LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth

Wilnecote Station

Location

Wilnecote and Fazeley Station was opened on 16th May 1842 by the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway's (B&DJR) on their section of line which ran between Whitacre Junction and Tamworth, the route opening on 12th August 1839. This section of the B&DJR had been initially authorised in 1836 with the bill originally envisaging the line running from Derby via Whitacre to Stechford, and then from here, over the London and Birmingham Railway's metals into Curzon Street station. London traffic was intended to run from Whitacre to Derby Junction (later known as Hampton station) at Hampton in Arden and then to be taken forward by London & Birmingham Railway (L&BR) services to Euston. The first section opened was from Whitacre to Hampton where onward traffic to and from Birmingham and London over L&BR rails commenced. However due to the high tolls charged by the L&BR, and also the significant traffic delays experienced by B&DJR travellers using the L&BR's services into Birmingham, the B&DJR very quickly decided to built their own direct line to Birmingham. However because their route needed to be terminated in Birmingham, they elected to run along the Tame and Rea valleys to a new station in Lawley Street rather than at Stechford as originally planned. Also known as the Tame Valley Railway, this and the Birmingham & Gloucester railway were merged in 1846 with other companies to become part of the Midland Railway. The station is located approximately 1½ miles to the south of Tamworth, just inside the historical borders of the County of Warwickshire. In April 1904 its name was changed from Wilnecote and Fazeley to Wilnecote.

The Station and its facilities

Wilnecote Station was a two platform station with both platforms facing each other with the main running lines in between. Both platforms were located in a cutting to the south of the overbridge which carried Watling Street (the former A5) over the railway. The station's buildings were primarily located on the down (Birmingham) side of the station with just a small timber structure providing a waiting room on the up platform. The facilities on the down side included: a booking office at road level open (see image'mrw1285'); a station master's house on the platform, which also included an office and porter's room, (see image 'mrw1282'); a brick built structure accommodating two waiting rooms, one of which is most probably to be a ladies waiting room (see 'mrw440b'); and another brick built structure housing the gentlemen's urinals (see 'mrw1124b'). After the Second World War a bicycle shed was provided at the top of the embankment adjacent to the road side booking office (as seen in image 'mrw439b'). It should be noted that image 'mrw1828' which was taken in 1949 does not show the bicycle shed. The station's goods yard, which consisted of a goods shed and three looped sidings and two short head shunts adjacent to the overbridge, was located north of Watling Street and on the up side of the running lines. The Railway Clearing House's 1929 Handbook of Railway Stations states Wilnecote station provided the general public and businesses with the following services. These are recorded as: Goods traffic; Passenger and Parcels traffic; and Live Stock (GPL). There was also a 1½ ton crane provided to aid the loading and unloading of goods. The station remains open in the 21st century but the goods yard was closed on 6th July 1964.

Ref: mrw1285 RJ Essery Wilnecote Station's unassuming welcome to passengers seen from the A5 Watling Street in Two Gates

Ref: mrw440c ES Russell Close up of the small timber structure with slate roof accommodating the station's booking office

Ref: mrw1125 A Whiles A panoramic view of Wilnecote Station seen framed by the bridge carrying Watling Street over the railway

Ref: mrw1124 A Whiles Another view of the station looking towards Tamworth with the bicycle sheds at the top of the bank on the right

Ref: mrw439 Stations UK A 1970 view looking north towards Tamworth with the station looking neat and tidy but devoid of furniture

Ref: mrw1282 RJ Essery View of Wilnecote Station's main station building seen from the western side of Watling Street bridge

Ref: mrw440b ES Russell Close up of the structures on the down platform with at least three different brick buildings evident

Ref: mrw439b Stations UK Close up showing Wilnecote station's down platform buildings and the booking office on the road above

Ref: mrw1124b A Whiles Close up showing a detailed view of the smaller down platform buildings at Wilnecote station circa 1960

Ref: mrw1283 RJ Essery View from the top of the ramp by Watling Street bridge down to the northbound or up platform

Ref: mrw439a Stations UK Close up of the refurbished waiting room on the up platform and the footpath leading to Watling Street

Ref: mrw1124a A Whiles Close up view along the up platform towards Tamworth with two porters trolley seen on the left circa 1960

Ref: mrw1284 RJ Essery View of Wilnecote station's timber waiting shelter which was close to the pedestrian path which sloped down

Ref: mrw440 ES Russell Looking north to Tamworth as ex-LMS 5XP 4-6-0 No 45696 'Arethusa' thunders under the A5 road bridge

Ref: mrw440a ES Russell Close up of ex-LMS 4-6-0 Jubilee class No 45696 'Arethusa' at the head of a Newcastle to Bristol express

Ref: mrw1828 Stations UK An unidentified ex-Midland Railway 4F 0-6-0 is seen working northwards with an up freight service in 1949

Perrin & Harrisons Sidings

Ref: mrw1107 W Wright Perrin and Harrison's Sidings just north of Wilnecote station seen on 9th August 1969 a few weeks prior to its closure

Ref: mrw446 JW Elison Ex-LMS 5XP 4-6-0 No 45597 'Barbados' is seen passing Perrin and Harrison's Sidings signal box on 20th May 1963

Miscellaneous

Ref: mrw1126 A Whiles Firemen from three brigades tackle blazing Swedish telegraph poles at Wilnecote sidings on 22nd April 1953

Ref: mrw1103 Ministry of Transport An aerial view of the railway accident at Cliff Sidings which saw ex-LMS 5XP 4-6-0 No 45699 'Galatea derailed

Ref: mrw1103a Ministry of Transport Close up showing the severely damaged railway track and the locomotive No 45699 'Galatea' lying on its side

Ref: adobe Railways Archive The report on the derailment of an express passenger train between Wilnecote and Kingsbury in 1953

Ordnance Maps and MR Distance Diagrams

Ref: mrw1820 National Library of Scotland An 1882 25 inch to mile Ordnance Survey map of Wilnecote station, its goods yard and industrial sidings

Ref: mrw1822 National Library of Scotland An 1882 25 inch to mile OS map showing a close up of Wilnecote station, its goods yard and industrial sidings

Ref: mrw1823 National Library of Scotland An 1882 25 inch to mile OS map showing in close up Wilnecote station and its down platform buildings

Ref: mrw1824 National Library of Scotland A 1901 25 inch to mile Ordnance Survey map of Wilnecote station, its goods yard and industrial sidings

Ref: mrw1825 National Library of Scotland A 1901 25 inch to mile OS map showing a close up of Wilnecote station and its goods shed and yard

Ref: mrw1826 National Library of Scotland A 1921 25 inch to mile Ordnance Survey map of Wilnecote station, its goods yard and industrial sidings

Ref: mrw1827 National Library of Scotland A 1921 25 inch to mile OS map showing a close up of Wilnecote station and its goods shed and yard

Ref: mrw1115 Midland Railway A Midland Distance Diagram showing the juxtaposition of Wilnecote with Tamworth and Kingsbury stations