Bordesley Shed

GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

The information used on this and and connected pages have been inspired by the two articles published in the Broad Gauge Society's in-house magazine. The first article appeared in issue No 45 published in Spring 2001 containing an article by RS Potts with photographs and diagrams. The second article appeared in issue No 47 published in Spring 2002 which contained a follow up article by ET Lyons, again with a map and diagrams. The Broad Gauge Society was formed in 1980 to promote research into the 7 ft 0¼in gauge railways of Britain in the 19th Century. Since its inception its membership have pursued varied interests that cover all areas of the railway operation, including modelling, historical research, industrial archaeology, model engineering, and through to full size re-creation of track and a steamable locomotive. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking the Broad Gauge Society for their support and permission to use relevant drawings.

Bordesley Engine House was opened in 1855 and closed in June 1908 following the building of Tyseley shed. The engine shed was brick built with gable style slated roof and measured 327 ft x 65 ft x 58 ft. The shed was located on the south side of Birmingham and comprised of a four road engine shed with auxillary buildings. The shed included a store measuring 60 ft x 7 ft and 4 x 316 ft pits. Other separate Facilities included: a 45 ft turntable which was replaced in 1902 by a 65 foot diameter turntable (removed to Chippenham on closure in September 1908), a coal stage, a sand furnace - for drying the sand used by locomotives to aid traction, a boiler house - for providing power to tools and the pump house used to raising water from wells, offices, a smithy and stores. On the same side as the Engine House was a Carriage Shed and sidings. Whereas drawings show the 1854 Engine House having 7 foot gauge track, the Carriage Shed accommodated both narrow and broad gauge track. ET Lyons surmises in the second article that whereas the main line was mixed gauge, the sidings etc were segregated into broad and narrow gauge. It is known that a narrow gauge shed existed from 1855 to 1869 and ET Lyons suggests that this might be the temporary engine shed which existed between 1852 and 1855.

The allocation for January 1901 included 76 locomotives broken down as follows:

In addition to the above information, Robert Ferris has extracted the following bridged extract from an article in the Great Western Railway Magazine (Volume XX) 1908

The Ambulance Movement
Birmingham – On Sunday 5th July 1908, an interesting demonstration took place at Bordesley Junction and the occasion was rendered all the more attractive and useful in consequence of the fact that the workers were supposed to be in contact with a real accident and had nothing at their disposal for rendering first aid other than wreckage which would be available on the spot in the event of an accident. Forty patients lay on the ground and in the carriages in various positions and each one of them was labelled with one of the numbers shown in a list, which were supposed to be injuries received in a railway collision. Ninety ambulance men were assembled some distance from the scene of the ‘accident’ and were summoned by the explosion of detonators, on which signal they hastened to the scene and immediately rendered first aid.

It says much for the training of the men that in the short time of thirty-five minutes the whole of the patients had been attended to and taken to the hospital van standing near. The demonstration was attended by a number of the local railway officials and interest taken in the experiment by local ambulance enthusiasts and others, all of whom were loud in their praise of the work done and of the initiative in organising such a practical illustration of the manner in which railway members of the St John Ambulance Association are prepared to meet emergencies. The proceedings were also watched by a large number of relatives and friends of the men. The accompanying photographs of the several stages of the proceedings will, no doubt, add to the interest of the readers of the Magazine and will illustrate better than any descriptive matter the conditions under which the men worked.

Much of the information on this and other webpages of Warwickshire Railways is derived from articles or books listed in our 'bibliography'.

Ref: gwrbg-shed1734 RS Potts Photograph showing the Birmingham end of Bordesley engine shed with a locomotive over one of the ash pits

Ref: gwrbg-shed1950 GWR Magazine View of the original sheer legs installed during the days when the shed still serviced Broad Gauge locomotives

Ref: gwrbg-shed1950a GWR Magazine Close up showing through the legs, and in the background, the shed's pump house and large circular water tank

Ref: gwrbg-shed1951 GWR Magazine View of the large water tank with a capacity of 22,450 gallons provided at Bordesley engine shed by the GWR

Ref: gwrbg-shed1458 GWR Magazine Staged accident at Bordesley Junction by the GWR with the former Bordesley shed seen in the background

Ref: gwrbg-shed1459 GWR Magazine Another view of the staged accident with the former Bordesley shed seen in the background on 5th July 1908

Ref: gwrbg-shed1460 GWR Magazine The staff who staged the accident at Bordesley Junction with the former Bordesley shed seen in the background

Ref: gwrbg-shed1637 British History Online Map showing the location of Bordesley shed which was located the opposite side of the railway to Oakley Road

Ref: gwrbg-shed1963 RS Potts Plan of Bordesley carriage shed's 3 road broad gauge carriage shed and the 2 road narrow gauge extension

Ref: gwrbg-shed1960 RS Potts Schematic drawings showing Bordesley carriage shed's 1855 front and side elevations

Ref: gwrbg-shed1962 RS Potts Schematic plan of the four road broad gauge 1854 Birmingham Engine House at Bordesley

Ref: gwrbg-shed1957 RS Potts Schematic drawings showing the two side elevations of the 1854 broad gauge Bordesley Engine House

Ref: gwrbg-shed1958 RS Potts Schematic drawing showing a transverse section of the 1854 broad gauge Birmingham Engine House at Bordesley

Ref: gwrbg-shed1956 RS Potts Schematic drawing showing the end elevation of the 1854 broad gauge Birmingham Engine House at Bordesley

Ref: gwrbg-shed1959 RS Potts Schematic drawing showing doors of the 1854 broad gauge Birmingham Engine House at Bordesley

Ref: gwrbg-shed2204 RS Potts Schematic plan showing the GWR's broad gauge shed and servicing facilities at Bordesley circa 1882

Ref: gwrbg-shed2205 RS Potts Composite map showing the GWR's former broad gauge shed and servicing facilities at Bordesley in 1889

Ref: gwrbg-shed2207 GWR Official drawing dated 30th November 1896 showing the different facilities provided at Bordesley shed

Ref: gwrbg-shed2206 RS Potts OS map showing the GWR's former broad gauge shed and servicing facilities at Bordesley in 1890

Ref: gwrbg2714 Ordnance Survey OS map showing the GWR's former broad gauge shed and servicing facilities just prior to closure

The LMS and its successor, British Railways, undertook to film various aspects of operating steam locomotives and other railway operations. We have provided below links to some of the films related to shed operation that we know exist. When we ascertain films on GWR operations we shall add these to the website too. Films on other aspects of railway operations can be viewed via our Video and Film Clip section.