Railways around Coventry

Hi & thank you. Even more than that, I might pay them a visit too.

Hi, continuing the Kenilworth to Berkswell issue. I am not saying this just to agree with you Dutchman, but it is so true. To think that just a short double track length was scrapped in favour of the single line bottle-neck into Coventry was hair-brain. It was not even costed out. The junction (Crackley), where it separated from the Cov line was a favourite lazy Saturday afternoon trainspot site for me.

To make matters even worse Philip they lifted the passing loop between Gibbet Hill and Coventry station in 1970 so it was no longer even possible to hold trains there while waiting for the line through the station to clear. I believe the passing loop was reinstated recently at huge expense to the taxpayer.

Indeed Philip. It occured to me that few people would have had a phone during the period in which the layout is set, let alone an internet connection! This picture of a railway artefact was posted by the Coventry Society on Flickr. It claims to have been taken in Spon End but I don't know of anywhere around here which looks like that? I shall however keep an eye out for it in future:

It's a Railway Company Boundary Marker. And that looks like Broomfield Park, pretty sure I've seen it. There's a footpath opposite John Taylors butchers by the Earlsdon Ave North railway bridge then runs by the side of the cutting and comes out at Moor St/Myrtle Grove, about halfway along (top of Poplar Rd) there is also one of these railway company boundary markers, it's taller and resembles a bollard but is on the railway side of the fence, I'll get a snap soon while it's not overgrown

Okay thanks That's technically Earlsdon. I used to play in the sandpit in the park!

Hi all. I include this even though it is a very liberal interpretation of the title. It does give a very authentic view of what our railways were like closer to home. Steam In The Midlands All of the locomotives & stock along with the general architecture are what was on our doorstep here at the time. I have not seen this film before, lasting about fifteen minutes taken from home cine. I hope you like.

Fascinating stuff, thanks Philip The Stanier Mogul was a common sight around Coventry but sadly has never been available in RTR model form Likewise the Stanier 2-6-2t. The heavy freights were usually restricted to the bypass lines. Coventry's own "Mickey Mouse" 46520 was Swindon built and often seen running light through the station.

Hi Dutchman. The Mickey Mouse locos, I really liked their small but chunky appearance. I have four of the tank versions, of which two are auto fitted. Also the advert for Keelavite. During my early days at Courtaulds, I visited several mines where their props were being used & tested. I had to count them. Where did the nick-name come from, Mickey Mouse? Doodle-bugs were the higher boiler mounted class 4s. I could never figure out where half the names came from. The Southern Q class 0-6-0 with tenders were called space-ships. I am about to put a pic on my other model gallery of my Sean's railway. You might like it. Most is his own work, with his dad's help. He, his mum & dad & sister live in Coundon.

I know of three theories, none of which is totally convincing. 1) Some people claim that viewed front-on it resembles the face of Mickey Mouse. I can't see it myself? 2) It's possible Mickey once rode on top of a model of a similar looking 2-6-0 loco in a cartoon. 3) And most likely, because it was almost laughably small! Or Flying Pigs or Mucky Ducks

Hi Philip. Not wanting to stray from the good ol' engines, and believe it not, I do love looking at them but I was drawn to the Keelavite advert. Tony, my husband, worked there in Meriden for about ten years before they were taken over by Lucas Hydraulics, so just seeing the ad took US back, thanks for that Dutchman

Weren't 46445 and 46446 "our" local mickeys for some years?

Hi all Yes they were. I saw them both all over our area.

46445 and 46446 at Coventry shed:

Thanks for those photo's dutchman, they're the first images I've seen of Coventry shed, I've been looking around for ages and only came up with the two of the goods yard I posted earlier in this topic. Cheers