Kingsbury Junction

LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth

Kingsbury Junction was opened in 1909 creating a quicker route to Birmingham by avoiding Whitacre. The faster passenger traffic and express freight services used the new direct route to Water Orton whereas the slower freight services such as the coal trains used the line via Whitacre. Within the triangle formed by the slow and fast lines together with the Nuneaton line to Birmingham, was Hams Hall Power Station. As would expected, the coal required to fire the Power Station was brought in by rail but its connection was only via the slow lines and the line to Nuneaton.

We would like to take this opportunity of thanking Kingsbury History Society, and in particular Carole Haines, for their support and assistance in developing the Kingsbury Junction and Kingsbury Station pages. We also thank John Griffiths, who worked as a porter and signal lampman at Castle Bromwich, Nuneaton and Kingsbury from 1964 to 1970, for his photographs and information. Within the captions we have also credited other people who have kindly helped supply photographs and information.

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

Ref: mrk1116 W Wright View of Kingsbury Station Junction Signal Box seen on 9th August 1969 with the junction in the distance

Ref: mrk1117 DJ Norton Looking towards Kingsbury Junction with the lines to Whitacre on the left and Water Orton on the right

Ref: mrk1109 DJ Norton Looking towards Whitacre as an up goods train is seen working very hard on a freight to Derby on 30th June 1959

Ref: mrk1132 J Griffiths Looking towards Whitacre on the left and Water Orton on the right with Hams Hall Power station in the distance