GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Olton Station: gwro4018

Great Western Railway 4-6-0 6000 (King) class locomotives No. 6001 ‘King Edward VII’ and No 6014 ‘King Henry VII’ traverse the new Relief lines on the new steel plate bridge over Widney Lane, Solihull during the 2nd speed test at 62-65 mph (this location is at 120m 73c). The Bridge Inspector from the GWR (Civil) Engineering Department is measuring the resulting deflection with rods held against the bridge girders during the test. A plume of smoke indicate that the other pair of Great Western Railway 4-6-0 6000 (King) class locomotives (No 6017 ‘King Edward IV’ and No 6005 ‘King George II’) are alongside. At this location the new lines were built on the south-west side of the original track. Both pairs of locomotives are heading towards Lapworth from Solihull. Widney Manor station is immediately to the right of the photograph

This photograph is Solihull Central Library record reference No 1788, courtesy R Waring.

Robert Ferris

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