LMS Route: Birmingham - Soho Road - Perry Barr - Birmingham

Soho Pool Wharf

The site of Soho Pool Wharf was previously used by Soho Manufactory which closed after the death of James Watt the younger in 1848, and was demolished some 15 years later. The Great Hockley Pool, by then renamed Soho Pool, was drained, and its site used for the LNWR's goods yard under the name of 'Soho Pool Wharf'.

Ref: lnwrsohord2280 Birmingham Library Looking across the buffer stops at the near derelict site of Soho Pool goods station and yard in 1981

Ref: lnwrsohord1519a DJ Norton Close up showing on the right part of the single freight only branch line to Soho Pool goods station

Ref: lnwrsoho3422 J Alsop Looking towards Winson Green junction with the single line to Soho Wharf Pool falling away to the left

Ref: lnwrsohord3419 National Library of Scotland An 1888 Ordnance Survey map of Soho Pool Wharf showing a total of four sidings but no goods shed

Ref: lnwrsohord3420 National Library of Scotland A 1902 OS map of Soho Pool Wharf showing the sidings remodelled and the addition of a goods shed

Ref: lnwrsohord3421 National Library of Scotland A 1913 OS map of Soho Pool Wharf showing the sidings having again been extended with a further three sidings

Ref: lnwrsohord3418 National Library of Scotland A 1912 OS map of Soho Road station showing the station was constructed to the south of Soho Road

Ref: lnwrsohord2279 DJ Norton Map showing the location of Soho Road station in relation to the GWR's Soho & Winson Green station

Ref: soho_rd_map Andy Doherty Map showing the location of Soho Road station and its juxtaposition to the surrounding roads

Soho Pool wharf Occupants from Kellys directories for 1888-1973

It is easy to confuse Soho Wharf on the canal, which is earlier, and Soho Pool wharf. The Pool wharf is first mentioned in directories between the 1884 & 1888 editions. At first listings are divided between those accessed from Park Road and those accessed from Whitmore St., the Park Road firms appearing first in 1888, and the Whitmore St ones in 1890, but by 1895 all but one are listed under the Whitmore st entrance. then in 1913 Soho Pool wharf is listed as a separate listing, and east and west sides listed separately. They are not separated here. No directory was available for 1885-87, so whether there were occupants for those years is uncertain.

(Note: Date is directory publication date and probably refers to survey of year before).

1973 is the last Birmingham Kellys directory

(1) From 1903 listed as Hamstead Officials Coal Co Ltd
(2) William Herbert Sanders and Saunders were up until 1905 different listed firms at different addresses (Sanders in Villa Road). From 1908 only the Sanders firm is listed Possibly they merged.
(3) Not listed 1912. From 1913 listed as coal factors
(4) In 1900 they were listed as Tailby & Co , timber merchants, and separately Edward Tailby, timber merchants
(5) In 1910 the directory appear to put them outside the Soho pool, though coming immediately after it. this may be an error.
(6) From 1913 described as coal factors; From 1921. Spencer, Abbott & Co
(7) Despite its name, the company at this time was mainly into distribution of petroleum products.
(8) From 1955 iron & steel scrap merchants.
(9) In 1973 Nash-Beddoes Fuel Co, coal merchants.

Mike Jee

Reg Instone writes, 'Gas Lighting Improvement Co went into oil lighting in the 1890s (note [7]). It became known as GLICO for short, and later changed its name to this. Both Glico and Redline Motor Spirit were absorbed into Anglo-American Oil Co in the early 1930s, and merged as Redline-Glico, which was a subsidiary of Anglo-Am. Anglo-American changed its name to Esso Petroleum in 1953, and the Redline Glico subsidiary was rebranded as well, so all three names actually relate to the same firm and the same depot. Likewise, I think Regent became Texaco circa 1970, although I would have to check the details.'