Sunday Diversion (gbw,79/04/22)
Approaching Smethwick Junction Signal Box on an utterly miserable Sunday morning is 37225 with a freight train diverted from the Lickey route which was closed for engineering work. The signal man warned us it was coming and said it was a Bescot to Severn Tunnel Junction.
Today the old closed station of Smethwick West is approached via this ramp but in 1979 the correct way was through the road level booking office. Of course the signal box has now gone, all Stourbridge trains would have come through the tunnel and started at Birmingham New Street. Today they emerge from the line to the left having stopped at the new Galton Bridge station, this is now the Jewellery Line and for the core of the route (Tyseley to Stourbridge Junction) it has a 10 minute service.
37225 was built at the English Electric Vulcan Foundry as D6925, it was delivered new to 87E Landore depot 07/02/1964. it was withdrawn 28/02/2004 and cut by C.F. Booth at Rotherham 10/06/2004.
This picture has never been printed, I took 2 frames and prefered the second with the loco passing the signal box today I would have taken this version as my favourite.
Copyright Geoff Dowling 11/02/1979: All rights reserved
Sunday Diversion (gbw,79/04/22)
Approaching Smethwick Junction Signal Box on an utterly miserable Sunday morning is 37225 with a freight train diverted from the Lickey route which was closed for engineering work. The signal man warned us it was coming and said it was a Bescot to Severn Tunnel Junction.
Today the old closed station of Smethwick West is approached via this ramp but in 1979 the correct way was through the road level booking office. Of course the signal box has now gone, all Stourbridge trains would have come through the tunnel and started at Birmingham New Street. Today they emerge from the line to the left having stopped at the new Galton Bridge station, this is now the Jewellery Line and for the core of the route (Tyseley to Stourbridge Junction) it has a 10 minute service.
37225 was built at the English Electric Vulcan Foundry as D6925, it was delivered new to 87E Landore depot 07/02/1964. it was withdrawn 28/02/2004 and cut by C.F. Booth at Rotherham 10/06/2004.
This picture has never been printed, I took 2 frames and prefered the second with the loco passing the signal box today I would have taken this version as my favourite.
Copyright Geoff Dowling 11/02/1979: All rights reserved