Guest Book: Page 21

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I had to contact you again after reading the article on Hockley Goods Depot. This was my first place of employment on British Railways Western Region - in 1958. I was first a messenger boy in the Correspondence office, and remember John Davies and Frank Popplewell, both clerical chaps, along with Charlie Turner, Mr Fitzroy, Don Spargo and Maurice Overton - who mended a clock for me and who has supplied information to your wonderful website. I became a van driver eventually, and left Hockley for Saltley in March 1963.

Albert Horton

A most interesting site. I am sure I will revisit in the future.

Paul Rouet

Hi Mike - Just to let you know that my website is at last up and running at billdargue.jimdo.com 'A History of Birmingham Places & Placenames' . . . from A to Y. I haven't used all the images, but may do as I start to rework the site. I have attributed them to you and your site which I've included in my Top Ten sites list, also in the Acknowledgements section and the websites list. So far I've got pictures of yours in the Snow Hill and Castle Bromwich articles.

Many thanks and kind regards - Bill Dargue

I am a retired driver ex Saltley, and as was Mike Green (see notes in image 'mrsalt80'), a fireman in the 1960s and remained at Saltley until early retirement in 2006. The buildings in the photograph 'mrsalt80', are soon to be demolished, completely eradicating the whole of that which stood before. Most of the trackwork has been lifted, only two lines remaining to allow scrap trains access to Dunns scrapyard. Incidentally, Dunns have purchased the site of what was Saltley. The remaining drivers there will move into new accommodation soon. This information was received from a present driver at Saltley.

Albert Horton

Congratulations on your site as I hope to construct a model layout based on Barnt Green some of the images I will find very informative. Thanks.

Alan E Smith

The building on the right hand side in 'gcrcs1c' became the station masters house. Usually the GCR built them all the same, along with the stations on the London Extension. Rugby was unique in that respect.

John Larkin

I come across this site every now and then when I am searching for Western Region items and always get lost in your very interesting pages. Keep up the good work.

Ken Green

Hi. Love the website. Well done. As a resident of Kenilworth I can't help but mourn the demise of our lovely station. Still, that's progress!

Kind regards - Paul Williams

Hi - I just came across your fascinating website while researching old stations around Coventry and Warwickshire. At some point during October, we are planning on creating a feature on the BBC Coventry & Warwickshire website about the old railway stations - particular those that were closed by Beeching. I was wondering, would you be able to help us with our research into this? We don't know how the information will be displayed on the website yet, but any help would be appreciated. We are also planning to do features on the radio also. As I said, it's all very much in the planning stages at the moment...

Many thanks & best wishes, Hannah Tobin, Web Producer, BBC Coventry & Warwickshire .

As can be seen from our appeal above I have agreed to help and so have other railway enthusiasts too. You can help to by filling in the gaps of our photographic coverage and by writing about your memories. For instance, we need more photographs of the Coventry to Nuneaton line as many of our views are poor in quality and too few in number. If you know of the whereabouts of photographs or books that contain views of stations from Warwickshire please let us know and we will track down the photographer.

On the subject of anniversaries to celebrate in 2008. Its One hundred and Seventy years since the London and Birmingham Railway opened; One hundred years since the Great Western Railway opened the North Warwickshire line; Sixty years since British Railways were formed by the nationalisation of the big four - the Great Western Railway, London Midland Scottish Railway, London North Eastern Railway and the Southern Railway and Forty years since steam locomotives were retired from mainline duties in the UK.

Excellent site. I have lived in and around Henley in Arden for many years. I was fascinated to see the photos of the old Henley in Arden Station.

Ken Smith

Used to be a mad Leamington train spotter. My favourite spot was on top of a concrete shed behind Leamington Avenue station. You could see anything on the GWR and anything on the Midland line. Another good spot was the 'cattle pens' near the Ford factory. Best memories - City of Truro coming through on the main line, and a Sunday morning diversion on the Midland line - 'Sir William Stanier FRS' came storming through, and I swear the station shook for three minutes afterwards. I could also see the raised Midland lie beyond Victoria Park from my bedroom window, but it was just too far to ever see any numbers. Once travelled all the way from Leamington Avenue to Louth via Rugby, Peterborough East, Peterborough North and Boston. My granddad worked at Leamington sheds (84D?) I have a picture of him with a loco in the 1920s if anyone's interested

David Prestidge

David - Many thanks for sharing your memories and yes we would certainly welcome the photo to add to the site. If you can, please scan it as normal and save it as a jpg.

The Great Central photo 'gcrcs21' is dated to around 1950. I believe that it is much earlier than that. The left hand chimney stack on the booking hall was struck by lightning in the 1940s and demolished. Great site keep it up.

John Larkin

John - Thanks for the information as it helps to make the site better informed and accurate.

At last I have found some information about Rugby Locomotive Testing Station, and all the routes that I worked on in my period as a locomotive foreman.

Thanks - Michael Hutchinson

What memories - Pebworth Halt, Long Marston and many others. Thanks for bringing such wonderful memories back of the days of the steam train and No 25 diesel car train all passing through Pebworth. Memories also of helping the fire brigade to put out grass fires on the railway embankments when an old freight train going up towards Honeybourne would chuck up a load of sparks and set the banks and fields alight. Many thanks and keep up the good work.

Jim Keyte

Hi - I was a fireman at Saltley in the 60`s, and I can confirm that the room on the right in image 'mrsalt80' was referred to as "The Checker`s hut". This was where all the locos were booked on and off shed. The checker also gave loco crews who were working on the shed link instructions on where to place the locos they were disposing or preparing. The long room to the left of the checkers hut was the crew canteen, where you would sometimes pass many hours waiting for work. Hope this information is of use. Great site - it brought back many memories for me.

Regards Mike Green, former Saltley fireman.

I think your website is great! It is easy to navigate and search, and its contents are fascinating! I moved to the Midlands (specifically Kenilworth) ten years ago, so I am not an LMS guru, and this morning was the first opportunity I had to walk along part of the disused line from Kenilworth Junction to Balsall Common. Having done that walk, I wanted to learn something of that line's history, and see photos of what types of locos and trains used the line, so I searched the Internet and found your website.

It showed me just what I wanted, and very easily too! Trouble is, as someone else said, it is so interesting I have spent far too long just wandering around it when I should be doing something else. Your years of work are without doubt worthwhile; I have book-marked your site and will return to explore it further soon, so please keep up this excellent piece of work.

Thanks - Tony Darlington

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