HALESOWEN GALLERY

[Source: Terry Callaghan]
 
A view of the station buildings in around 1910 looking towards Hunnington with the station footbridge, made of old rails and clad in wood prominent.
Photo from the John Alsop collection

Another overall view of the station scene from around 1910 this time with the GWR railmotor in the down platform with another locomotive approaching off the branch.
Photo from the John Alsop collection


Looking from the southern end of the down platform with the station having been closed to timetabled passenger trains for some 22 years, although the workmen trains for the Austin Motor car factory still called here at this point. The station is busy with goods traffic with a locomotive approaching from the Old Hill direction.
Photo from the John Alsop collection

An ex-GWR 57XX Collet class 0-6-0PT engine stands in the up platform awaiting its next duty with the crew more than likely 'brewing up' in the adjacent signal box. These locomotives were regluar to this line operating the daily goods train and shunting at the Walter Somers Foundry.
Photo from the John Mann collection


Looking towards Old Hill from the Whitehall Road overbridge showing the once well tended station garden now completely overgrown. A small prefabricated shed has been erected on the down platform with the staitons running in board seemingly stored behind it.
Photo from the John Mann collection

Looking in the Old Hill direction at the increasingly run down station some bogie bolster wagons for the Walter Somers foundry are stabled in the centre road and the foundry itself can be seen in the background.
Photo from the John Mann collection


With a small child keeping a watchful eye on the photographer and the ex-GWR tank engine simmering away outside the signal box a good view of the Whitehall Road overbridge is given. The bridge would be swept away with road developments in the area. The box at Helsowen opened during 1883, no doubt in preparation of the opening of the route through to Longbridge, and replaced an earlier box. The box itself is a McKenzie & Holland type 3 design built for the GWR with a gabled roof.
Photo from the John Mann collection


The final railtour to visit the line was the SLS Special of 2 November 1963 the Last train on the Harborne branch and the farewell to the Halesowen branch railtour. Seen here prior to departure for Old Hill with the Walter Somers foundry high on the embankment to the left. It was only due to the traffic to and from this large works that the branch soldiered on for as long as it did traffic from there would continue along the stub left from Old Hill to near the station site for some 6 years.
Photo by Geoffrey Head

Looking south on 2 November 1963 at the Stephenson Locomotive Society's Last train on the Harbourne branch and farewell to the Halesowen branch railtour. The train has paused at Haleowen whilst travelling through to Old Hill where it would reverse running back along the branch and through the platform that 4646 is standing on.
Photo by David Pearson


The usual 57XX Collet class 0-6-0PT locomotive stands simmering away outside the signal box on 2 November 1963 the crowd of people are passengers from the SLS Last train on the Harbourne branch and farewell to the Halesowen Branch railtour. The locomotive in question was constructed at Swindon works by the GWR in February 1943 and would have a short service life until withdrawl during November 1966 it would be cut up at Cashmore's of Newport during May 1967
Photo by Richard Postill from his Flickr photostream


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[Source: Terry Callaghan]





Last updated: Sunday, 21-May-2017 10:57:06 CEST
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