Railways around Coventry

Hi all NOW THE CRUNCH, WHICH WILL AFFECT EVERYONE LIVING IN OR NEAR COVENTRY Politics will affect us gravely in Coventry, if the issues of the current HS2 project are not properly managed & thought through. Maybe I do not trust politicians, but can you blame me as I have watched, like you, so many being dragged through courts & enquiries for lying, cheating & thieving, screaming as they have been of late. It is who is running the politics who will have the determining factor. I am not going to preach what I believe on this, but just state a fact. Following on from my last post, you will see how politicians dictated the lives of all those who lost their train services. Come closer to home & ask why did Foleshill station close. I can tell you that it was not for lack of numbers travelling. A classic example of past vile politics is in Cheltenham. Cheltenham had three railway stations at one time, one of them right in the middle of the town, perfect for shopping, the lot. So, when the time came to improve the services, because that is what the politicians call it, which station did the politicians close? The one in the middle. St James. So next time you have the misfortune to have to travel by train to Cheltenham, you will now know why you have to hike two miles to visit the town. Reason, politicians! So, please think on this. It is parliament who dictate events in our land, whether you are having to wait weeks to see your GP, or losing any kind of public facility, whatever our politicians are ranting or using as an excuse, the buck stops with them. No one else! ps If you do need to go to Cheltenham & are not driving, please go by coach like I do. You actually get to Cheltenham.

Surely the vast sums proposed for HS2 would be far better spent on upgrading the existing rail services nationwide. The benefits that the HS2 supporters rave about are not by any means clear cut. Indeed, the scheme could have the opposite effect - channeling business from the North down to London, which according to Vince Cable is already bleeding the rest of the country dry. Up here in Barrow-in-Furness we would welcome any investment. Over the last two weekends, I travelled by train to Manchester. Now, I realise that there will be increased passenger numbers at this time of the year but, having originated at Barrow, by three stops down the line the train was full to bursting with more people standing than had seats. According to a pair of off-duty railway personnel who were standing near and discussing it, this situation is now pretty much the norm now because the company are running out of rolling stock and are therefore having to shorten the trains. It seems to me that in this day and age, no overcrowding at all should be tolerated - the railways are the only form of public transport on which the passengers are not forbidden from standing for the majority, or even the entirety of their journey. Sorry, not Coventry related but our problems are not unique and can only become more widespread without urgent action

Hi Greenman Thank you for your comment, which is very Coventry related. This issue is nationwide but as it stands at present, Coventry is a big loser. It loses because it is not connected to HS2 & it is also the loser as you say where the already meagre funds for maintaining the existing network will be diluted even further. The continental high speed train is an example of that.

Regarding HS2 and other "high-speed" rail projects and aims, what the politicians seem to forget is, we are a small,,crowded island - it is most difficult to replicate the TGV or ICE-train lines of France and Germany as they cover hundreds of miles through open countryside, and have the opportunity to build and, more importantly, operate high-speed railway lines, without the "hindrance" of towns and cities to traverse every few miles. HS1 has a bit of a chance between St Pancras and the Channel Tunnel as it doesn't pass through any built-up areas of significance (and it was largely built alongside an existing straight track), but in other directions from the capital, you don't get much of a chance. Brunel's line does its best, and the East Coast Mainline is fairly open, whilst they have upgraded the West Coast Mainline as much as possible on its existing track - but after all, Birmingham is only just over 100 miles from the edge of London, so how much time saving can you make on a journey that short? It doesn't compare with, say, Paris to Lyon, where the driver can literally put a brick on the accelerator pedal all the way! And sadly, of course, Coventry is just a "backwater" as far as the railways are concerned, a blot on the "branch" from teh WCML at Rugby to Birmingham, and just a small junction on the cross-country runs between the Chiltern Line and the WCML/Midland Lines. I see that plans are going ahead for a new station at Kenilworth, but I wonder if the Ricoh station will ever come to fruition?

Hi Midland Red, Hi all This was my post from, you can see the date. "213 of 849 Mon 16th Jul 2012 1:02pm The station at the Ricoh, (sorry City of Coventry Stadium), Hill Top in Nuneaton & Kenilworth are all in the plan, sad to say though, that I will believe it when I see construction start. HS2 controversy has drawn so much attention away from the real infrastructure, I am not sure that anyone knows which pedal to push. I hope it does" As you can see, I was sceptical of the Ricoh project then! Someone at British Rail who I can always trust, ( He said hello to you & I at Coventry station once, Midland Red), told me that there was more of a chance of him becoming Queen of England than a station at the Ricoh ever being built in the next ten years, mostly because of lack of funding from North Warwickshire CC. Plenty of lip, but little anything else.

Finally after a year I found my old photo's of Three Spires Junction, I think the box was about to be decommissioned, these were taken about 1989 and I was testing an old Rolliflex twin lens reflex camera I'd just re-built, so sorry for the quality. The box with wire grilles over the windows. Looking back towards Coventry. A shunting 'Ground' signal at the rear of the box.

Hi, A song comes to mind "Memories are made of this". Now you know exactly where Hall Brooks starts, I am sure that you did anyway. In 1923, a plan was prepared to allow direct access from the Nuneaton direction, off the colliery line, to feed Coventry power station. The engine shed was increased in size instead, which housed a LNWR loco to work the reversal that was required. Thank you so much.

History of the line, courtesy Warwickshire Railways

I was watching an episode of Michael Portillo's "Great British Rail Journeys" this morning. A close up of his 1838 Bradshaw's Guide showed a mention of Coventry and also Brandon Station, then the only halt between Coventry and Rugby. Later to be renamed Brandon and Wolston and closed 1960.

Next Wednesday's 'Great British Railway Journeys' programme will feature shoe making in Northampton, Rugby School, Coventry Transport Museum and a final section filmed in Nuneaton about George Eliot. Lot of filming for a 30 min. programme. The image below was taken in the George Eliot collection in Nuneaton Library.

It was 49 years ago this very week that the Nuneaton - Coventry - Leamington local railway service was withdrawn, the last day of operation being Saturday 17th January 1965. This of course resulted in the closure of all the intermediate stations which included Coundon Road. The Coundon Road signal box lasted significantly longer, remaining in use until May 2009. It operated as a fringe box to Coventry Power Signal Box, controlling signals on the Nuneaton branch as well as operating the barriers of the level crossing. Late May 2009 saw all signalling in the Coventry area being transferred to the Coventry 'panel' of the West Midlands Signalling Centre, situated at Saltley, Birmingham. Coundon Road and Hawkesbury Lane signal boxes ceased to operate as such after the running of the last trains on 22nd May 2009. Initially it was thought that both boxes would be preserved, one rumoured to be going the National Railway Museum at York, and one to the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway in South Wales. Unfortunately neither of these plans have materialised and somewhat belatedly (in this day and age) Coundon Road signal box is to be demolished on Saturday 25th January. This ultra long lens photograph of the Coundon Road station environs was taken today off the Radford Road. Clearly the signal box is to the right, immediately to its right is the Carbodies/London Taxis plant. The large white building behind the train is the Alvis Retail Park. The long lens accentuates the extent of the rise from the Allesley Old Road up towards Hearsall Common. Staggeringly, some 49 years after the service was withdrawn and the station closed, the 'up' platform remains fairly complete and can clearly be seen on the left. Bablake school is immediately to its left. Although not as complete as the 'up' (all 'up' lines normally head to London), the greater chunk of the 'down' platform also still exists but is hidden in undergrowth. Clearly this type of photograph would have been almost impossible to take once we start coming out of winter due to heat haze.

Thanks, Ron, for the detailed information and excellent photograph Although I have a photo of Coundon Road box, I will have to revisit before demolition on 25th

Hi Ron, In my upper fifth at KHVIII, I did a shared with Bablake subject, geomorphology, which involved the short rail journey once a week to Bablake. Sharing my memories with another friend I was reminded that one of the services was a push & pull auto, which I had honestly forgotten about, even though I professed to be a train-spotter.

Are they getting rid of it Cliff?

Hi all It looks that way, sad to say. I am given to believe that "Scale-Dale" have photos & drawings of Coundon Road box, so we may see it in a Hornby box at some time.