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Foleshill Railway

Nominally independent, the Foleshill Railway was opened in 1901 to serve Webster's brickwork's from a junction off the Nuneaton line. In 1905 it was extended to serve the new Courtaulds factory and Coventry Ordnance Works and in doing so it crossed on the level at Stoney Stanton Road the 3 foot 6 inch gauge Coventry Corporation Tramway system. During the Great War (First World War) of 1914-18 the line carried much heavy ordnance traffic from the Admiralty works in the form of gun barrels for the Royal Navy's Dreadnought class battleships. A new connection was made with the Coventry Loop Line in 1914 making it not only a through route but one with access to the Rugby to Coventry line as well as the Nuneaton to Coventry line. Courtaulds eventually took over the Foleshill Railway and their traffic was always steam worked, the line closing on 29th February 1972 after Courtaulds converted their boilers from coal to gas. A final steaming was staged on 8th April 1972 before some 100 enthusiasts and Courtaulds wove a silk bookmark to commemorate the event. 'Rocket', the 0-4-0ST Peckett (Works No 1722 of 1926), which was purchased new for the line, was handed over to a local RCTS member for transmission to Tyseley Museum.

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

An unidentified 0-4-0ST is seen moving a large naval gun through Coventry Ordance Works to be moved to Scotoun in Glasgow where it would be married to its mountings
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Coventry City Libraries
An unidentified 0-4-0ST is seen moving a large naval gun through Coventry Ordance Works to be moved to Scotoun in Glasgow where it would be married to its mountings
Another naval gun is seen mounted on Midland Railway trucks whilst standing in the exchange sidings adjacent to the LNWR's Coventry Loop Line
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Coventry City Libraries
Another naval gun is seen mounted on Midland Railway trucks whilst standing in the exchange sidings adjacent to the LNWR's Coventry Loop Line
View of inside the Shell Shop at White & Poppe's factory in Holbrooks as workers are seen loading shell cases into wagons ready to be transported to be filled with explosive
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Coventry City Libraries
View of inside the Shell Shop at White & Poppe's factory in Holbrooks as workers are seen loading shell cases into wagons ready to be transported to be filled with explosive
Another photograph taken at the exchange sidings with what is thought to be a 15 inch gun barrel for one of the Royal Navy's Dreadnought class battleships
Ref: miscfr004
Coventry City Libraries
Another photograph taken at the exchange sidings with what is thought to be a 15 inch gun barrel for one of the Royal Navy's Dreadnought class battleships

View of an unidentified 0-6-0ST as it hauls a gun barrel through the boundary fence between the Foleshill Railway and the LNWR's Coventry Loop Line
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Coventry City Libraries
View of an unidentified 0-6-0ST as it hauls a gun barrel through the boundary fence between the Foleshill Railway and the LNWR's Coventry Loop Line
View of the unidentified 0-6-0ST hauling the 15 inch gun barrel along the Foleshill Railway as it passes alongside the Coventry Canal
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Coventry City Libraries
View of the unidentified 0-6-0ST hauling the 15 inch gun barrel along the Foleshill Railway as it passes alongside the Coventry Canal
Close up showing the 0-4-0ST at the head of the short train carrying the 15 inch gun barrel and the special four-bogie wagon attached at this end
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Coventry City Libraries
Close up showing the 0-4-0ST at the head of the short train carrying the 15 inch gun barrel and the special four-bogie wagon attached at this end
Close up showing the opposite end of the short train which because the barrel was lighter at this end only needed to be carried by a special two-bogie wagon
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Coventry City Libraries
Close up showing the opposite end of the short train which because the barrel was lighter at this end only needed to be carried by a special two-bogie wagon

View of the short train carrying the 15 inch gun barrel which is sandwiched between two 0-4-0ST locomotives as it passes over an unknown road
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Coventry City Libraries
View of the short train carrying the 15 inch gun barrel which is sandwiched between two 0-4-0ST locomotives as it passes over an unknown road
Close up showing the 0-4-0ST which is working hard as it crosses over the bridge at the head of the short train
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Coventry City Libraries
Close up showing the 0-4-0ST which is working hard as it crosses over the bridge at the head of the short train
Close up of the short train carrying the 15 inch gun barrel which shows breech end of the gun barrel and the the length of these giant guns
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Coventry City Libraries
Close up of the short train carrying the 15 inch gun barrel which shows breech end of the gun barrel and the the length of these giant guns
View of one of the 15 inch gun barrels being transported on the Foleshill Railway as it crosses Stoney Stanton Road
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Coventry City Libraries
View of one of the 15 inch gun barrels being transported on the Foleshill Railway as it crosses Stoney Stanton Road

Peckett Class OY1 Special 0-4-0ST Works No 2085 is seen standing cold outside of Courtauld's shed on the Foleshill Railway
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RA Fox
Peckett Class OY1 Special 0-4-0ST Works No 2085 is seen standing cold outside of Courtauld's shed on the Foleshill Railway
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST 'Nellie' Works No 2053 built in 1938 is seen standing within the confines of Courtaulds factory on 6th March 1955
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TJ Edgington
Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST 'Nellie' Works No 2053 built in 1938 is seen standing within the confines of Courtaulds factory on 6th March 1955
Peckett 0-4-0ST Works No 1722 'Rocket' is seen working a train of coal wagons through Courtaulds factory in March 1969
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TJ Edgington
Peckett 0-4-0ST Works No 1722 'Rocket' is seen working a train of coal wagons through Courtaulds factory in March 1969
Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST 'Netherton' was built in 1903 and moved to Coventry in 1916 to build the Holbrooks Lane munitions factory
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J Ryan
Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST 'Netherton' was built in 1903 and moved to Coventry in 1916 to build the Holbrooks Lane munitions factory