was not possible to indentify from the immediate listing. However the considerble amount of information containe here will certainly be of interest to members of my club. Ilford & West Essex MRC.

Tony Spencer of www.iwemrc.org.uk.

This is without doubt one of the best constructed web sites I have visited. It is uncluttered and actually works when you click on things whilst its contents takes me back to my child hood. My late father was a signalman in the Lichfield and later Hazel Grove areas, whilst my late mother was first a crossing keeper and then a station porter at Alrewas in Staffordshire now home of the National Memorial Arboretum which the now gone station could well serve. Amazingly the Alrewas signal box is still there and works absolute block to Lichfield TV Jnc but that s digressing. As a consequence I spent many hours around railways especially signal boxes and I was always fascinated by the large signal boxes at Rugby as we passed through on our way to London courtesy of the many privilege tickets our parents got from BR. We spent hours at Rugby either waiting for the engine to be changed or for our connection and the race to get a drink and back on the train is well remembered. I am still interested in the old methods of signalling hence my search brought me to your site which raises a question. Was there a No 6 signal box? By the way if anyone else is interested in signalling then the Crewe Heritage centre has a good collection with the Exeter West box running under simulation.

Ron Cartmale

Hi Ron. Many thanks for your kind comments. You might have noticed that I am in the process of updating Rugby which, with over 400 plus images, is taking me much longer than I anticipated. I believe that a photo of No 6 signal cabin does exist and that it was a tiny signal cabin on the down side of the line near the Wood Street yard, near to Rugby's No 5 cabin. It was replaced in the 1930s by extra levers in a new frame in No 5 cabin. (LMS levers were spaced closer than in a LNWR frame therefore a longer LMS frame would still fit within the cabin). Robert Hendry (of LMS Stations fame etc) told Steve Weston of the LNWR Society (and who lives in Rugby) of how the LMS replaced the frame in No 5 cabin by placing the new frame on the opposite wall to the old one - and without having to close the signal cabin! Steve Weston thinks that he has seen a copy of the photo in a book but he is not too sure which one.

Thanks for the fascinating historic content. I have a few comments regarding Coventry.
1. The Foleshill railway did indeed connect with the Coventry-Nuneaton lane as one of your contributors thought.
2. The Coventry loop line that served the Chrysler works was still in use in the mid-1970's for loading ckd (completely knockdown) car kits for shipment to Iran. The car was based on the Hillman Hunter and was known in Iran as the Pakyan.
3. One of your photos is labelled "Three Spires Junction looking north towards Coventry". Looking north from there would be looking away from the centre of Coventry. Perhaps the photo is of Humber Rd junction?
4. The offices at Gosford Green yard appear to be the buildings still in use as offices on the junction of Binley Rd and Phoenix Way. Maybe worth a mention.
5. I've just seen mention of a derailment in 1904 at Albany Road. Is that different from the collapse of the Spon End embankment, I think in 19c, that was replaced by viaduct. I've seen a photo of it. A current driver tells me there is a severe speed limit in that area in one direction.

Les Fawcett

A fantastic site and very informative. The photos are excellent. For me it's evocative of my childhood in Coventry, where I was a keen trainspotter for a few years, Many Thanks

Jim Pryal

Dear Mike, My name is Grant Regan. I'm a member of the LNWR George the Fifth Steam Locomotive Trust and responsible for the trust's website and news blog. Ambitious as it may sound we aim to build a new London & North Western George the Fifth class engine for heritage rail and mainline use. When completed, it will be the sole representative of a 20th century LNWR express locomotive. In addition to a significant amount of public support garnered in the few months that the project has been public, we have also secured considerable financial backing from an unnamed benefractor, who has promised 5 x £10k tranches over 5 years matching fundraising from other efforts. I would like to commend you on your site, which is without a doubt one of the most comprehensive and detailed pictorial accounts of the railways of Britain, let along of Warwickshire, found online. Your site is quite evidently a labour of love, an impressive undertaking and a joy to browse.

On behalf of the LNWR George the Fifth Steam Locomotive Trust I would like to seek permission to use a number of images on your site, specifically pertaining to the George the Fifth class engines. Use would be confined to the trust's website, to newsletters posted to members and to the Trust's Facebook page. We will of course note copyright on the images themselves. Additionally we would like to add Warwickshire Railways prominently to your links page and provide a thank you for the use of the images on our blog including a write-up and link to your site. Would you kindly advise us as to whom we should contact for the following images: lnwrrm832, lnwrrm833, lnwrrm834, lnwrrm835, lnwrrm973, lnwrrm790, lnwrrm530, lnwr_shil2391, lnwr_shil1113 and lnwr_shil1231. If you or the visitors to your website would like to hear more about our project I invite you to visit the website or our Facebook Page.

Kindest Regards, Grant Regan

Grant. As a member of the LNWR Society it gives me great pleasure to provide the information that you require.

I really appreciate all the efforts to develop this invaluable record. I recently visited Marton, where my great-grandfather Noah Hedges was the second station master. I found his gravesite in Marton village, but was looking around for the railway and asked a local who told me it had long since gone. To see the picture of the station masters house was wonderful. His son travelled to Australia and that is where I am from.

Thanks so much. Philippa Hedges

Penns Station. As a primary school boy in the late 1950s I visited Penns by bike from Erdington more than once. I recall it as unstaffed, reached from the road bridge, with crisscross chestnut palings down the slope. One of the locked rooms was full of the (oil?) lamps shown in one photo, all covered in dust but left in peace, not in pieces as they would be today. Most mysterious to a ten year-old child.

Maurice Billingsley

Great site you have here. I have a Flickr account which has a substantial set showing recent images of the remains of the Great Central Railway between Leicester and Brackley.
      You can view GCR pics in Warwickshire here
      SMJ pics here
      Leamington-Weedon pics here
      Rugby-Leamington pics here

Ian Robinson.

I have a photo of a bridge at Shrewley, on the GWR main line, north of Hatton, being demolished using explosives in the 1980s. I can email a copy to you.

John Fancote

John also kindly made a donation to our appeal which we will use to purchase more photos and maps.

I started my apprenticeship in May 1957 at Tyseley works as a fitter & turner. I have just been looking at the images on your website of the work space , benches, etc. Memories come flooding back. Names too came back. Sid the crane driver, Jack Harris fitter, Ted Burford fitter. My transfer to the new diesel shops took me into a whole new world of modern engineering. More names come to mind, Jimmy Nightingale, Joe Preston, Lloyd King - all fitters. Tom Whittaker and Gerald Clapham, both apprentices. I recently met Gerald for the first time in 50 years, and hope to contact Tom soon. It has been quite a pleasant visit to your site. Please keep up the good work.

Alan Hughes, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.

What a fabulous site! I spent my childhood and teen years around Saltley Depot, Bromford sidings and Adderley Park watching all the railway activity. If pocket money allowed, a ride to Wolverhampton and a walk to GWR sheds along canal towpaths or a trip to Tamworth to join the masses of other spotters watching the main line. I started work at Metro Cam in Saltley in 1962. Your site is a gold mine - thank you.

Mike Wilson

Mike kindly made a donation to our appeal to support Warwickshire Railways. We will use the money to purchase copies of historical Ordnance Survey maps.

Looking at the new photos of Berkswell Station, reminds me, that when BR rebuilt the Up platform some years ago, we built a temporary platform on the site of the original one. Had no idea that it had one there before.

John Fancote

Wonderful site, have spent two hours on here tonight, only about 1% covered so far. Very nostalgic, very good, very sad, and very informative. Keep up the good work, this site will now go to the top of the list, alongside the Weston Clevedon & Portishead Railway.

Kevin Dickinson

Fantastic website. I have shown my dad (ex 21A fireman) the photo's and recollections of Alan Pratt. Should Alan wish to get in contact please feel free to pass on my email address.

Thanks again - Ian Hooper

I have contacted Ian and passed on Alan's address. Ian's Dad has also agreed to talk to me about his experiences so hopefully they too can be added to the website.

Thanks for this very interesting site and lots of amazing photos. I live in Australia but have memories of railways in Warwickshire from my childhood (1980s) and later working life. I've walked some of the Leamington Spa to Rugby trackbed and often wondered what the LMS station at Leamington looked like; now I know, from your photos and also my recently purchased print 'Bright Intervals' by Barry Freeman. My most vivid memories of the area are from sitting in the front seats of a Diesel Mechanical Unit, where you could see into the Driver's cab and the track ahead, while enjoying the ride up through Warwick and Hatton to Moor Street, on Saturdays during the school holidays, when visiting Grandma. These journeys to 'Brum' stood me in good stead in the 1990s when I joined British Rail and 'learned the road' as a Secondman and Guard, working such trains as the Bromford tanks and Freightliner services to Lawley St. As traincrews, we whiled away the hours of our 'meal breaks' at Saltley depot, the former sheds long gone and replaced by a scrap yard, an oily loco fuel point and the dank remnants of once thriving mess facilities. Websites like this remind me that whilst I'm not old enough to remember the days of steam, I've seen its remains and appreciated first hand, the railways of Warwickshire. I'd be happy to contribute some stories about my railway experiences in the area between 1992 and 2004. Perhaps not the era this website is about, but a reflection on what's changed maybe.

Thanks - Joe Hosking.

Dear Sir, I have recently, been in touch with some acquaintances in South Africa re carrying MF tractors on trains on Sandstone Heritage Railways. I referred the above photo to them as it showed clearly the 'correct' way used to tie the tractors down. They, Sandstone Heritage, would like to be able to use the photo solely for the purpose of their work in the preservation of railway and farm machinery and I ask you if this would be possible. Alternatively you could contact Joanne who is employed by Sandstone in the UK.

Thanking you for your attention Bernard Dodd

I am researching the history of St Mary's church, Moseley which is right by the former Moseley Station (1867 - 1941) and I was interested in Andy Docherty's comment:'.... objections from the nearby St Mary's Church regarding the spoiling of the landscape, noise, etc . .' I shall be very grateful if you will put me in touch with Mr Docherty in order to ascertain the source of this information.

Many thanks - Rob Brown

Excellent site. Keep up the good work.

Glyn James

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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