GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Acocks Green & South Yardley Station: gwrag2303

Photograph showing the demolition of a bridge near Acocks Green appeared in the Great Western Railway Magazine of March 1906. In January of that year a contract had been let for the widening of the Birmingham Main Line between Olton and Tyseley including a new passenger and goods station at the latter place and the remodelling of Acocks Green station. The following is a transcript of the article which accompanied the photograph. Birmingham Widening: The demolition of brick or masonry bridges by explosives is always an interesting subject. The accompanying illustration gives an exceptionally good view of such an operation whereby a bridge at 125 ¾ m.p., near Acocks Green, was removed. The explosive used consisted of 83 charges of tonite placed in holes previously drilled in the brickwork of the structure. Two hours’ occupation had been allowed for the work, which involved protecting the main line with timber, the actual blowing up of the structure and clearing away the debris.

Robert Ferris

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