Monument Lane Shed

LMS Route: Rugby to Wolverhampton
LMS Route: Birmingham - Soho Road - Perry Barr - Birmingham
LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Lichfield

Brian Swancott, a former passed fireman at Monument Lane, writes "the shed was accessed by a gate at the corner of Sheepcote St and St Vincent St with quite a steep path leading down to the shed. The shed's turntable was vacuum powered whilst servicing of the engines was carried out via full length pits inside the shed or pits about the length of one loco outside the shed. The tank engines were used mostly on local passenger service but also on semi fast trains whilst the Black 5s were used mainly on the Manchester expresses such as the 7.10 am and the 12.10 pm plus other turns of work which for now escapes me".

The LMS and its successor, British Railways, undertook to film various aspects of operating steam locomotives and other railway operations. We have provided below links to some of the films related to shed operation that we know exist. Films on other aspects of railway operations can be viewed via our Video and Film Clip section.

	"Wash and Brush Up" 1953 Shows the procedures that a steam engine goes through as part of its regular maintenance cycle. The locomotive being featured in the film is a British Railways Standard Class 5MT 4-6-0 No 73020 at 6D Chester (Midland shed. (25 minutes 19 seconds)
	LMS On the Shed - Part One of Two Various shots of an engine being prepared and serviced ready for its next trip. Includes actions and responsibilities of crew. (9 minutes 44 seconds)
	LMS On the Shed - Part Two of Two Various shots of an engine being prepared and serviced ready for its next trip. Includes actions and responsibilities of crew. (9 minutes 31 seconds)

The layout of the shed and its structures

Ref: lnwrmlsh81 W Potter View of a clean Monument Lane shed showing an unidentified solitary ex-LNWR 0-6-2T locomotive

Ref: lnwrmlsh81a W Potter Close up showing Monument Lane's new shed which contained six internal roads all of the same length

Ref: lnwrmlsh81b W Potter Close up showing Monument Lane's standard LNWR water tank built with a 75 to capacity and two roads

Ref: lnwrmlsh1510 RS Carpenter A view of Monument Lane shed still very busy in 1959 and just two years before it was closed to steam

Ref: lnwrmlsh1510c RS Carpenter Close up showing a section of the shed with its roof removed and some of the locomotives being serviced

Ref: lnwrmlsh1510b RS Carpenter Close up showing the shed still in full operation as the shed was being demolished section by section

Ref: lnwrmlsh1510a RS Carpenter Close up showing the extra sidings laid down to provide additional stabling facilities adjacent to the water softener

Ref: lnwrmlsh78 Anon View of Monument Lane's crane using a spreader beam to remove one of the shed's roof trusses

Ref: lnwrmlsh2247 RS Carpenter View of Monument Lane shed after its allocation of steam locomotives had been withdrawn replaced by diesels

Ref: lnwrmlsh2245 RS Carpenter Another view of Monument Lane shed on 7th October 1962 some eight months after its closure to steam

Ref: lnwrmlsh2246 RS Carpenter View of the former carriage shed now being used to accommodate Diesel Multiple Units on 7th October 1962

Ref: lnwrcs1281 Public Records Office The Roundhouse in Sheepcote Street is seen to the left of the Birmingham Canal which was built 1840

Ref: lnwrmlsh2233 NRM A 1920 view of the 'New Shed' at Monument Lane and the additional road laid along side the shed's outer wall

Ref: lnwrmlsh2187 HMRS A 1958 general view of Monument Lane shed as seen from alongside the saw mill located in the builders yard

Ref: lnwrmlsh2187a HMRS Close up showing a mix of visiting locomotives together with locomotives allocated to Monument Lane

Ref: lnwrmlsh2187b HMRS Close up showing the shed's former LNWR water tank with both of the coaling roads occupied by wagons

19th Century LNWR Locomotives

Ref: lnwrmlsh2262 RH Bleasdale LNWR 0-4-2 No 601 is posed for the camera after being coaled and watered at Monument Lane shed in 1865

Ref: lnwrmlsh2261 RH Bleasdale LNWR 2-4-0 Newton class No 1525 'Abercrombie' pauses on one of the roads leading to Monument Lane's shed

Ref: lnwrmlsh2360 J Alsop A close up view of LNWR 2-4-0 No 1525 'Abercrombie' with the crew, wearing bowler hats, posed for the camera

Ref: lnwrmlsh2361 J Alsop Another view of LNWR 2-4-0 No 1526 'Abercrombie' as it stands adjacent to Monument Lane's water tank

Ref: lnwrmlsh2237 LNWR Society LNWR 2-4-0 Samson Class No 2158 'Serpent' stands adjacent to the entrance of the original shed

Ref: lnwrmlsh2260 RH Bleasdale LNWR 2-2-2 'Large Bloomer' No 894 'Trentham' stands alongside the former coaling stage and original shed

Ref: lnwrmlsh2236 RH Bleasdale LNWR 2-4-0 Newton class No 1523 'Marlborough' is seen standing alongside Monument Lane's original shed

Ref: lnwrmlsh2234 LNWR Society LNWR 2-2-2 No 365 'Vesta' was one of Trevithwick's single wheelers allocated to Monument Lane shed

Ref: lnwrmlsh2362 J Alsop LNWR 2-4-0 Samson Class No 2157 'Unicorn' poses with its crew and other members of staff in front of the shed

Ref: lnwrmlsh2363 J Alsop LNWR 2-4-0 Samson Class No 2156 'Sphinx' poses for the camera alongside Monument Lane's Water Tank and shed

Ref: lnwrmlsh2364 J Alsop LNWR 2-4-0 Samson Class No 2154 'Loadstone' with its crew and two cleaners standing by the smokebox and the tender

Ref: lnwrmlsh2365 J Alsop LNWR 2-4-0 Samson Class No 2153 'Isis' stands adjacent to Monument Lane shed's coaling stage and water tank

Ref: lnwrmlsh2366 J Alsop LNWR 2-4-0ST No 946 poses with its crew in front of Monument Lane's water tank and coal stage

Ref: lnwrmlsh2367 J Alsop LNWR 2-2-2 No 895 Torch' was fully coaled and watered when posed for the camera with shed management

Ref: lnwrmlsh2368 J Alsop LNWR Large Bloomer 2-2-2 No 894 'Trentham' is seen fully coaled and watered when posed for the camera

Ref: lnwrmlsh2369 J Alsop LNWR Large Bloomer 2-2-2 No 894 'Trentham' is posed yet again for the camera in front of the water tank and shed

Ref: lnwrmlsh2370 J Alsop LNWR Trevithick 5ft 2-4-0 No 337 in its rebuilt form standing outside the water tank and coaling stage

Ref: lnwrmlsh2371 J Alsop Another view of Trevithick 5ft 2-4-0 No 337 in its rebuilt form standing outside the water tank and coaling stage

Ref: lnwrmlsh2259 LNWR Society LNWR 2-4-0T 'half-cab' No 2250 is seen standing alongside Monument Lane shed's former coaling stage

LMS Period (1923 to 1947) locomotives

Ref: lnwrmlsh73 Anon Ex-LNWR 2F Coal Tank 0-6-2T No 27594 is seen standing in front of the shed fully coaled and watered

Ref: lnwrmlsh79 Anon Ex-LNWR 2P 0-6-2T Watford Tank No 6878 is stabled outside Monument Lane shed ready for its next trip

Ref: lnwrmlsh80 Anon View of ex-LNWR 2P 4-4-2T Precursor Tank No 6782 and ex-LNWR 2P 0-6-2T Watford Tank No 6883 in May 1937

Ref: lnwrmlsh2241 CR Gordon-Stuart Ex-LNWR 2P 4-4-2T Precursor Tank No 6821 is seen stabled on the Promenade roads on 12th December 1936

Ref: lnwrmlsh2239 LW Perkins Ex-LNWR 0-6-2T 'Coal Tank' No 7742 stands in front of the new mechanical coaling plant still being built

Ref: lnwrmlsh2256 H Turvey Ex-LNWR 2-4-2T 'Watford Tank' No 46900 is seen on one of the roads in front of Monument Lane shed

Ref: lnwrmlsh2238 Rail Archive Stephenson Ex-LNWR 4-6-0 Claughton No 5964 'Patriot' standing adjacent to the former shed prior to its demolition

Ref: lnwrmlsh2258 LW Perkins Ex-LNWR 4P 4-6-0 Prince of Wales class No 5711 standing alongside the original shed on 21st June 1931

Ref: lnwrmlsh2233a NRM Close up showing one of Web's 0-6-0 designs on the left and on the right two of CJ Bowen-Cooke's tank engines

Ref: lnwrmlsh2233b NRM Close up showing one Webb's 2-4-2T designs on the left and Whale's 4-4-0 'Precedent class locomotive on the right

Ref: lnwrmlsh2255 HC Casserley Ex-LMS 4P 4-4-0 Compound No 41166 is seen on 3rd July 1948 alongside the shed prepared for its next trip

Ref: lnwrmlsh2257 LW Perkins LMS 5XP 4-6-0 'Patriot class' No 5518 stands alongside the ash plant as it has its firebox cleaned on 26th May 1935

British Railways Period (1948 to 1968) locomotives

Ref: lnwrmlsh2244 HH Bleads Ex-LMS locomotives stored in the 'Promenade' sidings including 4-4-0 No 40936 and 4-4-0 No 44506 in 1961

Ref: lnwrmlsh2240 LW Perkins LMS 5XP 4-6-0 Patriot class No 5551 stands inside Monument Lane's old coaling stage on 18th January 1948

Ref: lnwrmlsh2243 R Shenton Ex-LMS 4P 2-6-4T No 42389, one of Stafford shed's Fowler tank locomotives, stands next to Sheepcote Lane signal box

Ref: lnwrmlsh2242 H Turvey Ex-LMS 0-4-0 Sentinel No 47184 is seen standing in Monument Lane's Promenade sidings circa 1950

Ref: lnwrmlsh2232 A Higgs Ex-LMS 4P 4-4-0 'Compound' No 41168 stands on one of the Promenade' roads alongside the shed

Ref: lnwrmlsh2248 FA Wycherley Ex-LMS 4-4-0 Compound No 41168 is seen being 'serviced' by driver Howard Stanley on 4th August 1960

Ref: lnwrmlsh2249 J Moss Four ex-LMS locomotives representing the range of locomotive power allocated to the shed to fulfill its duties

Ref: lnwrmlsh2250 R Butterfield A very clean ex-LNWR 0-6-2T 'Coal Tank' locomotive No 58903 stands in front of Monument Lane Shed in 1954

Ref: lnwrmlsh2251 FA Wycherley British Railways built 5MT 4-6-0 No 44687 is seen being serviced at Monument Lane on 4th August 1960

Ref: lnwrmlsh2252 FA Wycherley Ex-LMS 5XP Jubilee class No 45631 'Tanganyika' moves slowly through the yard on 4th August 1960

Ref: lnwrmlsh2253 RS Carpenter Ex-MR 2F 0-6-0 No 58185 is seen standing 'coaled and watered' on the Promenade sidings circa 1957

Ref: lnwrmlsh2254 H Turvey Ex-LMS 5MT 4-6-0 Black Five No 45390 and ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 No 44514 are stabled on the Promenade sidings

Ref: lnwrmlsh2231 Anon Ex-LNWR 2F 0-6-2T 'Coal Tank' No 58900 is seen on a foggy day stabled alongside Monument Lane shed

Ref: lnwrmlsh74 Anon View of ex-LMS 4P 4-4-0 Compound No 40936 coupled to the experimental Stanier 3500 gallon tender

Ref: lnwrmlsh2263 P Bevand Map showing the layout of Monument Lane Carriage shed and siding and Harborne Junction signal cabin

Ref: lnwrmlsh2265 P Bevand Map showing the layout of Monument Lane shed with its two sheds and on the right the water tank and turntable

Ref: lnwrmlsh2264 P Bevand Map showing the final layout of Monument Lane shed with its new servicing andturning facilities post 1939

Ref: lnwrmlsh2266 P Bevand Map of the 1855 layout of Monument Lane shed's disposal and servicing roads in and around the shed

Ref: lnwrmlsh2267 P Bevand Map showing the 1855 layout of Monument Lane shed's initial separate servicing and disposal facilities

Ref: monument_lane_map Andy Doherty Location map showing the juxtaposition of the station to the canal and with Cope Street and Monument Lane

Monument Lane by Tony Higgs Ten years of research into Monument Lane shed, strategically one of Birminghams' most important sheds

Tony has produced a book on the history of the shed called 'Monument Lane Loco Shed' which can be obtained from Tony at 22 Maxstoke Close, Matchborough West, Redditch B98 0EJ. Price is £11.95 plus £1.40p&p.