Aston Shed

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Aston Shed

Aston was one of three LNWR large sheds operated in Birmingham. It was the principal shed of a district which included Monument Lane as one of its sub-sheds which was another important depot. Up to 1882, Vauxhall shed had been undertaking duties with Monument Lane, the former primarily responsible for traffic in the LNWR's Northern Division based at Crewe and the latter for duties relating to the LNWR's Southern division. Vauxhall had never had any substantial investment and therefore its premises were both dilapidated and overcrowded. In 1882 the LNWR decided to 'erect a new depot in the fork at Aston Curve'. The new twelve road steam shed was commissioned in 1883, some three years after the LNWR opened a line from Aston to Stechford on the Birmingham to Coventry line which also gave access to the Metropolitan Carriage and Wagon Company's works (later Metro-Cammell) at Saltley. Built to Webbs' standard design of twelve straight roads and a 42 foot turntable, Aston shed could accommodate sixty locomotives, a number that varied little throughout its working life. The shed was located in the 'V' of the lines to Stechford and New Street station opposite Aston station. There was also a short branch line to Windsor Street Goods Station and Birmingham Corporation Gas Works.

Its primary duties were freight but with little heavy mineral traffic this being the responsibility of Bescot shed. Whilst some long distance passenger work was undertaken, this was the prime responsibility of Bushbury shed in Wolverhampton or Monument Lane. Coded '10' by the LNWR, Aston's complement of locomotives was supplemented by some forty or so locomotives based at Monument Lane and one locomotive at a small shed at Tipton. There was also a signing on point at Albion. Modernisation in the 1930s saw the removal of the original coaling shed with its overhead 60,000 gallon water tank together with mechanical coaling and ash disposal. A larger 60 foot turntable and additional water columns were added. In 1935 the shed was re-coded to 3D and placed under Bescot supervision and control. The state of the roof was so poor that despite there being a war going on, in 1944 a new 'louvre' roof was installed. The LMS allocated Diesel shunters at Aston from an early period and consequently they built a repair workshop at the rear of the shed dedicated for their use. In 1962 Monument Lane was closed to steam locomotives, being the region's first dedicated Diesel Multiple Unit depot, with its locomotives being transferred to Aston shed. Following re-coding to 21D in may 1960 and 2J in September 1963, Aston shed was finally closed on 11th October 1965 although it was still used as a booking on point until 5th March 1967 when it was completely closed to be demolished and redeveloped for industrial use.

Recording Locomotive Sightings 1943 - 1968

The following information is provided courtesy of Shed Bash UK (http://shedbashuk.blogspot.co.uk/)

A generation of enthusiasts recorded the movements of locomotives around the railway system. These records of visits to locomotive depots have been collected and carefully analysed to provide an overall portrait for the period 1943 to 1968. During that period of steam's final years, there was a marked change from the pre-grouping types that still found work at a few depots, to the modern BR designs that worked until the end in 1968. The handling of freight and passenger services was a major undertaking from town and cities, ports, coal mines and factories. All of it traversed the labyrinth of lines that criss-crossed the country. There were numerous 'sheds' spread throughout the length and breadth of the land that provided and serviced the vast army of steam locomotives (20,000 in 1948). Here is just a taste of that history.