LMS Route: Nuneaton to Birmingham New Street

LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth

Saltley Shed: mrsalt1606

A crawler crane is seen loading coal from Saltley shed's coal stack into 'Loco' wagons to be taken to the Coaling Tower. The railway's were well practiced in buying their coal during the summer when prices were at their lowest and then storing it until it was required. Originally coal was unloaded, stacked and subsequently reloaded manually, a very expensive and, for the men, dirty business post First World War and by the 1950s mechanisation was being introduced to make up for the shortage of labour. The stacking of coal was a controlled business as it was important coal didn't stand too long as it would in time crumble because of the weather and therefore not be fit for purpose. Consequently all inward deliveries were recorded so that this situation could be avoided.

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