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London North Western
Railway:
 Midland
Railway:
 Stratford
Midland Junction Railway
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Tile Hill Station
The station at Tile Hill did not open until 1850 some
twelve years after the London to Birmingham Railway was opened. Initially it
was named Allesley Lane station and then in 1857 renamed as Allesley
Gate reflecting perhaps that it was a station with a level crossing and the
need to differentiate its location from Allesley Lane which was not local. It
finally received its Tile Hill name in 1864. Harry Jack of the
LNWR Society writes
'Tile Hill is referred to as Allesley Lane in L&NWR traffic reports
from 1848 to 1850. Clinker's 'Chronology' is a bit confusing here. He says
"1848 - Jan 12 - Stations Committee of Board minuted: 'required - new station
at Allesley by agreement with inhabitants,' His next reference is under 1863
where he says 'Allesley Gate station renamed Allesley Lane' giving a timetable
source date of September 1863. I've added a pencil note in my copy 'w.e.f. 1st
August 1863' which I think I got from some L&NW minute-book at Kew.
Likewise, Clinker just gives 'April 1864' for the change from Allesley Lane to
Tile Hill, but I've added 'w.e.f. 1st April 1864'. 'The level crossing had been
in existence since 1838 and the crossing keeper's house, later the station
master's, was erected by the L&BR. The station was a simple affair with a
staggered platform configuration either side of the level crossing with the
booking office located next to the gatekeepers house on the up platform.
The goods yard was a single line siding with a cattle dock
at one end and a weighbridge to cater for mineral goods traffic. The date of
opening is not known but the goods yard was closed on 4th February 1963. 'Cam'
Camwell noted in his book on the West Midlands 'that trains in the early years
of the line stopped at a number of locations including Tile Hill for passengers
to alight prior to a station being built. This is not as impossible as it
sounds as early railway carriages were modelled on stage coaches and had steps
down to near road level. It was only the advent of longer coaching stock which
required strong underframes and later bogies which led to the increase in floor
height of coaches we know today. The evolution of the carriage can in part be
seen in the increase in height of station platforms as they were raised to
assist passengers to enter the carriage. Tile Hill station's platforms were low
in relation to the rolling stock introduced from the late 19th century which is
why you will see in in some photographs a small set of steps which could be
placed to assist passengers entering and exiting carriages. Records show that
amongst early railway staff were a William Moss and William Sawkins. Initially
services were more limited with five up and seven down services each day. The
fare from Coventry to Tile Hill was initially 3½d in pre-decimal money
(written as -/3½d), just under 1½ new pence, which was just under
a third of the 10d charge (written as -/10d), a fraction under 4 new pence,
being charged in the 1950s as can be seen in image 'lnwrcov575'.
Locomotives seen at or near Tile Hill station

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