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Olton
Olton station opened in 1869 on the GWR's Oxford &
Birmingham extension and had for some sixty-seven years a two platform
configuration. It was never seen as as a station of significant importance not
even warranting a goods yard until 1933 when it was rebuilt, in common with
other stations approaching Birmingham, with two island platforms. However the
station developed from a mainly rural outpost to becoming a busy commuter route
to Birmingham. The increase in capacity did not however lead to an increase in
station staff as Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith in their book 'Banbury to
Birmingham' record that staff numbers fell from eleven in 1923 to seven in
1935. Olton had three signal boxes with the first signal box being located at
the Leamington end of the up platform. This signal box was replaced in January
1907 when the GWR installed passing loops to the West of the station and
constructed a new signal box controlling the junction. The third signal box was
equipped with 31 levers and replaced the junction signal box when the station
was remodelled in 1933 and was finally closed in 1969.
Robert Ferris has transcribed the following article on the tests
undertaken on the bridges located between Olton and Solihull. This article is
repeated on the Solihull Station page.
Bridge Tests on the Birmingham Main Line (from ‘The
Railway Magazine’ June 1934 – J.D.H.)
On Sunday, March 25, a remarkable spectacle was afforded by the
testing of steel underline bridges, on the recently completed quadrupling on
the Olton – Lapworth section of the G.W.R. main line to Birmingham and the
North. Four “King” class locomotives were used. Nos 6001, 6014, 6017
and 6005; the first two were coupled together without load, while the latter
two double headed a train consisting of a third-class brake and a saloon,
together weighting 45 tons. In testing a bridge carrying two tracks (one up and
one down in normal working) the two pairs of locomotives first coasted across
abreast at a speed of 2 m.p.h., or less, while the vertical deflections of the
girders were measured. This was repeated twice , after which the locomotives
ran back ¾ mile from the bridge, and stopped in line. All four then
proceeded to accelerate in the up direction towards the bridge, with wide-open
regulator and cut-off very late in the stroke.
The pairs of locomotives were drawn dead level as they
approached the bridge, the exhausts rising quite 30 ft in the brilliant
sunshine above each of the four chimneys, to the accompaniment of a deafening
roar. The normal test conditions were 500 tons weight and 60 m.p.h.; in actual
fact the four locomotives and tenders weighted 542 tons full, and in various
runs speeds of 59 to 62 m.p.h. were attained, giving an acceleration from 0 to
62 m.p.h., which averaged almost exactly 1-foot-per-sec, - a phenomenal figure
for steam locomotives. Even with so trifling a load. After passing the bridge
the engines were stopped and returned to their starting point for a second run,
the bridge deflections being measured each time. No 6001 alone was fitted with
a working speedometer, of the type recently adopted.
The effect of the small load behind one pair of engines was a
striking feature of the runs; some 20 yards in the first 200 yards of each run
were lost by this pair, but they could, on the other hand, be brought to a
stand in 150 yards less distance than could the unloaded pair, with the coach
brakes operating in addition to those on the engines. Twelve runs in all were
made at speed over the six double-track bridges tested on this date; on the
same day Nos. 6001 and 6005 were used for two further tests of single-track
bridges carrying the own relief lines only, the four tests runs being again
made in the up direction. Railway enthusiasts from considerable distances, and
other spectators also, might have been attracted had the fact been made public
that these tests were to take place; as it was, the spectators who witnessed
this sight of a lifetime numbered fewer than a score. For photographs of these
Bridge Tests see: 'gwro1578', 'gwrs1566' and 'gwrs1567'.
Select an image below to view the larger version with
accompanying text:
Views of the original station
Views of the rebuilt station
Locomotives and trains seen at Olton Station
Diesel Dawn
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