Railways around Coventry

Hi Catshed & Thank you, I do know of it, but it is still lovely to look at at anytime. There is always a mystery about tunnels, whether as here regards the construction or fiction of what is going on in the tunnel. I was cruising the G.U canal a few years ago & introduced my friends to the horse tunnel near to Shrewley. They had no idea of it being there, or why it was there. I took a youth group there over thirty years ago. I have a cert to state that I travelled through the Marsden canal tunnel. Some 'last of the summer wine' scenes take place there. You being there & telling us, makes it Coventry related. I love it!

Hi Catshed, See you were a spotter at Rugby. Would that be in the 1960s? I used to do trainspotting at Rugby in the late 1950s (57-60). The only diesels we saw were the prototypes. There was the fabulous Deltic in light blue and yellow (nicknamed the "Ice Cream Cart") usually on Merseyside expresses. There were the twins, 10000 and 10001, which we sometimes saw on the Royal Scot to Glasgow. We weren't too keen on them as they substituted for a Stanier Pacific or double-headed Royal Scots. However, recently joined a group hoping to reconstruct 10000, see IDRS, so I've changed my mind. The only diesels we regularly saw in Coventry were 10201 and 10203 on the Birmingham London expresses. I have vivid memories of seeing 10203 racing through Canley Halt with its line of maroon coaches in tow heading towards Coventry. Did a lot of trainspotting at Canley Halt as it was near home. The signalman at the gates sometimes asked us up into the box, which even in the 1950s seemed like something from a bygone age! In recent years I've travelled behind a preserved Class 40, and Deltic "Royal Scots Grey" has been in Scotland several times. Had a good trip up the Highland Line, and a tour to Oban about five years ago. It was a wet autumn day, so RSG needed some assistance from a Class 37 at the back getting away from Oban. The Deltics have a lot of power, but less traction/adhesion.

Unfortunately Rootes66 I find myself apologising again for being too young having been born on September 25th 1964, the day after they turned on the 25kv for the Rugby section, so my era was around the late 70's, early 80's which was a bit bleak for a gricer, I really do wish I had seen steam 'in its day' and could only sit in a station or lineside imagining it all. The tales of the engine drivers and firemen used to keep my imagination flowing as we were all members of the Woodford Halse GCR society, this was about 1980 but had regular slide shows and cine film footage. I've always been a railway enthusiast and steam is close to my heart but all I had was the end of the big diesels you older generation had all the good stuff

Hello, Does anyone have a railway track plan of the Three Spires Yard which served Coventry Collery and Homefire Plant at all?? I have a plan from the Daimler sidings to Bedlam Lane but I'm focusing on building a new layout on the sidings. Many thanks Martin

Hello Martin and welcome to Rob's forum This is the highest resolution map I could find: Three Spires Sidings circa 1951 If you want to fish around a bit the co-ordinates are 434000, 282500 at Old-Maps.co.uk

Hi to you both & hi all It was the closure of the colliery line from Three Spires that gave me the idea for our model route, but instead of terminating at the colliery, our model continues on to a fictitious junction at Arley. We do hope that you, Martin, enjoy your time with us. You are in very good company with Dutchman. Regards your model plans, this is wonderful news. Will it connect with HallBrooks? I do hope so. I am so excited about this, Martin. I had thought of doing something at the colliery end, but I am so glad that may latest model venture is in the opposite direction, as you have come along. Bril! HallBrooks model railway Also the link to some pics on our site forum of the Prologis Park

That used to be our playground as kids!

Thanks all. I have just pulled off the map of the sidings at Three Spires Junction. I never knew of this amount of sidings even though I have walked many times through the trees and weeds. My next question. Is there a map of the exchange sidings?? I have tried to get on old maps but no luck yet. I may have to scale down my layout from Foleshill Station to accommodate all of these sidings and the exchange sidings but it'll be a great challenge. I have the exchange sidings in my head, its getting time to draw up the plans. Thanks all for the welcome too.

You could be a bit more specific as to their location Martin as I've seen several different places referred to as "the exchange sidings"? Also the approximate era you wish to model as the trackplans changed over the years? (One of the other posters may know exactly what you mean?)

Hi to you both, Hi all In the early days of our HallBrooks plans, I did look at the feasibility of copying an exact location of some part of the Foleshill line, but I quickly came to the conclusion that I would need a village hall in order to accommodate any such project. This might sound silly, but it is often the case that complex city centre station track plans do not occupy as much space as junctions & the like out in the sticks. Land around the time the Foleshill line was being built was not so restricted.

Possibly this may need moving to a topic relating to the Paybody family, but it is local railway related. Earlier this week we had a note from a distant relative in Australia who is related through marriage to the Paybody family. We do a lot of research for them so info is often passed both ways. This was a note about John Paybody, Coal Merchant having a lot of private owner coal wagons based at Coundon Road. To the best of my knowledge I have never seen a photograph of a wagon with Paybody on the side. If anyone can help it would be appreciated.

I've just scanned this print which I took in (I think) 1982

Hi Foxcote, It is often the working practices that give the life to any subject. In 1968, I went with friends to see the then newly restored Clun Castle steam loco that was in one of the remaining round house sheds at B'ham. I spent more time looking at the working notice-board that showed the loco allocations on the last day that the shed was being used. I remember that now, more so than the castle loco. I love the linked photo, Foxcote.

Here's one for you, then, Philip, from Barrow Hill in 2009!

Hi all Thank you so much Midland Red, Commonly referred to as the chalk boards, this for me is as evocative, as much as any Christmas card. Road one & two are of great interest, but saying that, if that was a chalk board live at Nuneaton now, the access roads would be jammed with enthusiasts. ps. Why would the class 40 be on the turntable?