LMS Route: Nuneaton to Leamington
LMS Route: Rugby to Leamington
LMS Route: Leamington to Weedon

Warwick Milverton Shed

The promoters of the branch line to Leamington ordered 'An Engine House' to be built on 8th February 1844 to accommodate two engines and a Smith's hearth with a turntable outside. This was to be timed to coincide with the opening of the branch line terminus on 6th December 1844. Following the opening of the single line from Rugby to Leamington line in 1851, 'Leamington' shed had by April 1855, been extended to accommodate six locomotives. Traffic levels grew and by 1880 the original shed was too small to accommodate the twenty locomotives allocated to it. The doubling of the Rugby to Milverton route together with the opening of the Berkswell to Kenilworth branch was further complemented with the line between Milverton to Kenilworth being upgraded with double tracks which necessitated the rebuilding of Milverton station. At the same time a new six straight road shed to accommodate twelve locomotives was built with standard northlight pattern roof. Milverton was a sub-shed or in LMS parlance a garage of Rugby, along with Market Harborough, Stamford, Seaton and Peterborough and coded by the LNWR as 8W. The shed's primary role was to provide motive power for local passenger work with some longer distance freight turns. Hawkins and Reeve state in their book LMS Engine Sheds, Volume One - The LNWR that in its first years the shed was more commonly known as Milverton and was accordingly coded 8M, the letter denoting the place name.

In the 1930s the shed was to have benefited from the LMS' policy of modernisation in order to reduce costs and a 60ft turntable was installed. However the planned coal and ash disposal plants were never built due to the imminent outbreak of the Second World War. In 1935 the shed was re-coded 2E, once again as a sub-shed under the authority of Rugby. Following the Second World War, traffic levels declined in line with the expansion of competition from road transport so the planned improvements envisaged in the 1930s never took place. Following nationalisation of the railways on 1st January 1948 few changes took place other than the shed being re-coded 2C by the newly created British Railways Board. By 1954 only twelve locomotives were allocated, all but three being 2-6-2Ts for passenger work, with the remaining freight duties being handled by a pair of Stanier 2-8-0s and an ex-LNWR 'Super D' 0-8-0. Throughout its working life the shed was always being used by visiting locomotives to service them before returning to their home shed. Finally, on 17th November 1958, the shed was closed and its remaining duties were transferred to the nearby former GWR shed at Leamington. However, due to the fact that the line was originally built to terminate at Milverton and that the branch from Rugby was built to connect with the branch from Coventry, the shed remained for a period of time the signing on point for crews on turns between the two centres and for other duties. The shed was also used after closure to stable six sets of DMUs for use by British Railways to train locomotive crew.

The Infrastructure

Ref: - lnwrwar_hed2013 D Churchill Milverton's last remaining siding, which ran parallel to the main line, and its buffer stop as seen in May 1972

Ref: - lnwrwar_shed2014 D Churchill The upper quadrant signal located on the Leamington side of the signal box almost opposite the goods shed

Ref: - lnwrwar_shed2015 D Churchill Warwick Milverton Signal Cabin which was located a few hundred feet from the station and opposite the shed and yard

Ref: lnwrwar_shed2787 C Capewell The bay window of Warwick Milverton shed foreman's office as seen in 1975 long after the shed closed

Ref: lnwrwar_shed2791 C Capewell View of the former engine shed's near derelict remains now being used by a garden centre in July 1975

Ref: lnwrwar_shed4044 P Kingston Warwick shed on its last day of working, Saturday 18th November 1958, with ex-LMS locomotives in steam

Locomotives

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1425 E Talbot View of LNWR 2-2-2 'Bloomer' No 630 is standing just north of the original Warwick terminal station with sidings in the background

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1424 B Morrison Ex-LNWR 1P 2-4-2T 'No 46712 is seen on 17th July 1954 standing in Milverton shed's coal hole only days before withdrawal

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1426 G Coltas Ex-LNWR 2-4-2T Class 1P No 6683 is seen standing outside of Warwick shed fully coaled and watered for its next turn

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1432 G Coltas Ex-LNWR 0-6-0 'Cauliflowers', No 8455 and No 8453 are standing in line facing the junction with the Leamington to Coventry line

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1427 G Coltas Ex-LMS 3P 2-6-2T No 44 is seen standing on the stabling roads in front of an otherwise empty Milverton shed in May 1948

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1431 G Coltas Ex-LMS 3MT 2-6-2T No 40078 is seen fully coaled whilst waiting for its next turn of work standing in front of Milverton shed

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1442 G Coltas Ex-MR 2F 0-6-0, No 3726 on the turntable at Milverton shed as its driver operates the vacuum powered table

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1433 G Coltas Another view of ex-LNWR 2F 0-6-0 'Cauliflowers' No 8455 and No 8453 at Milverton, but a year earlier than the previous

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1434 G Coltas Ex-LNWR 7F 0-8-0 'G2a' No 49120 and ex-LMS 3MT 2-6-2T No 40076 are both seen in steam standing on shed

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1435 Anon Ex-LNWR 2P 0-6-2T 'Watford Tank' No 6890 stands in front of the engineering department's wagon next to the coal stacks

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1440 Anon Warwick Milverton shed on a Sunday when the majority of the shed's locomotives were stabled in sequence for Monday's work

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1440a Anon Close up of an unknown ex-LNWR 2F 0-6-0 'Cauliflower' standing adjacent to other locomotives of the same class

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1440b Anon Close up showing ex-LNWR 2F 0-6-0 'Cauliflower' No 8455 and an unidentified ex-LNWR 7F 0-8-0 'Super D' in the late 1920s

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1443 RS Carpenter View from the cab along its tender towards the junction of the shed with the Leamington to Coventry line

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1443a RS Carpenter Close up showing the juxtaposition of the signal cabin which controlled the approach to the station and the shed

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1437 G Coltas A very dirty ex-LNWR 7F 0-8-0 'G2', No 49417, is seen having being turned 270° on Milverton shed's single road turntable

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1439 G Coltas Ex-LNWR 7F 0-8-0 'G2a' No 49244 in company with an unidentified class mate as both raise steam for their next trips

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1438 G Coltas An array of pre-grouping, grouping and BR locomotive power on display in the last years of the shed's working life

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1436 Anon Ex-LNWR 7F 0-8-0 'G2a' No 49452 in front of the shed with an unidentified ex-LMS Stanier 2-6-2T on 28th September 1956

Ref: lnwrwar_shed4039 LNWR Society Ex-LNWR 4-4-0 No 25286 'Dunrobin' is seen with crew and in steam outside Warwick shed in the early 1930s

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1428 G Coltas Ex-LMS 8F 2-8-0 No 48016 and ex-LMS 3MT 2-6-2T No 40078 are seen in company with other locomotives in raising steam

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1429 G Coltas Ex-LMS 8F 2-8-0 No 48012 with steam lifting from its safety valves whilst opposite is ex-LNWR 7F 0-8-0 No 49397

Ref: lnwrwar_shed2786 D Cooknell A number of ex-LMS standard locomotives are seen in steam standing on the shed's roads circa 1955

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1441 B Barby Six sets of newly delivered Derby built Diesel Multiple Units stored at the shed after its closure in preparation for driver training

Ordnance Survey Maps and Schematic Drawings

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1429 Courtesy Irwell Press Plan showing the location of the shed and turntable in relationship to the goods yard and the Coventry and Leamington line

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1439 Courtesy Irwell Press Close up of the the shed and goods yard with Milverton's 60ft turntable in between the throat to the yard and the shed

Ref: lnwrwar_shed1444 Courtesy Irwell Press Close up of the junction with the line to Coventry located to the East of the signal box and giving access to Smith's private sidings

Ref: - lnwrwar_shed4040a RJS An 1845 plan of Milverton shed showing the location of the shed and turntable to the North of the occupation bridge

Ref: lnwrwar_shed4035 National Library of Scotland A 1923 Ordnance Survey Map showing Warwick Shed, Milverton Goods Shed and Milverton Station on the far right

Ref: lnwrwar_shed4036 National Library of Scotland A 1903 Ordnance Survey Map showing Warwick Shed, Milverton Goods Shed and Milverton Station on the far right

Ref: lnwrwar_shed4037 National Library of Scotland A 1903 25 inch to the Mile OS Map showing Warwick Shed on the left and Milverton Goods Shed on the far right

Ref: lnwrwar_shed4038 National Library of Scotland A 1923 25 inch to the Mile OS Map showing Warwick Shed on the left and Milverton Goods Shed on the far right

Ref: lnwrwm1 British Railways A British Railways 1:1250 Scale Map of the approaches to Warwick Milverton station, the goods yard and shed in 1952

Ref: lnwrwm1a British Railways A British Railways 1:1250 Scale Map of Warwick Milverton station, the goods yard and shed in 1952

Ref: lnwrmap104 M Hollick A 1930s LMS Control strip map showing the goods shed and sidings adjacent to Warwick Milverton station

The LMS and its successor, British Railways, undertook to film various aspects of operating steam locomotives and other railway operations. We have provided below links to some of the films related to shed operation that we know exist. Films on other aspects of railway operations can be viewed via our Video and Film Clip section.

	"Wash and Brush Up" 1953 Shows the procedures that a steam engine goes through as part of its regular maintenance cycle. The locomotive being featured in the film is a British Railways Standard Class 5MT 4-6-0 No 73020 at 6D Chester (Midland shed. (25 minutes 19 seconds)
	LMS On the Shed - Part One of Two Various shots of an engine being prepared and serviced ready for its next trip. Includes actions and responsibilities of crew. (9 minutes 44 seconds)
	LMS On the Shed - Part Two of Two Various shots of an engine being prepared and serviced ready for its next trip. Includes actions and responsibilities of crew. (9 minutes 31 seconds)

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.