Bournville Shed

Bournville Shed was located on the Birmingham West Suburban line just to the south of Bournville Station.  Opened in 1895, it was constructed with the expectation that traffic on the line would expand greatly and the shed would be well utilised.  That never happened. 

Mike Hitches, in his book 'Bournville Steam and Chocolate' (ISBN 1-871608-31-7), says, "It became a quiet place indeed, almost a retirement home for engines not required elsewhere - a mecca for railway enthusiasts.".  No wonder my father liked to visit it!  I guess the fact that the shed housed loco's used on the Halesowen Railway also drew him to it, that and the fact that he was friends with the signalman at nearby Bournville Box.  Whatever the reasons, his frequent trips to Bournville Shed have left us with a splendid record of its operation in the 1940's, 1950's and its final demise in late 1961.

168 21B Bournville Shed - 4/7/48

Class 3MT 2-6-2 Stanier 168 would be renumbered as 40168 just two months after this picture was taken and would continue in service until October 1961.

22846 21B Bournville Shed - 1/5/49

Class 2F 0-6-0 Kirtley 22846, built in 1873, would not survive much longer and would never be labelled with its allocated BR number of 58111.

Bournville Shed - 4/8/52

Our first full view of the shed.  Obviously taken from the window of a passing train, the view is looking north, towards Bournville Station.

58126 Dep Bournville Shed - 27/4/53

Another class 2F 0-6-0 Johnson, I believe 58126 was also based at Bournville.  This picture was taken from Bournville Box and the road bridge carrying Mary Vale Road over the railway and canal can be seen to the right.

44813 Passing Bournville Shed - 5/9/55

Class 5 4-6-0 'Black Five' 44813 steams towards Kings Norton as it passes the shed.

45297 19B Passing Bournville Shed - 19/2/56

On a cold, February morning, another class 5 4-6-0 'Black Five', this time 45297, steams towards Kings Norton.  It was based at Millhouses shed near Sheffield.

Bournville Shed from Dn Main- 11/3/56

A very nice colour shot providing a complete view of the site with sidings, coaling stage, shed and box as we look from left to right.

58143 21B Bournville Shed - 6/5/56

Yet another class 2F 0-6-0 Johnson, 58143 was used on the Halesowen line and features in a couple of shots on that section of the site.

Bournville Box from Shed Path - 6/6/56

Another colour shot that shows us that access to the shed appears to have been from Mary Vale Road which would have been directly behind my father when he took this picture.  Bournville Box is prominent in this south-eastern view.

58167 21B Bournville Shed - 17/2/57

Class 2F 0-6-0 Johnson 58167 had been built in 1876 and was based at Bournville Shed.

Interior of Bournville Shed - 21/12/58

What an absolutely superb photo!  This really captures the character of the shed, I hope you agree.  Sat around the turntable are seven locos but the only number I can make out is 43668 which is second from the left.

M.R. Water Column Bournville Shed - 29/5/60

One of two water columns on the site, I believe this one was south of the coaling stage.  I really like the old lamppost design. The painted sign says, "No Fire Cleaning Here".

Bournville Box - 5/7/61

Although titled 'Bournville Box', this south facing shot provides a good view of the shed to the right and the branch line to Lifford to the left. The loco is a class 4F 0-6-0 Fowler, either 44536 or 44538, I can't quite make out the number clearly.

Chimney, Rear of Bournville Shed - 3/11/61

The first of a series of shots taken after the shed had closed.  I had assumed this chimney would have been attached to some sort of boiler room for the provision of heating to the shed and offices but George, who worked at the shed in the 1950's, got in touch to put me right: "This is the chimney for the oven used to dry the sand to put in the sand boxes on steam engines.  The oven can be seen to the right of the chimney, a sand wagon was put alongside and the sand transferred into the top of the oven by shovel, their were several outlets on the side and a simple flap you could open and the dry sand would run out. "

Interior of Bournville Shed - 3/11/61

I can't explain why but I find this picture quite moving...  I guess it's having seen the picture above.  The site of the turntable is clear to the right of centre.

Bournville Shed - 3/11/61

My father was stood where 58143 had been 5 1/2 years earlier for this picture.  A sad sight indeed...

Bournville Shed Yard - 3/11/61

The disused site in its entirety.  Much of the track has already been lifted.  This shot is looking north towards Bournville Station.

Bournville Shed - 19/11/61

Just a few days after the four pictures above were taken, demolition of the shed has commenced and my father was there to record the scene.

Site of Bournville Shed - 8/3/62

By March of 1962, the site has been totally cleared with only the ramp to the coaling stage and the odd M.R. lamppost indicating that something had once stood here.

Site of Bournville Shed - 20/4/63

By April 1963, the site had started to find a new use as this picture shows.  In future years, houses would occupy the site.

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