Hazelwell Station

LMS Route: Evesham to Birmingham

Hazelwell Station was opened by the Midland Railway on 1st January 1903 after a campaign by the residents of Vicarage, Grove an Kings roads petitioned the MR asking the company to open a station between Lifford and Kings Heath, at the end of Vicarage Road. The residents had complained they were poorly served by the railways but the MR in their response in 1896 stated they were unable to assist. However by 1901 the MR had had a change of heart and agreed to build a station to be called Hazelwell sited near to Pine Apple Bridge. The new station was just under a mile north of King's Heath and was opened to take advantage of the new Priory housing development. Although primarily for passengers, coal, general goods traffic and. particularly, timber- were also handled at the elation, although it seems no yard crane was ever provided. Hazelwell closed to passengers on the same day as King's Heath, in January 1941, but again goods traffic continued to be handled until the 1960s, the yard finally closing on 1st March 1965.

When first built, the station was accessed via Cartland Road which had a junction with Vicarage Road. Cartland Road did not originally cross the railway but was a cul-de-sac ending adjacent to the railway line. The only way to cross the line was via a pedestrian footbridge. The passenger station was built on the Kings Heath side of Cartland Road whilst the goods yard was located on the Camp Hill side of the road but accessed via an entrance off Priory Road where a weigh bridge and office was located. In total at Hazelwell, there were four dedicated sidings plus an access siding, holding a total of 66 wagons primarily for coal but also for general goods traffic, in particular timber. No crane was available nor goods shed as Kings Heath was only a mile away with a 5 ton crane available. The goods yard finally closed on 1st March 1965.

Ref: mrhaz521 RS Carpenter Looking along Hazewell station's up platform towards Camp Hill showing substantial structures on both platforms

Ref: mrhaz521a S Carpenter Close up view of the up platform's building on Hazewell station showing the detail of the structure

Ref: mrhaz521b RS Carpenter View of Hazelwell station's down platform building showing the unusual cowlings fitted to all three chimneys

Ref: mrhaz845 Postcard A 1907 view of Hazelwell Station looking towards Kings Heath which was just under a mile away

Ref: mrhaz845a Postcard Close up showing the down platform's building which housed the passenger waiting rooms

Ref: mrhaz831 DJ Norton Looking towards Lifford from the Camp Hill end of Hazelwell Station's up platform on 19th August 1929

Ref: mrhaz831a DJ Norton Close up showing passenger facilities on Hazelwell Station's down platform and the gentlemen's toilets

Ref: mrhaz831b DJ Norton Close up showing the near identical passenger facilities provided on Hazelwell's up platform

Ref: mrhaz502 DJ Norton View taken from underneath Cartland Road bridge on the up platform looking towards Camp Hill on 26th March 1950

Ref: mrhaz503 DJ Norton View from Hazelwell station's up platform looking towards the Cartland Road bridge and Kings Norton

Ref: mrhaz501 DJ Norton Looking towards Camphill from Cartland Road bridge with the ramp to the up platform on the left

Ref: mrhaz844 DJ Norton View of the exterior of Hazelwell station on 27th August 1961 which fronted on to Cartland Road

Ref: mrhaz844a DJ Norton Close up the exterior Hazelwell showing the entrance to the up platform and the footbridge

Ref: mrhaz505 DJ Norton Looking through Cartland Rd bridge through the disused station and on towards Camp Hill, Birmingham

Ref: mrhaz832 RJ Essery Hazelwell signal box located beneath Cartland Road bridge on the down side of the Camp Hill to Kings Norton route

Ref: mrhaz1991 C Gilbert Looking Lifford on 19th August 1929, just over a quarter of a century since it opened on 1st January 1903

Ref: mrhaz843 DJ Norton Looking towards Lifford showing Hazelwell station's up refuge siding being used to store open wagons

Locomotives seen at or near Hazelwell Station

Ref: mrhaz1988 J Green Ex-LMS 5MT 4-6-0 No 44812 with a class F service passes beneath Cartland Road at the site of the former station

Ref: mrhaz504 DJ Norton Ex-LMS 4-6-0 Black 5 No 44814 at the head of an express passes through the station on 5th May 1953

Ref: mrhaz833 DJ Norton Ex-LMS 0-6-0 4F No 44411 passes Hazelwell signal box at the head of a Class E express freight service

Ref: mrhaz834 DJ Norton Ex-WD 2-8-0 No 90102 is seen running tender first towards Hazelwell signal box on 17th January 1954

Ref: mrhaz835 DJ Norton Ex-LMS 4-6-0 'Black 5' No 44917 is seen 'setting back' in to the down refuge siding at Hazelwell station

Ref: mrhaz836 DJ Norton Ex-MR 0-6-0 3F No 43523 is seen running tender first on the up line towards Pineapple bridge on 4th March 1956

Ref: mrhaz837 DJ Norton Ex-LMS 0-6-0 4F No 43941 is hauling a Class K stopping freight as it crosses the Worcester & Birmingham canal

Ref: mrhaz841 DJ Norton Ex-MR 0-6-0 3F No 43223 passes beneath Fordhouse Lane bridge on a Class K freight of empty wagons

Ref: mrhaz842 DJ Norton British Railways 2-10-0 9F No 92046 passes Hazelwell's down refuge siding whilst at the head of a Class J train

Ref: mrhaz357 M Mensing BR Standard 2-10-0 9F No 92052 is seen at the head of a long goods train of empty open wagons in 1961

Ref: mrhaz1992 P Shoesmith Ex-LMS 2-6-0 'Hughes Crab' No 42763 is working hard as it climbs past Hazelwell goods yard on 20th July 1957

Ref: mrhaz1993 P Shoesmith Ex-LNWR 0-6-2T 'Coal Tank' is passing through Hazelwell bunker first on a SLS Special Rail Tour on 2nd June 1954

Ordnance Survey Maps, Timetables and Diagrams

Ref: mrhaz1994 National Library of Scotland A 1913 OS Map of Hazelwell station and goods yard showing Cartland Road being divided into two by the railway

Ref: mrhaz1989 Midland Railway A Survey of Hazelwell Station showing its relationship to the goods yard which was the other side of Cartland Road

Ref: mr_generic1430b Midland Railway Part of MR Distance Diagram dated 1913 showing the two routes south from New Street to Kings Norton

Ref: mrhaz1990 G Waite MR notice announcing the opening of Hazelwell station and the timetable for trains calling at the new station