Monument Lane Shed
OK, I apologise! There aren't any pictures of the shed
itself... Still, plenty of interest I hope.
58178 3E nr Monument Lane Shed - 27/7/54
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| This is the closest we get to a
picture of the shed itself. I suspect this was taken from a train
heading out of Birmingham towards Monument Lane station.
Indeed, this
photo on the Warwickshire
Railways website confirms that it was and that the tunnel hidden in
the steam is the north tunnel from New Street, now buried under the
NIA. The large building occupying most of the background was a
saw mill while the building to the left was a malthouse. The
engine shed would have been off to the right of this view. Class 2F 0-6-0 MR 'Johnson' 58178 was on home turf. The engine was built in 1876. |
Monument Lane Sidings - 27/6/55
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| I first
thought that this picture had been taken from Monument Road (now
Ladywood Middleway) but Andy Doherty pointed out that there was a very
tall signal box site adjacent to Monument Road and suggests that it was
taken from there. Given my father's ability to talk his way into
almost any box, I suspect he may be correct! The view is looking towards Birmingham and shows the extensive sidings at Monument Lane. The road bridge in the centre carries St. Vincent Street and the shed was behind the large building to the right of the bridge. This building is identified as a Goods Station on a 1914 map. The houses to the left were located in Shakespeare Road, Ladywood, a road lost during the slum clearance of the area. |
46155 nr Monument Lane Stn - 27/6/55
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| If you look to the bottom left
of the picture directly above, you'll be able to see where this shot
was taken from. This view shows what appears to be a roofless
shed to the right. Class 7 4-6-0 rebuilt Royal Scot 46155 was also known as 'The Lancer'. Paul was kind enough to provide this splendid view of this scene as it is today. |
W End of Monument Lane Stn - 27/6/55
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| Here we are at the west end of
Monument Lane station. To the right, yet another extensive shed
is visible and this is identified as a carriage shed on my 1914 map. I wondered what the rather odd pole in the foreground was for, thinking that it was some kind of obscure piece of railway equipment. Thanks to Mark and Will for pointing out that is was just a very battered lamp post - compare with the one in the background! Again, Paul has provide another excellent view of the scene today and a picture of the remains of the carriage shed, the shed visible to the right of the old picture. Incidentally, Tony Higgs, author of a book on Monument Lane, let me know this information about the early diesel loco 10800: "On weekdays in 1955 this locomotive, which was based at Rugby shed at the time, worked the 10.25am from Peterborough to New Street from where it went onto Monument Lane shed. It then came off the shed in the afternoon to work the 3.55pm from New Street to Peterborough". A careful examination of my father's photo reveals 10800 to the left of the shed and a check of an old calendar proves that 27/6/55 was indeed a Monday! Eagle eyed Robert had already picked up on that...  10800 at Monument Lane Carriage Shed |
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