GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

Hockley Station

Hockley Station was an intermediate station on the Great Western Railway's line from Paddington to Birkenhead via Snow Hill serving the Hockley area of Birmingham. It was around one mile north west from Snow Hill station. The station opened in 1854 and lasted for the duration of the line's original life, although after the electrification of the West Coast and Birmingham lines this was only from Stourport, eventually closing with the line in 1972. The passenger station was a fairly modest affair (at least by GWR standards) comprising two bay and one island platform with the usual GWR hallmark platform buildings with their distinctive canopies and valancing. The station was accessed via an entrance below track level off Icknield Street.

Ref: gwrhd1657 Roger Carpenter A March 1966 view of the entrance to Hockley passenger station which was accessed via Park Road

Ref: gwrhd3181 G Skelsey Another view of the entrance to Hockley passenger station accessed via Park Road, seen in March 1967

Ref: gwrhd690 John Davies View looking along the length of Icknield Street as it passes under Hockley station and goods yard in the 1960s

Ref: gwrhd692 NRM Looking towards Snow Hill with the station in the centre, gantry crane on the left and the sheds on the right

Ref: gwrhd692a NRM Close up showing the station as a local service stands at platform 2 whilst a down service leaves platform 3

Ref: gwrhd3180 G Skelsey Looking along the up main line in the direction of Wolverhampton with Hockley Goods Yard on the left

Ref: gwrhd699 JH Moss Looking along Platform 2 south towards Birmingham Snow Hill with a GWR water crane seen on the right

Ref: gwrhd109 Lens of Sutton Looking along Platform One towards Snow Hill from the Wolverhampton end of the station

Ref: gwrhd109a Lens of Sutton Close up of the buildings on the up platform and the large disc signals provided in lieu of semaphore arms

Ref: gwrhd109b Lens of Sutton Close up showing the Snow Hill end of the island platform with the lift tower and steps visible on the right

Ref: gwrhd110 Lens of Sutton Looking along Platform One towards Birmingham with the lift shaft on the island platforms on the right

Ref: gwrhd110a Lens of Sutton Close up showing the lift shaft, signals and water crane located at the Birmingham end of the island platforms

Ref: gwrhd672 Anon Looking to Snow Hill from the Birmingham end of the island platform showing the water crane and fogman's hut

Ref: gwrhd689 Lens of Sutton Looking to Soho from the Birmingham end of the island platform with All Saints Street bridge crossing the railway

Trains seen at or near Hockley Station

Ref: gwrhd692c NRM Close up showing a GWR 2-6-2T Prairie locomotive running bunker first from platform 3 at Hockley station

Ref: gwrhd1964 S Richards A GWR 3206 (Barnum) class 2-4-0 locomotive with an ambulance train speeds past Hockley Station

Ref: gwrhd700 Roger Carpenter Ex Great Western Railway 43xx class 2-6-0 No 6342 in an unlined black livery passes through Hockley

Ref: gwrhd701 Roger Carpenter Ex Great Western Railway 2-8-0 28xx heavy freight class No 2823 stands on one of Hockley goods yard's sidings

Ref: gwrhd698 Roger Carpenter British Railways built 4-6-0 No 7902 'Eaton Mascot Hall' on an express service through Hockley passenger station

Ref: gwrhd1658 M Mensing GWR 2-6-2T No 4146 passes through Hockley station on the through down main line with a service for Dudley

Ref: gwrhd3095 M Mensing BR built 4-6-0 Modified Hall No 7919 'Runter Hall' passes through Hockley Station on the down main line

Ref: gwrhd1659 M Mensing A single car DMU passes through Hockley station on the 2:55pm Snow Hill station to Dudley service

Ref: gwrhd3886 RS Carpenter Ex-GWR 4-6-0 Castle class No 5056 'Earl of Powis' on the 'Cambrian Coast Express' passes through the station

Ref: gwrhd3887 B Stephenson Ex-BR 4-6-0 Castle class No 7029 ‘Clun Castle’ passes the station on the Down Main line with the Ian Allan ‘Zulu’

Maps of Hockley Station and Goods Depot

Ref: gwrhd1663 National Library of Scotland An 1888 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey map showing Hockley station, goods yard and transit sheds

Ref: gwrhd1663b National Library of Scotland An 1888 25 inch to the mile OS map showing the Inwards shed on the right and the Outwards shed on the left

Ref: gwrhd1664 National Library of Scotland A 1902 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey map showing Hockley station, goods yard and transit sheds

Ref: gwrhd1664b National Library of Scotland A 1902 25 inch to the mile OS map showing the Inwards shed on the right and the Outwards shed on the left

Ref: gwrhd3179 National Library of Scotland A 1913 25 inch to the mile Ordnance Survey map showing Hockley station, goods yard and transit sheds

Ref: gwrhd3179b National Library of Scotland A 1913 25 inch to the mile OS map showing the Inwards shed on the right and the Outwards shed on the left