Railways around Coventry

I had the pleasure of hearing the thrash just on 11pm as it headed past Brandon Wood towards Rugby

Hi all I had a book once called 'Steam Cathedrals', which detailed the grandeur of some of the worlds great railway station buildings. I am not sure that I would ever describe Coventry railway station in such terms, but it is often my sanctuary, where I go to think things over, or even just to stay cool. In all of the recent high outdoor temperatures, the south end of platform one has its own dynamic air conditioning, provided by heaven above & it has never failed yet in sixty years of trainspotting. I even had the meal deal for lunch today, before departing on another local venture. Happy times to you all. ps. Warning. The outdoor air-con system cannot be switched off & continues working throughout the winter.

On paper perhaps Philip. The English Electric Class 3 were a common sight in green diesel days on the "merry-go-round" coal train which ran between Nuneaton and Rugby but they had to operate in pairs with a braking tender. They were often to be seen lurking behind our school gym waiting for the line through Coventry station to clear. A Black Five on the other hand could pull the same train without any assistance.

7th Aug 2013 marked 50 years from the date of the Great Train Robbery, and still they have not found all the loot. In 1963, £2.6 million was taken from the TPO (Travelling Post Office), £46 million in today's money. Pulled by a Class 40 diesel loco. The driver, Mr Jack Mills, based at Crewe, had constant trauma headaches due to the hit on the head he got from one of the robbers. He died in 1970 from leukaemia.

Hi all My train-spot afternoon today was even more of a delight as I had Pam with me, pictured munching her bag of Revels. She did share a few with me. Revels that is. Pam does know her trains & locomotives, as on days when I was working away, she would take our son to various train-spot locations up & down our country, when he was a child on school holidays.

Philip, have you any information on what is happening at Hawkesbury Lane signal box? A friend of mine says the boarding has been taken down and the ivy has been cut back, have you heard anything?

No, nothing Norm, but I will enquire on Sunday.

Hi NormK, Hi all Still no news regards your question about Hawkesbury Lane signal box. I will keep asking.

Thank you Philip. My friend was quite concerned about it because he is a long serving railway fanatic (much like yourself) and is curious as to what is happening there, indeed if anything at all. Cheers.

Hi NormK, hi all I have enjoyed being & describing myself as a trainspotter, but the real truth is that I am really a 'rail reminiscer'. When I started as a trainspotter, there were over twenty thousand locomotives, as well as a huge array of differently designed rolling stock, leave alone the civil engineering sights to be seen. The sounds too. Not just the puffing of a steamer, but the excitement when moving along on a train when it was entering a station area. First I would see the ends of sidings with their well rusted iron-work, next the line of wagons & if we were travelling slow enough, the hissing sound of the steam loco at the head of the goods train. All of that has gone, but my memories have not. Even when steam had gone, I still enjoyed watching with my then young son, the shunting going on in what is now Central Six, with the distinctive sound of wagons buffering up. Watch any period movie or drama, & you may well hear that recorded sound, being played in the background of wagons being shunted. So, when I am sat relaxing on a station platform somewhere, I might just be daydream spotting. Have a good week, all.

We as the Friends of the London Road Cemetery are going to have our usual Cemetery open days at the Heritage Weekend 14th and 15th Sept 2013. I would like to know if any of you have a picture of the pedestrian bridge that used to link the north and south sides of the Cemetery over the railway line. Years ago on many occasions I used this bridge with camera in hand and not once did I think to take pictures. I kick myself on many occasions over this. Here's hoping and many thanks. Regards Derek.

I read somewhere that a number of 'fine' railway signal boxes were to be preserved. Could this be happening at Hawkesbury? If so I hope they'll keep the one at Coundon Crossing too.

Hi all, I am trying to obtain details of twenty six boxes earmarked for preservation by English Heritage.

Hi Philip. I had a look up there yesterday, I think they are just having a general clean/tidy up down there. The verges have been smartened up etc. I read in the Tribune today they are closing the road in order to inspect the crossing, so this is probably the reason for the box tidy up.

Hi all Time for an interlude. 1950s/60s LMS Steam Around The Midlands There are two scenes of City of Coventry travelling on the Coventry line.