Ocker Hill Power Station

[SNCF stephen]

As part of my job I was fortunate enough to be out on site at the old Ocker Hill Power Station. I snapped these pictures and thought people on this site might be interested in some of the old infrastructure that is still in place:

 

Finally here is one on the Ocker Hill sidings close to a stop sign that is very rusted!

 

I hope to get some better ones of this area in the future.

 

Stephen

[bike2steam]

How sad to see the state of the once busy line that resonated to the sounds of 8F's, and Super D's thundering up hill on what seemed to be an endless stream of heavy freights.

 

 

[Guest Phil]

Hi Stephen.

 

By "old Ocker Hill PS site", are you referring to the oil burning station, or the original coal burning plant ? I thought the coal fired station site had been redeveloped some years ago.

 

Thanks for posting

[SNCF stephen]

Hi Stephen.

 

By "old Ocker Hill PS site", are you referring to the oil burning station, or the original coal burning plant ? I thought the coal fired station site had been redeveloped some years ago.

 

Thanks for posting

 

I will have to check the Historic Maps when I return to work on Monday but this site is the one adjacent to the large hill behind the Midland Metro depot (with the Woden Lion on it).

 

It is indeed in a sad state but I am always surprised to see the track in place, most other lines would have had it lifted ages ago.

 

I have also been fortunate to read correspondence about the signal box on the line in this location (Near to the end of Shaw Street in Hill Top, West Bromwich). It is a fascinating piece of derilict land.

 

If anyone has any pictures of the line in operation I would be most interested to see them.

[bike2steam]

It is indeed in a sad state but I am always surprised to see the track in place, most other lines would have had it lifted ages ago.

 

 

I believe because of it's location, and future possible use, it was/is supposed to be 'mothballed'.

There are a few pics of the line in use in books by Ned Williams, and the books on the Black Country by Michael Hale.

This thread could be combined with the excellent one on ' Forgotten Railways Of The West Midlands'.

[James]

Stephen , thanks for posting these - I can't be alone in finding sites like these fascinating! They always appear to offer such promise!

 

Do you mind asking for whom you work?

[buckdancer]

What exactly does "mothballed" mean?

Is it that it's too expensive to rip up the track?

Does "mothballing" deter thieves who might be tempted but the possibility of a train coming along deters them because if it derailed they would be in for serious charges?

['CHARD]

When I last visited a couple of years ago, there were many missing sections. Around Wednesbury Town station, Eagle crossing, Dudley Port LL, Great Bridge, Dudley Tunnel, Blowers Green, Merry Hill, and the junction with the chord from Bescot had all had panels removed by persons unknown.

[bike2steam]

What exactly does "mothballed" mean?

 

Kept in situ in case of possible future use.

[Sparky 20br /]

As part of my job I was fortunate enough to be out on site at the old Ocker Hill Power Station. I snapped these pictures and thought people on this site might be interested in some of the old infrastructure that is still in place:

 

Finally here is one on the Ocker Hill sidings close to a stop sign that is very rusted!

 

I hope to get some better ones of this area in the future.

 

Stephen

Hi Stephen I can tell you that you first three photo's (sorry) are not remnents of the power station, they are the Dudley frieght line. The line that fed both the coal and oil fired power stations came off the frieght line at potters lane wednesbury just under the GWR (Metro) bridge the line was single track working and required a key or staff from the signalman at potters lane or princes end signal box, once the key is extracted, it locked the system until the key was replaced back into the system at the next signal box. I hope this has answered a few questions on this topic. If you are planning a visit I would be only too glad to tag along and pass on my recollections of the area.

Just a parting piece. The oil fired power station was driven by the same engines as concord but I can't remember if the sation had two or four engines ?

[Sparky 20br /]

I will have to check the Historic Maps when I return to work on Monday but this site is the one adjacent to the large hill behind the Midland Metro depot (with the Woden Lion on it).

 

It is indeed in a sad state but I am always surprised to see the track in place, most other lines would have had it lifted ages ago.

 

I have also been fortunate to read correspondence about the signal box on the line in this location (Near to the end of Shaw Street in Hill Top, West Bromwich). It is a fascinating piece of derilict land.

 

If anyone has any pictures of the line in operation I would be most interested to see them.

There were two signal box's in that area one at potters lane which was 'Wednesbury No1' and the one by shaw rd was actually on eagle lane and was called 'Eagle lane/crossing. Hope that helps.

[SNCF stephen]

There were two signal box's in that area one at potters lane which was 'Wednesbury No1' and the one by shaw rd was actually on eagle lane and was called 'Eagle lane/crossing. Hope that helps.

 

Thanks for the input. I was aware that the pictures were from the Walsall to Stourbridge freight line. I added them because they were close to the location I was visiting. I am also in the lucky position with my job to have access to correspondence with BR at the time of the Eagle Lane/Golds Hill crossing closure. Interestingly the signaller was unaware of the closure until very close to the end. There were cottages on the western side of the line that were served by the crossing, however the crossing did not have full vehicle rights.

 

It is a very interesting area to examine. It will undergo a huge change if they manage to reopen the freight line. The Tram line looks like it is dead in the water for at least 6 years (and that is before any development could take place on the ground so it would be about 2020 it would open at the earliest).

 

Thank you for the offer of the walkabout in the area. I might take you up on that, however at the moment I don't expect to be able to visit that area for some time.

[Sparky 20br /]

Thanks for the input. I was aware that the pictures were from the Walsall to Stourbridge freight line. I added them because they were close to the location I was visiting. I am also in the lucky position with my job to have access to correspondence with BR at the time of the Eagle Lane/Golds Hill crossing closure. Interestingly the signaller was unaware of the closure until very close to the end. There were cottages on the western side of the line that were served by the crossing, however the crossing did not have full vehicle rights.

 

It is a very interesting area to examine. It will undergo a huge change if they manage to reopen the freight line. The Tram line looks like it is dead in the water for at least 6 years (and that is before any development could take place on the ground so it would be about 2020 it would open at the earliest).

 

Thank you for the offer of the walkabout in the area. I might take you up on that, however at the moment I don't expect to be able to visit that area for some time.

If you are still in touch with BR, one of the last signalmen who worked that line now works at Bescot. Named Barry Taylor.

[SNCF stephen]

If you are still in touch with BR, one of the last signalmen who worked that line now works at Bescot. Named Barry Taylor.

 

Afraid the correspondence ceases abruptly in the early 70's (when the West Bromwich Corporation was wound up!). The correspondence was with the British Transport Commission regarding the crossing in that location. I expect there may have been more correspondence on file. A lot of it deals with the closure of the crossing in that location and the alternatives they were putting into place. What eventually happened was the crossing was closed for vehicles (which never officially had any rights any way) but remained and remains as a pedestrian crossing. When the Ocker Hill power station was built the Public Right of Way to the north was diverted around the site and still exists (although the foot bridge they have in that location is absolutely fascinating in the way it has been vandalised). Only part of the area of the sidings remains with the rest having been built over.

 

Have you ever walked the rest of the line?