Early Tramroads near Telford – Part 9 – The Lilleshall Company Tramroad running from Sutton Wharf through the area East of Malinslee, through Hollinswood and Oakengates and the Company’s Early ‘Internal’ Tramroad Network
The Lilleshall Company was a dominant force in the East Shropshire area and developed a network of canals and tramroads to transport goods between their many different sites. “The company’s origins date back to 1764 when Earl Gower formed a company to construct the Donnington Wood Canal on his estate. In 1802 the Lilleshall Company was founded by the Marquess of Stafford in partnership with four local capitalists.” [31]
Bob Yate, in his important book, “The Railways and Locomotives of the Lilleshall Company,” introduces the historical development of the transport provision of the Lilleshall Company, referring first to the Company’s canal network. The construction of these canals which, while of some significance, was unable to provide for all of the sites being built and run by the Company.
“In order to reach the workings of the pits, quarries and works that these canals served, a system of tramways was soon developed. These were almost certainly constructed using wrought iron rails from the start, and were definitely of plateway construction.” [1: p36]
Yate goes on to explain that the tramroads/tramways/plateways had various gauges and comments that these short lines “linking the workings to the canals, gradually lengthened as their usefulness became apparent. So it was that in October, 1797 the ironmaster Thomas Botfield agreed with his landlord, Isaac Browne to carry 1,200 tons of coal each month from Malins Lee (about two miles south of Oakengates):to some convenient wharf or quay adjoining the River Severn, and to the railway intended to be made by John Bishton & Co. and the said Thomas Botfield, or to some intermediate wharf or bank between the said works and the River Severn upon the line of the intended railway.” [1: p35]
An extract from Robert Baugh’s Map of Shropshire of 1808. The red line drawn onto the map was added by ‘Dawley History’. The map from which the extract was taken is available on the ‘Dawley History’ website. It is worth noting that St. Leonard’s Malinslee, next door to which we live, is shown as Dawley Church. [7]
Yate continues: “This railway was working by 1799, running from Sutton Wharf, near Coalport, to Hollinswood, where it connected with several ironworks and mines to the north in the area of Priorslee. The total length of this line was about eight miles, and it is presumed to have been horse worked. Bishton and Onions, whose ironworks was situated at Snedshill, were certainly involved in the original line, and by 1812 it had become the property of the [Lilleshall] Company. This is recorded on Robert Baugh’s map of 1808, and again on the Ordnance Survey maps of 1814 and 1817, although in the latter two cases it is not shown in its entirety.” [1: p35]
Yate notes that the Company were sending down around 50,000 tons of coal annually and much iron. “However, the Shropshire Canal was not enjoying the most robust of business climates, and attempted in June 1812 to negotiate for the Company’s business, although this seems to have been unsuccessful. However, in April 1815, William Horton on behalf of the [Lilleshall] Company agreed that the tramway would be removed, and that its business would be transferred to the canal. In turn, the Company: received compensation of some £500. as well as favourable tonnage rates.” [1: p35]
This means that the direct tramroad link to the River Severn was very short-lived.
The closure of this mainline tramroad/tramway had little effect on the ‘internal’ network of routes serving the Lilleshall Company’s various pits and works. Yate tells us that, by 1833, the main tramways were: a line running along Freestone Avenue to Lawn Pit, near to Priorslee Hall, and to Woodhouse Colliery; branches east of Stafford Street, Oakengates and north of Freestone Avenue; a continuation of the main line northwards crossing Station Hill, Oakengates to the east of the Shropshire Canal, and on to meet the Wrockwardine inclined plane near to Donnington Wood. [1: p35]
“By 1856, further tramways had been laid around the area of Snedshill Ironworks linking to the canalside warehouses, and branches reaching out to the waste heaps south and west of the ironworks. These spoil heap lines continued to expand in subsequent years around the Priorslee Ironworks, and south therefrom.” [1: p35]
Several of the coal pits in the Donnington Wood area were, by 1837, linked directly to the Old Lodge Furnaces and no longer needed to make use of the canal network. These tramroads were horse-drawn with minor exceptions on short, level runs where trams were manhandled. Yate comments: “It is nonetheless interesting to consider that wayleaves were granted in 1692 at Madeley and in 1749 at Coalbrookdale to permit the use of oxen. Admittedly this was over the roads of the area, but a good case could possibly be made for their employment as motive power on the tramroads, as surely local customs would be a powerful influence.” [1: p35]
Using the canal network became increasingly problematic. The underground workings in the area caused some subsidence and as a consequence canals could require significant repairs and be out if action for a time.
The Lilleshall Company’s tramroads eventually developed into a significant standard-gauge network. The later part of the transport story of the Lilleshall Company is for another time and another article!
In this article we concentrate on, what was, a relatively early (1799 to 1815), wrought-iron plateway tramroad. Perhaps we should bear in mind that it is possible that the Lilleshall Company saw no major financial advantage in lifting the whole line from Sutton Wharf into the Company’s industrial heartland and that elements of this tramroad came to be used as part of a later network of tramroads or railways If this was not true for the wrought-iron plates/rails themselves, it is much more likely that any embankments and cuttings could be used in this way. This may perhaps be something we will discover along the way.
The Tramroad Running North from Sutton Wharf
Savage and Smith provide some information about the line in their research in ‘The Waggon-ways and Plateways of East Shropshire‘. They provide two different series of drawings – the first set are 1″ to a mile plans relating to specific eras in the development of the local tramroads. The extract here is taken from the plan which relating to 1801-1820. [2: p85]
The line is shown in red ink, the Shropshire Canal is the heavy black line. The dotted and dashed thin lines are later railway routes. The short red dashes at the North end of the tramroad indicate that the route of the tramroad is not as certain as the length shown in continuous red ink.
Savage and Smith comment on the tramroad: “In 1808 Robert Baugh’s map of Shropshire shows the line from Oakengates to Sutton Wharf, but not with any great accuracy. Part of it is shown on the two inch ordnance survey of 1814 and 1817, but only as far as Holmer Farm. After this it disappears. Its owners seem to have been the Lilleshall Company and they sent down annually 50,000 tons of coal and much iron. It was agreed to remove it and transfer business to the Shropshire canal for compensation of £500 and a guarantee of favourable rates.” [2: p140]
The second series of plans provided by Savage and Smith are to a scale 6″ to a mile. At this larger scale, it at first seems that they are not prepared to show the same level of certainty over the actual route of the tramroad than on the 1″ to a mile map above. In fact the difference between the two lines shown has as much to do with the scale of the source mapping used. The long dashed red line in the more northerly section of the plans produced here indicates that the route was obtained from a 0.5″ to a mile plan. So they acknowledge that, while the route definitely existed, issues with scaling inevitably mean that there is greater uncertainty over the detailed alignment. We are probably best advised to see the route from Sutton Wharf to Holmer Farm as relatively reliable and to check the detail of the route from that point North. The 6″ to a mile plan is a fold-out plan and because of its length, difficult to photograph.
Savage and Smith also only show the line running to the North of Dark Lane, rather than around the West of Oakengates. With these provisos Savage and Smith show much of the length of the Sutton Wharf tramroad.
My photographs of the 6″ plan are not of the greatest clarity. But the two images provided here give sufficient clarity to make out the significant features that Savage and Smith recorded in the 1960s. [2: p139]
Their contribution is important, as they were able, in their onsite surveys, to record details subsequently lost with the remodelling of the landscape and the construction of new transport arteries by the Telford Development Corporation.
Our investigation of the route of the tramroad begins at its southern end at Sutton Wharf.
Below the key to Savage and Smith’s 6″ to a mile drawings there are a series of maps and satellite images showing the location of the Wharf.
The 6″ Ordnance Surveys of 1881/82, published in 1883 and of 1901, published in 1902 show the railways serving the immediate area to the West and South of Sutton Wharf. The GWR Severn Valley Railway is to the South of the River Severn with its station close to Bridge Inn. The LNWR Coalport Branch is on the North side of the Severn. The two stations are linked by Coalport Bridge.
Coalport Bridge remains in use in the 21st century, the two railways have disappeared. One picture of the bridge as it appears in the 21st century is provided below. The LNWR line is now the Silkin Way which links the River Severn with the centre of Telford. The Severn Valley Railway Coalport Station is, in 2023, a site with a variety of different holiday accommodation available.
The 6″ Ordnance Survey of 1881/82 published in 1883. This shows the new railways serving the immediate area to the West and South of Sutton Wharf. The GWR Severn Valley Railway is to the South of The River Severn with its station close to Bridge Inn. The LNWR Coalport Branch is on the North side of the Severn. The two stations are linked by Coalport Bridge. [3]The same area as shown on the 6″ Ordnance Survey of 1901, published in 1903. Twenty years after the 1881/82 survey the most significant change in the immediate area of Sutton Wharf is the appearance of Coalport Brick & Tile Works on the South bank of the River Severn. [4]The same area as in the map extracts above but this time as shown on the modern ESRI satellite imagery also provided by the NLS (National Library of Scotland}. Coalport Bridge remains. The two railway stations have seen major changes. The station site on the North bank of the Severn is now the Southern end of the Silkin Way, a cycle path/footpath leading North to central Telford. The station on the South Bank is now, the 2023, holiday accommodation. There is a new private bridge across the River Severn just to the West of Sutton Wharf. [4]The same area once again, this time on OpenStreetMap with the location of the old wharf marked. The route of the old tramroad is identified by the dotted line which points towards the Wharf. It can be seen to the North of the northern boundary of Sutton Wood. [5]This photograh of Coalport Bridge has been released into the public domain by its author, Peterlewis at English Wikipedia. This applies worldwide. [8]
As an aside, here are some details about Coalport Bridge as provided on Wikipedia: “Architect and bridge-builder William Hayward (1740–1782) designed the first crossing over the Severn at Coalport, based on two timber framed arches built on stone abutments and a pier. It was originally built by Robert Palmer, a local timber yard owner based in Madeley Wood, and opened in 1780. The bridge, known as Wood Bridge, connected the parish of Broseley on the south bank of the river with the Sheep Wash in the parish of Madeley and Sutton Maddock on the north bank. … The wooden bridge was short-lived and lasted less than 5 years until 1795, when severe winter flooding virtually washed away the mid-stream supporting pier.” [9]
The bridge remained closed from 1795 until the Trustees had it rebuilt in 1799 “as a hybrid of wood, brick and cast-iron parts, cast by John Onions (Proprietor’s Minute Book 1791–1827). The two original spans were removed and replaced by a single span of three cast iron ribs, which sprang from the original outer sandstone pier bases. The bridge deck was further supported by two square brick piers, the northern one constructed directly on top of the stone pier base and the southern one set back slightly towards the river bank. The remainder of the superstructure was built of wood and may have reused some of the original beams. However, by 1817, this bridge was failing again, attributed to the insufficient number of cast iron ribs proving inadequate for the volume of traffic. Consequently, the bridge proprietors decided to rebuild Coalport Bridge once again, this time completely in iron. The quality of the castings is good, especially by comparison with the castings of the Iron Bridge upstream. The bridge was recently (2005) renovated and the static load lowered by replacing cast iron plates used for the roadway with composite carbon fibre/fibreglass plates, with substantial weight saving.” [9]
“The date of 1818 displayed on its midspan panel refers to this substantial work which allowed the bridge, subscribed to by Charles Guest, one of the principal trustees, to stand without major repairs for the next 187 years.” [9] In 2004-2005, during the closure (which lasted about a year), not only were major works undertaken to the span of the bridge, it was also necessary to reconstruct the two brick arches supporting the verges at the south side of the bridge. The bridge “still takes vehicular traffic, unlike the more famous Iron Bridge, albeit limited to a single line of traffic, a 3-tonne weight limit and a height restriction of 6 ft 6in (1.98 cm).” [9]
An extract from a plan submitted to Telford and Wrekin Council as part of a planning application for the extension of the Sutton Wharf Caravan Park. The approximate location of the Wharf is shown by the bold red line. [6]
From the Wharf, an inclined plane was needed to gain height to the land above the Severn Gorge. The location of the incline is shown below.
This Google Earth satellite image focusses on the North side of the River Severn and Sutton Wood. The Wharf location is again marked and the line of the Inclined Plane shown. Beyond the top of the incline the tramroad headed in a north-northeast direction following first a modern metalled minor road and then modern field boundaries. [Google Earth]The route of the tramroad as it approached the top of the Inclined Plane. This photograph is taken facing South on the line of the tramroad. [Google Streetview]Turning through 180 degrees to look along the route of the tramroad as it headed away from the River Severn. [Google Streetview]The old tramroad followed the field boundaries heading North. Towards the top of this extract from the 6″ Ordnance Survey its formation was used by a later footpath. [3]Approximately the same area as in the map extract above but shown, this time on modern satellite imagery [Google Earth]Continuing North along the line of the old tramroad. The formation from the top of the incline is followed, in 2023, by a minor road. [Google Streetview]The minor road continues northwards along the line of the old tramroad. [Google Streetview]The minor road turns towards the Northeast. The field boundary shows the line of the old tramroad. [Google Streetview]Google Earth’s bird’s eye view (3D) of the same location. The road turns away to the Northeast. The tramroad continues in a Northerly direction. [Google Earth]A very short distance along the minor road, we get this view of the field boundary and the route of the old tramroad. {Google Streetview]
The next opportunity to look at the line of the tramroad comes at the point where its route is joined by a footpath which appears on the 1882 Ordnance Survey above and still is in existence today. The route appears on the modern 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey Explorer Series mapping as shown below.
The route of the tramroad is shown by the straight red line along the field boundaries in the extract from the 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey. The route North of that red line curved around towards the Northwest following the line of the Monarch’s Way Footpath. It passes to the North of Brickkiln Coppice and crosses the road which links Coalport to the A442. [OS Explorer Sheet 242]Looking back South along the field boundary which marks the line of the old tramroad from the point that the Monarch’s Way begins to follow the route of the tramroad. [My photograph, 9th February 2023]The symbol for the Monarch’s Way which has been placed on various gateposts along the route. [My photograph, 9th February 2023]The old tramroad route continues to follow the field boundaries as it runs North. [My photograph, 9th February 2023]The old tramway route passes through the gate ahead and remains alongside the field boundaries beyond. [My photograph, 9th February 2023]Looking back to the South through the kissing gate which appeared in the last photograph. [My photo, 9th February 2023]The 6″ Ordnance Survey of 1882 has a redline imposed which shows that the old tramroad route curves round to the Northeast edge of Brickkiln Coppice, crosses the road between Coalport and the A442 and runs North-northwest along Brick Kiln Lane. [10]Looking North, once again, the tramroad route begins to turn away to the Northeast. [My photograph, 9th February 2023]The alignment of the old tramroad ran through the Northeastern edge of Brickkiln Coppice. [My photograph, 9th February 2023]The Monarch’s Way continues to follow the old tramroad route through the Coppice. [My photograph, 9th February 2023]The route of the old tramroad crosses the road from Coalport to the A442 and runs onto Brick Kiln Lane. [My photograph, 9th February 2023]Looking back along the line of the old tramroad from the road linking Coalport to the A442.The red line highlights the route through the Northeaast end of Brickkiln Coppice. [Google Streetview]The old tramroad route is now followed, in the 21st century, by Brick Kiln Lane. [Google Street View]The property ahead has been built across the line of the old tramroad which continued North from this point. Its route, at first, follows the line of modern field boundaries and then crosses open fields. [Google Streetview]This next extract from the 6″ Ordnance Survey shows the old tramroad running North-northwest and then curving round to cross the line of the A442 in a Northeasterly direction and then curving back to the North. [10]Google Earth’s 3D view looking North from the top of Brick Kiln Lane shows the line of the old tramroad running North. [Google Earth]This panoramic view is taken from the field to the East of the old tramroad route. The old tramroad line followed the hedge running across the picture. [My photograph, 9th February 2023]Google 3D image looking back to the South. The old tramroad turned towards the East at the end of the field boundary and crossed the line of the modern A442. [Google Earth]Looking North along the A442. The actual point at which the tramroad crossed the line of the road is difficult to determine. This location is approximately correct. [Google Streetview]In plan on this satellite image we can see the approximate alignment of the tramroad crossing the A442 and then turning to the North into what is now an industrial estate.The 1901 6″ Ordnance Survey with the next length of the route of the old tramroad shown. It crossed Mad Brook and ran North-northwest close to the field boundaries before turning North-northeast. [11]The same area as that covered by the Ordance Survey map extract immediately above. What was open fields is now the Halesfield Industrial Estate. It is only feasibile to provide approximate locations where the old tramroad route crosses modern industrial estate roads. [11]The view North-northwest from point ‘1’ on the satellite image above. [Google Streetview, June 2022]The view North-northwest from point ‘2’ on the satellite image above. [Google Streetview, June 2022]The view Northeast along Halesfield 10, from point ‘3’ on the satellite image above. [Google Streetview, June 2022]The view North-northeast along Halesfield 14, from point ‘4’ on the satellite image above. [Google Streetview, June 2022]The view East-southeast along Halesfield 13, from point ‘5’ on the satellite image above. [Google Streetview, June 2022]The view East along the A4169, from point ‘6’ on the satellite image above. [Google Streetview, June 2022]The 1901 6″ Ordnance Survey with the next length of the route of the old tramroad shown. It approximately followed field boundaries while heading North-northeast beofre curving round to the North. Tramroads/tramways are shown on the OS Mapping of 1901. These would not have been present while the tramroad we are following was active. Neither Halesfield Colliery nor Kemberton Colliery were active at the time that the Lilleshall tramroad was in use. The local landscape will have been significantly altered by the spoil heap shown on this 1901 mapping. [12]The same area as that covered by the Ordance Survey map extract immediately above. What was open fields is now, very much, part of the urban environment. It is only feasible to provide approximate locations where the old tramroad route crosses modern roads. [12]
Two collieries appear on the 1901 OS mapping – Halesfield and Kemberton Collieries. These would not have been present when the tramroad was active in this area. By the 1950s these two pits were worked as one by the NCB and together employed over 800 men. “John Anstice sank Kemberton Pit when director of the family company in 1864 mainly for coal but it also produced ironstone and fireclay. … Halesfield was sunk as an ironstone and coal mine in the 1830s and continued to work coal until the 1920s, it later became the upcast and pumping shafts for Kemberton pit.” [13]
Apart from the A4169 at the bottom of the satellite image (which is already shown above), the only modern road which crosses the line of this section of the old tramroad Is Halesfield 18. Google Streetview images in this area were taken at the height of Summer in 2022 when vegetation was at its most abundant and as a result show nothing of note.
The next extract from the 1901 6″ Ordnance Survey has the line as drawn by Savage and Smith continuing North-northwest, running very close to the buildings of Holmer Farm and across Mad Brook twice before crossing the lane between The Hem and Stirchley, Northwest of Holmer. There are some reasons to question the Savage and Smith alignment. They have transferred the alignment from the 0.5 to 1 mile drawings produced in 1836 for the proposed Shropshire Railway between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton. [14]The same area as shown in the 6″ OS map extract above but on the modern ESRI satellite imagery from the NLS. Savage and Smith’s alignment of the old tramway is superimposed again. [14]A closer extract from the Robert Baugh’s Map of Shropshire of 1808 which we have already seen. The red line drawn indicates the route of the Tramroad. The map from which the extract was taken is available on the ‘Dawley History’ website. At first sight, this map suggests a different alignment in the vicinity of Stirchley to that recorded by Savage and Smith, as it shows the village of Stirchley very close to the line of the old tramroad. However, it also shows Mad Brook very close to Stirchley. I am reasonably convinced that the old tramroad ran relatively close to the line of the brook. On this map this occurs close to Stirchley but to the south there is some distance between them. The position of the brook as shown on the 1827 and1836 maps below matches later Ordnance Survey mapping and aligns much more closely with the tramroad route shown on this extract from Baugh’s Map. [7]An extract from Greenwood’s Map of 1827 showing Mad Brook running further to the East. [18]This map was included in the British History Online Website. [16] It comes from A History of the County of Shropshire: Volume 11, Telford. [17] Sadly, for our purposes the line of what would by then have been a disused tramroad is no longer shown. However, the field boundaries in the vicinity of the brook are unusual. There appears to be a corridor roughly following the route of Mad Brook which appears on later mapping as well. In my naivety I would have expected the field boundaries to extend down towards the brook.Mad Brook is a lot less obvious on the 6″ OS Mapping of 1883, but the corridor of land is evident again. [15]Returning to the 6″ OS map extract from 1901 that we have already seen. Savage and Smith’s plotted line remains but I have added what appears to be the more likely route of the old tramroad as a red-dashed line. The illustrated discussion above covers the more northerly deviation. The more southerly deviation follows the line of a footpath which may well have been on the old formation. If correct then the tramroad would have run immediately alongside Mad Brook where by, by 1901, the brook passed under the more modern railway. However, the line shown seems more logical to me than the relatively arbitrary straight line. I’d be interested in any reflections on this from others. [14]If my assumption is correct that the tramroad ran close to Mad Brook at the bottom of the 6″ OS map extract above then this culvert is on its approximate line. When the railway was built, Mad Brook was culverted here. The outfall from Holmer Lake now runs under the A442 and through the stone culvert. The picture is taken from the Southwest bound carriageway of the A442, Queensway. [Google Streetview, October 2022]
Our discussion about the old tramroad alignment is essentially speculative. We are in a better position than Savage and Smith were to trace routes using modern technology, but even so our possible route remains speculative. I have reproduced in in approximation on the same modern satellite image as were encountered above. Should it be correct, then some of its route can be followed and some locations can be photographed but all with a healthy sense of scepticism.
The ERSI satellite image which we have already seen, with a sketch of my suggested route of the tramroad included alongside the Savage and Smith alignment. MY suggestion is shown by red-dashed lines. [14]Holmer Lake looking South towards the outfall. The tramroad would have crossed the line of the a442 a few hundred feet to the left of the outfall. The redline shown on the photograph is an approximation to my suggested route of the tramroad. [Google Streetview, March 2009]
Holmer Lake is a reservoir owned by Severn Trent Water and serves Telford and the surrounding areas. The land around Holmer Lake includes areas of woodland and grassland. [19] Mad Brook was dammed in in 1968-70 to create a balancing reservoir at the behest of Telford Development Corporation. [16][17]
Holmer Lake agin, this time looking Northwest from the same spot in the photo above. [Google Streetview, March 2009]Looking East along Holmer Farm Road, showing, very approximately, the route of the old tramroad. [Google Streetview, June 2022]Looking East-Northeast along Grange Avenue showing the approximate line of the old tramroad. [Google Streetview, June 2022]Turning about 90 degrees to the North-Northwest, we look along another arm of Grange Avenue with the route of the old tramroad suggested by the red line, entering from the right, running for a distance along the road in a North-Northwest direction and approximately following the modern road as it curves to the right ahead. [Google Streetview, June 2022]Further North along Grange Avenue, the route of the old tramroad probably veered away from the modern road. Mad Brook still runs close to the old tramroad route and is just off to the left of this photograph. [Google Streetview, June2022.
The next length of the old tramroad brings us passed the site of Grange Farm and Grange Colliery, Stirchley Ironworks and close to Randlay Pool. Mad Brook meanders North, initially close to the line of the old tramroad, moving away West beyond Grange Farm and then getting lost in the midst of Stirchley/Oldpark Ironworks.
Savage and Smith’s traced alignment for the tramroad has been transferred to this next extract from the 6″ Ordnance Survey of 1901 as the solid, but sinuous, red line. It seems to me to be likely that the actual route was close to the line drawn by Savage and Smith, but just a very short distance to the West over the length Southeast of Grange Farm and a lesser distance to the West over the length immediately Northwest of Grange Farm. [20]A similar area to that on the OS map above with an imposed solid red line indicating, approximately, Savage and Smith’s traced tramroad route and my assessment of the likely route in the line of red dashes. There is very little difference between the two routes both have to have passed to the East side of Grange Farm. Both are difficult to plot on the modern landscape which is now heavily wooded. [20]Looking East on Stirchley Road towards Grange Avenue from above the line of Mad Brook. The Savage and Smith traced line of the tramroad would have crossed the line of Stirchley Road close to the junction. The red line shown is an approximation to my assessment of the route which seeks to follow map features on the older OS mapping. [Google Streetview, June 2022]Looking North along Swansmede Way across the probable line of the old tramroad. [Google Streetview, June 2022]The view from the West on Grangemere into the site old what was Grange Farm. The old tramroad would have run across the photograph beyond the older farm buildings on the right, probably in what is now a wooded area beyond. [Google Streetview, June 2022]Looking North at the top of Grangemere in the 21st century. The old tramroad alignment is suggested by the red line. [Google Streetview]
These images are taken at and around the site of Grange Colliery. On the image above, the spoil heaps from the colliery were immediately off-screen to the left the colliery yard ahead to the North. The image below was taken a from a point just to the North of the bins awaiting collection and looking to the left.
Grange Colliery probably opened by 1833. The extent of seams that could be worked was restricted by the Limestone fault, east of which the coal lay deeper. [21][17] By 1881 all the pits except Grange colliery had been closed. Despite the lease of mineral rights at Grange Colliery to Alfred Seymour Jones of Wrexham in 1893, the colliery was closed in 1894. [21][17]
Looking Northeast from the top of Grangemere along a modern path which leads into Telford Town Park today. This track is likely to follow the line of the old tramroad from Sutton Wharf. In the area ahead and to the North there were a number of major industrial sites all linked by a series of tramroads which post-dated the tramroad that we are following but predated the later railways. [Google Streetview, June 2022]The route of the old tramroad from Sutton Wharf is show by a red-dashed line on this 2023 Google Maps satellite view. The paths in Telford Town Park are clearly marked on Google Maps. The path at the East side of the Park passing close to Stirchley Chimney is very likely to be on the line of the old tramroad. [Google Maps, February 2023]
The closer satellite view of part of Telford Town Park above gives us a good point to stop to think about the historical timeline in the immediate vicinity of Stirchley Chimney. The tramroads in this immediate area were looked at in an earlier article in this series which can be found here. [22]
Savage and Smith [2] and other sources provide sufficient information to allow us to pull together that timeline. We have already noted that the tramroad was operating by 1799 and abandoned by 1815. Other Tramroads around Stirchley and along the route of the Shropshire Canal came along, generally, in piecemeal fashion.
The canal predated the Tramroad. It was built to link Donnington Wood with Coalport on the River Severn, a distance of about 7 miles. Construction commenced in 1789 near Oakengates and reached Blists Hill relatively quickly. A shaft and tunnel were intended to get loads down to river level. However, it seems as though natural tar was found oozing out of the tunnel wall and it was turned into a tar extraction business. In its place the Hay Incline was built to bring tub boats down to river level. [23] The incline has also been covered previous articles: here [24] and here. [25]
Once the canal has been completed a number of businesses decided to use the canal as a route to the outside world. Before 1830 a wharf had been established on the West side of the Canal close to Hinkshay/Stirchley Pools which provided for colleries, brickworks and ironworks to the West and North.
A somewhat out of focus extract from Savage and Smith’s 1″ to one mile drawing of local tramroads which appeared in the period 1821 to 1830. The black lines are the canal network, the red lines, the tramroad network. The Tramroad link to the wharf at the Shropshire Canal can be seen to the Northwest of Stirchley. [2: p87]Also rather out of focus, this extract is taken from Savage and Smith’s 1″ to one mile covering the period 1831 to 1840. There are additional links to the canal and a significant increase in Tramroads around Oakengates. [2: p89]
The 1840s saw minor additions to the tramroad network around Madeley (South of Stirchley), the next decade saw considerable developments alongside the canal as shown on the next Savage and Smith extract below.
Better focus, this time! This extract is taken from Savage and Smith’s 1″ to one mile covering the period 1851 to 1860. There are additional tramroad routes following the canal and a small additions around Madeley. The canal is gradually becoming less significant and a length between Stirchley and Madeley has by this time been closed. Savage and Smith are still showing very little to the East of the Canal, just two short lengths. [2: p95]
There was little change in the immediate area over the next 15 years. The next image covers the period 1876-1900 and again only shows minor changes to tramroads in the vicinity of Stirchley The railways now dominate the transport landscape.
Savage and Smith’s plan covering 1876-1900. The Wharf on the canal Northwest of Stirchley is now a wharf alongside the LNWR Coalport Branch, a change that only required a bridge over a remain length of the canal. Significant tramroad changes can be seen to the West and serve pits in the Dawley Area taking goods to Lightmoor and Coalbrookdale. [2: p99]
Missing from Savage and Smith’s 1″ to one mile drawings is the GWR branch parallel to the LNWR branch and running from the North down towards Stirchley. The route of that line is shown below in a turquoise colour on the mapping supplied by RailMapOnline.
RailMapOnline extract cover the area shown on the Google Maps satellite image above. As can be seen, its route replaced tramroad access to Grange Colliery and the Ironworks closer to Randlay Pool. [26]
The next few photographs take us along the route of what is the old tramroad from Sutton Wharf and that of the GWR Mineral Line along the East side of Stirchley Chimney which still stands in the 21st century.
At the bottom-right of the Google Maps satellite image above, the old tramroad route runs from the top of Grangemere into Telford Town Park in a Northwesterly direction before turning North onto the line of one of two arms of the old GWR Mineral Railway. [My photo, 22nd February 2022]The route North runs close to Strichley Chimney. [My photo, 22nd February 2023]The line followed a large radius right-hand curve passing to the East of the remaining Stirchley Chimney which is just off this picture to the left. The fencing protects the public from what is a significant drop within the area immediately around the chimney. [My photo, 22nd February 2023]Looking North along the line of the old tramroad. Blue Pool is to the right of this image, Randlay Pool beyond the trees to the left. In later years, two branches of the old Mineral Railway met at this point. [My photograph, 22nd February 2023]Looking back to the South, the old tramroad alignment is shown as a red line, Blue Pool is to the left, Randlay Pools to the right and the paths follow the two branches of the later Mineral Railway. [My photograph, 22nd February 2023]This next extract from the 6″ Ordnance Survey of 1901 shows, as a solid red line, the approximate route of the old tramroad as plotted by Savage and Smith in the 1960s and taken from early 0.5″ to one mile scale mapping. There is no apparent indication of earthworks along this line. The railway embankments present on the 1901 OS mapping suggest that the line drawn by Savage and Smith is unlikely to be the actual route of the old tramroad. It is only my opinion, but it would seem more likely, given relative levels, that the earthworks used by later tramroads and the GWR Mineral Railway are likely to be enhanced versions of the earthworks required by the much earlier tramroad from Sutton Wharf. The difference in scale between Savage and Smith’s source drawings and the 6″ to 1 mile scale on which they plotted their route mean that there is every possibility that my alternative is correct and still remains within reasonable tolerances to allow their line to be seen as reasonably accurate given the resources available to them in the 1960s. [27]The same area as in the OS map extract above but on modern satellite imagery with the routes discussed shown as on the OS mapping. The area has been transformed beyond recognition. After the time of the OS map extract above a quarry was opened up to the East of the Randlay Pool, and when exhausted became what is known in the 21st century as Blue Pool. The large building top-left is Telford International Exhibition Centre. [27]The old tramroad and the later Mineral Railway run Northwards on what is now a path In Telford Town Park between Randlay Pool and Blue Pool. [My Photograph, 22nd February 2023]Part of the information board at Blue Pool. [My photograph, 22nd February 2023]An information board alongside the footpath which follows the route of the old tramroad and the Mineral Railway. [My photograph, 22nd February 2023]The image shown on the top-right of the information board is difficult to make out as there is fogging and scratching to the protective sheet over the face of the noticeboard. This is the same image, sourced from the pages of the Shropshire Star. It shows Randlay Brickworks which sat a couple of hundred metres North of the information board and features what is likely to be a LNWR locomotive on the branch on embankment across the Randlay Pool. If so, the old tramroad route and the GWR Mineral Branch would follow a line behind the buildings of the Works. [28]
The information board reads: “From at least 1882, the Great Western Railway (GWR) ran a mineral railway from Hollinswood down the Randlay valley to serve the coal and iron industries in Stirchley. Within the Town Park, this followed a course from Randlay Brickworks to the Grange. … The Mineral Railway stopped travelling South to the Grange between 1903 and 1929 and terminated at the Wrekin chemical works. [These were at the present location of Stirchley Chimney.] Its use finally reached the end of the line in 1954. The line of the Mineral Railway is preserved today on this pathway and evidence remains including posts, buildings and artefacts.” There is also a note on the board about a network of sidings which linked various industrial works to the main line of the mineral railway alongside a sketch-map of the area.
The sketch-map from the information board, a little out of focus and fogged because of the deterioration of the covering plastic protection to the board. Various industrial railways and tramroads are shown. The wide yellow line running North-South is the LNWR Coalport Branch, that in the top-right corner is the main line between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton which was once part of the GWR. The red line leaving the GWr line close to the top of the image and running parallel to but to the East of the LNWR branch is the GWR Mineral Line to Stirchley. Other red lines give an impression of the different tramroads link with the teo standard gauge branch lines. [My photograph, 22nd February 2023]The footpath continues to follow the old tramroad and Mineral Railway line Northwards [My photograph, 22nd February 2023]Further North, approaching the site of the Randlay Brickworks, the footpath continues to follow the old tramroad and Mineral Railway line Northwards [My photograph, 22nd February 2023]To the left of this image is the site of Randlay Brickworks and beyond it the top end of Randlay Pool. The old tramroad and the later Mineral Railway continue northwards towards Hollinswood and Oakengates. Savage and Smith’s drawn route of the tramroad is approximately the left hand red line. The old mineral railway and my suggestion of the actual route of the old tramroad is the right hand red line. [My photograph, 22nd February 2023]The information board that the Randlay Brickworks site. [My photograph, 22nd February 2023]
North of Randlay Pool the line of the old tramroad and the line of the GWR Mineral railway plunge into undergrowth and the topography of the area beyond this point for some distance is very unlikely to be the same as that present in 1901. In the top half of the satellite image above the lines crossed three modern roads, Stirchley Avenue, Queen Elizabeth Avenue and Dale Acre Way, then run geographically along the line of Downemead for a short way.
Stirchley Avenue looking Northwest towards the exhibition centre. The old tramroad crossed the line of the road somewhere on this curve. [Google Streetview, June 2022]Queen Elizabeth Avenue looking West toward the exhibition centre. The old tramroad crossed the road somewhere this side of the road signs ahead. [Google Streetview, June 2022]Dale Acre Way in Hollinswood, looking Southwest towards the roundabout close to the exhibition centre. The old tramroad route crosses Dale Acre Way between the camera and the Deercote Road junction ahead in the vicinity of Hollinswood Local Centre which is just off this picture to the right.A closer image of Downemead showing the approximate alignment of the old tramroad and the later Mineral Railway. [Google Maps, February 2023]
On the extract from the satellite imagery below the line is picked up running approximately along Downemead before crossing Dale Acre Way once again. At the point where Downemead meets Dale Acre Way at its North end, Dale Acre Way is running approximately along what was Dark Lane shown on the 6″ Ordnance Survey immediately below. Comparing the two images immediately below shows how much topographic change has occurred in the 120 years since the 1901 Ordnance Survey. Effectively the only feature which remains in the 21st century is the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton Mainline railway which runs from top-left to bottom-right across both the map and the satellite image.
This next extract from the 6″ Ordnance Survey of 1901 shows, as a solid red line, the approximate route of the old tramroad/Mineral Railway. Both Savage and Smith’s plotted line and the old Mineral Railway resume the same course. [29]The same area on ESRI satellite imagery (NLS) as shown in the 6″ OS map extract above. The line drawn is inevitably approximate and represents a line transferred from the 6″ OS map extract, which itself is transferred from Savage and Smith’s 6″ to 1 mile drawing of the line. Savage and Smith scaled from 0.5″ to 1 mile original plans up to 6″ to 1 mile. [29]Looking North on Downemead along the approximate line of the old tramroad [ Google Streetview, June 2022]Further North on Downmead, the old tramroad alignment is shown running North through what is now a children’s play area to the East of Downemead. The junction of Downemead with Dale Acre Way can just be picked out ahead. [Google Streetview, June 2022]Looking West along Dale Acre Way across the line of the old tramroad and later Mineral Railway. [Google Streetview, June 2022]Looking North from Dale Acre Way along a green passageway which very approximately follows the line of the old Tramroad/Mineral Railway. The probable alignment is under the housing visible through the trees right of centre of the image. [My photograph, 25th February 2023]Looking North from the end of Duffryn towards the A442 which is just beyond the trees ahead. [Google Streetview, June 2022]Looking Northwest along the slip road from the A442. The old tramroad crossed the line of the slip road at around the position of the white-painted directions on the tarmac. It is impossible to be sure to the relative levels of road an old tramroad. {Google Streetview, June 2022]Looking Northwest along the other slip road to the A442 towards the roundabout which sits above the main road. The redline shows the approximate route of the old tramroad, but please note again, that it is impossible to be sure to the relative levels of the modern road and the old tramroad/Mineral Railway. [Google Streetview, June 2022]Looking North across the railway lie which passes under the roundabout. The line is still in use as the main line between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury. Telford Railway Station is ahead to the left of the image beyond the trees. [Google Streetview, June 2022].Beyond the vegetation ahead the line of the old tramroad crosses the access road to the Railway Station. [Google Streetview, June 2022]Euston Way looking North-northwest. The line of the old tramroad runs to the left of the building at the centre of the image. [Google Streetview, June 2022]Looking Northwest at the junction of Euston Way and the access road to Titan House. The old tramroad/Mineral Railway route runs directly ahead between the Premier Inn on the left and the office block on the right. [Google Streetview, June 2022]The view North from the rear carpark of the Premier Inn. The old tramroad ran along what is now an embankment parallel to the kerb edge of the carpark. [Google Streetview, June 2022]The M54 looking West, the old Tramroad/Mineral Railway route crosses the motorway on an angle in the vicinity of the 100 metre marker for the junction slip road. [Google Streetview, November 2022]
From the North side of the M54 as far as Hollinswood Road, the modern ladscape is heavily wooded and it would be impossible to pick out important features on the ground as the satellite image below shows.
North of the M54 there are no features on the modern landscape until the old line crosses the modern Hollinswood Road. [Google Maps, February 2023]On this next extract from the 6″ Ordnance Survey of 1901, once again, the red line shows the approximate route of the old tramroad. Snedshill Brickworks and Priorslee Furnaces were close to the route of the old line. [30]A very similar area to that shown on the 6″ OS mapping above. [30]Looking back from the end of the tarmac on Hollinswood Road along the line of the old tramroad to the South East into the woods mentioned above. {My photograph, 25th February 2023]St. James House on Hollinswood Road with the route of the old tramroad travelling Northwest shown by the redline. [My photograph, 25th February 2023]Looking back to the South-southeast towards St. James’ House. [My photograph, 25th February 2023]Looking North-northwest along the line of the old tramroad. [My photograph, 25th February 2023]
Beyond the buildings shown above the old tramroad route crosses the A442 slip road which is just beyond the industrial estate as shown below. …
The A442 sliproad as shown on Google Streetview with the approximate route of the old line marked by the red line. [Google Streetview, June 2022]Looking North-northwest across the A442. The line of the old tramroad was close to straight through this length, linking the approximate points it passed through leaves a curve which is the result of image distortion in the camera! [Google Streetview, June 2022]The old line curved away North into what is now woodland running alongside the A442. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
It is at this point that we leave the old line. We are close to Oakengates and there was at one time a very large number of different tramroads ahead, part of the Lilleshall Company’s internal network. We will pick this tramroad up again once we begin to look at that network.
References
Bob Yate; The Railways and Locomotives of the Lilleshall Company; Irwell Press, Clophill, Bedfordshire, 2008.
R.F. Savage & L.D.W. Smith; The Waggon-ways and Plateways of East Shropshire; Birmingham School of Architecture, 1965. Original document is held by the Archive Office of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.
A P Baggs, D C Cox, Jessie McFall, P A Stamper and A J L Winchester; Stirchley: Manor and other estates; in ed. G C Baugh and C R Elrington; A History of the County of Shropshire: Volume 11, Telford; London, 1985, p185-189; via British History Online, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/salop/vol11/pp185-189, accessed 20th February 2023.
Christopher Greenwood; Map of the County of Salop, 1827; Facsimile Copy, Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society, 2008.
Roger Farnworth 
