Hockley GWR goods depot Birmingham

[Liam]

Hi chaps

 

I'm thinking of creating a small layout loosely based on the GWR Hockley Goods Depot in Birmingham, perhaps 1950s. Does anyone have any photos or suggestions for motive power?

 

Thank you,

 

Liam (SVRlad)

 

PS I'll try to still continue my other project (see below) in addition.

[Mikkel]

Liam, do you mean photos of locos specifically or just the goods depot in general?

 

If the latter, here's a good place to start: http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/hockley_goods.htm

 

The GWRJ issues 15-20 had a 6-part article about Hockley. Many of the photos are the same as on the Warwickshire site. I don't have all of those issues, but in those I do have there is not much about locos specifically. One interesting comment though is that locos were initially allowed into the shed here, until it was banned.

[Davey]

I used to pass through Hockley Station regularly in the late 50's to the mid 60's, on my way from Smethwick West to Birmingham Snow Hill usually behind a prairie tank, but sadly I don't have any photographs, however I do have quite distinct memories.

 

As I recall, the depot was usually shunted by pannier tanks, always it seems with a match truck attached. I've lost all my number books from that period, but seem to recall the yard was regularly shunted by a 57xx pannier in the 37xx series, on which the original GWR legend could still be seen beneath the grime.

 

Being next to the mainline, all classes of ex GWR engines could be seen. Incoming traffic into the yard, could arrive behind any of the following classes : 37xx/57xx/77xx/87xx, 56/66 xx, 28/38xx, 47xx, Granges and Halls. Occasionally WD 2-8-0's could also be seen.

 

Hope this is of some help.

 

Davey

[Liam]

Liam, do you mean photos of locos specifically or just the goods depot in general?

 

If the latter, here's a good place to start: http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/hockley_goods.htm

 

The GWRJ issues 15-20 had a 6-part article about Hockley. Many of the photos are the same as on the Warwickshire site. I don't have all of those issues, but in those I do have there is not much about locos specifically. One interesting comment though is that locos were initially allowed into the shed here, until it was banned.

Both actually.

[TheSignalEngineer]

A lot of through freights stopped at Hockley for traffic purposes. Some of the traffic was also tripped in from Bordesley Yard using mainly 57xx, sometimes 56xx, 74xx or occasionally Large Prairies. there are a few pictures on the Warwickshire Railways site linked above of these passing Snow Hill.

 

A good place to get some times and indications of the shunt trips etc is http://www.michaelclemensrailways.co.uk/?atk=572. That site has the Birmingham Freight Working Timetable for various periods from Summer 1959 to Winter 1962/3. The yard had three shunt trips in 1959. One was 24 hours, the others arrived in the morning off incoming trains and returned to shed later. by 1962 these were booked for diesel locos.

[28XX]

There are some buildings still standing on site. How loosely?

['CHARD]

There are some buildings still standing on site. How loosely?

 

LOL - I admit that a 'small' layout based on this made me smile in the wry fashion at which I am expert...  it was purportedly the GW's largest freight facility in the city, if not the Western world!

[TheSignalEngineer]

LOL - I admit that a 'small' layout based on this made me smile in the wry fashion at which I am expert...  it was purportedly the GW's largest freight facility in the city, if not the Western world!

Don't forget that it also had a yard and canal transfer basin on the other side of All Saints Street, accessed from the level of the main depot by wagon hoists. I went to fix a phone there c1968 in the Plant & Machinery depot, which was housed in what was formerly the Wheelwrights and Farriers workshop. 

There was also a borehole at the back of that building which supplied a water main linking all of the GWR sites from Winson Green to Tyseley Shed.

 

When steam finished at Tyseley many of the cellars in buildings around Hockley became flooded by rising ground water due to the borehole not being used.

Edited May 6, 2017 by TheSignalEngineer

[Liam]

Thank you gentlemen for your feedback.

 

Yes, the small yard with the basin is the bit I intend to model - I could condense it to include a bit of the shed for a scenic break.

 

Like I say, I'll probably concentrate on the Kinlet Exchange Sidings layout first as it is more manageable both physically and economically. Were there any capstans at Hockley? I know they had them at Camp Hill.

[Phil Bullock]

Hi Liam

 

Have you seen the Moor Street layout?

 

https://www.scalefour.org/shows/S4um2010/moorst.html
 

Might help with some inspiration for Hockley

 

When I was young my Aunt lived near to Hockley ....abiding memory is the sound of shunting, ringing buffers etc

 

Cheers

 

Phil

 

Edited May 6, 2017 by Phil Bullock

[Liam]

Ah yes Phil, I would love to have witnessed it but sadly was born a few years too late.

 

I'll PM you over the next few days and just finalise a date when I can help out at the GWR diesel gala.

[Phil Bullock]

That would be great Liam

 

Please do

 

Phil

[TheSignalEngineer]

Were there any capstans at Hockley? I know they had them at Camp Hill.

There is a 1:1250 plan on old-maps.co.uk which shows the positions of capstans and bollards in the canal part of the yard as they were in 1955.

 

Incidentally, my great-great-grandfather worked there when he moved to Birmingham. 

Edited May 6, 2017 by TheSignalEngineer

[dpgibbons]

The canal exchange sidings at Horsley were at a different level to the main yard and were therefore accessed by a double wagon lift. Presumably this means there was means of access for a loco, so how was this section shunted I wonder? It seems rather large to have been shunted by capstans.

[wagonman]

If the lower yard was physically isolated except for a wagon lift then I would be very surprised if there were any loco shunting there at all so, unless you can find a way to make working capstans, I'd look elsewhere.

[Zunnan]

Horse and capstan was the motive power in the basin complex, it had a huge stable block as part of the complex. You could possibly suggest the use of capstans by motorising a couple of wagons, though I'm not convinced it'd give the right impression...it looks odd when you're trying to mimic gravity working. A powered wagon has certainly been done for tractor haulage where the tractor is simply pushed by a black beetle fitted van, a lovely layout called Trinity Dock uses such a setup.

[TheSignalEngineer]

The canal wharf was capstan-shunted. The positions of the turntables used to access the lifts, the capstans and bollards  as at 1955 are all shown on the 1:1250 map on old-maps.co.uk. See at https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/405395/288149/13/101329  (switch off the blue background by clicking the blue square symbol top right of the map)

 

The Birmingham Level of the canal into the yard was at 450' above sea level. access to the main yard from Pitsford Street was at about 420'. The turntables in the main yard gave access to the two tunnels under All Saints Street to the lift. The link in Post #2 above has a lot of pictures of the area.

 

On Google Street View at the junction of All Saints Street, Pitsford Street and Crabtree Street you can still see the Farriers & Wheelwrights shop, Vet's office and part of the  stables block.

Edited February 26, 2018 by TheSignalEngineer