Duddeston Mill Road Crossing & Junction

LMS Route: Nuneaton to Birmingham New Street
LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth

Today the railway crosses Duddeston Mill Road by a bridge, causing no disruption, but this was not always so. Before the line was first constructed, the Ordnance Survey map revised circa 1831 shows Duddeston Mill Road going just to Duddeston Mill, and no further, ending by the millpond. There had been no right of way past the mill and it is likely that initially there was no crossing of the railway at that point. However the expansion in the Lower Saltley area that occurred, including the construction of the Saltley Theological Training College, Adderley Park and library and surrounding houses, meant that a crossing developed at that point, though there is no evidence that there was initially a vehicular crossing. In 1865 it was stated that at least 100 people a day used the crossing several times a day. and by then there was a vehicular crossing, though with no manned control.

In the 1860s the rail traffic had also increased considerably, and the Ordnance Survey map circa 1864 map shows that then two lines joined close to, or actually on, the crossing. Apparently shunting of wagons caused even more traffic over the crossing. A number of accidents in which at least three people were killed had occurred. Two of the fatalities were in 1865, the second on 28th August 1865 when a man walked from behind a slow train that had just passed into the path of the ;Derby Express', literally losing his head in the process. Pressure was brought on the company , who, in mid-1866, erected a footbridge. though by modern standards it would not appear to have been very safe to use, being unsuitable for the disabled, having no handrail, and being prone to become slippery with ice in the winter. It would appear that at about this time a manned crossing for vehicles was also constructed as apparently the crossing keeper allowed disabled to cross on the level via this, and it is recorded that even fully able adults did not often use the bridge. Further pressure finally forced the Midland Company and the Council to share the cost of the proper bridge which is there today. This was after much discussion and purchase of Duddeston Mill which was necessary for the work to take place. I suspect that the land purchased also included land to the north later used for sidings. The total cost was £20,000, of which the council contributed £8,500.

The 1873 street map of Birmingham shows the new engine shed adjacent to the Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal and, at the junction of the various lines by Duddeston Mill Road, a level crossing. John Gough's magisterial ' The Midland Railway - A Chronology' states that the original Duddeston Road Signal Box - controlling the level crossing - was replaced about January 1878. The plan of the line between Saltley and Duddeston Road in MT6/198/2¹ shews a new signalbox and layout at Duddeston Road, as well as the new bridge in place of the level crossing. There are eight lines, reading from west to east: outside goods line, up goods line, down goods line, up New Street line, down New Street line, up Camp Hill line, down Camp Hill line, and engine siding. Ten years later the signal box was again replaced, from 23rd September 1888.

Note ¹ MT6/ Board of Trade Railways department files held at National Archives, Kew. The 1888 date John credits to a Midland Railway weekly notice.

Mike Jee and Richard Maund

Ref: mrdr1495 Birmingham Post A copy of a letter of complaint about the crossing in the Birmingham Post 21st November 1864

Ref: mrdr1479 Birmingham Post Report on fatal accident involving railway worker at Duddeston Mill Road Crossing on 11th April 1865

Ref: mrdr1480 Birmingham Journal Report on fatal accident involving a pedestrian at Duddeston Mill Road Crossing on 28th September 1865

Ref: mrdr1481 Birmingham Post Complaint about the Midland Railway erecting a hideous passenger footbridge described as a 'gallows'

Ref: mrdr1482 Aris Birmingham Gazette Report on the failure of the MR to provide handrails on footbridge so now the crossing is even more dangerous

Ref: mrdr1483 Aris Birmingham Gazette Report on the deputation by the Public Works Committee of the Council to the President of the Board of Trade

Ref: mrdr1484 Aris Birmingham Gazette Report of the Town Council approving a contribution of £8,500 to be made towards the cost of a new bridge

Ref: mrdr1485 Birmingham Post Report on a deputation to the Town Council objecting to the use of an inclined plane replacing the bridge

Ref: mrdr1498 Birmingham Post Report detailing the structure used for the footbridge and the method of working the level crossing gates

Ref: mrdr1496 Ordnance Survey A copy of the Ordnance Survey map circa 1814 revised 1841 showing the area prior to arrival of the railway

Ref: mrdr1497 Ordnance Survey A copy of the 1862 OS map showing Duddeston Mill Road Crossing after the arrival of the railway

Ref: mrdr1486 National Library of Scotland An 1886 OS Map showing Duddeston Mill Road passing beneath the railway and the entrance to Saltley shed

Photographs of Duddeston Road Junction

Ref: mrdr1005 DJ Norton Duddeston Road Junction signal box being dwarfed by Saltley Gas Works as seen on Sunday 25th April 1954

Ref: mrdr1010 DJ Norton An unknown ex-LMS 3F 0-6-0 'Large Goods' locomotive passes the second Duddeston Road Junction signal box

Ref: mrdr1003 DJ Norton View of Duddeston Road's third and last signal box being erected to open on 2nd October 1955

Ref: mrdr999 B Bill Duddeston Road Signal Box on 3rd August 1969, three weeks prior to its closure on 24th of the same month

Ref: mrdr1013 DJ Norton Looking north towards Saltley station with the old signal box on the right on Sunday 20th March 1955

Ref: mrdr997 DJ Norton Interior view of Duddeston Road's 1955 signal box showing the box's basic frame prior to the levers being fitted

Ref: mrdr1004 DJ Norton Track replacement is being carried out on the junction adjacent to Duddeston Road Junction signal box

Ref: mrdr996a DJ Norton Close up showing the single entry and departure line to Saltley Shed which fanned out to provide reception roads

Ref: mrdr996b DJ Norton Close up showing some of the sidings at Lawley Street Goods Station to the right of the locomotive

Ref: mrdr1001a DJ Norton Close up showing on the right Saltley Gas Works' extensive sidings which lay alongside the former MR main line

Ref: mrdr996 DJ Norton An unidentified ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 goods locomotive is seen approaching Duddeston Road Junction signal box

Ref: mrdr998 T Owen Ex-LMS 8F 2-8-0 No 48101 is working hard as it is banked up on a Class 5 fast freight on Saturday 28th July 1962

Ref: mrdr1001 DJ Norton Ex-LMS 5MT 4-6-0 No 44828 approaches Duddeston Road signal box with an Ordinary train for New Street station

Ref: mrdr1002 DJ Norton Ex-LMS 5MT 4-6-0 No 45059 passes Duddeston Road signal box on a down express train for New Street station

Ref: mrdr995 DJ Norton Ex-LMS 4F 0-6-0 No 44434 heads a Class K stopping freight service on the down line on 30th November 1952

Ref: mrdr1476 A Pratt British Railways built Ivatt Class 2MT No 46443 heads a train into Lawley Street sidings opposite to Saltley Depot

Ref: mrdr1478 A Pratt British Railways built Ivatt 2MT 2-6-0 No 46448 is seen with brake van in tow as it passes Saltley shed

Ref: mrdr1477 A Pratt Another view of BR built 2MT 2-6-0 No 46448 with brake van in tow now passing Duddeston Road Signal Box

Ref: mrdr1492 A Pratt Ex-LMS 5XP 4-6-0 No 45593 'Kolhapur' having reversed out from Saltley shed waits for right of way in early 1968

Ref: mrdr1493 A Pratt BR Standard 9F 2-10-0 No 92150 passes Saltley shed on an oil train from Bomford Bridge to Fawley in Hampshire

Ref: mrdr1494 A Pratt An unidentified ex-LMS 8F 2-8-0 locomotive reverses out of Saltley shed and over Duddeston Road

Ref: mrdr1487 National Library of Scotland An 1886 Ordnance Survey Map showing the entrance to Saltley shed on the left and Saltley station on the right

Ref: mrdr1488 National Library of Scotland A 1902 OS Map showing Duddeston Mill Road passing beneath the railway and the entrance to Saltley shed

Ref: mrdr1489 National Library of Scotland A 1902 Ordnance Survey Map showing the entrance to Saltley shed on the left and Saltley station on the right

Ref: mrdr1490 National Library of Scotland A 1913 OS Map showing Duddeston Mill Road passing beneath the railway and the entrance to Saltley shed

Ref: mrdr1491 National Library of Scotland A 1913 Ordnance Survey Map showing the entrance to Saltley shed on the left and Saltley station on the right