Washwood Heath Sidings

LMS Route: Nuneaton to Birmingham New Street
LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth

Washwood Heath sidings was first opened by the Midland Railway to serve their needs in the Birmingham area in October 1877. Initially the MR provided the sidings on the down (Derby to Birmingham) line presumably because the traffic was predominently inward bound to the immediate area. With the ever increasing volume of traffic, the MR enlarged the down sidings fourteen years later in 1891.

Further expansion of traffic, outward bound from Birmingham and the immediate locality, caused the MR to establish sidings on the up (Birmingham to Derby) line in January 1918. The growth of light engineering saw the region escape the worse excesses of the 1930s slump and further traffic was still being generated. This increase required the up sidings to be enlarged in 1930 followed by further enlargement to the down sidings in 1935.

The sidings were located at Washwood Heath because the site offered a number of considerable advantages to the Midland Railway who required a facility near Birmingham on the main Derby to Bristol line. It was very near to the centre of Birmingham, it was a level and greenfield site (in today's parlance) and was also close to LNWR and GWR routes to facilitate easy exchanges of traffic to other major conurbations in the country.

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

Ref: mrwhg345 - NRM A panoramic view of the down sidings

Ref: mrwhg345a - NRM One of Washwood Heath's signal boxes

Ref: mrwhg345b - NRM Close up showing the variety of wagons

Ref: mrwhg345c - NRM Close up showing an open-sided goods shed

Ref: mrwhg345d - NRM Local contractors offices outside warehouse

Ref: mrwhg345e - NRM View of approach roads to warehouse and crane

Ref: mrwhg345f - NRM View of approach to open-sided warehouse and new MR wagons

Ref: mrwhg345g - NRM MR 0-6-0 No 630 working in the yard

Ref: mrwhg345h - NRM MR 0-6-0 No 645 at the head of a goods train in the yard

Ref: mrwhg348 - NRM Panoramic view of the down sidings

Ref: mrwhg348a - NRM Close up of MR 0-6-0 arriving with a coal train

Ref: mrwhg348b - NRM Close of the yard adjacent to the Birmingham-Derby line

Ref: mrwhg348c - NRM Close up showing Washwood Heath signal boxes No 3 & No 4

Ref: mrwhg348d - NRM Close up showing coal sidings

Ref: mrwhg348e - NRM Close up showing sidings Nos 21 to 23

Ref: mrwhg355 - NRM Looking towards Derby with arrival sidings on the right.

Ref: mrwhg355a - NRM Close up of the Derby end of the sidings

Ref: mrwhg355b - NRM The arrival sidings and the shunting line

Ref: mrwhg355c - NRM Another section of the arrival sidings

Ref: mrwhg450 - DJ Norton Ex-MR 0-6-0 No 3052

Ref: mrwhg449 - DJ Norton from Washwood Heath Jct Box

Ref: mrwhg346 - RJ Essery Collection The sidings for the Camp Hill banking and pilot locomotives

Ref: mrwhg354 - WL Good LMS 2-6-0+0-6-2 Beyer Peacock No 4976

Ref: mrwhg354a - WL Good Close up showing Washwood Heath Sidings No 1 signal box

Ref: mrwhg452 - DJ Norton Washwood Heath Sidings No1 Box

Ref: mrwhg453 - DJ Norton Washwood Heath Box from Metro Cam Branch

Ref: mrwhg454 - DJ Norton Washwood Heath Box From E

Ref: mrwhg455 - DJ Norton Washwood Heath Box from Down Main

Ref: mrwhg456 - DJ Norton Washwood Heath Box

Ref: mrwhg457 - DJ Norton S View from Washwood Heath Sidings No1 Box

Ref: mrwhg458 - DJ Norton N View From Washwood Heath Sidings No1 Box

Ref: mrwhg459 - DJ Norton LNWR Bridges on Aston to Stechford line near Washwood Heath

Ref: mrwhg460 - DJ Norton Washwood Heath Viaduct

Ref: 1909 washwoodheath_map - Birmingham City Library

Ref: washwoodheath_sidings_map - A Norton Washwood Heath Sidings Map

Ref: mrwhg460 - David Millin of MetCam web site Saltley Carriage Works