Wolverhampton railway works
52°35′24″N 2°07′37″W / 52.590°N 2.127°W Wolverhampton railway works was in the city of Wolverhampton in the county of Staffordshire, England. It was almost due north of the city centre, and is commemorated with a small display of level crossing gates and a plaque. Known as the Stafford Road Works, it was opened by the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway in 1849[1] to maintain bought-in locomotives.
Overview
Wolverhampton works, located at
Locomotives
Joseph Armstrong was promoted to
In comparison with Swindon, Wolverhampton was frustrated by having to maintain a great variety of different locomotives from the various lines that had been taken over. Much of its work, therefore, was in rebuilding and standardisation. However, once new construction started in 1859 (with two 2-2-2s designed by Joseph Armstrong) its independence showed. This was even true of the livery; that of Swindon engines was leaf green with oak brown frames, while Wolverhampton's were dark blue-green with red-brown frames.
Construction during George Armstrong's tenure consisted mainly of 0-4-2 tanks of the familiar
As the broad gauge declined and was finally abolished in 1892, Swindon naturally took over as the GWR's main "narrow" (=standard) gauge locomotive builder. When George Armstrong retired, aged 75, in 1897, Swindon influence grew stronger at Wolverhampton. After producing some 800 locomotives, all new building ceased in 1908. The Works continued to repair and overhaul all classes of locomotive, from the humble tank engine to the King Class and BR Standard locomotives, until it closed in 1964.
Wolverhampton (Stafford Road) TMD
On reaching Wolverhampton in 1854, the GWR built their own
In 1860, the GWR added a 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Old Oak Common pattern 55 feet (16.8 m) turntable shed, with 28 access tracks all with their own inspection pits. Sheds nos. 2 and 3 were added in the same pattern by 1875, with all turntables across all three sheds increased to 65 feet (19.8 m). But due to site access restrictions, sheds nos. 2 and 3 were not directly accessible from Wolverhampton Low Level.[2]
As the major depot of the region, it was constructed as a heavy maintenance repair shop, to replace the functionality of the old S&B works. Hence under the Loans and Guarantees Act (1929): the old broad gauge sheds were demolished and replaced with new steel-framed sheds nos. 4 and 5; a new lifting and erection shop on the site of the old S&B depot; the salted roofs and timber trusses roofs of sheds nos. 1, 2 and 3 replaced by steel supports and corrugated iron; and a new two-ramp coaling stage plus additional 65 feet (19.8 m) erected on the opposite side of the LMS line, closer to Wolverhampton Low Level. By this time the depot function of the old S&B shed had been replaced by the new standard-pattern two-turntable Wolverhampton Oxley depot, which was on the opposite side of the line, next to the freight yards and closer to Wolverhampton Low Level.[2]
After reallocation of the depot to
References
- H. Holcroft, Locomotive Adventure, Ian Allan Ltd, pp. 11–12, 21-52
- Simmons, J., (1986) The Railway in Town and Country, Newton Abott: David & Charles
- Larkin, E.J., Larkin, J.G., (1988) The Railway Workshops of Great Britain 1823-1986, Macmillan Press
Notes
- OCLC 877729237.
- ^ ISBN 0-902888-16-1.[page needed]
Further reading
- Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (2009). Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury. Middleton Press. figs. 19-20. OCLC 286385795.
- Collins, Paul (1990). Rail Centres: Wolverhampton. London: ISBN 0711018928.