Lifford Station and Junction

LMS Route: Evesham to Birmingham

The history of Lifford Station Junction is unusual insofar there were three stations named Lifford prior to 1940 when passenger services finally ceased as a wartime emergency measure. The first station, located on the Birmingham & Gloucester Railway (B&GR) line, had a very short operational life opening on 17th December 1840 and closing on 1st December 1844. It was not until 1st June 1876 that the second was opened but this time it was on the new Birmingham West Suburban Railway line some half a mile from the first station. This station was the terminus of the single line branch worked by the Midland Railway to central Birmingham. This too had a short operational life being closed on 28th September 1885 when the Midland Railway upgraded the Birmingham West Suburban Railway by doubling the line and building at a tunnel at New Street station.

The third station was located on the Birmingham & Gloucester Railway very close to the site of the original station that had first opened in 1840. This station was a substantial affair even though it only initially served passenger services running from New Street via Camp Hill. Later when the Lifford Curve was opened on 16th May 1892 (for goods) and 1st July 1892 (for passenger services) some passenger services were then looped to start and finish at New Street running via the Lifford Curve and Camp Hill. The installation of Lifford Curve resulted in a rearrangement of the entrance to Lifford goods yard with the original goods shed losing its rail connection in the process. The third station was opened on 28th September 1885 and officially closed to passengers on 27th November 1946.

Ref: mr_lif494 RS Carpenter Looking towards Camp Hill and Birmingham with Lifford goods yard on the left behind the station's up platform

Ref: mr_lif494a RS Carpenter Close up showing Lifford station's goods yard and the three stand alone platform structures

Ref: mr_lif494b RS Carpenter Close up showing Lifford's third and last station and its main passenger building located on the down platform

Ref: mr_lif810 Postcard Looking from the up platform towards Kings Norton with Lifford Station Junction signal box in the distance on the left

Ref: mr_lif496 DJ Norton View of the long abandoned second Lifford station building which closed on 28th September 1885

Ref: mr_lif811 Anon Another view of Lifford station's long abandoned second building which closed on after a relatively short life

Ref: mr_lif497 DJ Norton Looking towards Birmingham with the junction on the left and Lifford Station Junction signal box on the right

Ref: mr_lif815 W Wright Three-quarter view of Lifford Station Junction signal box on 3rd August 1969 shortly before it closed in September

Ref: mr_lif812 UK Stations An unidentified ex-LMS 0-6-0 4F locomotive passes Lifford Station Junction signal box with an up goods train

Ref: mr_lif816 DJ Norton An interior night time view of Lifford Station Junction ex-Midland signal box taken on 28th September 1959

Ref: mr_lif814 DJ Norton View of a Midland Railway gas lamp used within Lifford Station Junction signal box on 28th September 1959

Ref: mr_lif830 DJ Norton View of the side elevation of Lifford Station's good shed which was erected by the BWSR in 1876

Ref: mr_lif820 DJ Norton End view of Lifford Station Junction goods shed showing the bricked-up rail entrance and cycle shed

Ref: mr_lif818 DJ Norton View looking towards Camp Hill showing an unidentified ex-MR 0-6-0 3F shunting in Lifford goods yard

Ref: mr_lif818a DJ Norton Close up showing Lifford goods yard and the assorted covered and open wagons standing in the yard

Ref: mr_lif819a DJ Norton Close up showing Lifford goods yard's replacement shed on the left and an assortment of wagons

Ref: mr_lif813 TJ Edgington An unidentified ex-LMS 4-6-0 'Black 5' is seen coming off Lifford West Junction with empty stock from New Street

Ref: mr_lif821 DJ Norton Looking towards Kings Norton with Lifford Station signal box on the left and Lifford Curve on the right on 29th July 1957

Ref: mr_lif822 DJ Norton View of Lifford Curve facing towards Lifford Station Junction signal box and the main line to Camp Hill

Ref: mr_lif823 DJ Norton Another view of Lifford Station Junction signal box showing an 0-6-0 Diesel shunter being held by signals

Ref: mr_lif829 DJ Norton An unidentified ex-MR 0-6-0 3F locomotive is seen running tender first at the head of a goods train on 3rd May 1953

Ref: mr_lif824 DJ Norton Looking towards Lifford with the junction of the original Birmingham West Suburban Railway on the right

Ref: mr_lif827 DJ Norton Ex-GWR 4-6-0 Hall class No 5984 'Linden Hall' is seen on a class D semi-fitted freight on 10th June 1963

Ref: mr_lif819 DJ Norton Ex-MR 0-6-0 3F No 43812 is seen at the head of a westbound Class J mineral train on 7th March 1950

Ref: mr_lif828 DJ Norton Ex-MR 0-6-0 2F No 58138 is seen leaving Lifford goods yard with two LMS guard vans behind its tender in 1961

Ref: mr_lif495 DJ Norton View of the original BWSR's route which ran parallel to the Worcester Canal on 31st August 1955

Ref: mr_lif825 DJ Norton View from the bridge carrying the B&GR over the original Birmingham West Suburban Railway's line in 1963

Ref: mr_lif826 DJ Norton View of the canal branch line with the B&GR Camp Hill to Kings Norton line in the distance in September 1954

Ref: mr_lif838 DJ Norton Looking towards Kings Norton showing the original Birmingham West Suburban Railway route on the left

Ref: mr_lif839 DJ Norton View of an unidentified ex-MR 0-6-0 locomotive at the head of a rake of open wagons as it traverses the canal branch

Ref: mr_lif840 DJ Norton Looking along the Canal branch towards Bournville with the junction signal box seen in the middle distance

Ref: kt348 Gloucester RC&WCo Lifford Coal Company Wagon No 1 built by Gloucester RC&W Company

Maps and Diagrams

Ref: mr_generic1430b Midland Railway Part of MR Distance Diagram dated 1913 showing the two routes south from New Street to Kings Norton

Ref: mr_lif817 J Copsey Schematic diagram showing the various railway lines around Bournville, Lifford and Kings Norton

Ref: lifford_map A Doherty Map showing the main railway lines around Lifford Station, the long through siding and the surrounding roads