GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Soho and Winson Green: gwrswg1572

Official Photograph of Soho & Winson Green's shed erected using money from the Government’s Development Fund

Another official photograph of Soho & Winson Green's goods shed erected using money from the Government’s Development Fund (Loan guarantees and Grants) Act -1929, which supported national infrastructure projects as a means of economic stimulus and employment during the great depression. The warehouse provided 65,000 sq foot of fireproof storage space on three floors over the covered transit shed on the ground floor. Two sidings ran inside the length of the building, while the seven apertures in the outside wall (each side), protected by the canopy were for loading road lorries.

Concrete road aprons were provided in the goods yard to assist transhipment from the external sidings, which were grouped in pairs to minimise space requirements. The contract for the construction of the Soho & Winson Green goods depot (including the transit shed and warehouse), plus the construction of the pilot line to Hockley was awarded to Fletcher and Co (Contractors) Ltd in 1932. They used their Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST class L locomotive, named ‘Brough’ in connection with this project.

Robert Ferris

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