GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Solihull Station: gwrs2620

Official Great Western Railway Photograph of the new Goods Yard on 2nd May 1934, built at the same time that the track was quadrupled between Olton and Lapworth. In the foreground is the up main running line with the down main and relief lines off picture on the left. This was 95lb bull-headed rail laid in 60 foot lengths. Connections to the refuge sidings and new goods yard were via trailing switches to the up and down main lines. There was one refuge sidings running parallel to the up main line and two other sidings, one of which served the goods shed and cattle dock. A 1930’s Service Time Table (STT) identifies that the refuge siding at Solihull that could accommodate 131 wagons, in addition to the brake van and locomotive.

The metal framed goods shed is believed to be identical to that built at the same time at Knowle and Dorridge Station, which was one hundred and twenty feet long by forty feet wide and incorporated a one ton travelling crane. A six ton yard crane was also provided, which can be seen to the right of the goods shed. A short train of six open wagons and a brake van can be seen awaiting shunting, while in the foreground is a LMS wagon with three empty cable drums. The large diameter barrel on these drums would indicate they were for a cable with a restricted bending radius (e.g. a multicore signalling or telephone cable), so these drums could belong to Callender Cable and Construction Co Ltd who provided the cables for new semi-automatic signalling.

Robert Ferris

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