LMS Route: Rugby to Wolverhampton
LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth
LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Nuneaton
LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Lichfield
LMS Route: Birmingham to Evesham

Birmingham New Street - Southern Approaches

The southern approaches to New Street station were complex reflecting the development of the LNWR and the Midland Railway in Birmingham as they outgrew the three Curzon Street stations and Lawley Street station. Moving in stages to the Grand Central station that became New Street and with the development of track realignment and the installation of new connections to accommodate an ever increasing number of services, the southern approaches became a complex but interesting feature of passengers arriving at New Street station. Therefore Proof House Junction, Gloucester Road Junction and other features situated between New Street station and Curzon Street and Lawley Street are to be managed on this web page.

Accident at Derby Junction on 27th May 1892

The report on the collision of two passenger trains at Derby Junction in 1892. This document was published on 20th July 1892 by Board of Trade. It was written by Maj. F. A. Marindin.

"In this case the Birmingham and Wolverhampton portion of the 2.10 p.m. down London and North-Western train, which left Rugby at 4.11 p.m., 11 minutes late, and the 3.45 p.m., Midland train from Derby to Birmingham and Bristol, which had left Derby at 3.46 p.m., one minute late, approached Derby junction upon converging lines and came into collision at 4.54 pm., at the fouling point of the two down lines, when both trains were running at considerable speed... The consequences of the collision were very serious. The right-hand leading end. of the engine of the London and North-Western train struck the left side of the horse-. box next to the Midland tender, driving it forward on to the tender, and breaking it up,. the Midland engine and tender broke away from the train, and ran forward on the. rails for about 200 yards, with the frame of the horse-box attached; the whole of the Midland train, except the rear brake-van, was thrown off the rails to the right, some of the vehicles on to the up London and North-Western line, and the whole of the London and North-Western train, except the rear brake-carriage and one pair. of wheels of the vehicle in front of it, was thrown off to the left side, the engine, tender. and leading brake-van running for about 20 yards alongside the parapet wall of the Lawley Street viaduct, breaking down this parapet, and then falling over into a stable yard 29 feet below the level of the rails. The left leading end of the engine was the first part to strike the ground, and the engine then fell over on to its left side, the tender turned a complete somersault, landing with its proper leading end against the smoke-box of the engine and its trailing end towards Birmingham, and the brake-van fell upon its wheels behind, and at one side of the engine, with its body broken into splinters.

The London and North-Western driver and fireman, who went down in the cab of their engine were very badly hurt, the driver having among other injuries a leg broken and two fingers of his left hand crushed, and the fireman having his left shoulder-blade. broken in three places, besides being badly scalded; the front guard of the London and North-Western train, who went down in his van, was fatally injured and has since died; a groom who was in the horse-box next to the Midland tender was killed upon the spot, and a mare and foal who were in the box had to be destroyed, and 66 passengers, 24 in the Midland train, and 42 in the London and North- Western train, were injured, some of them seriously."

London & North Western Railway connections

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa2332 DJ Norton Looking from a down MR train towards New Street station near Proof House Junction on 7th March 1951

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa2323 DJ Norton Looking towards Proof House signal cabin from Park Street with the LNWR lines on the left and the MR lines on right

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa414 JC Flemons Looking south with Curzon Street Goods Station on the left and Proof House Junction signal cabin on the right

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa414a JC Flemons Close up showing Curzon Street's station's fish sidings on the left and Proof House signal cabin on the right

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa431 JC Flemmons Looking south with Curzon Street on the left, the line to Aston in the centre and the lines to Coventry on the right

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa431a JC Flemmons Close up of Curzon Street' No 1 signal cabin and Proof House Junction and a number of buildings in the yard

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa431b JC Flemmons Close up showing the bridge at the start of the Vauxhall viaduct forming part of the Birmingham Canal's tunnel

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa2314 DJ Norton Looking towards Vauxhall viaduct from Grand Junction signal cabin with Banbury Street Wharf on the left

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa2314a DJ Norton Close up showing a steam locomotive standing on one of the roads adjacent to the cattle loading dock

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa2314b DJ Norton Close up of the viaduct carrying the New Street to Vauxhall line over the goods lines into Curzon Street

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa2320 DJ Norton Looking towards Coventry with the Grand Junction signal cabin in the centre of the photograph on 10th May 1960

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa2320a DJ Norton Close up of the headshunt used when marshalling freight for Curzon Street Goods depot and Landor Street

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa2320b DJ Norton Close up showing Grand Junction signal cabin, part of Exchange Sidings and and the works of Wrights Ropes Ltd

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa2321 DJ Norton Looking towards Aston from just north of Lawley Street bridge on the Vauxhall viaduct on 5th August 1951

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa2322 DJ Norton Looking towards Aston from just north of Lawley Street bridge on the Vauxhall viaduct on 2nd June 1954

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa3367 CE Steele Proof House Junction Signal Cabin's 'bobby' stands with Charlie Steele, the signal Lineman circa 1960

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa2319 DJ Norton View of the gradient post near Proof House Junction showing the change in the descent towards New Street station

Midland Railway connections

Ref: mrbhm_sa2318 DJ Norton Looking east from the rear of a DMU on the former MR lines into New Street at Proof House junction on 9th May 1955

Ref: mrbhm_sa2326 ND Mundy View of the signal box erected by the LNWR to control goods traffic betwen the LNWR & MR at Exchange Sidings

Ref: mrbhm_sa1898 DJ Norton Ex-LMS 2-6-0 'Crab' No 42890 eases around Gloucester curve as it heads an up Class A express service

Ref: mrbhm_sa1899 DJ Norton Ex-LMS 4-6-0 Jubilee class, No 45682 'Tralfagar' drifts tound Gloucester curve on an up express to Bristol

Ref: mrbhm_sa1900 DJ Norton Looking towards Gloucester Junction with the line to New Street on the left and to Saltley on the right

Ref: mrbhm_sa1511 M Mensing Ex-MR 4F 0-6-0 No 43949 is seen passing St Andrews on a Class J empty wagon working to Kings Norton sidings

Ref: mrbhm_sa1897 M Mensing Ex-MR 3F 0-6-0 No 43346 banks a Class K short pick up mineral service through St Andrews on 6th May 1956

Ref: mrbhm_sa2327 RJ Essery A 25th October 1964 view of Landor Street Junction signal box built by the Midland Railway in 1896

Ref: mrbhm_sa2328 RS Carpenter Brickyard Crossing signal box located on the Camp Hill line adjacent to the L&BR route on 25th October 1964

Ref: mrbhm_sa2317 DJ Norton Looking from the former L&BR line towards Landor Street Junction signal box on 8th September 1957

Ref: mrbhm_sa2317a DJ Norton Close showing the original Duddeston to Derby Junction viaduct with Lawley Street Goods Station beyond

Ref: mrbhm_sa2317b DJ Norton Close up of Landor Street Junction signal box and the water tower supplying the water columns to the area

Ref: mrbhm_sa2330 JC Flemmons Standing on Landor Street under bridge looking towards Landor Street Junction signal box with Saltley shed behind

Ref: mrbhm_sa1902 DJ Norton View of the embankment and bridge carrying the Coventry to New Street line over the Derby to New Street line

Ref: mrbhm_sa2331 JC Flemmons View of the main line from Derby passing beneath the former London to Birmingham L&BR lines

Ref: lnwrbns_str3085 DJ Norton View looking north towards Saltley with Brickyard Crossing Signal Box seen on the right on 10th July 1955

Ref: mrbhm_sa2329 RS Carpenter Ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 No 44413 passes Landor Street Junction signal box on the Camp Hill line with a down freight

Ref: mrbhm_sa1901 W Wright British Railways Sulzer Type 2 Bo-Bo No D5228 is seen working a ballast train on the up line on 3rd August 1969

Ref: mrbhm_sa2324 W Wright A three-car cross country DMU set on a Derby to New Street service is seen approaches Landor Street signal box

Ref: lnwrbns_str3084 W Wright BR Type 2 D5228 is seen on an engineer's train standing next to Landor Street Signal Box on 3rd August 1969

Ref: mrbhm_sa2325 TJ Edginton Ex-LMS 0-6-0 4F No 44279 passes over ex-LMS 4-6-0 No 44848 at Brickyard Crossing on 19th June 1954

Ref: mrbhm_sa3367 P Shoesmith Ex-LMS 5MT 4-6-0 No 44659 is seen approaching Brickyard Crossing with a direct northbound holiday train

Ref: mrbns_str1579 D Burrows An oblique view of Brickyard Crossing Signal Box being demolished after being decommissioned circa 1970

Ref: mrbns_str1580 D Burrows Another view of Brickyard Crossing Signal Box being demolished after being decommissioned circa 1970

Ordnance Survey Maps and Schematic Drawings

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa2319b Midland Railway Part of MR Distance Diagram dated 1913 showing the two routes south from New Street to Kings Norton

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa1890 Anon Map of the junction between the Midland and the Great Western at Bordesley and Gloucester Junction

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa2315 J Copsey Schematic showing the original routes to New Street station from Aston, Coventry and Gloucester

Ref: lnwrbhm_sa2312 J Copsey Schematic showing the lines and junctions between the MR and LNWR as they approach New Street station

Ref: mrbhm_sa3364 National Library of Scotland An 1887 OS map showing the junction between Midland lines to Nuneaton and Gloucester with the LNWR

Ref: mrbhm_sa3365 National Library of Scotland A 1903 OS map showing the junction between Midland lines to Nuneaton and Gloucester with the LNWR

Ref: mrbhm_sa3366 National Library of Scotland A 1913 OS map showing the junction between Midland lines to Nuneaton and Gloucester with the LNWR

Ref: kings_norton_map A Doherty Map showing Station Road which ran from Camp Lane and crossed the railway via a level crossing