LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth

LMS Route: Nuneaton to Birmingham New Street

Washwood Heath Sidings: mrwhg456

Looking along the former LNWR Aston Stechford route towards Aston showing Washwood Heath Signal Box protecting the junction to the carriage sidings on 5th May 1961. Mike Hollick of the LNWR Society writes, 'The Minutes of the General Manager's Inspection of the Birmingham District on 28th April 1879 might be of interest. Amongst the items reported were some references to the Aston and Stechford new line: - 7. Mr. Browning to be seen as to siding to Saltley Carriage Works 8. Coal Sidings near Washwood Heath deferred but available spoil to be deposited there. 9. Land near Washwood Heath to be retained for future Station; enquiry as to sand in cutting.

Of the three items, only the siding to the Metropolitan Carriage & Wagon Co. works was actually carried out. The junction was to a private siding, made by an agreement dated 18th November, 1879. Under the Agreement, the Railway Company were to tip spoil to form the required embankment, and to construct a culvert, but the Carriage Company supplied all the necessary bricks and laid all of the track. Following completion, the first 94 yards of the spur were maintained by the L. & N.W. Company at its cost, the remainder by the Metropolitan Company. The Metropolitan Company, also had a siding connection to the Midland Railway. However, the two sidings were only connected through the carriage works and were not a direct connection between the L&NWR and the MR.'. Reg Instone, also of the LNWR Society, added, 'It was very steeply graded and special working arrangements were needed'.

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