Midland Mysteries solved (Document updated 31 March 2015) This socument arose from interest shown in the picture of the Harborne Branch Tour of 3/6/1950 shown on p.148 of Journal 881 May/June 2013. Ian Clark who is working on documetiing the history of SLS Specials the provided further photos from the Midlands in the 1950’s that were in need of identification. These are part of the SLS Library Collection and information received has also been used to update the 6 Bells Jct webpages. All were ‘Cam’ Midland Area Tours with very little being reported about most of them at the time. This also includes the series of South Wales Tours and also the Birmingham to Swindon Works forays. The information received has now been added to this document and all locations identified. However for all the tours any timing sheets (booked/actual) would be of help. Photo 1: 46757 on 3/6/1950 This may be at almost the same location as the Journal photo of the Harbourne tour, but the activity is such that here it is possible that the loco may have been propelling the train back to Monument Lane? Identified as - Woodbourne Road approaching Harborne on 3/6/50. Photo 2: 46757 on 3/6/1950 Further on in the tour. Identified as - Monument Lane on 3/6/50. Details of this tour and others from Gary Thornton’s Six Bells website of railtours are below. For further details please see http:// www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/ Loco Route 46757 Birmingham New Street - Monument Lane - Harborne Jn - Harborne 46757 (1) Harborne - Harborne Jn - Monument Lane Monument Lane - Soho East Jn - Handsworth Jn - Perry Barr Station Jn - Aston Jn – 46757 Stechford 46757 (1) Stechford - Proof House Jn - Birmingham New Street Notes : (1) Loco propelling. (2) Timings carried a note: “Permission has been granted by the Railway Executive for the journey to Harborne on the distinct understanding that the members do not alight from the train at Harborne station”. This was the first passenger train to visit Harborne since 24th November 1934. Train booked to be at Harborne for only 3 mins. Photo 3: 58903 on 1/6/1954 Identified as - Near Illey Road on 1/6/54. Loco Route Birmingham New Street - Proof House Jn - Aston - Perry Barr - Handsworth Wood - Smethwick 58903 - Galton Jn - Oldbury - Old Hill - Hunnington - Longbridge - Kings Norton - Kings Heath - Camp Hill - Bordesley Jn - Landor Street Jn – Saltley Saltley - Landor Street Jn - Bordesley Jn - Camp Hill - Kings Heath - Lifford - Stirchley - Selly 58903 Oak - Five Ways - Birmingham New Street Photo 4: 2516 & Photo 5: 2144, both on 21/5/1955 Locations were requested for both locomotives that took part in this West Midlands Tour. Identified as - Oldbury Town on 21/5/55. Loco Route 2516 Birmingham Snow Hill - Handsworth Jn - Oldbury & Langley Green - Oldbury Town Branch (1) 2516 Oldbury Town - Oldbury & Langley Green Oldbury & Langley Green - Old Hill - Windmill End Jn - Dudley - Tipton Five Ways - Priestfield 2516 - Wolverhampton Low Level - Oxley Middle Jn - Oxley Branch Jn - Wombourn - Kingswinford Jn - Stourbridge Junction - Kidderminster - Bewdley - Cleobury Mortimer 2144 Cleobury Mortimer - Burwarton - Ditton Priors (2) 2144 Ditton Priors - Burwarton - Cleobury Mortimer Cleobury Mortimer - Bewdley - Kidderminster - Stourbridge Junction - Cradley Heath - Old Hill - 2516 Oldbury & Langley Green - Handsworth Jn - Birmingham Snow Hill Notes : (1) Timing sheet gives reversal point on branch as ‘to 135-40 milepost’. (2) Timing sheet gives reversal point as Cleobury North Sidings. Photo 6: 84006 on 27/4/1957 - Nottinghamshire Coalfield Tour. Location now confirmed: Ollerton Colliery headshunt at Boughton, just south of the bridge overTuxford Road. The curving embankment to the right led into Ollerton Colliery, whilst behind that was a further right curved embankment and girder bridge crossing over the Mansfield Central – Lincoln Central line and leading to Farnsfield Junction.Information supplied by Vic Smith The water stop photo of 84006 on the 6 Bells Jct.webpage is at Bilsthorpe. Loco Route Nottingham Midland - Netherfield Jn - Thurgarton - Fiskerton Jn - Rolleston West Jn - Southwell 84006 - Farnsfield Jn - Bilsthorpe Jn - Ollerton Colliery 84006 Ollerton Colliery - Bilsthorpe Jn - Farnsfield Jn Farnsfield Jn - Blidworth Jn - Bidworth - Rufford Jn - Mansfield Colliery Jn - Mansfield East Jn - 84006 Mansfield South Jn - Sutton Junction - Kirkby-in-Ashfield - Hucknall (Byron?) - Bestwood Park Jn 84006 Bestwood Park Jn - Papplewick Jn - Calverton Colliery Calverton Colliery - Papplewick Jn - Bestwood Park Jn - Bulwell - Radford - Lenton North Jn - 84006 Mansfield Jn - Nottingham Midland Page updated 31 January 2015 Photo 7: 4571 on 26/4/1958 Location of photo of the last train Bromyard – Leominster identified as Steens Bridge on 26/4/58. Loco(s) Route 4571 15.10d Worcester Shrub Hill - Worcester Foregate Street - Bromyard - Leominster 4571 Leominster - (?reverse of outward route?) - Worcester Shrub Hill Notes : (1) Route confirmation required. 4571 was photographed at Bromyard. From The John Debens Ticket Collection. Photo 8: 58271 on 30.5.1959 Location of the sidings passed on the Harborne – New Street section of this West Midlands Tour was requested and identified as - Approaching Longbridge Box on 30/5/59.. Tour Traction Route ‘Part 58283 Birmingham New Street – Monument Lane – Harborne Jn – Harborne 1’ (1) Harborne – Harborne Jn - Monument Lane – Birmingham New Street – Proof House ‘Part 58271 Jn – Aston – Perry Barr Station Jn – Soho East Jn – Soho North Jn – Galton Jn – 1’ (2) Smethwick Junction – Old Hill – Halesowen – Longbridge – Kings Norton – Bordesley Jn – St Andrews Jn – Proof House Jn – Birmingham New Street Photos 9 & 10 of 6694, believed to be on 1/7/1959 This loco was photographed on the train at New Street. Train ran to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the opening of Moor Street Station. Identified as - Henley in Arden Goods (Old) 1/7/59. Loco(s) Route Birmingham Moor Street - Tyseley - Knowle & Dorridge - Hatton North Jn - Claverdon - Bearley North Jn - 6694 Henley-in-Arden - (1) Henley Goods (Old Station) 6694 (?) Henley Goods (Old Station) - Henley-in-Arden 6694 (?) Henley-in-Arden - Tyseley - Birmingham Moor Street Notes : (1) An additional reversal may have been made/required between Henley-in-Arden and Henley Goods to access the ‘Old Station’. It may however be that the train simply reversed at the point adjacent to the Old Station, or the track layout may have been changed after the through route to Rowington Jn closed in 1917. (2) Route confirmation required - above is from booked timings. 6694 photographed on the train at Birmingham Moor Street and at Henley in Arden Goods (Old). Photos 11 & 12: MR Compound 1000 on 27/9/1959 MR 1000 on the main line and also at Toton. Top photo - Identified as aproaching Chester Road 27/9/59. Lower photo - Identified as Toton 27/9/59. Loco(s) Route 1000 Birmingham New Street - Derby - Toton - Nottingham - Birmingham New Street Notes : (1) Route & loco confirmation required. Reversal points not shown in itinery. For MR1000 therefore we require confirmation of the itinerary. .