Bromsgrove station is at the foot of the Lickey Incline and is on the former Birmingham and Gloucester railway. Steam locomotives were based here to bank trains up the Lickey Incline until 1964.
It is pleasing that daytime banking of freight trains up the Lickey Incline has now resumed after a long absence using a class 66 diesel locomotive from the Birmingham area.
Class 66 diesel locomotive No.66094 set outs from the holding siding at Bromsgrove with a heavy coal train. Network Rail has announced plans to close the station here and to relocate it slightly further to the south.. This does seem rather a far fetched idea as opposed to simply adding to the lengths of the existing platforms. After all most trains on this line consist of no more than four carriages (or possibly five for a "Voyager"). Another case it seems of spending money where it is not needed?
This is the same coal train passing through Bromsgrove station on 30th August 2002 and starting on the climb up to Blackwell at the top of the Lickey Incline. The banking engine is class 60 locomotive No.60040 that will assist the train as far as Blackwell.
Both photographs taken by Andrew Smith.
From a much earlier period single car diesel unit No.55033 in the short-lived 'Midline' livery is at Bromsgrove on 25th May 1991. Photo taken by Andrew Smith.
This is 'Peak' class locomotive No.45050 approaching Bromsgrove from the West and about to attempt the climb to Blackwell. Photograph by Andrew Smith on 21st September 1976.
In bright sunshine in May 1984 a pair of Class 37 diesel locomotives Nos.37219 & 37241 wait at the locomotive stabling point to the south of the station.
Bromsgrove was the operating headquarters for the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway and a large complex including a wagon repair shop and engine shed was built here. This became part of the Midland Railway and then the London, Midland & Scottish Railway (LMSR). On nationalisation the shed became part of the London Midland Region and was given a 21C code number. On 1st February 1959 it was transferred to the Western Region and was given the code number 85F (later 85D).
This is a close-up photograph of the plate of a wagon repaired at Bromsgrove in the 1950s (Collection of MIAC).
Steam banking engines were based at Bromsgrove shed until the end of September 1964 when D69xx (later class 37) diesels based at Worcester took over. The first of these, No.D6938, had arrived at Bromsgrove at the start of July 1964. More recently these duties have been handled by a locomotive from Saltley (and since closure of the depot here the locos have been based at Washwood Heath) in the West Midlands. The steam locomotive shed at Bromsgrove was alongside the southbound platform.
Gerald Wadley visited the shed on 1st November 1959 when he recorded the following locomotives:
Former London Midland & Scottish Railway class 3F 0-6-0 engines No.43762 and class 3F 0-6-0 'Jinty's Nos. 47276 and 47308. These three locomotives were at Bromsgrove shed in 1958 when the depot was transferred to the Western Region of British Railways.
BR built 8400 class 'pannier' 0-6-0 tank engines Nos. 8400, 8402, 8404, 8406, 8427 and 8496. These engines (plus 8401, 8403 and 8405) arrived at Bromsgrove from 1956 and performed banking duties until closure in 1964. No.8496 was on loan from Worcester shed.
Former Great West Railway 4200 class 2-8-0 tank engine No.5226. This locomotive was allocated to Worcester shed but was most often to be found on banking duties at Bromsgrove.
Standard class 9F 2-10-0 tender engine No. 92231. The regular large banking engine was standard class 9F No.92079 but this was presumably away for overhaul at the time. No.92231 was allocated to Newport (Ebbw Junction). No.92079 had replaced the legendary Midland Railway locomotive 'Big Bertha' in 1956.
When Gerald re-visited Bromsgrove shed on 1st March 1960 he saw the following locomotives:
Class 3F 0-6-0 engines No.43762.
Class 3F 0-6-0 tank engine 'Jinty' Nos. 47276.
8400 class 'pannier' 0-6-0 tank engines Nos. 8400, 8401, 8403, 8405, 8406, 8487 and 9490. No.9490 was based at Worcester shed whilst No.8487 had arrived from Gloucester shed.
Standard class 9F 2-10-0 tender engine No. 92079.
Another visit was made on 16th October 1960 when the locomotives seen were:
Class 3F 0-6-0 engines No.43762.
Class 3F 0-6-0 tank engine 'Jinty' Nos. 47276.
8400 class 'pannier' 0-6-0 tank engines Nos. 8400, 8401, 8402, 8403, 8404, 8405 and 9490. No.9490 was based at Worcester shed
Standard class 9F 2-10-0 tender engine No. 92079.
Also seen were Stanier class 8F tender engines Nos.48184 (of Toton shed) and 48687 (of Saltley shed).