LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth

LMS Route: Nuneaton to Birmingham New Street

Washwood Heath Sidings: mrwhg346

Looking towards Bromford Bridge with Aston Church Road bridge in the foreground and the bank sidings to the left and right of the signal. The signal box in the distance seen under the second arch was Washwood No 2 box and marked the start of the extensive network of sidings. The Aston Church Road can be seen to dip to pass under the LNWR connecting line (see bridge far right) which joined the former Midland Railway's Birmingham-Derby line to the LNWR's line Aston-Stechford line. The connection was installed because the LNWR purchased Saltley Carriage Works to provide their carriages and wagons before centralising this business at Wolverton. The bank sidings either side of the signal were used by the pilot and banking engines required to assist the Camp Hill freights on the steeply rising incline over the next 2¾ miles.

The lines to the centre of Birmingham were more complex from this point onwards. Whereas up to the former LNWR bridge carrying the Aston to Stechford line they were of a simple configuration being; No 2 down goods, No 1 down goods, down passenger, up passenger and up goods lines, from this point they were; down Camp Hill, up Camp Hill, down main and Saltley sidings, up main, down Lawley Street and up Lawley Street. Therefore the signal on the right releasing the banking locomotives also had a smaller signal arm on the opposite side from the main signal arm used to control traffic from the opposite direction coming off the up Camp Hill line.

back