LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Nuneaton
LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth

Lawley Street Goods Depot: mrls308a

Close up of image 'mrls308' showing Lawley Street Goods Shed's side entrances used by road transport and a variety of fragile goods and horse-drawn trailers. In addition to the items protected by the canvas tarpaulins are 'Salt-Glazed Vitreous Clayware ' a robust but fragile material used for drainage and sewer systems. Loads similar to these could be transported in open wagons being impervious to water but were fragile if knocked and therefore they would be packed in straw lined wagons covered by a tarpaulin to prevent the straw from either blowing away, catching fire - because of the embers emitted by the locomotive, or getting wet and thereby reducing its capacity to protect the goods. The horse-drawn wagons were designed to allow sharp turns to be made, an essential feature as it was difficult to 'reverse' a horse drawn cart. The basic design was sprung axles, smaller wheels at the front to allow for tighter turning and large wheels at the rear to aid stability.

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