Difference between revisions of "Alveley Sidings"
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| − | A set of sidings between [[Highley]] and [[Hampton Loade]] | + | A set of sidings between [[Highley]] and [[Hampton Loade]] opened on 30/01/1939, built to serve Alveley Colliery, which was located across the river. The sidings were opened in the 1930s, and were kept in use beyond the closure of the line between [[Bewdley]] and [[Shrewsbury]] in 1963, accessed from Bewdley. However, the mine became uneconomical to work and was closed in 1969, with the sidings and line North of Bewdley being closed at the same time, as no other source of traffic remained. |
== Alveley Colliery == | == Alveley Colliery == | ||
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== Operations == | == Operations == | ||
| − | The sidings were | + | The sidings were accessed via two ground frames, [[Alveley North ground frame|Alveley North]] and [[Alveley South ground frame|Alveley South]], which were unlocked by the [[Highley signal box|Highley]]-[[Hampton Loade signal box|Hampton Loade]] token. An intermediate token instrument was provided in a cabin between the two ground frames, with direct telephone lines to Highley Signal Box and Hampton Loade Booking Office, as well as the Worcester Exchange-Bridgnorth Signal Box omnibus line. The intermediate instrument to allow trains to be locked in so that other traffic could pass on the main line whilst the sidings were being shunted. |
| − | The layout on the GWR side consisted of a loop with a capacity of 50 wagons and a number of other sidings and headshunts. Two connections to the private sidings were provided, one at the South end leading to the empty wagon sidings, which held 40 wagons, and another at the North end leading to the loaded wagon sidings, holding 36 wagons. The two rakes of private sidings were connected internally via the coal screens, where coal was loaded into the wagons. | + | The layout on the GWR side consisted of a front loop line, with a capacity of 50 wagons, and a number of other sidings and headshunts. Two connections to the private sidings were provided, one at the South end leading to the empty wagon sidings, which held 40 wagons, and another at the North end leading to the loaded wagon sidings, holding 36 wagons. The two rakes of private sidings were connected internally via the coal screens, where coal was loaded into the wagons. GWR locomotives were used to set down and pick up wagons on these sidings, but were otherwise not allowed in the private sidings. |
== Photographs == | == Photographs == | ||
Revision as of 20:36, 10 January 2015
A set of sidings between Highley and Hampton Loade opened on 30/01/1939, built to serve Alveley Colliery, which was located across the river. The sidings were opened in the 1930s, and were kept in use beyond the closure of the line between Bewdley and Shrewsbury in 1963, accessed from Bewdley. However, the mine became uneconomical to work and was closed in 1969, with the sidings and line North of Bewdley being closed at the same time, as no other source of traffic remained.
Alveley Colliery
The shaft at Alveley was sunk in 1935 to a depth of 360 yards by the Highley Mining Company, and was connected with their workings from their Highley shaft, which had proceeded under the river by this point. Initial work was completed in 1937, and production starting in 1938. The new shaft replaced the one at Highley, which was closed in 1939, with all production being brought to the surface at Alveley, although the old shaft was retained for ventilation and as an emergency evacuation route. The workings were very modern, with full use being made of electrical power, including completely mechanical working of the coal face.
Coal was brought across the river by a rope-worked tramway across a bridge built to serve the mine, which was later replaced with an aerial ropeway in 1961. This served the washeries and sidings.
Production was fairly consistent, reaching full output in 1944 with 275,000 tons raised, with that year's record being 5,547 tons in one week, and a peak of 300,000 tons per year reached in the late 1950s. Employment was 741 in 1947, rising to over 1,250 in the mid 1950s, and falling to around 700 by the mine's closure. A major expansion was undertaken in the late 1950s and early 1960s, completed in 1962, after large reserves of coal were found to the East of the current workings. These were purported to be enough to last the mine between 50 and 100 years, but a drop in the quality of coal combined with a reduction in demand forced the closure of the mine in 1969, with the last coal being lifted on the 31st of January.
Operations
The sidings were accessed via two ground frames, Alveley North and Alveley South, which were unlocked by the Highley-Hampton Loade token. An intermediate token instrument was provided in a cabin between the two ground frames, with direct telephone lines to Highley Signal Box and Hampton Loade Booking Office, as well as the Worcester Exchange-Bridgnorth Signal Box omnibus line. The intermediate instrument to allow trains to be locked in so that other traffic could pass on the main line whilst the sidings were being shunted.
The layout on the GWRGreat Western Railway side consisted of a front loop line, with a capacity of 50 wagons, and a number of other sidings and headshunts. Two connections to the private sidings were provided, one at the South end leading to the empty wagon sidings, which held 40 wagons, and another at the North end leading to the loaded wagon sidings, holding 36 wagons. The two rakes of private sidings were connected internally via the coal screens, where coal was loaded into the wagons. GWRGreat Western Railway locomotives were used to set down and pick up wagons on these sidings, but were otherwise not allowed in the private sidings.
Photographs
GWRGreat Western Railway Notice covering the opening and operation of Alveley Sidings. 1 of 2.
GWRGreat Western Railway Notice covering the opening and operation of Alveley Sidings. 2 of 2.
References
- "Alveley". Wikipedia article. Link. Accessed 09/01/2015.
- "Alveley Colliery". Shropshire History article. Link. Accessed 09/01/2015.
- "Alveley Sidings at 144m 8 1/2c in the Section Highley-Hampton Loade". GWRGreat Western Railway Notice No. W472, 28/01/1939. Part 1 and Part 2.
- Leslie Oppitz. "The Severn Valley Railway". BBC Shropshire article. Link. Accessed 09/01/2015.
- Transactions of the Alveley Historical Society, 1995-2003. Link. Accessed 09/01/2015
- "Railways of Highley". Highley.org.uk article. Link. Accessed 09/01/2015.
