LMS Route: Birmingham West Suburban Railway

Central Goods Yard: mrcgy928d

Close up of image 'mrcgy928' showing the rail entrance to Central Goods Station's warehouse on 26th September 1922. On the right of the entrance, adjacent to the siding accommodating the solitary low goods wagon, a hydraulically operated capstan can be seen. Capstans would be placed at strategic locations throughout the yard and inside the warehouse to enable single wagons to be shunted within the confines of a train of standing wagons. They were particularly useful when combined with wagon turntables allowing individual wagons to be removed from one siding to another. A Hydraulic House had been built in 1891 by J Parnall & Son at a cost of £4,887 10s 6d to power the capstans, lifts and small cranes. It was erected adjacent to the electric generating station and a siding was provided for the delivery of coal to both of these premises. The buildings were located adjacent to the signal box at the mouth of the tunnel.

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