New Street Station at Work 1950-1964

Some of the shots on this page are taken from contact prints so are not of the high quality seen elsewhere.  Also, some had no captions or dates.  Captions in brackets are mine rather than my father's.

6906 3E New St Stn - 28/1/50

What a truly atmospheric shot!  I thought this was taken on the Midland side of the station but Charles noticed that the signal box is much more likely to be No.5 Box and the lights behind shining in the College of Technology.  In other words, it was taken from the far western end of platform 1.  All the scribblings on the side of the goods wagon are a fascinating feature.  6906 is another Class 2 0-6-2T 'Watford Tank' from Monument Lane.

45540 3B New St Stn - 18/2/50

Another corker!  I think this was taken from the far end of platform 1 near to the point that Hill Steet passes overhead.  I would be surprised if my father had a flash gun powerful enough to illuminate the engine but I couldn't see how this shot could have be taken otherwise.  Thanks to Will who pointed out that it was clearly a long exposure, tripod shot as shown by the blurred steam and the direction of the shadows. Class 6 4-6-0 'Patriot' 45540 was also know as 'Sir Robert Turnbull' and came from Bushbury shed.

40526 New St Stn - 16/12/50

I think this was taken from the eastern end of platform 10.  That's No. 2 box to the left and Queens Drive is visible above the engine heading to its junction with Worcester Street. Class 2 4-4-0 40526 was built in 1898 and would remain in service until July 1956.

(44X62 New St Stn) - ?/?/53

Not a particularly clear shot but it provides a good view of the station from the western end of platform 1.  To the far right is No. 5 box.  The road being carried overhead is Hill Street - note the roof of the bus. I can't quite make out if the loco is 44562, 44362 or 44862.  Thanks to Kenneth for spotting that the loco is clearly a 'Black Five' so it must be 44862!

(45322 New St Stn) - ?/?/53

I think this was taken from the eastern end of platform 7 and the road bridge overhead is carrying Queens Drive.  I'm pretty sure that's No. 5 box under the bridge, just to the left of the group of train spotters. The loco is Class 5 4-6-0 'Black Five' 45322.

(41226 New St Stn) - ?/?/53

A very good view of the far eastern end of the station - note the rear of the Odeon cinema in New Street to the upper left. Class 2 2-6-2T 41226 is pulling into a platform on the LNWR side of the station.

(40463 New St Stn) - ?/?/53

A bit dark, this one, but a nice view of Class 2 4-4-0 40463, built in 1895, pulling out from the Midland side of the station.

(44843 New St Stn) - ?/?/53

This is a particularly interesting shot as I haven't seen this part of the station in any other picture.  After some email discussion with Dave M. I am of the opinion that the picture was taken from the western end of platform 8 and 44843 is pulling into platform 7.  Thanks for Charles for confirming this by pointing out the the road to the left was Hill Street and the road to the right Queens Drive.  That confirms the location as the western end of the Midland side of the station. The loco is Class 5 4-6-0 'Black Five' 44843.

Gantry & No 5 Box New St Stn - 7/4/53

For this shot I think my father was peering over the wall where Navigation Street joins Hill Street and looking to the north west.  The signal box is No. 5 which is shown nicely painted three pictures below this one.  Note the turntable to the far left of the picture. The building to the top right is Queen's College Chambers while the one to the top left is the College of Technology.

70044 New St Stn - 5/7/53

Almost brand new, Class 7P6F 4-6-2 BR standard 'Britannia' 70044 had been built only a month before this picture was taken.  The loco was also know as 'Earl Haig' but I can't see any sign of a nameplate...  Thanks to Steve who explained this anomally:- 'The reason that you can't see any nameplate on locomotive 70044 is that it wasn't fitted at that time.  The Britannia class normally had straight nameplates mounted on smoke deflectors either side of the smokebox.  However, 70044 and 70045 ran for some time with Westinghouse air pumps mounted on the front (visible in your picture), and these precluded the fitting of deflectors and, hence, nameplates.  The air pumps were in connection with trials of the air brake.  The locos later had the pumps removed and deflectors and the names "Earl Haig" and "Lord Rowallan" fitted respectively.' I should point out that Stuart disagreed with the above.  I'll leave it to the rail enthusiasts to work out who is right! "You have been given some incorrect information about 70045 though.  This loco was not fitted with the Westinghouse pumps, it was 70043 Lord Kitchener, another Longsight engine.  They were used on test coal trains from Toton to London on the Midland main line in similar fashion to 73030 and 73031."

Colourlight Nr New St No 5 Box - 29/7/54

Here's one for the signalling buffs!  Can anyone explain why my father thought this colourlight was worthy of a photo? Steve suggested that it was an early example of re-signalling work at New Street and the picture immediately below shows three disused posts on the gantry in this part of the station. Jonathon had this theory: "I may have found an explanation for the electronic signal showing a letter G on one of the photographs of the western side of New Street.  That would have been a new fixture at the time that the photograph was taken, and indeed the same kit is in use at Cardiff Central even today, although it would appear not for much longer. I've an aquaintance that did a couple of days work in the Cardiff power box that controls the signalling in the area, and he told me recently what the codes mean. At the western end of the station there are four letter codes in use, M - Main line (to Swansea), R - Relief line (to Swansea), N - Ninian line (to Radyr) and B - Barry line. At the eastern end its M and R again this time to London, and L - Local lines. The G in the photograph probably means that the train has clearance for the line to King's Norton, as it would appear that line is known as 'the Gloucester' even now. Probably a reference to the old Birmingham and Gloucester Railway." For me, it's the rear of the College of Technology that was located in Suffolk Street that is the highlight of this picture.  It was such a splendid building - I can't believe it was demolished!

New St No 5 Box - 16/8/54

A similar view to the one taken on 7/4/53 that can be seen above.  Again, note the turntable to the left of the picture.

10800 New St Stn - 3/3/55

This massive diesel engine seems to be creating a lot of interest!  Thanks to Will, Andy and Jon for for pointing out the reason for all that interest…  10800 was basically a prototype loco that had been built between 1948 and 1950 and was not known for its reliability.  It was withdrawn in 1959 but received a new lease of life by being sold to Brush in 1962.  It wasn't broken up until 1972-73.  You can find more info on the Gloucestershire Transport History site.

41902 New St Stn - 30/4/55

Stanier's first design for LMS, Class 2 0-4-4T 41902 is pictured at the far eastern end of the LNWR side of the station.

43875 Banking Train @ New St Stn - 14/5/55

Another dark shot due to the tricky exposure conditions but splendid none the less!  Class 4 0-6-0 43875 is working hard on banking duties on the Midland side of the station.

Site of Turntable New St Stn - 5/2/63

Now this is a really important shot.  I'm convinced that my father must have known that work on the new signal box for the whole of New Street Station would start in 1964 so went out of his way to capture this picture of the site of New Street's turntable.  The snow actually helps pick out the detail very well - I wonder if he planned that?

Fish Sidings New St Stn - 2/4/64

This photo was taken when my father was busy capturing the changing station in the mid-1960's.  I can only assume that the name Fish Sidings came from the fact that fish supplies for the nearby Birmingham Fish Market (corner of Spiceal Street and Bell Street) were unloaded here.  I speculated that Fish Sidings were located near to where the Birmingham New Street Service Centre entance on Station Street is today.  Kenneth confirmed this and recalled, "The smell of fish was very strong at all times but especially in the summer".  Robin also made it clear by saying, "the Fish Sidings lay between Platform 11 and Station Street".

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