LMS Route: Nuneaton to Leamington

LMS Route: Coventry Loop Line

Three Spires Junction

Three Spires Junction was situated between Foleshill station and Longford & Exhall station on the Coventry to Nuneaton line. The Signal Cabin opened on 28th June 1914 with the Coventry Loop line opening on 10th August 1914. The Loop line (also known as the 'Avoiding' line) was built so goods trains, principally coal trains from the North Warwickshire Coalfields, could avoid running through Coventry station as the Loop line rejoined the former London & Birmingham Railway line at Pinley (later renamed Humber Road) Junction. It was also the location where sidings were located to handle the coal traffic originating from the coal fields located between Coventry & Bedworth as well as outward bound traffic from Coventry Colliery.

Ref: lnwr_3spires2090 N Todd View from Lythall Lane road bridge towards Foleshill gas works with the sidings and branch on the left

Ref: lnwr_3spires2091 N Todd Looking towards Three Spires junction with the loop line on the left and the Nuneaton to Coventry line on the right.

Ref: lnwr_3spires2092 N Todd View of the road bridge constructed with steel beams which carried Lythall Lane over Three Spires Junction

Ref: lnwr_3spires2073a M Mensing Close up of the LNWR parachute water tank which has been provided with two 'bags', one for each track

Ref: lnwrcll2750 R Bristow View of Three Spires Junction signal box with the branch to Gosford Green on the left and exchange sidings on the right

Ref: lnwr_3spires3050 C Allbright View from Lythalls Lane bridge looking towards Foleshill with Three Spires signal cabin and the Loop Line still intact

Ref: lnwr_3spires3206 C Allbright Keresley Colliery's Sentinel 0-8-0 Diesel shunter at work at the end of the exchange sidings during 1971

Ref: lnwr_3spires3196 C Allbright View of Lythalls Lane bridge with the public house in the background during the winter of 1971

Ref: lnwr_3spires3199 DH Allbright A close up view of Lythalls Lane bridge and the tubular bridge carrying the new North Sea gas pipe over the railway

Ref: lnwr_3spires3202 C Allbright Looking north from Lythalls Lane bridge towards Keresley Colliery exchange sidings with the Gasometers behind

Ref: lnwr_3spires3197 DH Allbright Standing on the hump line looking at the rear of Three Spires Junction Signal Cabin in the 1960s

Ref: lnwr_3spires3200 DH Allbright Close up showing the Three Spires Junction Signal Cabin with the Coventry Loop Line in the background

Ref: lnwr_3spires3201 C Allbright View of Three Spires Junction Signal Cabin seen from above the now abandoned hump line during the Winter of 1971

Ref: lnwr_3spires3404 C Jones Another view of Three Spires Junction Signal Cabin with the steps from Lythalls Lane on the left

Miscellaneous

Ref: lnwrcll3407 R Fox Labourers pose alongside the contractor's narrow gauge railway used to move spoil from the earthworks

Ref: lnwrcll3408 R Fox The contractor's standard gauge 0-6-0 Hunslet locomotive 'Uxbridge' poses for the camera between shifts

Ref: lnwr_3spires3409 H Addison Members of Three Spires staff pose for the camera, A Dalby, Yard Inspector J Lissaman and E Randle

Ref: lnwr_3spires3198 C Allbright A mineral wagon awaiting repair in the cripple siding located to the south of Three Spires Junction Signal Cabin

Ref: lnwr_3spires3410 H Addison Harry Addison poses on a five-plank open coal wagon stabled on one Three Spires Junction's exchange sidings

Ordnance Survey Maps, Track Plans and Schematic Drawings

Ref: lnwr_3spires3405 National Library of Scotland A 1912 OS map showing only the outline of the earthworks at Three Spires Junction and the Coventry Loop Line

Ref: lnwr_3spires3225 National Library of Scotland A 1915 Ordnance Survey map showing only the earthworks of Three Spires Junction and the Coventry Loop Line

Ref: lnwr_3spires3242 National Library of Scotland A 1926 Ordnance Survey map of Three Spires Junction and the exchange sidings of Coventry Colliery

Ref: lnwr_3spires3222 National Library of Scotland A 1928 Ordnance Survey map of Three Spires Junction and the exchange sidings of Coventry Colliery

Ref: lnwr_3spires3405 National Library of Scotland A 1936 Ordnance Survey map showing Three Spires Junction and the exchange sidings as well as the Coventry Loop Line

Ref: lnwr_3spires3221 National Library of Scotland A 1944 Ordnance Survey map of Three Spires Junction and the exchange sidings of Coventry Colliery

Ref: lnwrcll2758 M Christensen Schematic diagram showing the layout of Three Spires Junction with the Loop Line exiting off the up line

Ref: lnwrmap114 M Hollick A 1930s LMS Control strip map showing the goods shed and two sets of sidings adjacent to Foleshill station

Ref: lnwrmap113 M Hollick A 1930s LMS Control strip map showing the route between Three Spires Junction and Humber Road Junction

Ref: lnwrmap108 M Hollick A 1930s LMS Control strip map showing the route from Nuneaton to Coventry plus the Loop Line route

Trains seen at or near Three Spires Junction

Ref: lnwr_3spires1477 HW Robinson©Steam Archive Ex-LNWR 0-8-0 'G1' No 8892 blows off steam whilst shunting at Three Spires Junction circa 1947

Ref: lnwr_3spires2073 M Mensing English Electric Type 4 1Co-Co1 No D255 is seen on the diverted 3:45pm Euston to New Street service

Ref: lnwr_3spires1745 AW Flowers Coventry Colliery 0-6-0T No 5 is seen shunting coal wagons at the exchange sidings at Three Spires Junction

Ref: lnwr_3spires2073 M Mensing A Metro Cammell two car DMU passes Three Spires Junction on the 1:45pm Nuneaton to Leamington local service

Ref: lnwr_3spires1744 AW Flowers View of Coventry Colliery 0-6-0T No 5 standing outside the shed which was located near to Three Spires Junction

Ref: lnwr_3spires3414 G Biddle An unidentified ex-LMS 8F 2-8-0 locomotive propels a brake van past the Junction towards Foleshill station

Ref: lnwr_3spires3415 R Kosys Brush Type 4 1842 with an empty cartic train comes off what became known as the Gosford Green branch

Ref: lnwr_3spires3411 S Turner A three car BRCW DMU on a special working, has just passed the diminutive Bedlam Gates Signal Cabin

Ref: lnwr_3spires3413 S Turner BR Class 58017 propels empty Merry Go Round wagons forming 11:26 from Garston Docks