Hall Green Station

GWR Route: North Warwickshire Line

Less than a mile from Spring Road Platform was the first main station on the North Warwickshire Line. Hall Green Station was opened on 9th December 1908 and had extensive passenger and goods facilities. A covered foot bridge linked the two platforms and on the down side also provided access onto the adjacent road. The main platform building was located on the Birmingham (up) side, with a smaller waiting room and toilets on the other side. The main building was 106 foot long and housed respectively from south to north; the station master's office, parcels office and cloakroom, booking office, booking hall, general waiting room, ladies waiting room with a ladies toilet and the gentlemen’s toilets. Access to the offices and waiting rooms was from the platform side only. Both buildings were red brick and their roofs were integral with the platform canopy.

Although there was no goods shed, a lock up and 3 ton crane were provided in the goods yard behind the Birmingham platform. In 1929 facilities were provided for general goods traffic, coal traffic, unloading horse boxes and prize cattle vans and a free cartage service was provided to Hall Green village. By 1956 the goods yard boasted facilities for unloading horse boxes, furniture vans, carriages, motor cars and other machinery. Ten years later, several of the sidings were removed, with all removed by 19th April 1969 and the area was subsequently converted into the station car park.

From the start a Signal Box was located close to the end of the down platform and in addition being a Block box this controlled access to the good yard and private sidings. In the 1930s the normal weekday/Saturday opening times were from 5 30am to 1 00am. The box was a Great Western Type 7d Signal Box, brick built with a hipped roof and internal staircase. It had 29 levers. Adjacent to the Signal box was a trailing point to a private siding belonging to E Farmer. By 1929 this siding belonged to Builders and General Traders (EJ. Smith & Co.), Metals Ltd and also served British & Saar Steel Co Ltd. This siding was removed 30th May 1965. A second private siding is recorded as belonging to William E Farrer Ltd and Standard Pavements Co Ltd, but its location is unknown.

In the 1930s the goods traffic to and from Hall Green was heavy enough to require a dedicated daily shunting and trip engine. This engine left Tyseley shed at 3 15pm every weekday to work an empty Parcels vans train to Shirley arriving at 3 30pm. Here it picked up a Goods Brake Van and proceeded back to Hall Green where it was required to carry out shunting duties. At 6 55pm it left Hall Green with a loaded 'J' headcode 'Through Freight' train for Tyseley arriving at 7 02pm. After performing a local duty at Tyseley, the engine and Brake Van travelled to Bordesley to haul the 9 00pm ‘run as required 'J' headcode 'Through Freight' train back to Hall Green arriving at 9 12pm. After the engine had returned to shed, the brake van was forwarded to Shirley on the 10 25am morning goods service.

Robert Ferris

Select an image below to view the larger version with accompanying text:

Ref: gwrhg1358 Birmingham Central Library View of the construction of the North Warwickshire Railway near Hall Green with a horse drawn wagon in the foreground

Ref: gwrhg464 Postcard Looking towards Stratford upon Avon as a Steam Rail car passes underneath the Stratford Road bridge to enter the station

Ref: gwrhg464a Postcard Close up of the Great Western Railway Steam Rail Car entering Hall Green shortly after the North Warwickshire Railway line opened

Ref: gwrhg46b Postcard Close up of the up platform building which housed Hall Green's main passenger facilities including the booking office and waiting rooms

Ref: gwrhg1113 RS Carpenter Looking towards Birmingham with the goods yard and a row of wagons seen in the distance at the end of the up platform on the left

Ref: gwrhg1113a RS Carpenter Close up showing the up platform showing the goods lock up shed behind the shubbery and the permanent way workers mess hut and store

Ref: gwrhg1113b RS Carpenter Close up showing the down platform with the signal box at the end of the platform and the lamps blackened for wartime precautions

Ref: gwrhg1114 RS Carpenter View of Hall Green station looking towards Stratford upon Avon from the Birmingham end of the station with the up platform on the right

Ref: gwrhg1114a RS Carpenter Close up showing the passenger facilities on the down platform and the footbridge which connected passengers from the access road to both platforms

Ref: gwrhg1114b RS Carpenter Close up showing Hall Green station's main building, housing the booking offices and waiting rooms, located on the up or Birmingham platform

Ref: gwrhg1357 Lens of Sutton View of Hall Green's station staff, including porters and signalmen, seated on the Birmingham platform whilst posing for the camera

Ref: gwrhg462 Lens of Sutton Looking towards Stratford upon Avon from the Birmingham end of the up platform showing the replacement concrete lampposts

Ref: gwrhg462a Lens of Sutton Close up showing Hall Green station's down platform on the left and the up platform on the right with the two signals on the down line set to 'clear'

Ref: gwrhg463 Lens of Sutton Looking towards Birmingham from the Stratford upon Avon end of the up platform with the signal box inn the distance on the down line

Ref: gwrhg463a Lens of Sutton Close up showing Hall Green Signal Box which controlled the section through the station and access tothe two sets of sidings on either side

Ref: gwrhg463b Lens of Sutton Close up showing the down platform platform's passenger facilities comprising of a waiting room and Gentlemen's toilet facilities