Category Archives: Telford’s Railways & Tramways

The Canals, Tramways and Railways of East Shropshire – The Lilleshall Company – Old Lodge Furnaces and Granville Colliery

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In the previous article in this series, we looked at the Humber Arm, the tramway which ran from Lubstree Wharf on the Arm to Old Lodge Furnaces and the later mineral railway which operated from 1870 which ran from Lubstree Wharf via the Midland Ironworks (Walkers) to Muxton Bridge Colliery. That article can be found on this link:

The Humber Arm Canal, Tramway and Railway – East Shropshire.

Bob Yate has written an excellent book about the railways and locomotives of the Lilleshall Company. [2] In that book, he provides a sketch map of the Lilleshall Company’s private railways, an extract from that sketch map is shown below. We covered the most northerly elements of these railways in the article above.

This article focuses on the immediate area of Old Lodge Furnaces and the later Granville Colliery. It shows a length of the Donnington Wood Canal alongside the tramways and mineral railways in the area. Other articles will follow the Lilleshall Company’s railway network further to the South.

Bob Yate provides a sketch of the whole of the Lilleshall Company’s network of railways. This extract from the sketch map shows the length of their railways covered in this and the previous article. The locations shown are those from Yate’s sketch map and its key. Those on this extract are: 3. Old Lodge Furnaces; 8. The Humber Arm Railway; 9. Lubstree Wharf; 10. The Donnington (LNWR) exchange sidings and the Midland Ironworks; 13. Lodge Trip; 19. Granville Colliery; 20. Barn Pits Colliery; 21. Waxhill Barracks Colliery; 22. Muxton Bridge Colliery; 23. Freehold Colliery; and 24. Shepherd Slag Crushing Plant. Yaye does not record Meadow Colliery which was close to the Donnington Wood Canal to the Southwest of Muxton Bridge Colliery and apparently tramway served until its closure. [2: p38]

First a general history of the Lilleshall Company before we then look at the two main industrial sites:

The Lilleshall Company

The Levenson-Gower family made their fortune serving the wool trade in Wolverhampton in the 15th and 16th centuries and purchased the Lilleshall estates from Henry VIII in 1539. These estates were once owned by Lilleshall Abbey. Yate tells us that:

“The 1st Baron Gower (1675-1709) and his son, the 1st Earl Gower (1694-1754), enlarged their properties through acquisition and marriage. Granville Leveson-Gower, the 2nd Earl Gower (1721-1803), continued this tradition in 1748 by marrying Lady Louisa Egerton, the daughter of the Duke of Bridgwater.

The 2nd Earl Gower was an astute businessman, always looking to make the best use of his considerable properties. Looking at the various new industries prospering nearby, it was a logical step to join these and to similarly profit by them. However, lacking the necessary technical knowledge and industrial experience, he wisely formed a partnership on 8th September 1764 with two brothers, John Gilbert and Thomas Gilbert, to develop the minerals on the Earl’s estate. John Gilbert had initially been apprenticed to Matthew Boulton before joining his father’s metalworking firm in Birmingham. However, he moved on to become agent to the Duke of Bridgwater and thus gained valuable knowledge of canal construction and operation. His brother Thomas had been educated more formally and qualified as a barrister. This partnership, trading as Earl Gower and Company … [and later] as Marquis of Stafford and Company, until 1802. During this 38 year period, the coal, iron and limestone deposits were developed, and canals built. … One of the earliest examples was the Donnington Wood Canal. …” [2: p7]

Yate goes on to relate how the 2nd Earl Gower passed the mantle to his eldest son who, eventually, became the Duke of Sutherland by marriage. Although it was actually his second son who became active in the business. He dissolved the original partnership and on 24th June 1802 formed the Lilleshall Company. A series of new partners joined the Company bringing with them their capital in the form of existing local mines and ironworks at Snedshill, Wrokwardine Wood and Donnington Wood. A further expansion in 1807 brought further Snedshill businesses into the Company and it soon became necessary to broaden the Company’s land rights to permit further mining and manufacturing work.

Yate continues to relate how the chairmanship of the Company passed down from the second son, (incidentally called Granville Leveson-Gower after his father) who became the 1st Earl Granville in 1833, to his son of the same name who became the 2nd Earl Granville in 1846 and to the 3rd Earl Granville in 1891. Yate gives some details of the various establishments associated with the Lilleshall Company: [2: p11-18]

Wrokwardine Wood Brickworks and Donnington Wood Brickworks: two early brickworks which were probably both out of use by 1850s when a new Donnington Wood Brickworks was opened.

Snedshill Brickworks: it is not clear when this opened but it certainly was active by 1850. It was the last of the Lilleshall brickworks to continue in production, closing in 1977.

Donnington Wood Brickworks: the new works opened in 1850 and closed in 1971.

Wrokwardine Wood Furnaces: Active from 1801 to 1824.

Donnington Wood Furnaces: three blast furnaces, two dated from 1783 and one from 1802. Two were blown out in 1843 and one in 1859.

Lodge Bank Coke Ovens: were opened at the Lodge Furnaces site in 1842 with 42 beehive ovens. 10 ovens were added in 1901. Coal came from Freehold, Muxton Bridge, Meadow and Cockshutts mines. Screening and washing was undertaken at the coke ovens site. The Coke ovens survived the closure of the Old Lodge Furnaces, closing themselves in 1908, although screening and washing of coal continued until 1910.

Old Yard (Donnington Wood): a general engineering works that built boats for canals. It closed in 1861.

Sndeshill Furnaces, Priorslee Furnaces, Priorslee Steelworks, New Yard Engineering Work (Phoenix Foundry) Snedshill Concrete Works, Priorslee Distillation Plant, and Priorslee Asphalt Plant are covered later in this series of articles.

Yate also covers the collieries that we have already encountered in this and the previous article: [2: p15-18]

Waxhill Barracks Colliery: Sinking of the shaft was begun in 1818 and eventually exceeded a depth of 300 yards, but the pit did not open until 1828, and was named after the nearby company housing scheme. In 1896, there were 40 underground and 25 surface workers. The pit closed in 1900, although pumping continued until 1930. [2: p16]

Freehold Colliery: Opened around 1840, there were two 7.5ft diameter shafts initially of 147 yards depth, that eventually reached 245 yards. In 1896 there were 29 underground and 11 surface workers. However, by 1905 this had increased to a total of 205 men, which by 1927 had further increased to 314 at which it remained steady until closure in 1928. [2: p16]

Meadow Colliery: Opened prior to 1840, the horse tramway system connected this pit to the Lodge Furnaces and to the Donnington Wood Canal. It was closed in 1894. [2: p16]

Muxton Bridge Colliery: The exact date of opening is not known, but it was in operation by 1837 and closed in 1912. In 1896, there were 68 underground and 30 surface workers. The remains of the former engine house (built in 1844), which once contained a horizontal steam winding engine, are extant in the Granville Country Park which now covers this site. [2: p16]

Granville Colliery: see the notes later in this article.

Other collieries covered by Yate will be addressed when they are encountered as we continue to follow the Lilleshall Company’s tramways and railways in later articles in this series.

A comprehensive account of the rise and consolidation of the Lilleshall Company was written by W.K.V Gale & C.R. Nicholls in 1979. [7]

Old Lodge Furnaces and their vicinity

An artist’s impression of what the Old Lodge Furnaces site would have looked like in its heyday. The view is from the Northeast. The canal arm which served the furnaces can be seen entering the sketch from the bottom-right (the North). The image is a little misleading as it shows narrow-boats on the canal when in fact tub-boats would have been used. The tub-boats would have been drawn by horses. The rails shown as a schematic representation of the rails on the site throughout its history and show an engine shed on the North end of the fun of furnaces. [My photograph, 27th July 2023]
This map extract is taken from the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1881/1882. The canal arm enters from the top of the extract and railways/tramways are shown in preponderance, with the furnaces themselves in a row running North-South just above the centre of the extract. The line leaving the extract on the left ran towards Lubstree Wharf. [1]
This extract from RailMapOnline.com’s satellite imagery shows the area of the furnaces in the 21st century, a little more of the area immediately to the North than appears on the OS map extract above and less on the East-West axis. The turquoise lines are symbolic representations of the tramway network which preceded the mineral railway which is represented by the purple lines. The two tramway routes leading North out of this and the map extract served, from the left: Meadow Colliery (which appears in the first map extract below); Barn Colliery; Waxhill Barracks and Barracks Colliery; and Muxton Bridge Colliery. (That line, from Muxton Bridge Colliery to the site of Old Lodge Furnaces is illustrated on the map extracts which follow the one covering Meadow Colliery). [3]
This extract from the 1881/1882 25″ Ordnance Survey shows Meadow Colliery on the North side of the Donnington Wood Arm of the Shropshire Canal. The tramway from Old Furnaces was still in use at the time of the survey and bridged the canal as shown. It appears that by the time of this Ordnance Survey the canal arm running South from the Donnington Wood Arm of the canal is separated off from the main canal and no longer in use. [4]
A similar area to that shown on the map extract above, the line of the Donnington Wood Canal and that of the tramway are still visible in the landscape. [10]
Muxton Bridge Colliery and sidings with the Donnington Wood Canal shown passing under Muxton Bridge. The colliery sidings functioned as a revering point for traffic to and from Lubstree Wharf and the exchange sidings near to the Midland Ironworks. [4]
Modern satellite imagery shows roughly the same area as in the OS map extract immediately above. The site of Muxtonbridge Colliery is now a reasonably dense deciduous woodland. The trees extend across the line of the old canal. The curve of the Southeastern edge of the woodland approximates to the Southeast side of the old canal. [11]
This extract covers the length of the two mineral railway lines to the Southwest of Muxton Bridge Colliery. The canal is seen running immediately adjacent to the East of the railways. [4]
A similar area, once agian, to the OS Map extract directly above, the routes of the Canal and railway lines are now covered by deciduous trees. [12]
Waxhill Barracks Colliery and Methodist Chapel with the Donnington Wood Canal Arm and the Mineral Railway running in between. The Mineral Railway from Lubstree Wharf curves in and out of the top of this extract. The Mineral Railway/tramway running North from Old Lodge Furnaces crossed the canal at the location shown at the top of this extract. [4]
In the 2st century, the area covered by the map extract above is, again, heavily wooded. The alignment of each of the two railway lines is relatively easy to place. Curving away at the top of this extract from the ESRI satellite imagery provided by the National Library of Scotland the line heading for the exchange sidings at Donnington ran just inside the treeline adjacent to the modern housing estate. The line running South towards the location of the Old Lodge Furnaces is also under tree-cover but at the right side of this image. The line of the canal is much more difficult to envisage on the modern landscape. [13]
Waxhill Barracks with Donnington Wood Canal Arm immediately alongside and the Mineral Railway of 1870 running to its East. [4]
Again, a similar area to that covered by the map extract above. the line of the old canal runs between ‘A’ and ‘B’ along what appears to be a slight break in the tree cover. The Mineral Railway runs through the trees to the right of the satellite image between ‘C’ and ‘D’. [14]
Barn Colliery as shown on the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1881/1882. [4]
A similar area to that covered by the map extract above, extending a little further to the West so that the line of the old canal can be shown easily (between ‘B’ and ‘E’). The railway and the sidings associated with Barn Colliery were between ‘D’ and ‘F’. Interestingly, the incline up onto Barn Colliery spoil heap is still clearly identified to the East of the Mineral Railway line. [15]
These two extracts from the 1881/1882 25″ Ordnance Survey are, together, an enlargement of the plan of the Old Lodge Furnaces towards the top of this article. Together, they give an enhanced view of the mapping of the area around the furnaces. In the lower of the two extracts the line running off the extract to the East heads towards Granville Colliery. The line running off the extract to the South runs to Dawes Bower and Grange Colliery. Of the lines exiting the extract to the West, one, running Northwest (at the top corner of the lower image) is the old tramway link to Lubstree Wharf. There are also two lines leaving the bottom-left corner of the lower image, the lower line runs towards collieries/shafts local to the furnaces and is probably a tramway at a higher level than the upper of the two lines which is in cutting and is the connection from Old Lodge Furnaces into the wider Mineral Railway network belonging to the Lilleshall Company. [1]
A view of Old Lodge Furnaces from the East. [4] (This image was first produced in the ‘London Trade Exchange’ of 2nd January 1875. Some of the tramways are visible, as are the coke ovens in the distance, and the engine house on the right, although the engraver has omitted the chimney beside the engine house.) [2: p11]

The Friends of Granville Country Park’s website provides a general introduction to the history of the Old Lodge Furnaces: … [6]

In 1824 the [Lilleshall] Company brought into blast two new furnaces near the site of the Old Lodge. They were named the Old Lodge furnaces because of their proximity to the site of an old hunting lodge which was demolished in 1820. In March 1825 the Lilleshall Company paid the Coalbrookdale Company £2392 for (presumably) a Blast Engine.  George Roden, a stonemason from the Nabb, was paid £425 in 1825 and £777 and 5 shillings in 1826 for erecting loading ramps and the retaining walls. In 1830 the Donnington Wood and the Old Lodge ironworks together produced 15,110 tons. A third furnace was added in 1846 and two more in 1859.

New blast beam engines, manufactured by the Lilleshall Company, were installed in 1862 and the height of the furnaces was increased from 50 to 71 feet at about the same time. Limestone came, via the canal, from the Lilleshall quarries and the coal (coke) and iron stone from the local pits via an extensive system of tramways, some of which, were later converted to standard gauge railways. The 1882 map show this series of transport plateways to transport the materials to the top of the furnace, and remove pig iron the furnace bottom.

The Old Lodge Furnaces produced cold-blast pig iron of the finest quality, but eventually it could not compete with cheaper iron made elsewhere and in 1888 the last of the Old Lodge furnaces was blown out 1888. The furnaces were demolished in 1905 by Thomas Molineaux Jnr, including a tall chimney 140 feet high by 13 feet diameter, known locally as “The Lodge Stack”. In 1956 the stone was reused for St Mathew’s Church. Thereafter the company concentrated all its iron and steel making at Priorslee. [6]

As we have already noted, the Lilleshall Company was formed in 1802. [7: p21] The world was catching up with the Company by the 1960s and 1970s. The Company’s railways were closed in 1959 and the Company itself was showing some signs of strain in the 1960s. [8] However, in 1979, it still seemed, to those involved with the Company, to be ‘soundly based’, “aware and proud of its distinguished past; … living and prospering in the present; … planning with confidence for the future.” [7: p118]

The closure of the Lilleshall Company in Shropshire occurred in the 1980s. The company still exists at a much smaller scale today in Newbury, manufacturing plastic building components. [9]

The Friends of Granville Country Park continue: “All that remains of the furnace after extensive dismantling and site restoration involving raising of the ground levels are parts of the brickwork of the first three furnaces. … The high walls behind the furnaces are the remains of the furnace loading ramps. On the right of the ramp walls hidden in the trees is a retaining wall in front which was the blowing house. Behind the loading ramps were calcining kilns which were added in 1870 to improve the quality of the iron ore.” [6]

Dr. Mike Nevill now works with the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, he also writes a blog about Industrial Archaeology. One of his relatively recent articles is entitled ‘Seasonal Archaeology: the Old Lodge Ironworks in the Snow‘ [16] and, in it, he highlights the remains of the Old Lodge Furnaces. They are a superb example of the way in which old industrial sites can become considerably more visible when the leaves are not on the trees. He writes:

“The large stone and brick ruins, in place 10m high, were the remains of the Old Lodge Furnaces on the north-eastern outskirts of modern Telford in Shropshire. These furnaces were built by the Lilleshall Company in 1825-8 and form part of a wider 18th and 19th century industrial landscape encompassing two collieries and accessed via a late 18th century canal. The complex now sits within Granville Country Park and is managed by the Shropshire Wildlife Trust. The park itself was designed as one of the green open spaces for the new town of Telford in the mid- to late 20th century. Now, this industrial landscape has reverted to semi-natural woodland and parkland, the industrial archaeology of the area appearing suddenly out of the overgrowth.” [16]

Nevill wrote this article on 19th December 2022. He goes on to say:

“In the 21st century, the circular brick bases of three of the five furnaces run in front of the high stone walls, this stone terracing, which formed the furnace loading ramps, framing these features. Standing within the ruins of a once hot and noisy furnace complex on one of the coldest mornings of the year had a certain irony. Instead of the sound of men working the furnaces and tapping the pig iron, sweating in the heat, there was only the chirp of robins defending their woodland territory and the crunch of frozen snow under foot.” [16]

The surviving remains of Old Lodge Furnaces in December 2022, © Mike Nevill. [16]

Granville Colliery

Yate tells us that the sinking of the main shaft started in 1860, to a depth of 409 yards. By 1950, this had reached 444 yards. It was linked to Grange Colliery underground in 1952 and finally closed in 1979. He continues: “The most prolific of the collieries, [Granville Colliery] supplied the LNWR, GWR and Cambrian Railways with locomotive coal, and latterly also to Ironbridge ‘B’ Power Station. In 1896, there were 177 underground and 67 surface workers. Later the pit had a fairly consistent workforce of around 300 men, but after the closure of the nearby Kemberton colliery in 1967, this grew to 900 men, but shrank again to around 600 in the early 1970s. Meanwhile, the annual output had grown from around 300-350,000 tons to 600,000 tons in the late 1960s.” [2: p16]

This extract from the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1881/1882 shows the full length of the Mineral Railway branch from the East side of the map extracts above which show Old Lodge Furnaces. It is worth noting the loop which allowed locomotives to run round their trains just to the West of the Colliery site. [1]
An extract from the ERSI satellite imagery provided by the National Library of Scotland. The two lanes which appear on the map extract above can easily be seen on this satellite image. The line of the old Mineral Railway is also easy to make out. Nothing remains of the old colliery building. [17]
This much enlarged extract shows the immediate vicinity of the Granville Colliery in 1881/1882. [1]
A similar extract from the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1901/1902. In 20 years some changes have occurred. The more southerly of the two colliery buildings has been enlarged and the new tramway/tramroad has been provided onto the spoil heap North of the standard-gauge mineral railway terminus, [18]
This map extract comes from the 1925/1927 edition of the 25″ Ordnance Survey. [19]
The Colliery site on the 1:10,000 Ordnance Survey published in 1954. [20]
The colliery site on the 1:10,000 Ordnance Survey published in 1967. [21]
This extract from the same Ordnance Survey sheet of 1967 shows the wider area close to Granville Colliery and the rationalisation which had by then taken place. The line North off this extract heads for the site of Muxtonbridge Colliery where trains to the Donnington Sidings would reverse. The line leaving the extract to the West runs on to the rest of the Lilleshall Company’s network. [21]
By 1970, this was the layout of the lines between the mainline at Donnington and the Colliery. This hand-drawn image appears in Bob Yate’s book. [2: p119]

Having looked at maps showing the Granville Colliery site at different points in its history, some photographs will help us better to envisage the site.

The Colliery’s sign close to the A5. This image is a still taken from a B&R Video, “The Jim Clemens Collection No. 2 – Steaming Through Shropshire Part 1.” Grange Lane is on the right side of the image with the A5 behind the camera, © Michael Clemens, and used here with his kind permission. [22]
This photograph shows ‘The Colonel’, an 0-6-0ST, running down to the Sidings at Donnington. The image was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Clive Sanbrook on 27th March 2020. [27]
This image, again a still from the Jim Clemens video/cine-film “The Jim Clemens Collection No. 2 – Steaming Through Shropshire Part 1,” appears to be taken looking North toward the Sidings at Donnington. It shows Locomotive No. 8 in NCB days, presumably in charge of a rake of empty wagons heading back towards the Colliery, © Michael Clemens, and used here with his kind permission. [22]
An 0-6-0ST locomotive pulls is train of hopper wagons up the more direct route from Coal Wharf (Donnington) to Granville Pit (not going via the location of Muxton Bridge Pit) .This image was shared on the Granville Colliery Facebook Group on 10th March 2020 by John Wood. [43]
Granville Colliery’s Diesel Loco (NCB No. 2D?) hauling a rake of empty coal hopper wagons up to the sidings to the West of the colliery. This photo was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Carole Anne Huselbee on 5th October 2014. [29]
The same loco crossing the road a little to the South of the picture immediately above. This image was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Carole Anne Huselbee on 15th September 2014. [30]
This view from a location on the spoil heap to the South of the last image shows the later engine shed, built by the NCB, and two locomotives in steam marshalling wagons. The wagons closest to the camera appear to be empties which will probably be pushed towards the colliery screens which are a distance off to the right of this image. The photograph was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Paul Wheeler on 25th May 2018. [23]
The earlier engine shed. This building was demolished and the NCB built a replacement some distance away. It looks in a poor condition. The loco on the left looks like the 0-6-0 Barclay tank No 11 or one of the large ex Taff Vale locos. The one on the right is an unidentified Saddle Tank. This image was sent to me by David Clarke the author of a book about Telford’s railways. [49]
A view of the NCB-built engine shed noted in the image above. After the NCB took over the collieries owned by the Company Granville Colliery supplied coal to Buildwas Power Station and the coal trains were worked by a range of locos down the 1.5 miles to Donnington. Granville Colliery had a decent sized shed and in later years used Austerity 0-6-0 tanks but in Lilleshall Company days the bigger engines were the ex-TVR and Barry railway engines. This image and the accompanying text were shared by Marcus Keane on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 15th September 2015. [24]
Another photograph of the NCB engine shed with No. 5 and No. 8 on shed. This image was also sent to me by David Clarke, © A.J.B. Dodd. [49]
No.8 sits outside the engine shed. This image was shared by John Wood on the Granville Colliery Facebook Group on 27th June 2017. [44]
Towards the end of steam, this loc is bringing its train South from the Depot towards the location of the engine shed which is off the picture to the left beyond the stored coal. The locomotive is ‘Granville No. 5‘. This image was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 15th February 2017 by Lin Keska. [25]
This image, again a still from the Jim Clemens video/cine-film “The Jim Clemens Collection No. 2 – Steaming Through Shropshire Part 1,” appears to be taken looking East toward the Colliery from a location at around the third-point from the left side of the last map extract above The locomotive is ‘The Colonel‘, an 0-6-0ST loco © Michael Clemens, and used here with his kind permission. [22]
This image, again a still from the Jim Clemens video/cine-film “The Jim Clemens Collection No. 2 – Steaming Through Shropshire Part 1,” appears to be taken looking East toward the Colliery from a location at around the third-point from the left side of the last map extract above. The locomotive is ‘Granville No. 5‘, a Hunslet of 1952 (Works No. 3771). it is equipped with an oblong Giesl ejector chimney. The line behind the wagon(s) at the right of the image is, most likely, the line serving the Colliery. The photograph was taken on 14th October 1966 by Jim Clemens, © Michael Clemens, and used here with his kind permission. [22]
‘The Colonel‘ is seen close to the locomotive shed shown above. ‘The Colonel‘ was named after Colonel Harrison, Chairman of Harrison’s Grove Colliery. He was also Chairman of Cannock & Rugeley Colliery.
After a spell at Area Central Workshops – May 1960 to June 1961, ‘The Colonel‘ went back to Grove Colliery then to Coppice Colliery at Heath Hayes for a few months in 1963 before transfer to Granville Colliery in November 1963. This image was shared on the Telford memories Facebook Group by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on 24th October 2020. [26]
This photograph was taken at a similar location to those above. At the centre of the image is the weighbridge. Granville Colliery itself can be made out on the horizon. The image was shared by John Wood on the Granville Colliery Facebook Group on 30th January 2015. [42]
An early photograph of Granvelle Colliery, taken looking East from the railway serving the colliery. This image was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 2nd May 2017 by Lin Keska. [28]
Granville Colliery in 1944, No 2 winder to the left No 1 winder to the right, back to back steam winders. The building to the left of frame is the old beam engine pumping house, this picture depicts its removal. Both shaft head gears were wood. This image was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 13th May 2016 by Marcus Keane. [31]
At the screens at Granville Colliery, is ‘Holly Bank No. 3‘. This locomotive was built by Hunslet in 1924 (Works No. 1451). This image is a still taken from a B&R Video, “The Jim Clemens Collection No. 2 – Steaming Through Shropshire Part 1,” © Michael Clemens, and used here with his kind permission. [22]
The same location as shown in the image immediately above. By the time this photograph was taken the screens were no longer rail-served and the colliery closed. This image was shared on the Granville Colliery Facebook Group by Linda Howard on 9th March 2014. [32]
A view of the screens from behind. This image was shared on the Granville Colliery Facebook Group by John Wood on 30th January 2015. [39]
The Colliery Head gear. Paul Wheeler comments: “To left, the upcast shaft and coal lifting cage. To right, man riding head gear and cage, used predominantly for personnel. Extreme right, is the winding engine house (electric) . The offices, baths and engineering workshops are off the photo to right.” Cliff Hewitt, responding to the Facebook posts says: “Left hand shaft was No 1 shaft always used as down cast shaft, man riding, coal & materials. Right hand shaft was upcast shaft & water shaft till the link underground to the Grange colliery 1952, the Grange then becoming the upcast for the Granville. This photo shows Granville after modernisation the No 2 shaft (on the right of picture) then wound men & materials the No 1 shaft became man riding shaft for men going in & out of the pit during shift time when the No 2 shaft was winding coal or materials. In 1967 a 2300hp winder was installed in the No 2 winder (ex Hampstead winder) then the cages in No 2 shaft had double deck cages & wound at a greater speed. Attached is the painting from the surveyors office [below) left hand No 2 shaft showing the beam engine pump all before modernisation.” This image was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 1st October 2017 by Paul Wheeler. [35]
The picture referred to by Cliff Hewitt in his notes above. The image was shared by Cliff Hewitt on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 1st October 2017. [36]
The Granville Colliery site in the 1980s. This image was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 20th April 2014 by Nick Nandan. [33]
Also taken in the 1980s, this image was shared on the Granville Colliery Facebook Group on 9th March 2014 by Linda Howard. [34]

The colliery had its own narrow-gauge railway/tramway system under ground and close to the main shafts. Some pictures of this system. The first four are above ground.

Under the head gear at Granville Colliery. Coal was lifted up the shaft and run off to left to what appears to be a tippler. Form there the coal went down to the screens. This image was shared on the Granville Colliery Facebook Group on 1st March 2014 by Marcus Keane. [37]
The same lines seen form the opposite direction and from above. This image was shared on the Granville Colliery Facebook Group on 1st March 2014 by Marcus Keane. [38]
The Tippleris featured in this image which was shared by John Wood on the Granville Colliery Facebook Group on 30th January 2015. [41]
Two of the tubs/wagons used underground are seen in this image which was shared by John Wood on the Granville Colliery Facebook Group on 30th January 2015. [40]

Underground, there was an extensive network of lines which were initially served by horse power but which were later to see a number of dedicated locomotives in use.

Cliff Hewitt shared this image on the Granville Colliery Facebook Page on 11th September 2015. He comments: “Old loco road, loco on the full run, looking inbye.” [45]
The underground workshop/garage at Granville Colliery in 1958. Granville had three English Electric battery locos and the garage had battery charging benches on either side of the rails. This image was shared by Cliff Hewitt on 22nd November 2015 on the Granville Colliery Facebook Group. [46]
Granville Colliery had English Electric battery locos, picture is of the loco garage with the 3.3kv battery chargers to the left of frame switchgear to the right & a loco in the background ready for a battery change. This image was shared by Cliff Hewitt as a comment under a post by Ray Pascal, dated 18th November 2015, on the Granville Colliery Facebook Group. [47]
A loco battery changeout. This image was shared on the Granville Colliery Facebook Group on 18th November 2015 by Cliff Hewitt. [48]

The next article in this series will continue West from the area of Granville Colliery, taking in Grange Colliery and the area around Oakengates.

References

  1. https://maps.nls.uk/view/121150280, accessed on 24th July 2023.
  2. Bob Yate; The Railways and Locomotives of the Lilleshall Company; Irwell Press, Clophill, Bedfordshire, 2008.
  3. https://www.railmaponline.com/UKIEMap.php, accessed on 21st July 2023.
  4. https://maps.nls.uk/view/121150244, accessed on 7th August 2023.
  5. https://friendsofgranvillecountrypark.com/lodge-furnaces, accessed on 29th July 2023.
  6. https://friendsofgranvillecountrypark.com/industrial-history, accessed on 30th July 2023.
  7. W.K.V. Gale & C.R. Nicholls; The Lilleshall Company Limited: a history 1764-1964; Moorland, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, 1979.
  8. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilleshall_Company, accessed on 27th July 2023.
  9. https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/cp6249/lilleshall-company, accessed on 7th August 2023.
  10. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.6&lat=52.71084&lon=-2.42251&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 11th August 2023.
  11. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.6&lat=52.71712&lon=-2.41280&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 11th August 2023.
  12. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18.0&lat=52.71515&lon=-2.41514&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 12th August 2023.
  13. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18.0&lat=52.71366&lon=-2.41806&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 12th August 2023.
  14. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18.0&lat=52.71199&lon=-2.41834&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 12th August 2023.
  15. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18.0&lat=52.71015&lon=-2.41793&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 12th August 2023.
  16. https://archaeologytea.wordpress.com/2022/12/19/seasonal-archaeology-the-old-lodge-ironworks-in-the-snow, accessed on 12th August 2023.
  17. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.70540&lon=-2.41272&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 12th August 2023.
  18. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=19.0&lat=52.70538&lon=-2.40858&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 12th August 2023.
  19. https://maps.nls.uk/view/121150286, accessed on 12th August 2023.
  20. https://maps.nls.uk/view/189188889, accessed on 15th August 2023.
  21. https://maps.nls.uk/view/189188886, accessed on 15th August 2023.
  22. B & R Video Productions produce a series of DVDs which have primarily been created by converting cine-film. One part of their library is the Jim Clemens Collection. These stills from the video are shared here with permission from Michael Clemens who holds the copyright on his father’s work. Michael is an author in his own right and maintains a website: https://www.michaelclemensrailways.co.uk. On that website there are details of all of the books he as published together with quite a bit of downloadable material including working timetables. His most relevant publication to this current article is: Michael Clemens; The Last Years of Steam in Shropshire and the Severn Valley; Fonthill Media Ltd, Stroud, Gloucestershire, 2017. That book contains two photographs which are similar to two of the images shown above (p67).
  23. https://scontent.fbhx4-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/33498907_2064140837243249_3582868989702832128_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=825194&_nc_ohc=wSw5EVKxUyMAX8qskYR&_nc_ht=scontent.fbhx4-2.fna&oh=00_AfCSF31tNH6WIKLxXWfvuVw838LfrhemIIyqBXv-DanmNg&oe=65040196, accessed on 16th August 2023.
  24. https://scontent.fbhx4-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.18169-9/12003317_10201024425808382_8593076314682892494_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=825194&_nc_ohc=79roHzvVxmgAX9c28mg&_nc_ht=scontent.fbhx4-2.fna&oh=00_AfDbCRsXlWhcbkz6I3Hfylg6ZXes4sfaKhIQFg-AzcyKuA&oe=650431FA, accessed on 16th August 2023.
  25. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1396454793732287&set=pcb.1536206876397310, accessed on 16th August 2023.
  26. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=415854582741549&set=pcb.4828097803874851&locale=en_GB, accessed on 17th August 2023.
  27. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=199914067979251&set=gm.3885749764776331&locale=en_GB, accessed on 17th August 2023.
  28. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1479677292076703&set=pcb.1638614642823199, accessed on 17th August 2023.
  29. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=358725490972160&set=gm.857122790972392&locale=en_GB, accessed on 17th August 2023.
  30. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=350909495087093&set=gm.846879645330040, accessed on 17th August 2023.
  31. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10201766294034624&set=gm.1216465698371431, accessed on 17th August 2023.
  32. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=780955851917249&set=g.265906436919058&locale=en_GB, accessed on 17th August 2023.
  33. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=768810473137503&set=gm.763555453662460, accessed on 17th August 2023.
  34. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=780955721917262&set=g.265906436919058, accessed on 17th August 2023.
  35. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1930020190655315&set=gm.1835369933147668, accessed on 17th August 2023.
  36. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1630154737041775&set=p.1630154737041775&type=3, accessed on 17th August 2023.
  37. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3993423409539&set=g.265906436919058&locale=en_GB, accessed on 17th August 2023.
  38. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3993651215234&set=g.265906436919058&locale=en_GB, accessed on 17th August 2023.
  39. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10153034973449890&set=pcb.396942657148768, accessed on 18th August 2023.
  40. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10153034971844890&set=pcb.396942657148768, accessed on 18th August 2023.
  41. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10153034972544890&set=pcb.396942657148768, accessed on 18th August 2023.
  42. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10153034973339890&set=pcb.396942657148768, accessed on 18th August 2023.
  43. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10157888689539890&set=pcb.1477973989045624&locale=en_GB, accessed on 18th August 2023.
  44. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10155399978029890&set=pcb.795212197321810, accessed on 18th August 2023.
  45. https://www.facebook.com/groups/265906436919058/search?q=loco, accessed on 18th August 2023.
  46. https://www.facebook.com/groups/265906436919058/search/?q=under&locale=en_GB, accessed on 18th August 2023.
  47. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=967532196637369&set=p.967532196637369&type=3&locale=en_GB, accessed on 18th August 2023.
  48. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=967582559965666&set=p.967582559965666&type=3&locale=en_GB, accessed on 18th August 2023.
  49. David Clarke; The Railways of Telford; Crowood Press, Ramsbury, Wlitshire, 2016.

The Humber Arm Canal, Tramway and Railway – East Shropshire.

1 Reply

The Humber Arm Railway linked an earlier canal branch (which ran from the Newport Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal at Kynnersley to a wharf at Lubstree close to The Humbers, a small hamlet North of the old LNWR mainline through Donnington and on the North side of  Venning Barracks, the base of the 11th Signal Brigade and Headquarters West Midlands, part of the British Army’s 3rd UK Division.)  with the Lilleshall Company’s private rail network. [1]

The Canal was opened to traffic in May 1844 and was initially served by a tramway which ran from Lubstree Wharf to Lodge Furnaces. Between the Canal and the tramway the distance from the Shropshire Union Canal to Lodge Furnaces was about 4 miles (1 mile of canal and 3 miles of tramway).

The canal arm was authorised by an Act of parliament in 1827. If built at that time it would have been part of the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal. Its successor was the Shropshire Union Canal. It seems that the Duke of Sutherland landowner and influential partner in the Lilleshall Company built both the canal arm and the associated tramway. [2: p41]

Charles Hadfield notes that two branches were authorized from canal serving Newport, “one to Edgmond that was never built, and one, to be a cut with 7 locks or a tramroad, to Lilleshall. This, on a different line and without locks, became the Humber Arm, … leading to the Marquess of Stafford’s Lubstree wharf, which opened for business in 1844.” [29: p185]

The aqueduct used to span Kynnersley Drive and carried the Newport Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal. It has now been demolished, but it was just to the North of the junction between this canal and the The Humber Arm. This photograph was taken in © Dr. Neil Clifton and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [11]

The six map extracts immediately below are mostly taken from the 25 inch Ordnance Survey of 1881/1882 and they show the full length of the canal. Traffic on the Humber Arm ended in 1922, when the fifth Duke of Sutherland closed the wharf and the railway line to Lilleshall. [3]

The junction of the Shropshire Union Canal Newport Branch and the Humber Arm which was just a few tens of metres to the South of the aqueduct shown above. The junction was to the East of Kynnersley. The Humber Arm heads Southeast from the Newport Branch. very little changed at this location from the opening to the closing of the Humber Arm. This map comes from the 1901 25″ Ordnance Survey. The following three images are extracts from the next sheet from the Ordnance Survey of 1881.[4]
Three successive map extracts cover the length of the Humber Branch (Humber Arm of the Shropshire Union Canal) which appears to the bottom left of the relevant 1881 Ordnance Survey sheet. [5]
The remainder of the Canal Arm is on the next 25″ Ordnance Survey sheet to the South which was published in 1882. This length brings the canal to the North end of Lubstree Wharf. [6]
The Canal Wharf at Lubstree. 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1882. [6]
Approximately the same area as shown on the last map extract above as it appears on the RailMapOnline.com satellite imagery. The purple lines are the approximate line of the Mineral Railway that replaced the tramway we will following first. Satellite imagery shows nothing of the Canal Arm to the North of this image. Heading to the North from here, the line if the canal traverses open fields and then Aqueduct plantation. The trees in the plantation obscure any direct evidence of the old canal arm from above and, similarly, the location of its junction with the Shropshire Union Canal Newport Branch. [10]

While it is true that direct evidence of canal remains cannot be seen, tree growth differs along the line of the two old canals as this next satellite image from Google Maps shows.

Tree growth patterns highlight both the line of the Humber Arm and the Shropshire Union Canal Newport Branch. [Google Maps, July 2023]

Derelict structures once sat adjacent to the remaining length of canal at Lubstree Wharf.

The West elevation of the Engine Shed. [13]
The Engine Shed at the top end of the remaining length of canal close to the bridge which used to span the Humber Arm but which now forms a scenic break with no canal beyond. [18]
The view South from the ‘bridge’ alongside the Engine Shed in the mid 20th century. The remaining length of the canal alongside Lubstree Wharf was not always full of water. [19]
The view South from alongside the Engine Shed down the line of the tramway/railway which served the Wharf. [13]
The transhipment shed at Lubstree Wharf in the 20th century before major deterioration set in and the roof was lost. [16]
The transhipment shed early in the 21st century before reconstruction started. [17]
Looking North-northwest from Humber Lane the remaining length of the canal can be seen to the right of the centre if this image. The Goods Shed which appears on the map extract and satellite image above can be seen to the left of the young tree close to the camera. It appears to be being refurbished. [Google Streetview, June 2022]

The site was advertised for sale online by Barbers Rural Estate Agents with planning permission, granted on 31st January 2019. [13] At the time the above image was taken (June 2022) the old Goods Shed/transfer facility was being refurbished as a dwelling. The three images below come from the Estate Agent’s site and show what the architect planned for the Goods Shed and the Engine Shed.

The proposed dwelling built out of the remains of the Goods Shed. [13]
The computer-aided 3-D design drawings look very realistic. This image shows the planned refurbishment of the Goods Shed, the remaining length of the canal, and in the distance a refurbished Engine Shed! [13]
The proposed refurbishment of the Engine Shed adjacent to the bridge which once spanned the Canal, but which now forms a ‘scenic-break’. The is no canal to the North of the bridge. [13]

The tramway was replaced by a standard-gauge railway as part of the Lilleshall Company’s network of private railways in 1870.

The Tramway

I have not been able to find earlier maps than the 1881/1882 Ordnance Survey that would show the tramway. It is, however, reasonable to assume that, at least as far as the tunnel under the LNWR mainline, the railway was built on the formation of the old tramway. The last map extract above shows the terminus of the railway (which would have also been the tramway terminus) alongside the canal wharf, the next series of map extracts show the railway (and so also the route of the tramway),  running South to pass under the LNWR railway line.

The Humbers hamlet at the end of Lubstree Wharf. The end of the canal can be seen in the top-left of the extract. The tramway/railway crossed the lane through the hamlet at the end of the canal. The Humber Brook runs to the South side of the tramway/railway. [6]
These two extracts from RailMapOnline’s satellite imagery cover the same length of the tramway/railway as the map extract above. [10]
A wide-angle view looking West-southwest along Humber Lane. The tramway/railway crossed the lane closer to the camera than the bridge which carried Humber Lane across Humber Brook. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
The camera is just to the East of the bridge over Humber Brook and is looking Southeast. The brickwork to the right edge of the picture is the end of the parapet of the bridge carrying the lane across the brook. The tramway/railway used to run along the modern driveway, heading Southeast. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
This photograph is taken from a point further to the East along Humber Lane. The old tramway/railway ran just beyond the vegetation on the left of the image and behind the properties visible in the right of the picture. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
The old tramway/railway continued in a South-southeast direction. [6]
Again, this RailMapOnline satellite image shows roughly the same length of line as the map extract above. [10]
The old tramway/railway continued following the East bank if the Humber Brook. [6]
This satellite image shows the same length of line as the map extract above. [10]
This map extract shows the old tramway/railway turning towards the Southeast. The Humber Brook turns away to the West. An open drain crosses under the railway and runs parallel to the old tramway/railway as it heads Southeast. [6]
A similar area to that shown on the top-left of the map extract above. The purple line indicating the route of the old tramway/railway is crossed by other purple lines which mark later rails serving MOD Donnington. [10]
This RailMapOnline covers approximately the same length of line as the bottom-right quadrant of the last map extract and the top-left quadrant of the map extract below. [10]
The old tramway/railway turns once again to the South-southeast and is shadowed by one arm of the open drain. [6]
This satellite image extends just a little further to the South than the map extract above. [10]
Two map extracts showing the South-southeast trajectory of the line as it came closer to the LNWR mainline. The next map extract takes the tramway/railway on to another 25″ map sheet. [6]
The approach to the point where the LNWR line crossed the route of the tramway/railway. [7]
A series of three extracts from RailMapOnline’s satellite imagery which bring the purple line to approximately the position as the bottom of the last map extract above. The gate into MOD Donnington can be picked out under the purple line adjacent to the Babcock building. [10]
Looking North through the gates to MOD Donnington the road running North-northwest (directly ahead of the camera) from the gate follows the line of the old tramway/railway. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking South-southeast from a very similar location. The bridge ahead carries the A518 over the access road to MOD Donnington. It is at the same location as the bridge which carried the old LNWR mainline over the old tramway/railway. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
This extract from the 1882 25″ Ordnance Survey shows the point at which the LNWR bridged the Lilleshall Company’s tramway/railway. It also shows the old tramway route continuing to the South-southeast and the later standard-gauge mineral curving round to the Northeast to run parallel to the LNWR main line. [7]
This final RailMapOnline satellite image shows the features noted on map extract above and shows the dramatic changes which have occurred in the immediate vicinity of the old tramway. The tramway route is not followed by RailMapOnline South-southeast of Wellington Road. [10]
Looking North-northwest towards the bridge carrying the A518 across the entrance road to MOD Donnington. As we have already noted, the bridge is at the same location as that which carried the LNWR line over the old tramway/railway. The road leading under the bridge to the site gates of MOD Donnington follows the line of the old tramway/railway. The camera is at the approximate location where the old tramway route separated from the newer mineral railway. The mineral railway curved away to the right of this image after passing under the old bridge. [Google Streetview, June 2022]

The last map extract above shows the route of the old tramway extending South-southeast from the LNWR mainline with the more modern standard-gauge mineral railway curving round after passing under the mainline and climbing on a gradient of about 1 in 77 to run alongside the LNWR line.

This image is a further extract from the 25″ 1881/1882 Ordnance Survey. It shows the route of the old tramway crossing what became Wellington Road and continuing along what became Wrekin Drive. [7]

South of this point the old tramway continued in a South-southeasterly direction. It crossed what became Wellington Road as can be seen below on the next extract from the 1881/1882 25″ Ordnance Survey. As can also be seen on the map extract, South of the road the old tramway formation was by 1882 being used as a road/track. Which ultimately became Wrekin Drive.

The next two satellite images are taken from the ESRI images provided by the National Library of Scotland. They show the long straight length of the tramway route which is followed by modern roads.

This satellite image is taken from the ESRI image set supplied by the National Library of Scotland. The road shown running North-northwest to South-southeast across the centre of the image follows the formation of the old tramway/railway. In the bottom right of the image a bridge carries the modern A518 over the road just mentioned. That bridge and the A518 are on the line of the old LNWR mainline through Donnington. The bridge is at the same location as the bridge carrying the LNWR line over the tramway/mineral railway. [8]
At the same scale as the satellite image above, this ESRI image shows the road with continues to follow the route of the old tramway. The later mineral railway turned away to the East in the top left of this image, rising to run alongside the old LNWR mainline. The smaller of the two roundabouts was built over the line of the old tramway. The road running South-southeast from the roundabout is Wrekin Drive which was also built over the line of the old tramway. [9]
Looking South-southeast across the smaller of the two roundabouts mentioned above. Wrekin Drive is the road directly ahead of the camera and it follows the line of the old tramway. [Google Streetview, June 2022]

The on-going tramway route is followed on the 25″ Map extracts below but as a smaller scale than the images above. It passed Donnington Wood Farm and crossed Queens Road and then following the route of what became St.George’s Road it crossed the Donnington Wood Canal. At this point the map extract shows that the tramway tracks remained in place to serve an old ironstone mine/shaft.

It was then only a short distance further south that the tramway met the wider network of tramways in the Donnington area.

A first smaller-scale extract from the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1882. [7]
Following Wrekin Drive to the South on Google Streetview, the road entering the image from the left is Turreff Avenue. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Wrekin Drive heading towards its junction with Queen Road/Oakengates Road, still on the line of the old tramway. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
This 25″ map extract from the 1882 Ordnance Survey shows (centre-top) the point at which the old tramway route crossed what is now the junction between Wrekin Drive and Queens Road/Oakengates Road. From this point on the road name changes to St. George’s Road. In the bottom-left the crossing point over the Donnington Wood Canal can be seen with tramway rails still in place to serve the Ironstone shaft which appears centre-bottom of the extract. [7]
This extract from Google Maps covers the length of the old tramway route from the North edge of the extract above to the South edge of the next map extract below. [Google Maps, July 2023]
This extract from the RailMapOnline satellite imagery shows the old tramway in turquoise overlaid on St. George’s Road and Lodge Road. [10]
The view South from Wrekin Drive onto St. George’s Road at the crossroads with Queen’s Road and Oakengates Road. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
The view South across the point where the old tramway crossed the Donnington Wood Canal. The road on the right is High Mount which follows the old canal towpath. The canal itself is long-gone. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Further to the South, the connection is made between the tramway crossing the Canal and the wider tramway network. The road entering the bottom the extract and running Northeast toward the tramway is now St. George’s Road. Its extension to the East of the tramway is Bradley Road. The tramway curves round from what is now the South-southeast bound St. George’s Road onto what is now Lodge Road. [7]
As St. George’s Road veers to the right to meet the roundabout ahead the old tramway alignment runs through the bus stop and trees parallel to the footpath on the left of the image. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
The old tramway crossed what is now Bradley road and then turned to the left along what is now Lodge Road, joining the wider tramway network. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
The view Southeast from the roundabout along Lodge Road. The old tramway ran on the South side of the road. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
The tramway followed the South side of what became Lodge Road. [7]
The tramway and Lodge Road only just touched the top-right corner of this 25″ OS sheet published in 1882. [14]
This RailMapOnline image shows the approximate route of the tramway from the modern roundabout and across Donnington Wood Way heading towards Old Lodge Furnaces in what is now Glanville Country Park. Its Eastern edge is in approximately the same location as the Eastern edge of the OS map extract immediately above. The turquoise line running left to right across the image is the approximate line of the tramway. The 1882 OS map extracts show the line running within the carriageway, but on the South side, of Lodge Road. [10]
Lodge Road looking East. The track on the left is an arm of Lodge Road. Ahead the road is gated and now-a-days narrows to a tarmacked footpath leading towards Donnington Wood Way. [Google Streetview, July 2018]
Looking West along Lodge Road footpath from a point 30 metres or so beyond the gate. [My photograph, 27th July 2023]
Looking East along Lodge Road towards Donnington Wood Way. [My photograph, 27th July 2023]
Looking back West along Lodge Road from the pelican crossing on Donnington Wood Way. [My photograph, 27th July 2023]
Looking East across Donnington Wood Way from the same location. The bollards on the opposite side of the road mark the continuing line of Lodge Road and the old tramway. [My photograph, 27th July 2023]
Travelling further to the East and on the next OS sheet, the tramway continues East-southeast along Lodge Road which is shown as a relatively wide track. [15]
This image from RailMapOnline covers a similar length of the tramway as does the OS map extract above. [10]
Looking Southeast from Donnington Wood Way along the route of the tramway. In the past Lodge Road was a wider track, the tramway continued to run just inside the South verge of the track. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking back along the line of the old tramway towards the modern Donnington Wood Way. [My photograph, 27th July 2023]
Turning through 180°, this is the view Southeast along the line of the tramway. [My photograph, 27th July 2023]
Around 100metres further to the Southeast, this is the view back towards Donnington Wood Way. [My photograph, 27th July 2023]
And again, Turning through 180°, this is the view Southeast towards Old Lodge Furnaces. [My photograph, 27th July 2023]
At the bottom-right of the satellite image above, and at the top-left of the satellite image below, this is the view along the line of the old tramway where it crosses Granville Road. The line ran through the trees ahead curving round a little towards the South but still generally on a Southeast bearing. [My photograph, 27th July 2023]
This next map extract from the 25″Ordnance Survey published in 1882 shows the line curving round to the Southeast and passing a series of spoil heaps before arriving at the site of Old Lodge Furnaces. [15]
This RailMapOnline image is approximately the same width as the map extract above. The tramway route we have been following enters top-left and runs diagonally across to the right edge of the image. Modern industry now occupied the Western part of the Old Lodge Furnaces site. [10]
The site of Old Lodge Furnaces as it appears on the 25″Ordnance Survey of 1882. The tramway enters the site at the bottom-left of this map extract. [15]
Covering approximately the same area as the map extract above, this image, from the RailMapOnline satellite imagery shows the area of Old Lodge Furnaces as it appears in the 21st century. The turquoise lines are tramways, the purple lines are the later standard-gauge Mineral Railways of the Lilleshall Company. [10]
This is a close-up of part of an information board in Glanville Country Park. It shows Old Lodge Furnaces as they would have appeared when the tramways provided for their transport needs. The view is from the Northeast. [My photograph, 27th July 2023]

This is as far as we follow the old tramway which served the Humber Arm, as the tramways near Old Lodge Furnaces will be covered in greater detail elsewhere. It is worth noting that a significant investment was made in the transport facilities at the site which depended, while open, on a series of tramway branches to supply the furnaces and to take away the iron that they produced.

Old Lodge Furnaces. [21]

The Friends of Granville Country Park’s website provides a general introduction to the history of the Old Lodge Furnaces: … [22]

In 1824 the company brought into blast two new furnaces near the site of the Old Lodge. They were named the Old Lodge furnaces because of their proximity to the site of an old hunting lodge which was demolished in 1820. In March 1825 the Lilleshall Company paid the Coalbrookdale Company £2392 for (presumably) a Blast Engine.  George Roden, a stonemason from the Nabb, was paid £425 in 1825 and £777 and 5 shillings in 1826 for erecting loading ramps and the retaining walls. In 1830 the Donnington Wood and the Old Lodge ironworks together produced 15,110 tons. A third furnace was added in 1846 and two more in 1859.

New blast beam engines, manufactured by the Lilleshall Company, were installed in 1862 and the height of the furnaces was increased from 50 to 71 feet at about the same time. Limestone came, via the canal, from the Lilleshall quarries and the coal (coke) and iron stone from the local pits via an extensive system of tramways, some of which, were later converted to standard gauge railways. The 1882 map show this series of transport plateways to transport the materials to the top of the furnace, and remove pig iron the furnace bottom.

The Old Lodge Furnaces produced cold-blast pig iron of the finest quality, but eventually it could not compete with cheaper iron made elsewhere and in 1888 the last of the Old Lodge furnaces was blown out 1888. The furnaces were demolished in 1905 by Thomas Molineaux Jnr, including a tall chimney 140 feet high by 13 feet diameter, known locally as “The Lodge Stack”. In 1956 the stone was reused for St Mathew’s Church. Thereafter the company concentrated all its iron and steel making at Priorslee. [22]

The Mineral Railway

We return now the the overbridge which carried the LNWR over the tramway and the later mineral railway which curved round to the East after passing under the bridge. The length from Lubstree Wharf to the LNWR overbridge is covered above. Charles Hadfield explains that in 1870, anxious to save money on the Trench Incline, the Canal company “agreed to lease Lubstree wharf on the Humber Arm of the Newport branch from the Duke of Sutherland and pay a wharfage rate of 0.5d/ton, so that the coal and other traffic from Lilleshall could be shipped there. To carry it, 30 boats were taken from the company’s fleet, and others ordered to replace them. New accommodation was provided, and a railway line built from Lubstree to the Lilleshall Company’s works.” [29: p239]

However, by 1880, “the Humber Arm was only carrying fluxing stone, though two years before the iron ore toll from Ellesmere Port had been specially reduced for the Lilleshall Co. Negotiations for its better use followed, and the [canal] company agreed to take 300-400 tons a week of limestone and 100-150 tons of ore at agreed rates. The Shropshire Union also hoped for a coal trade outwards, and pig-iron to be carried for transhipment to the L.N.W.R. Business seems to have remained brisk for some time after that, for in 1891, when the wharf lease was renewed, another siding was built. In 1905 it was renewed for another fourteen years.” [29: p242]

As we noted earlier the Mineral Railway turned tightly round to the Northeast as it climbed to run alongside the LNWR mainline. This a repeat of an earlier extract from the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1882. [7]
The mineral railway curve round to run parallel to the LNWR mainline. [7]
This RailMapOnline satellite image covers approximately the same length of the mineral railway line as the two map extracts above. [10]
This map extract takes us the very short distance to the edge of the 1882 OS map sheet. [7]
This RailMapOnline satellite image covers a similar area to the map extract above. [10]
At a smaller scale here but still the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1882, this map extract shows the length of the mineral railway as it curves away from the LNWR mainline. There were some exchange sidings at this location and lines which accessed a Timber Yard and the Midland Ironworks site, both on the East side of the LNWR mainline. This short length of the line appears at the Southeast corner of the relevant OS map sheet. [6]
This RailMapOnline satellite image shows that the route of the old mineral railway ties in with the modern field boundary. [10]
On the curve on Donnington Sidings looking East. This is the same train as shown on the next picture. This image was shared by Carole Anne Huselbee on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 14th September 2014. [34]
Donnington Sidings looking Northwest. A rake of empties setting off for Granville Colliery. Wellington Road Crossing is a short distance ahead of the locomotive. This photograph was shared by Carole Anne Huselbee on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 5th October 2014. [31]
This next extract from the 25″Ordnance Survey of 1882 shows the mineral railway heading Southeast and crossing, first, what is now Wellington Road, and then running parallel to the modern Donnington Wood Way and crossing. [7]
The route of the old mineral railway runs parallel to Donnington Wood Way, approximately on the line of the footpath shown on this Google Maps extract. The red flag marker highlights its  route. [Google Maps, July 2023]
A closer view of the point where the mineral railway crossed the old Wellington Road. The photograph below shows a locomotive approaching the level-crossing from the Southeast. [10]
Wellington Road Crossing. This picture was shared by Carole Anne Huselbee on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 5th October 2014. [36]
The Wellington Road Crossing once again. This picture was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Phil Neal on 6th August 2017. These gates were moved and now protect the entrance to Telford Steam Railways yard. [37]
NCB loco No 10 crossing the main Telford to Newport road (A518) at Donnington in 1975 with a trip working from Granville Colliery to the exchange sidings which were just the other side of the road.
The MGR wagons would then be moved by a class 47 to Ironbridge, with run rounds at both Wellington and Madley Junction. This photo was shared by Lin Keska on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 2nd May 2017. [32]
Taken just a few moments earlier than the picture immediately above, shows the same train waiting to cross Wellington Road. This photo was also shared by Lin Keska on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 2nd May 2017. [32]
An Austerity 0-6-0ST, ‘Granville No. 5’ an industrial saddle tank, is close to Wellington Road Crossing. The building next to it is now ‘Van Beeks’ Motor Factors. The location was known as ‘Coal Wharf Corner’. The photograph was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group © David Clarke. David says that No.5 is in charge of a loaded train which it is pushing into the exchange sidings. He worked as a petrol pump attendant at what is now ‘Van Beeks’.[20]

David Clarke the photographer of the image above is also the author of a book about the Railways in the Telford Area published by the Crowood Press. You can find a review of the book on this link.

David Clarke; The Railways of Telford; Crowood Press, Ramsbury, Wlitshire, 2016.
We pick up the RailMapOnline.com satellite imagery again with the purple line being the Lilleshall Company’s railway. It runs parallel to Donnington Wood Way and crosses School Road. [10]
A photograph taken at the School Road Crossing, © SimonFP and shared by him as a comment on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 5th August 2023. [30]
Another view of the School Road Crossing. This photo was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Carole Anne Huselbee on 8th September 2014. [35]
School Road Crossing again. This photograph was shared on the G
The view South East on Donnington Wood Way. The tramway route ran just beyond the hedge on the right of this image. [Google Streetview, Jun 2022]
This next length of the line is on the OS sheet to the East. This is the 25″ Ordnance Survey published in 1882. [12]
This RailMapOnline image covers the top left quadrant of the last map extract. [10]
This extract from RailMapOnline covers the right quadrant of the last map extract. [10]
This image was taken at a location towards the top of the RailMapOnline satellite image above, facing Southeast along Donnington Wood Way with the old tramway route running beyond the treeline on the right. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
This photograph was taken looking back to the Northwest on the line of the old tramway, just beyond the trees to the right of the image above. Donnington Wood Way is beyond the trees to the right of this image. [My photograph, 31st July 2023]
This photograph was taken at the same location, looking to the Southeast on the line of the old tramway. Donnington Wood Way is beyond the trees to the left of this image. A lane called The Fields is beyond the trees to the right of this image. [My photograph, 31st July 2023]
Thsi extract from the 1901 25″ Ordnance Survey shows the line continuing in a Southeasterly direction. [23]
These three extracts from RailMapOnline cover the same length of the line as the OS map extract above. In the second of these three images a pathway passes under Donnington Wood Way via a subway. [10]
Looking Southeast along the line of the old tramway. Behind the trees to the left a subway (mentioned above) passes under Donnington Wood Way and the footpath leading to it can just be made out on the centre-right of this image. It is hidden behind the slightly raised land on the left. The tramway ran straight ahead into the trees to the left of the small concrete building ahead. [My photograph, 31st July 2023]
Once again on the 25″ 1901 Ordnance Survey, the mineral railway continues in a Southeasterly direction. The line appearing on the right side of the map extract served Freehold colliery. [24]
Three more extracts from the RailMapOnline satellite imagery which cover a similar length of the Mineral Railway to that shown on the extract immediately above. Note the presence of the purple line curving in from the top-right of the last image. This represents the line serving Freehold Colliery which is shown on the OS map extract immediately below. [10]
Looking Southeast towards the roundabout on Donnington Wood Way. The purple line shows the approximate route of the old tramway. It crosses the road on an angle passing behind the roundabout road sign and then crossing Marchbrook Way very close to the roundabout. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
The mouth of Marshbrook Way at the roundabout. The purple line indicates the approximate route of the old tramway. [Google Streetview, March 2021]
Somewhere along this length of the line on 8th September 1969, this view looking Northwest shows NCB Loco No. 8 hauling empty hopper wagons towards Granville Colliery. This image was shared on Telford Memories Facebook Group by Carole Anne Huselbee on 14th September 2014. [33]
To a smaller scale, this extract from the 25″ 1881 Ordnance Survey shows the mineral railway curving round to the Northeast. Evidence of an older tramway can be seen in the Southwest quadrant of this map extract. Waxhill Barracks Colliery was just off the bottom of the extract. The line heading South approached Old Lodge Furnaces from the North. immediately to the West of that line, entering the extract from the South, the Donnington Wood Canal can be seen. It passes under the line serving Old Lodge Furnaces and continues Northeast alongside the railway. [26]

The canal route can be followed on the Captain Ahab’s Watery Tales blog, so there is no need to repeat it here. [27] The remaining length of the mineral railway to Muxton Bridge Colliery is covered below.

This sequence of 9 extracts from RailMapOnline.com show the same length of the mineral railway as covered by the Ordnance Survey extract above the sequence. [10]
Looking Southeast along Cookson Close from a point close to the roundabout on Donnington Wood Way. The old tramway ran through the trees to the right of the fence visible in this image. It ran at a higher level. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Further Southeast, this view looks East along Cookson Close. The old tramway was at a higher level. Its route runs beyond the fence and trees at the right of this image. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Cookson Close curves round towards the Northeast before reaching a modern development boundary. A short footpath takes us to Jarrett Walk. This photograph is taken at the point where we join Jarrett Walk and looks Northeast. The old tramway route ran at a higher level beyond the fence and trees to the right of this image. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
As we reach the far boundary of this development, Jarrett Walk turns away to the Northwest. The old tramway route continues ahead parallel to but beyond the fence to the right and at a higher level. [Google Streetview
This next extract from the 1881 25″ Ordnance Survey shows Muxtonbridge Colliery, which was served by the mineral railway, Muxtonbridge Farm and the Donnington Wood Canal arm meandering its way Northeast towards Lilleshall Grove Lilyshall Abbey and Lilyhurst Road. [26]
These last two extracts from RailMapOnline.com show the last length of the mineral railway that served Muxtonbridge Colliery. [10]

Both Waxhill Barracks Collery and Muxtonbridge Colliery closed at around the same time at the turn of the 20th century. [22] Muxtonbridge Colliery was active from 1890 to 1905. Waxhill Barracks Colliery had a longer life, 1818 to 1900.

The remains of Muxton Bridge Colliery pumping engine house is a listed ancient monument. [28]

We have now looked beyond the immediate length of the Humber Arm of the Newport Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal and the Lilleshall Company’s tramways and mineral railways in the immediate area of the canal arm. We have covered the old tramway between the Canal and Old Lodge Furnaces and a significant length of the later Mineral Railway, so as to get an impression of the area that the Lubstree Wharf served when it was active.

References

  1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/11th_Signal_Brigade_and_Headquarters_West_Midlands, accessed on 20th July 2023.
  2. Bob Yate; The Railways and Locomotives of The Lilleshall Company; Irwell Press, Clophill, Bedfordshire, 2008.
  3. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrewsbury_Canal, accessed on 20th July 2023.
  4. https://maps.nls.uk/view/121149737, accessed on 20th July 2023.
  5. https://maps.nls.uk/view/121149743, accessed on 20th July 2023.
  6. https://maps.nls.uk/view/121150199, accessed on 20th July 2023.
  7. https://maps.nls.uk/view/121150235, accessed on 20th July 2023.
  8. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15.8&lat=52.72534&lon=-2.44627&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 20th July 2023.
  9. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15.8&lat=52.71920&lon=-2.44018&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 20th July, 2023.
  10. https://www.railmaponline.com/UKIEMap.php, accessed on 21st July 2023.
  11. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/250050, accessed on 22nd July 2023.
  12. https://maps.nls.uk/view/121150244, accessed on 22nd July 2023.
  13. https://www.barbers-rural.co.uk/property-sales/lubstree-wharf, accessed on 23rd July 2023.
  14. https://maps.nls.uk/view/121150271, accessed on 24th July 2023.
  15. https://maps.nls.uk/view/121150280, accessed on 24th July 2023.
  16. https://sncanal.org.uk/canal-rail-transhipment-shed-lubstree-wharf-at-the-end-of-the, accessed on 26th July 2023.
  17. https://sncanal.org.uk/hum-pic-bui-033-2, accessed on 26th July 2023.
  18. https://sncanal.org.uk/hum-pic-bri-002-3, accessed on 26th July 2023.
  19. https://sncanal.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/hum-pic-can-001.jpg, accessed on 26th July 2023.
  20. https://m.facebook.com/groups/674238619260811/permalink/3082152125136103, accessed on 27th July 2023.
  21. https://friendsofgranvillecountrypark.com/lodge-furnaces, accessed on 29th July 2023.
  22. https://friendsofgranvillecountrypark.com/industrial-history, accessed on 30th July 2023.
  23. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18.0&lat=52.71799&lon=-2.42658&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 31st July 2023.
  24. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18.0&lat=52.71607&lon=-2.42427&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 31st July 2023.
  25. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18.0&lat=52.71758&lon=-2.42026&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 31st July 2023.
  26. https://maps.nls.uk/view/121150244, accessed on 31st July 2023.
  27. http://captainahabswaterytales.blogspot.com/2012/02/donnington-wood-canal-granville-park.html, accessed on 1st August 2023.
  28. https://ancientmonuments.uk/116670-site-of-pumping-engine-at-muxton-bridge-colliery-donnington-and-muxton/photos/1907, accessed on 1st August 2023.
  29. Charles Hadfield; The Canals of the West Midlands 2nd Edition; David & Charles, Newton Abbot, Devon, 1969.
  30. https://m.facebook.com/groups/674238619260811/permalink/10092979834053262, accessed on 6th August 2023.
  31. https://www.facebook.com/groups/674238619260811/search/?q=donnington%20sidings, accessed on 13th August 2023.
  32. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1479767825400983&set=pcb.1638734829477847, accessed on 13th August 2023.
  33. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=350260361818673&set=gm.846144078736930, accessed on 13th August 2023.
  34. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=350106448500731&set=gm.845962032088468, accessed on 13th August 2023.
  35. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=347844735393569&set=gm.843475365670468, accessed on 13th August 2023.
  36. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=358717190972990&set=gm.857116324306372, accessed on 13th August 2023.
  37. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10155592536724231&set=gm.1769985219686140, accessed on 13th August 2023.
  38. https://www.facebook.com/groups/granville.colliery/permalink/2469128759930137, accessed on 16th August 2023.

The Railways of Telford – The Coalport Branch – Part 3A

6 Replies

Immediately after publishing the article about the most southerly length of the Branch (Part 3), I was contacted by Ian Turpin who built a model of Coalport East Railway Station some years ago. He sent me a copy of the 1″ 1833 Ordnance Survey (revised in the second half of the 19th century to show the railways of Shropshire) which covers the Branch.

In addition, as part of his research for his model railway project he took a number of photographs in and around both Madeley Market Station and Coalport East Station in the late 1980s. This addendum catalogues the pictures that he took. My thanks to Ian for providing these photographs, some of which show scenes which have disappeared since they were taken.

At the end of this article are pictures of Ian Turpin’s layout which he kindly sent to me.

But first, a series of pictures associated with the Branch which have come to light since the three articles were completed. ….

An aerial view of Coalport (East) Railway Station extracted from a larger aerial image included by Heritage England on the Britain from Above website. The view is from the South across the River Severn in 1948, (EAW019495) [1]
This view looks to the West along the Branch from Coalport (East) Station. It emphahsises the gradients on the line. The gradient started immediately at the station throat as the gradient marker indicates. After passing under the overbridge trains encountered even steeper gradients. Looking through the bridge the increased grade can be seen. The bridge in this picture carries Coalport High Street and remains today to allow the Silkin Way and a rainwater sewer main to pass under. Pictures below show the propping required to allow the bridge to continue to carry road loading. [National Railway Museum]
A picture of Coalport East Station in 1958, only a couple of years before final closure. This view looks West under the road bridge which spanned the Station. It was shared by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 9th November 2020. [2]
The dismantling of trackwork at Coalport East Station after the closure of the Branch. This picture was shared by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 11th December 2021.[3]
After the removal of the Branch trackwork, the route of the old railway was commandeered to provide a route from Telford New Town to the River Severn for the rainwater drainage main sewer. During construction,. the sewer was very prominent. After construction and with landscaping in place, only short section of the sewer pipe remained visible. Much of the length is now below the Silkin Way and in earlier articles we have seen evidence of its presence. This picture was shared in a comment on the image above by Geoff Martin on 12th December 2021. [3]
A picture of the site of Coalport East Station in 1987. This view is taken from the same location as the photograph of 1958 above. It looks West under the road bridge which once spanned the Station. It was shared by Metsa Vaim EdOrg alongside the 1958 image on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 9th November 2020. It illustrates the way in which the site has changed with the introduction of the main rainwater sewer. It precedes the pictures taken by Ian Turpin by only a year or two. [2]
This photograph from the 1930s shows Coalport Bridge in the foreground. The Carriage Shed at Coalport Station can be seen immediately above the bridge. This image was shared by Marcus Keane on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 18th March 2014. [4]
Lin Keska shared this postcard image of Coalport Bridge in the comments about the above image on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 26th February 2019. The passenger facilities can be seen to the left of the bridge. The carriage shed is again visible above the bridge and the high retaining wall behind the station site can be picked out to the right of the image. [4]
Lin Keska also shared this image in the comments on the same post on 26th February 2019. This picture was taken in the 1960s. The site of the passenger station is now overgrown and the Carriage Shed has also been removed. [4]
This photograph shows the front of the passenger facilities at Coalport East Station after closure of the passenger service in the 1950s. It was shared by Marcus Keane on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 26th August 2015. [5]

Secondly, Coalport River Severn Warehouse

A close inspection of the 1881 6″ or 25″ Ordnance Survey will show a building straddling two of the sidings in the goods yard to the West of Coalport Station.

The 1881 6″ Ordnance Survey [6] shows a warehouse building alongside the River Severn to the West of the passenger facilities at Coalport East Station. This was the River Severn Warehouse noted fleetingly by Bob Yate in his description of the Branch. [7: p183]

Yate notes this warehouse in his shirt description of Coalport East Station: “Two run-around loops gave access to a small goods yard, and to the goods warehouse alongside the River.” [7: p183] By the time of the 1901 Ordnance Survey, the main warehouse element of the building had been demolished, leaving only a truncated section which acted as a good shed. The only picture that I have found of the building dates from after it had been partially removed.

This enlarged extract from a postcard photograph of Coalport Station in 1900 shows the East elevation of the truncated building that once stretched down to the river’s edge. The majority of the building was beyond the left-hand edge of that postcard view. It is also worth noting that of the two sidings shown, the one closest to the river (and leading to a short canal wharf) is much lower than the other. [7: p189, credited to Shropshire Records Office]
An extract from the 1901 6″ Ordnance Survey (published in 1903) shows the much reduced building straddling only one of the sidings in Coalport Goods Yard. The siding closest to the river has been cut back to a point just to the West of the Goods Shed/Warehouse. [8]
This photograph was taken in the late 1980s and shows the line of the siding which once ran towards the Shropshire Canal. It looks through the site of what was once the Goods Shed/Warehouse, © Ian Turpin.

Third, the relevant parts of the 1″ Ordnance Survey of 1833 (revised to show rail routes). …

This first extract from the 1″ Ordnance Survey shows the length of the Coalport Branch covered in my first article about the line, Hadley Junction to Malinslee Station.
This extract shows the length covered in Part 2 – Malinslee Station to Madeley Market Station. The thick black lines drawn on the map represent possible schemes to line the different rail routes in the immediate area.
This extract shows the length of the Branch covered by the third article, from Madeley Market Station to Coalport Station (Coalport East Station).

Fourthly, Ian Turpin’s photos of Madeley Market Station. … Madeley Market Station Building seemed a little isolated and forlorn back in the late 1980s, although it seems not to have suffered any significant vandalism. The pictures were taken with a mind to being able to recreate the facilities at Coalport in model form as the buildings were of similar construction.

Madeley Market Railway Station building viewed from the Southeast in the late 1980s © Ian Turpin. In the 21st century, the building is now fenced off from the Silkin Way and this view is somewhat restricted. The station-master’s house is the two storey element of the building behind the passenger waiting areas.
Madeley Market Railway Station building in the late 1980s, © Ian Turpin. This photograph is taken from the Southwest with the station platform beyond the single storey structure at the right of this image.
The platform elevation of Madeley Market Railway Station viewed from the North in the late 1980s. It is being encroached on by industrial units which sit on the site of the goods yard, © Ian Turpin.
The screen which enclosed the waiting area at Madeley Market Railway Station, seen from the location of the platform in the late 1980s, © Ian Turpin.
A detail of the station building which was constructed using engineering brick and detailed blue brick. The corbel detail is particularly fine, © Ian Turpin.
The North elevation of Madeley Market Railway Station. The passenger facilities run back from the left-hand end of the structure in this image, © Ian Turpin.
Madeley Market Railway Station building viewed from the West in the 1980s. The grounds are now enclosed and this view is not available in the 21st century without trespassing onto private land, © Ian Turpin.
Madeley Market Station in 1932. This photograph was shared by Marcus Keane on the Telford Memoreies Facebook Group on 28th January 2027. [10]

Fifth, The bridge over the Branch on the station approach …

Coalport High Street Bridge with intermediate supports to the beams. This is the view looking East towards the old station site. By the 1980s, Telford’s main rainwater sewer ran under the bridge. A low retaining wall allowed the Silkin Way to pass under the bridge. The area over/around the rainwater sewer had been landscaped, © Ian Turpin.
The same bridge looking West. This picture was taken on the same day as the one above, © Ian Turpin.
The same bridge viewed from a short distance to the West with the landscaping over the rainwater sewer prominent rising to a high point over the sewer, © Ian Turpin.
In this view looking at the bridge from the West from a higher level it is possible to see the rainwater sewer as it passes under the bridge and more of the intermediate supports to the bridge deck, © Ian Turpin.
Coalport High Street as it passes over the bridge. This picture was also taken in the late 1980s, © Ian Turpin.
The view East, in the late 1980s, from the road bridge along the line of the rainwater sewer. Coalport High Street is on the left and the old station yard is at a lower level to the right, © Ian Turpin.
The West face of the South abutment of Coalport High Street bridge, © Ian Turpin.

Sixth, Buildings at and around Coalport East Station. …

The terrace alongside the line. ….

This is the West end of the terrace of cottages which run alongside what was the road access to the Goods Yard. The white gate leads from the end cottage to that access road. At the rear of the picture the road ridge and rainwater sewer can be made out, © Ian Turpin.
This photograph and the following six photographs show different views of the terrace of cottages with rear elevations on the South side of the old railway and front elevations facing the access road to the Goods Yard, all © Ian Turpin.

The pub. …

The two pictures above show the Brewery Inn and its car park. The pub was on the South side of Coalport High Street the car park on the North between the road and the line of the old railway, © Ian Turpin.
Properties on Coalport High Street in the late 1980s, © Ian Turpin.
Approximately the same view in 2023. The main house appears to have been returned to a more original condition, the semi-circular bay windows have been removed and the brickwork repaired. [Google Streetview, October 2022]
Turning a little to the right, we now look along Coalport High Street to the East and the next property along the road. There are high hedges at this location in the 21st century, © Ian Turpin.
This and the next picture are two views of cottages North of the railway. They were located to the East of Coalport Bridge and North of the Carriage Shed and Engine Shed, © Ian Turpin.
The same cottages in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, October 2022]
This and the next four images show cottages in Coalport derelict and under renovation in the late 1980s, © Ian Turpin.
Cottages beside the river on the right, and the bridge Toll House on the left, in the late 1980s, © Ian Turpin.
The Bridge Toll House, Coalport, © Ian Turpin.

The Bridge Toll House at street level in the 21st century. The building originated as a warehouse (1793-1808), was in use as house by 1815 and as tollhouse from 1818, when the adjacent Coalport Bridge underwent major repairs. Shropshire County Council became owners in 1922, and it was restored after it passed to the Buildings at Risk Trust in 1994. [9]

The cottages to the North of the river and to the South of the Station site. The next two photographs show the same cottages from the North
The same cottages as shown on Google Streetview with the Bridge Toll House on the right. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

The photographs taken by Ian Turpin were all used as background material for the construction of a model railway centred on Coalport (East) Railway Station. The pictures were taken in the period before the road-bridge across the Severn was renovated.

And, before we turn to the photographs of Ian Turpin’s layout, …. two extracts from LNWR publications. The first of these shows the 1905 timetable for the Branch, the second is the LNWR working directions of 1917 for operating Motor Trains on the Branch. Both of these were forwarded to me by Ian Turpin. The working timetable shows that the Branch was worked by two engines. A two-coach motor-train worked the branch from May 1910 until sometime after the grouping with 50ft x 8ft arc roof stock (converted from ordinary non-corridor stock). The Branch was by this time rated third class only. Of the two coaches, one was LNWR No.103 (LMS No. 53450 and the other was LNWR No. 1815 (LMS No. 5338).

Ian Turpin’s layout which featured in The Railway Modeller in the 1990s.

Ian Turpin sent me the superb photographs of his excellent model below. They were taken for an article about his layout which was published in the Railway Modeller in the 1990s. He has very kindly agreed to their inclusion here.

A view East from above Coalport High Street Bridge. The roofline of the cottages which sat next to the old railway is visible in the foreground, the station buildings and road bridge over the station are in the background. The River Severn would be just off screen to the right if it was to have been modelled. The siding on the right is that which ran down to the old canal wharf, © Ian Turpin.
Looking West towards Ironbridge which is only a short distance upstream in the Severn Gorge. In the right foreground are the carriage shed and engine shed with the road bridge over the station behind them. To the left is the old toll house which sat next to Coalport Bridge over the River Severn, © Ian Turpin.
The old toll house, which sat alongside the bridge over the River Severn, with the station behind. The two storey element of the station building is visible above the parapet beams of the road bridge, © Ian Turpin.
The retaining wall alongside the station throat. The gradient marker-post sits below the tallest part of the wall. The houses above the wall are recognisable in the pictures taken by Ian Turpin. The road bridge carrying Coalport High Street appears on the left hand edge of the photograph, © Ian Turpin.
Coalport (East) Station seen from the Southeast. The road bridge leading to the River Severn Coalport Bridge is in the right foreground, © Ian Turpin.
The station building at Coalport (East) was of the same design as other stations on the Branch. This is the view from the Southwest at the entrance to the Goods Yard, © Ian Turpin.
A similar view from closer to the ‘ground’ with a four-coach Branch passenger service in the hands of an 0-6-0 locomotive waiting to depart for Wellington, © Ian Turpin.
And this time, the Branch Goods is awaiting clearance to set out up the steep gradient to Madeley and beyond, © Ian Turpin.
The terrace of cottages alongside the line with the bridge carrying Coalport High Street just visible behind, © Ian Turpin.
The station building and platform seen from the Northwest, © Ian Turpin.
Another view from the Southeast, taking in the carriage shed (on the right), the station buildings are hiding behind the road bridge, © Ian Turpin.
One of the impressive retaining walls which were needed to create space for the station alongside the River Severn. This one sat at the bottom of the steep gradient of the Branch at the point where the line levelled out to enter the station, © Ian Turpin.
Looking East towards the final buffer stops beyond the water tower, © Ian Turpin.
Looking North across the top of the water tower which sat close to the most easterly point on the Branch. The retaining wall behind the tower increased significantly in height as it passed behind the engine shed which is a short distance off to the left of this photograph, © Ian Turpin.
This final picture looks across the roof of the carriage shed and shows the old toll house which sat between the South abutment of the road bridge over the station and the bridge which spanned the River Severn.

References

  1. https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/EAW019495, accessed on 9th April 2023.
  2. https://m.facebook.com/groups/674238619260811/permalink/4899782493373048, accessed on 9th April 2023.
  3. https://m.facebook.com/groups/674238619260811/permalink/6875964699088141, accessed on 9th April 2023.
  4. https://m.facebook.com/groups/674238619260811/permalink/746637048687634, accessed on 9th April 2023.
  5. https://m.facebook.com/groups/674238619260811/permalink/1044493682235301, accessed on 9th April 2023.
  6. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101594689, accessed on 10th April 2023.
  7. Bob Yate; The Shropshire Union Railway: Stafford to Shrewsbury including the Coalport Branch; No. 129 in the Oakwood Library of Railway History; The Oakwood Press, Usk, Monmouthshire, 2003.
  8. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101594686, accessed on 10th April 2023.
  9. https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101061397-coalport-bridge-toll-house-the-gorge/photos#.ZDQmdR4o_Ti, accessed on 10th April 2023.
  10. https://www.facebook.com/groups/674238619260811/permalink/1515364028481595, accessed on 10 th April 2023.

The Railways of Telford – The Coalport Branch Part 1B – An Addendum – Oakengates

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After writing recent articles about the northern section of the branch, I was contacted by David Bradshaw, co-author with Stanley C. Jenkins of ‘Rails around Oakengates’, an article in Steam Days magazine in March 2013. L, offering permission to use material from that article in this series of posts about the Coalport Branch. [1]

Along with discussion of all the railways in and around Oakengates (including the Lilleshall Co. private railways), David Bradshaw and Stanley C. Jenkins looked at the Wellington to Coalport Branch.

David suggested that I should use material from the article to supplement material included in my recent articles. My feeling is that the section of the ‘Rails around Oakengates’ article which covers the Coalport Branch should be reproduced in full. This addendum focusses solely on the relevant parts of the Steam Days article. [1: p168-170, 175, 176-177] ……..

The Wellington to Coalport Branch

The Great Western Railway had taken over the S&BR in 1854, and this may have prompted the LNWR to consider a scheme for converting the Shropshire Canal into a railway. This busy waterway was experiencing severe problems in terms of subsidence and water supply, and there was a major flooding incident in July 1855 when Snedshill tunnel collapsed. It was thought that the cost of repairs would probably exceed £30,000 and, faced with this heavy expenditure, the London & North Western Railway decided that the money would be better spent on the construction of a replacement railway from Hadley, near Wellington, to Coalport, which would utilise, as much as possible, parts of the troublesome canal.

The Coalport line passenger services became synonymous with Francis Webb’s ‘Coal Tanks’ (the sole survivor, No 58926, being a regular on the line), 300 of which were built by the L&NWR between 1882 and 1897 as an 0-6-2T derivative of Webb’s Standard ’17-inch’ 0-6-0 tender design. On 13 August 1947, in the last summer of the LMS, ‘Coal Tank’ No 7836 calls at Madeley Market station with a Coalport to Wellington working. The small town of Madeley was initially served by the Great Western Railway from 2 May 1859, on the Madeley Junction to Lightmoor route (the Madeley branch), and upon restarting its journey the depicted LMS train will pass over the GWR route at 90°. Madeley Market station opened with the Coalport line in June 1861, and clearly the local population found it more desirable to travel from here than on the GWR route, as the station on that line first closed to passengers in March 1915, as Madeley Court. W.A. Camwell/SLS Collection

It was then estimated that the proposed Coalport branch line would cost about £80,000, including £62,500 for the purchase of the waterway. Accordingly, in November 1856, notice was given that an application would be made to Parliament in the ensuing session for leave to bring in a Bill for the purchase and sale of the Shropshire Canal and the ‘Conversion of Portions thereof to Railway Purposes, and Construction of a Railway in connection therewith’.

The proposed line was described as a railway, with all proper stations, works, and conveniences connected therewith, commencing by a junction with the Shrewsbury and Stafford Railway of the Shropshire Union Company in the township of Hadley and parish of Wellington, in the county of Salop. at a point about two hundred yards westward of the mile post on the said railway denoting twelve miles from Shrewsbury’, and it terminated in the parish of Sutton Maddock, in the county of Salop, at a point ten chains or thereabouts to the east of the terminus of the Shropshire Canal at Coalport’.

The railway would pass through various specified parishes, townships, or other places, including Wellington, Hadley, Donnington Wood, Wrockwardine, Wombridge, Oakengates, Stirchley, Malins Lee, Dawley, Snedshill, Madeley, and Coalport, ‘occupying in the course thereof portions of the site of the Shropshire Canal’. Having passed through all stages of the complex Parliamentary process, the actual ‘Act for Authorising the Conversion of parts of the Shropshire Canal to Purposes of a Railway’ received the Royal Assent on 27 July 1857.

The canal was closed between Wrockwardine Wood and the bottom of the Windmill Hill inclined plane on 1 June 1858, although isolated sections of the waterway remained in use for many years thereafter. The work of conversion was soon underway, and on Thursday, 30th May 1861 The Birmingham Daily Post announced that the Coalport and Hadley line of railway would be opened on ‘Monday next’, implying that the first trains would run on 3rd May. In the event, this prediction was slightly optimistic, and on 12th June the same newspaper reported that, ‘in accordance with the arrangements arrested’. previously announced’, the Coalport branch had been opened for passenger traffic on Monday, 10tj June 1861.

As usual in those days, Opening Day was treated as a public holiday, and a large number of spectators had assembled at Coalport station to witness this historic event. ‘At the appointed time, the first engine, and train of first, second and third class carriages, moved off from the station, having a respectable number of passengers’.

The newly opened railway commenced at Hadley Junction, on the Stafford to Wellington line, and it climbed south-eastwards on a ruling gradient of 1 in 50 towards Oakengates (3.25 miles from Wellington), which thereby acquired its second station. Beyond, the route continued southwards, with intermediate stations at Dawley (6 miles) and Madeley Market (7½ miles), to its terminus at Coalport, some 9½ miles from Wellington. The final two miles of line included a continuous 1 in 40 descent towards the River Severn. An additional station was opened to serve Malins Lee, between Oakengates and Dawley, on 7th July 1862.

The steep gradients on this new line contributed to three alarming incidents that took place within the space of a few weeks, the first of which occurred shortly before the opening to passenger traffic, when a train of wagons ‘laden with bricks, stone and sand for the works now in progress at the Coalport terminus, under the care of a brakesman, suffered a brake failure and, ‘thus liberated, the train acquired excessive speed, dashed past the court, through Madeley, until it neared the entrance to the tunnel in Madeley Lane. Here, its further progress was arrested by a large plank being skilfully placed across the rails, and the insertion of some spragges in the wheels. Fortunately, no injury was done beyond destruction to the plank’

On 30 August 1860, The Birmingham Daily Post reported a similar incident, when a train of ballast wagons was traversing the line from Madeley’ and ‘a coupling chain gave way, causing the wagons to ‘dash down the gradient at a fearful velocity’. Fortunately, the ‘timekeeper’ at Coalport Works, aware that the runaways were approaching, threw a bar of iron across the line of rail, whereby its further progress was arrested’.

Incredibly, a third near-disaster occurred on the following day, ‘as the engine was returning from the Coalport terminus with a numerous train of empty carriages’. For reasons that were not entirely clear, the train derailed near Mr Eagle’s Chain Manufactory, which was on the highest embankment on the line and, having fallen part way down the 60ft embankment, the engine became deeply embedded in the earth, earth, a ‘great number of men and appliances’ being required to extricate it from its precarious resting place. It was subsequently revealed that the embankment had been subject to almost daily subsidence, which may have contributed to the accident.

The Coalport branch line was, from its inception, geared towards freight traffic rather than passengers, and there were numerous private sidings linked to nearby factories within the Oakengates Urban District. One of these sidings, known as Wombridge Goods, served Wombridge Iron Works, which had a connection with a surviving section of the Shropshire Canal. There was also Wombridge ballast siding and Wombridge Old Quarry siding, while other sidings served the iron foundry of John Maddocks & Son, and also the Lilleshall Company’s steel works at Snedshill.

Successive editions of The Railway Clearing House Handbook of Stations reveal further private sidings on the Coalport branch, including, in 1938, the Exley & Son siding and the Nuway Manufacturing Co siding at Coalport, and at Madeley Market there was the Messrs Legge & Sons’ siding and the Madeley Wood Cold Blast Slag Co siding.

The original train service consisted of three passenger trains in each direction between Wellington and Coalport, with a similar number of goods workings. This modest service persisted for many years, although an additional Thursdays-only train was subsequently provided in response to the increased demand on Wellington market days. In 1888 the branch was served by four passenger trains each way, together with five Up and three Down goods workings. By the summer of 1922 there were five Up and five Down passenger trains, with an additional short-distance service from Wellington to Oakengates and return on Saturdays-only.


In the final years of passenger operation, the timetable comprised five trains each way. In July 1947, for example, there were Up services from Coalport at 6.22am, 8.50am, 11.57am, 4.40pm and 7.40pm, with corresponding Down workings from Wellington at 8.04am, 10.02am, 1.40pm, 6.30pm and 9.15pm; a slightly different service pertained on Thursdays and Saturdays. The final branch passenger service in 1952. consisted of four Up and four Down trains, increasing to five each way on Thursdays and six on Saturdays.

A view looking north from the Canongate overbridge in Oakengates on 30 July 1932 finds a former L&NWR 0-8-0 in the goods yard, while passing on a northbound rake of five-plank wagons is a Webb 0-6-0, probably a ‘Cauliflower”. The sharply curved line on the extreme left is Millington’s siding, and this timber business was also served from the rear of the GWR goods yard, although the rival sidings to the sawmill were not connected to each other. From the GWR system an elongated siding crossed Canongate on the skew, it being one of four railway lines crossing this road, the others (all to the right of the photographer) being part of the Lilleshall Company system, although those relating to the Snedshill Iron Works would be in the hands of Maddock’s before the outbreak of war. The 0-6-0 is moments away from the platform ends of the LMS station, the properties to the right facing on to Station Hill, but it is worthy of mention that the photographer is equidistant from the GWR passenger station, out of sight to his left, and is even nearer to the industrial lines to his right, albeit they are much higher up the hill. Wrockwardine Wood crowns the distant hill. WH. Smith Collection Kidderminster Railway Museum.
About 300 yards further south, and once again facing north, we overlook one of the busier connections from the Coalport line, our vantage point being the Holyhead Road overbridge, the old A5 trunk road. This view shows the Coalport branch in the cutting on the left, while the lines on the right connect to the former Snedshill Iron Works; a Hawksworth ‘9400’ pannier tank is seen shunting the siding in the mid-1950s. This was initially one of the connections to the Lilleshall network but in about 1938 the Lilleshall Company sold the Snedshill Iron Works to John Maddock’s & Son, an Oakenshaw-based engineering firm that was outgrowing its premises near the GWR station. Subsequent development saw the distant building become one of the most modem casting foundries in Europe, and post-war, pipe fittings became the principal activity. A.J.B. Dodd
A ‘9400’ 0-6-OPT, No 9401, is pictured with our previous vantage point in view. The bridge ahead is that carrying Holyhead Road across the Coalport branch, while rumbling beneath the photographer’s feet will be express trains passing through Oakengates tunnel; and it should also be remembered that the course of the Coalport line at this point was once a canal, because it was here that it sprang a leak! On the other side of the bridge is the link to the John Maddocks & Sons (ex-Snedshill Iron Works) siding, while the point diverging at the photographer’s feet is a spur south to the Priorslee Furnaces established by the Lilleshall Company. The L&NWR/LMS route in Oakengates was at a much higher level than that of the GWR, hence the tunnel, but most of the heavy industry that needed to be served was even higher up the hill, so the Coalport line from Oakengates (Market Street) station to here has been climbing at 1 in 50. With passenger operations on the branch eliminated in 1952, the freight-only days of this line saw the route’s ex-LMS identity blurred by the regular use of Hawksworth 0-6-OPTS on the daily goods job to Dawley & Stirchley, the line being cut-back to there from 5 December 1960, and of course the ‘TOAD’ parked on the running line further blurs traditional LMS and Western boundaries. A.J.B Dodd/Colour-Rail.com

Oakengates (Market Street)

The Coalport line diverged from the Wellington to Stafford route at Hadley Junction, and ran south-eastwards via Wombridge goods station, at which point various private sidings branched out to serve Hadley Lodge Brickworks and other industrial concerns.

Oakengates (LMS) on 9 August 1932, looking north towards the level crossing, complete with its diminutive L&NWR-designed Crossing box. Opened with the Coalport line as its primary intermediate station, the principal buildings are on the Wellington-bound side, with passenger facilities such as ticket purchases and Up-side waiting accommodated within the single-story. Trains would continue to call mere until 2 June 1952, less than a year after British Railways rebranded it Oakengates (Market Street), that being the road that lead to it, ather than Station Hill, which was its actual location. All the goods facilities were to the south of the station, part of the sidings being glimpsed to the left of this view, behind the fence, and these would be maintained until 6 July 1964 when the line from Hadley Junction to Dawley & Stirchley, the terminus of the Coalport line since 1960, would officially be taken out of use, although at some point the former Down line through here would be removed in the freight-only era. Mowat Collection

Oakengates, the largest station on the Coalport branch, was a short distance further on. The former LNWR and LMS station was renamed Oakengates (Market Street) on 18tj June 1951, to prevent confusion with the nearby GWR station, which was thereafter known as Oakengates (West). The town’s Coalport line station was orientated on an approximate north-to-south alignment, and its layout included Up and Down platforms for passenger traffic, with a level crossing immediately to the north of the platform ramps. The main station building was on the Up (northbound) platform, while the diminutive signal box was situated on the Down platform, in convenient proximity to the level crossing. The cabin was a standard L&NWR gable-roofed box, albeit of the smallest size.

Greetings from Oakengates. A commercial postcard, franked in October 1905, shows the station forecourt area of the LNWR station in Oakengates. The view is looking east up Station Hill, and the Methodist Chapel on the right was where my sister and I went to Sunday School in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Halfway up the hill, the Lilleshall Company main line crossed at road level and the disused canal passed under the road. David Bradshaw Collection

The main station building, which was similar to that at Coalport, was a typical LNWR design, incorporating a one-and-a- half-storey Stationmaster’s house at the rear, and an attached single-storey building, which contained the booking office and waiting room facilities. The single-storey portion faced on to the platform, and it featured two rectangular bays and a central loggia, which was fully enclosed by a wood and glass screen to form a covered waiting area. The residential block sported a steeply pitched slate-covered roof, whereas the booking office portion had a flat roof. The building was of local brick construction, with tall chimneys and slightly arched window apertures. This distinctive structure was erected, as were all the others on the line, by local builder Christopher Bugaley of Madeley. There was a detached gentlemens’ convenience on the Up platform, while facilities for waiting travellers on the Down platform comprised a small waiting room.

Two dead-end goods sidings at Oakengates were provided on the Down side, while the Up side sported a sizeable goods yard and a substantial goods shed. There was also a timber yard siding and an additional goods shed that was used by Millington’s, a local company. The 1927 Ordnance Survey map suggests that the timber siding ran to within a few yards of the local (Oakengates & District) Co-operative Society Depot, and it was hardly a stone’s throw from a connection from the GWR station. For a time I attended the Sunday School at the Methodist Chapel halfway up Station Hill and I was a regular at the classic Grosvenor Cinema, which was close to Market Street station. Halfway up Station Hill, the old canal and Lilleshall Company lines ran under and across the road respectively.

Motive Power on the Coalport Branch

The Coalport branch was typically worked by Webb ‘Coal Tank’ 0-6-2Ts, together with Webb 2-4-2Ts and ‘Cauliflower’ 0-6-0s. In earlier years the route had also been worked by L&NWR 0-6-0 saddle tanks such as No 3093, which was recorded on the line in 1895. The London & North Western Railway ‘Coal Tanks’, which included the still-extant No 58926 (seen on the Coalport line as late as 21 October 1950), enjoyed a long association with the route, but at the end of the LMS era these veteran locomotives were replaced by Shrewsbury-allocated Fowler class ‘3MT 2-6-2Ts, such as Nos 40005, 40008, 40048 and 40058. The goods trains, meanwhile, were worked by a range of ex-LMS locomotive types, including Fowler Class ‘3F’ 0-6-0s, ‘4F’ 0-6-0s, and also the occasional ex-L&NWR ‘Super D’ 0-8-0.

Webb 5ft 6in 2-4-2T No 6757 awaits departure from Coalport station with the 4.40pm service to Wellington on 5 September 1947, the use of a complete pre-Grouping era train on this duty being typical at this time. However, on the day the photographer noted that this ‘1P’ was in use instead of the usual ‘Coal Tank’, due to a locomotive shortage. More than likely it was the 4ft 5in driving wheels of the ‘Coal Tanks’, nominally ‘1F’-rated freight engines, that made them a more popular choice for the passenger jobs on this steeply graded line. Within a few yards of departing Coalport the branch climbed at 1 in 40, a grueling ascent, at worst 1 in 31, continuing almost relentlessly for about three miles, to a point just short of Dawley & Stirchley. The stop at Madeley Market, halfway up the climb, was either a blessing or a curse, depending on the health of the 19th century engine and its fire. I recall the ‘Coal Tanks’ on these duties, but by the time I started train spotting in 1951, these ex-L&NWR 2-4-2Ts had all been withdrawn. W.A. Camwell/SLS Collection

The passenger services, known locally as the ‘Coalport Dodger’ were poorly supported – except on market days in Oakengates and Wellington, and for the locally renowned Oakengates Wakes (Pat Collins Fair) – hence their early demise, particularly as the rival ex-GWR route to Wellington was more convenient. World War II staved-off closure for a few years, but in the early months of 1952 it was announced that passenger services would be withdrawn with effect from 2 June 1952, and as this was a Monday the last trains ran on Saturday, 31 May. Fowler Class ‘3MT’ 2-6-2T No 40058 worked the final trains, its smokebox adorned with black flags, a wreath and the chalked letters ‘RIP’.

A former L&NWR Webb ’17in Coal Engine’, LMS No 8148, is at the head of open wagons beyond the passenger extremity of the Coalport branch in about 1930, the carriage shed providing an attractive backdrop. This 500-strong class of engines were tender versions of the ‘Coal Tank’ design. The 0-6-0, outshopped new as L&NWR No 878 in June 1877, didn’t gain its post- Grouping running number until February 1926 and it would continue to serve the LMS until 1934; it is carrying the LMS (Western Division) shedplate for Shrewsbury, which had a two- road sub-shed at Coalport, this being attached to the other side of the carriage shed. Rail Archive Stephenson

Motive power on the line after the cessation of passenger services was often provided by Hawksworth ’94XX’ class 0-6-0PTs, such as Nos 9470 and 9472 (complete with broken front numberplate), or less frequently, by ’57XX’ class 0-6-0PTs. There was an incident when a ’57XX’ was derailed on the catch points just outside Oakengates station, although details are elusive. Wellington shed’s sole ‘1600’ class 0-6-0PT, No 1663, shunted the GKN Sankey sidings near the junction of the Stafford and Coalport lines and it is believed to have ventured up the branch on occasion.

A goods working which appeared at Oakengates after mid-day invariably featured an LMS Burton-based Class ‘3F’ or ‘4F’ 0-6-0, although on one unforgettable occasion, on 14th August 1957, Bath (Green Park)-allocated Stanier ‘Black Five’ class 4-6-0 No 44917, in ex-Works condition, turned up on this humble working. This train had apparently started life as a light-engine working that had left Shrewsbury (Coleham) at 5.10am and, on then reaching Shrewsbury (Abbey Foregate) at 5.35am, it picked up a goods working and eventually arrived at Priors Lee sidings, just outside Oakengates, at 2.20pm.

In the period from July to the end of October 1957, the following locomotives appeared on what local trainspotters called ‘the mid-day goods’ (although it actually arrived in the early afternoon) – Class ‘3F’ 0-6-0s Nos 43709 and 43809, Class ‘4F’ 0-6-0s Nos 43948, 43976, 43986, 44124 and 44434, and of course ‘Black Five’ No 44917 (71G).

It is interesting to note that excursion trains continued to run from Coalport after the withdrawal of the regular passenger services. On one occasion, around 1956, there were two excursions to the North Wales Coast on the same day, both of which were hauled by Class ‘5MT’ 4-6-0s. Only one of these workings stopped to pick-up at Oakengates, as the other ran straight through Oakengates station – it must have been one of the few examples of a ‘non-stop’ passenger working in the life of the line?
On 23rd April 1955 the Locomotive Club of Great Britain joined forces with the Manchester Locomotive Society to run a ‘Shropshire Rail Tour’, which left Shrewsbury at 2.30pm behind ‘Dean Goods’ 0-6-0 No 2516 on a tour of local branch lines, which included the Minsterley and Coalport routes, the fare for this interesting excursion being 15s 6d.

A year or two later, on 2nd September 1959, the Stephenson Locomotive Society arranged a further tour of West Midland branch lines, including the Womborne, Minsterley and Coalport routes, a Swindon three-car Cross Country diesel-multiple-unit being provided instead of a steam-hauled train, ostensibly to ‘improve timings’.

Another abiding memory is of an excursion, believed to have been arranged by the late Cyril Poole, a teacher from Madeley Modern School, which departed behind a Hughes/ Fowler ‘Crab’ class 2-6-0 and returned in a tropical storm behind a ‘Super D’ 0-8-0, running tender-first. The train was made up to ten coaches and it took at least twenty minutes to surmount the 1 in 50 bank into Oakengates. Steaming was not an issue, but there were adhesion difficulties as the engine slithered and slipped up the bank – the noise level was something never to be forgotten!

References

  1. D. Bradshaw and S.C. Jenkins; Rails around Oakengates; in Steam Days No. 283, March 2013, p165-179.

The Railways of Telford – the Coalport Branch of the LNWR – Part 3 – Madeley Market Station to Coalport East Station

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Wikipedia provides this schematic map of the Coalport Branch which highlights the key stations and sidings. [17]

History

The history of the Coalport Branch begins with competition between rival rail companies in the area during the mid 1850’s. The GWR had control of the industrial areas of East Shropshire, whereas the LNWR only had access to the area via the Shropshire Canal which ran from Trench down to Coalport.

The Canal was going into disrepair and suffering from water shortages and subsidence. Canals in the area were difficult to maintain as the various mines in the area were causing significant subsidence.

The LNWR decided that it was best to discontinue costly maintenance and instead to build a railway line along the length of the Canal from Hadley to Coalport. Parts of the Canal were converted into railway track bed.

This is the last of a series of posts about the Coalport Branch the earlier two can be found at:

The Railways of Telford – the Coalport Branch of the LNWR – Part 1 – Hadley to Malins Lee Station

The Railways of Telford – the Coalport Branch – Part 1A

and

The Railways of Telford – the Coalport Branch of the LNWR – Part 2 – Malins Lee Station to Madeley Market Station

The use of a canal to provide a route for the railway was something that a number of railway companies pursued. In this case, the Canal provided a route for the railway down the East side of Dawley through what is now Telford Town Park, taking it past Aqueduct, Madeley and onto Coalport by the River Severn.

The Coalport Branch of the Shropshire Canal.

The history of the LNWR railway branch line is built on the story of the Canal and it is with that story that any investigation should begin. Separate articles cover the route of the Canal and the first of these can be found on this link:

The Coalport Branch of the Shropshire Canal – Part 1 – The length as far South as Stirchley Iron Works.

Madeley Market Station to Coalport East Station

Madeley Market Street Station before the Coalport branch was closed, © Copyright Shropshire Star. [2]
Madeley Market Street Station after closure and with the Silkin Way following the Coalport Branch, © Copyright John M, taken on 9th March 2008 and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [3]

Immediately to the South of Madeley Market Station was the station goods yard. Trains from Hadley Junction accessed the yard by means of a trailing connection, as can be seen on the Ordnance Survey map extract below.

A glimpse of Madeley Market Station and Goods Yard in a significantly enlarged extract from an aerial image carried on Historic England’s Britain From Above website, © Copyright Historic England (EPW061722) [20]
Madeley Market Station and Goods Yard as shown on the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1901, published in 1902. Of note are the wagon turntables to the North of the Goods Shed and the fact that there was no passing loop at the station nor a head-shunt for movements in the Good Yard. This suggests that goods movements were of a much higher priority than passenger trains as shunting of the yard would have prevented other movements on the branch. [4]
Railmaponline.com provides the route of the branch overlaid on Google Maps satellite imagery. This extract shows a similar area to the 25″ OS Map above with the siding to the goods yard marked along with the main line of the Coalport Branch. As can be seen a new link to Station Road crosses what was the old goods yard and a completely new road, Legges Way, runs South from the roundabout at the East end of Madeley High Street. The Silkin Way continues to follow the Branch line through this extract. [5]
Madeley Market Station building in 2023. [My photograph, 7th March 2023]
Also looking from the South but this time into what was the location of the goods yard. The Station building is just out of sight on the left of the Silkin Way. [My Photograph, 7th March 2023]
Looking South from the same location towards the new length of Station Road. [My photograph, 7th March 2023]
Station Road viewed from the North with Legges Way to the left of the image. [My photograph, 7th March 2023]
The same location viewed from the West along Station Road with LeggesWay ahead. Note the give-way markings which give priority to cyclists and pedestrians on the Silkin Way. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking North along the Silkin Way towards the crossing at Station Road. LeggesWay is beyond the vegetation on the right of the image. [My photograph, 7th March 2023]
At the same location but this time facing towards Coalport. The Silkin Way passes under Legges Way and in doing so turns away from the route of the old railway line which from this point runs along the same line as Legges Way. [My photograph, 7th March 2023]
Looking North along Legges Way, the parapets of the bridge over the Silkin Way can be seen in the picture, as can the Silkin Way, among the trees on the left of the image. The old railway alignment is marked by the purple line. [My photograph, 7th March 2023]
Looking Southwest along Legges Way with the line of the old railway marked. [My photograph, 7th March 2023]
The 1901 Ordnance Survey, published in 1902, shows the Coalport Branch heading away from Madeley Market Station in a Southwesterly direction. [6]
This extract from the railmaponline.com imagery shows a similar area to the 25″ OS Map above with the siding to the goods yard marked at the top of the extract along with the main line of the Coalport Branch, running Southwest along the centre-line of Legge’s Way. A further siding is shown leaving the line close to Blists Hill Victorian Town. This siding was known as Legge’s siding. It does not appear on the 1901 OS map extract above, nor on the 1881 Ordnance Survey extract (published 1888) below. [5]
BR loco 40058 on a single coach train South of Madeley Market Station on what is, in the 21st century, Legges Way. This image comes from David Clarke’s collection and was kindly shared with me by email in April 2023. [41][34]
Looking Southwest along Legge’s Way at the point where the Silkin Way joins the road. The redline shows the route of the Silkin Way, the purple line, the approximate line of the old Coalport Branch. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Further Southwest with Legge’s Way continuing to follow the formation of the old railway with the Silkin Way alongside the road. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
This 6″ 1881 Ordnance Survey which was published as late as 1888 shows the Blists Hill complex with a myriad of tramroads serving the different parts of the site. The Shropshire canal also features prominently on the map extract. Legge’s Siding does not appear on this map extract. [7]
This railmaponline.com image shows the same length of the line as pictured on the 1881 6″ OS map above. The modern visitor attraction at Blists Hill sits in the site of the past heavy industry with a number of original buildings still in place. [5]
The 25″ OS mapping of 1901 shows the vast majority of the tramroad network at Blists Hill still in use. Again Legge’s Siding is not in evidence. The Brick & Tile Works have been much extended in the 20 years between 1881 and 1901. A short tunnel can be seen marked clearly on this map extract at the bottom-left. The enlarged map-extract below shows more detail at this location. [9]

Legge’s Siding

There was a siding providing access to the Blists Hill site which was known as Legge’s Siding. It is interesting to note that, while there is local confidence that Legge’s siding existed, there is little evidence of it on maps of the area. Dave Cromarty comments: “Legge’s Siding (the connection to the Blists Hill Brickworks)? … Where did it leave the branch? You try finding a map with it on it. When you do, leg it down Legges Way (the road built on that portion of the branch alignment in the 1980s) and try and fathom out where it was. I settled on lamppost MY460 as a best guesstimate, but I’m still not convinced. Just down the road there’s a quite spectacular, by horse tramway standards, bridge which carried a tramway from Meadowpit Colliery in Madeley, to Blists Hill.” [8]

The Legge in the name of the modern road and this siding was George Legge of George Legge and Sons who bought Blists Hill Brick and Tile Works in 1912 and continues in operation there unitl 1938.

Legges Siding and the shorter siding to the South provided access to the Blists Hill site. We have already noted the large number of tramroad line in the immediate area (as shown on the 1881 OS map). Looking in detail at these tramroads is not part of the plan for this article. They will be covered in another article in due course. Anyone interested in the tramroads of East Shropshire will find an introductory article on this link:

Early Tramroads Near Telford – Part 10 – An overview of the East Shropshire Area’s Historic Tramroad Network

The Bridges and the Tunnel over the Coalport Branch at Blists Hill

We saw these two bridges in a Google Streetview image above. The tunnel appears on the second 25″ map extract below, the two bridges on the first.

The two bridges crossing the valley can be seen in this image. Around 100 metres beyond the first bridge the old Coalport Road joins the modern road and the name of the road becomes Coalport Road. The road is then following its historic route and the old railway can be seen veering away to the left. The Silkin Way resumes following the old railway at that point. [Google Streetview, June 2022]

The first and lowest bridge is a footbridge which originally provided access from Coalport Road, which sits at bridge-deck level, to the Brick and Tile Works.

The footbridge which used to provide access over the Coalport Branch to the Brick and Tile Works at Blists Hill. This picture looks Southeast across the valley. [Google Streetview, June 2022]

The second, much higher bridge carried a plateway/tramway incline over the line of the Coalport Branch. the plateway brought coal from Meadowpit Colliery to power the blast furnaces at Blists Hill.

A view Northeast along Coalport Road and looking up towards the plateway bridge. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
This schematic 3D map of the Blists Hill Site shows the plateway/tramway bridge bottom-centre (marked ’26’), the tunn el can be seen centre-right (marked ’56). The Silkin Way which follows the old railway curves between the two. This image looks at the site from the Northwest. [18]

The two bridges as seen from the North soon after the lifting of the track on the Coalport Branch. This image was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Andy Rose on 16th December 2021. [14]

The two bridges viewed from the Southwest with the old Coalport Branch passing underneath them. This image was also shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Andy Rose on 16th December 2021. [14]

The two bridges viewed from the Southwest with the old Coalport Branch in the 21st century. This image was also shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Andy Rose on 16th December 2021. [14]

The view North from the footbridge which crosses Legges Way and used to span the Coalport Branch. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
The view South from the footbridge with the high-level tramway bridge a few tens of metres away. The point where the original Coalport Road joins Legges Way can be seen on the right close to the white van. The road South is Coalport Road and the Simkin Way which follows the old railway alignment can be seen drifting away to the left at the same point. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
A view of one of the supporting piers of Lee Dingle Bridge which carried a tramway over the line of the Coalport Branch. As far as tramway/plateway structures go, this bridge is one of the more significant! [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
An enlarged map extract of the 25″ OS mapping of 1901 which focusses on the Iron Works and furnaces. Top-left, the wharf which allowed transshipment between the tramroad network and the Coalport Branch is much easier to make out. The short tunnel which carried the Coalport Branch under the site is shown clearly. [10]
Google Maps 3D view of the modern Blists Hill site from the South. The old furnaces were in the area in shadow in the top-right quadrant of the photo. Railmaponline.com has superimposed the line of the old railway on the image. [5]
The view South at the point where Legges Way meets the old Coalport Road. The Silkin Way which follows the old railway is on the left. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
One of the large wheel castings that mark the route of the Silkin Way. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
The Silkin Way, the route of the old railway, continues to bear away to the left. Coalport Road can just be picked out on the right of this picture rising away from the line of the old railway. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
In a short distance the line passed under the Blists Hill Works site in a short tunnel. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
The old railway tunnel adjacent to Blists Hill Furnaces. As these various images of the tunnel show, the headroom is no longer large enough for standard gauge trains. It was retained to allow pedestrian access but was also used as the route of Telford’s main rainwater drain. [12]
The North portal of the tunnel from the embankment on its Northeast. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
The view North along the route of the Coalport branch from above the North Portal of the tunnel. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
The view South from over the South Portal of the tunnel. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]

The tunnel from the South, © Copyright Bruce S, 9th February 2015. [13]

The South Portal from a few tens of meters further to the South. The large retaining structure on the left holds the Coalport Road above the line of the old railway. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]

The tunnel during the construction of the surface water storm drain which passes through it. This image was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Marcus Keane on 7th January 2022. [16]

A video featuring the tunnel, made in August 2020 by Andy PCD. [17]

“The brick-lined tunnel, through which the London and North Western Railway branch line to Coalport ran, was built in the 19th century to carry plateways on top so that materials could be taken from the Lloyds Coppice area to the Blists Hill Ironworks. The tunnel is 60-70 metres in length, with a wonderful echo.” [13]

“The railway track closed in 1964 and the line became part of the Silkin Way in 1977. Underneath the old track bed lies the main sewers and water run-off for the town of Telford.” [13]

Opinion on whether this is a surface water sewer or for foul water differs. It seems most likely that it is a surface water drain.

The same surface water drain to the South of the tunnel. This photograph was shared by Dave Thomas on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 10th March 2021. It is taken from Coalport Road and looks down the line of the Coalport Branch [19]

__________________________________________________________

Addition in March 2025. ……

Recent comments from Rob Breeze clarify the position over the sewers which follow the Silkin Way …… Rob says that there are two sewers, one foul water sewer and one surface water drainage sewer for some considerable distance. He says: “I’m not sure where they merge, but from somewhere north of Blists Hill the sewer pipe is carried on brackets in the upper corner of the stormwater drain. A few hundred yards south of the Blists Hill tunnel there is a concreted area with railings overlooking Coalport Road. At this point the stormwater drain diverges down and to the right to its outfall into the river just downstream of the road junction. The sewer continues underneath the former railway line/Silkin Way to where you saw it passing under the Coalport High Street bridge in your photo. From there it runs roughly parallel to the river to near Sutton Wharf, where it crosses over to the Coalport/Gitchfield Sewage Treatment Works.” …. My thanks to Rob for his comments.

___________________________________________________________

This modern photograph is taken at a similar position to the monochrome image above but, in this case from above the surface water drain. Coalport Road can be seen on the right. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
A little further to the South there is evidence of the surface water drain running under the Silkin Way. Large manholes provide access to the drain. As the old railway dropped down towards Coalport, the drain was placed ina trench which meant that the level of the Silkin Way dropped to the level of the old railway formation. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]

Blists Hill

A detailed history of the site can be found on the ironbridge.org.uk website. [11] Sections of that website are reproduced below.

An artist’s impression of the furnaces at Blists Hill, probably more idyllic than real! The picture was painted in watercolour by Warrington Smyth (1817-1890) in 1847. [11]

Blists Hill in the mid to late 19th century. [11]

“Blists Hill’s industrial peak arguably occurred in the early 1870s, when the blast furnaces were their most profitable and a new mechanised brickworks was developing. However, this decade also saw the start of the site’s decline. It was during this decade that Blists Hill’s mine stopped producing ironstone and coal. Brick and tile clay continued to be mined and used by the adjacent brickworks, but the Madeley Wood Company had to begin sourcing its raw materials for Blists Hill’s blast furnaces from further afield and in 1872 built the Lee Dingle bridge to transport materials from Meadow Pit colliery in Madeley to Blists Hill’s furnaces. The mine at Blists Hill continued to operate but by 1900 only 12 people were employed there and following the First World War it was sold several times. Abandonment plans were discussed as early as 1925 but it wasn’t until June 1941 that the mine was completely abandoned, and the shaft was filled in.” [11]

“Blists Hill’s blast furnaces also suffered declining profits from the 1870s. By this time, the furnaces’ technology was old fashioned, but its cold-blast pig iron filled a niche in the market. However, like most of the Shropshire iron industry, it was facing competition from cheaper imports of iron from Europe and America and competition from the steel industry. The lack of raw materials being mined at Blists Hill and the subsequent need to transport them from further afield also increased costs. In 1908, two of the three furnaces were blown out (ceased operating) and following a national miners’ strike in 1912, which severely impacted the supply of raw materials, the final furnace was blown out. By this time, the Madeley Wood Company’s profits were coming from coal mining rather than iron or brickmaking and so they also sold their Blists Hill brick and tile works to George Legge & Sons in 1912. Under George Legge & Sons the works produced handmade and specialist products alongside their mass-produced bricks and tiles and continued to manufacture these products until 1938, when the company was liquidated. From 1945, sanitary pipes were made at the works but this ceased in 1956 and the works was closed.” [11]

The 6″ Ordnance Survey of 1881/1882, published in 1988 shows the branch curving round South of the tunnel towards the Southeast. The Shropshire Canal is highlighted in blue. [7]
The next 6″ Ordnance Survey Sheet of 1881/1882, published in 1883, shows the line curving round to the Southeast and running on the North side of the Canal/River Severn Wharves with significant Works immediately adjacent to the river – Coalport China Works. [21]
Google Maps show the Silkin Way (and hence the route of the old railway) as a thin grey/white line running from the tunnel at Blists Hill down into Coalport. I have marked the significant locations on the satellite image. [Google Maps, 30th March 2023]
The Coalport Branch ‘down’ goods on the length of the Coalport Branch between Madeley Market Station and Coalport East Station on 4th April 1955. The photographer climbed Coalport down distant signal in order to get the photograph which looks North along the line. © Copyright J. Pritchett, included here with the consent of dawleyhistory.com. [15]
Looking Southeast towards Coalport in the 21st century. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
Before reaching Coalport, the old railway passed under the Hay Inclined Plane which was carried by a relatively substantial arch bridge. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
A closer view of the same structure. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
The plaque on the arch bridge. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]

Further information about the Hay Incline Plane can be found here and here.

The view Southeast from under the Hay Incline. The Coalport Branch continued curving lazily to the Southeast. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
A general view from the canal at the base of the incline which shows the bridge carrying Coalport High Street across the bottom of the incline. The Silkin Way passes beneath the incline about 60 metres beyond Coalport High Street. [My photograph, 17th February 2023]
Looking Southeast along the canal. What is now the Coalport China Museum is on the right between the canal and the River Severn. The buildings on the left are now a Youth Hostel. The buildings on both sides of the canal are Coalport’s two historic China Works. [My photograph, 17th February 2023]
A closer view of the China Works between the canal and the river. [My photograph, 17th February 2023]
Now travelling Southeast behind properties in Coalport Village. The China Works Museum and the last length of the Shropshire Canal are away to the right off the photograph. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
The route of the old railway runs at the back of properties on Coalport High Street and Riverside Avenue. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
In this next extract from the 6″ 1881/1882 Ordnance Survey which was published in 1883 we see the approach to Coalport East Station on the North side of the River Severn. The bridge carrying Coalport High Street across the station mouth and the bridge carrying Coalport Road across the main station site. [21]
In this next extract from the 6″ 1881/1882 Ordnance Survey which was published in 1883 centres on Coalport East Station. The bridge carrying Coalport High Street across the station mouth and the bridge carrying Coalport Road across the main station site. Extending West from the station towards the end of the canal, is a single siding. [21]
The same location but on the 25″ Ordnance Survey of the same date. Both of the two Coalport Stations show very clearly on this extract. [22]
The last length of the Branch and the station site at Coalport as shown on Google Maps. [Google Maps, 1st April 2023][32]
New buildings now occupy the land on the North side of the old railway. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
Approaching the Coalport East Railway Station and before passing under Coalport High Street, the car park for the Brewery Inn sits, today, on the right side of the old line. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
The bridge carrying Coalport High Street over the Silkin Way and the old railway route. The storm drain which runs under the Silkin Way is here occupying significant space under the road-bridge. [My photograph, 29th March 2023]
The Silkin Way passes under Coalport High Street alongside the modern storm drain. [My photograph, 7th February 2023]
Looking Northwest towards the Coalport High Street bridge across the railway. [My photograph, 7th February 2023]
Looking north across the bridge carrying Coalport High Street across the station throat. [Google Maps, October 2022]
Looking Southeast from the South side of the bridge past cottages on the approach to the site of what was part of the railway station yard. [My photograph, 7th February 2023]
Looking West along the same road towards Coalport High Street. [My photograph, 7th February 2023]
Standing close to what was the station throat looking into the station site. [My photograph, 7th February 2023]
The bridge over Coalport East station as in appears in 2023. [My photograph, 7th February 2023]
Much closer to the bridge. The river is on the right. [My photograph, 7th February 2023]
Coalport East station building on 15th April 1963. It was still standing despite the closure of passenger services in 1952. It sat on the West side of the bridge. Beyond the bridge the carriage shed can be seen, (c) Dr Neil Clifton and included here under a Creative Commons Licence. As can be seen, the original bridge is of a different construction from that in place in 21st century. (CC BY-SA 2.0) [23]
A similar view of Coalport East Station when the passenger service was still operating. The train was known as the Coalport Dodger. The picture was taken between the two world wars. Apparently, this picture came originally from Gerry Hadley, grandson of engine driver Charles Hadley, of Coalport, who used to drive the train. It was carried by the Shropshire Star on 24th June 2020. [24]
Another view of the station building and road bridge. The service from Wellington has just arrived at the platform. This image was shared by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 12th December 2020. [25]
Coalport East Railway Station seen from the passenger approach to the station. This image was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Marcus Keane on 28th January 2017. [26]
The passenger facilities at Coalport East in the 1930s. This image comes from David Clarke’s collection and was kindly shared with me by email in April 2023. [41]
The Coalport Dodger leaving Coalport East in 1948 in the hands of LMS 6601. The loco was renumbered 46601 by BR. It was a Webb 1P 2-4-2 5′ 6″ tank. This image was shared by Derek Norry on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 3rd January 2016, copyright/photographer not known. [27]
Standing in approximately the same place as the locomotive in the last image this 0-6-0 tender loco is in charge of a four coach excursion train at Coalport East Railway Station. The locomotive is numbered 2516 and is an ex-GWR Dean Goods, not to be confused with a Churchward 43xx 2-6-0 which for a time carried this number. 2516 was built in March 1897 and withdrawn in May 1956 The train is the SLS Shropshire Special and the photo was taken on 23rd April 1955. The picture was shared by Lin Keska on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 5th February 2017. [28][37]
2516 is shown here in colour still at the same location (note the efflorescence on the brickwork of the retaining wall. This time the loco is probably ready to depart as all the individuals around it in the image above are now back on the coaches. This image comes from David Clarke’s collection and was kindly shared with me by email in April 2023. [41]
Another SLS special, this time in September 1959. David Clarke notes that the picture was taken on 12th September 1959. This image comes from David Clarke’s collection and was kindly shared with me by email in April 2023. [41]
The Coalport Dodger at Coalport East Railway Station. This picture was taken by W.A. Camwell in 1948 and colourised by Simon Alun Hark. It was shared by him on the Shropshire Nostalgia and Film Facebook Group on 28th January 2022. The carriage shed is visible beyond the overbridge. The locomotive is an 0-6-2T ex-LNWR Coal Tank loco now carrying the LMS No. 7755. he leading coach is LMS No. 7199. Locomotive No. 7755 had previously carried the LNWR numbers 237 (from 1886 to 1921) and 3739 (from 1921 to 1928). It was built at Crewe, entering service in August 1886. It was withdrawn in September 1947, giving it a service life of just over 61 years [29][35]
1952 was that last year with a passenger service on the line. This photo shows one of the last passenger services to leave Coalport East Railway Station. Probably it was the last such service. This appears to be BR loco No. 40058. The image was shared on the BROS Facebook Group by Peter Hunting on 7th May 2015. It was also sent to me by David Clarke. [30][41]
LNWR loco No. 549, a Webb Coal Tank (2F), preparing to leave Coalport for Wellington. This is clearly a stage shot with those involved posing for the camera. The loco bore this number from entering service in December 1886 until it was renumbered 3287 in January 1922. It was renumbered by the LMS at the end of 1927 to LMS No. 7550. It was withdrawn in July 1931. The image is clearly a staged shot with those involved posing for the camera This image comes from David Clarke’s collection and was kindly shared with me by email in March 2023. [33][36]
2516 Shropshire Railtour
The SLS Shropshire Rail Tour again. This image shows the train just after arriving at Coalport and before the engine had run round its train. We are looking Northwest from beyond the road overbridge with the Dean Goods locomotive No. 2516 alongside the Carriage Shed. This image is embedded here from Flickr with the kind permission of John Phillips. The photo was taken on 23rd April 1955. [31]
Ex-LNWR Webb Coal Tank 0-6-2T, LMS No. 7768 outside the engine shed at Coalport. This image comes from David Clarke’s collection and was kindly shared with me by email in March 2023. Notice the heavy timbers supporting the retaining wall alongside the shed. The locomotive was built in 1887 and carried the LNWR numbers 557 (1887 to 1921) and 3765 (1921 to 1928) before being renumbered LMS 7768 in July 1928. [33][38]
BR No. 40058 stands at Coalport on 18th March 1952 after having brought in the Wellington to Coalport train. This image comes from David Clarke’s collection and was kindly shared with me by email in March 2023. The locomotive was a 2-6-2T (3P) designed by Fowler and entered service on 12th October 1931 bearing the LMS number 15557, in May 1934 it was renumbered 58 and then, in 1949, given the BR number 40058. © F.W. Shuttleworth. [33][39]
Looking away along the line from Coalport East Station in 1932 towards Madeley. The bridge carrying Coalport High Street can be seen in the distance. The lane providing access to the station is to the right of the line, © David & Charles and included in an article about the line on the Dawley History website. A copy was also sent to me my David Clarke in April 2023 [15][41]
Coalport Road bridge which spans the location of the old railway station seen from the Southeast. [My photograph 7th February 2023]
A similar view under the Coalport Road bridge when passenger services were still in operation, © National Railway Museum and included in an article about the branch on the Dawley History website. [15]
Coalport East’s Carriage Shed on 19th March 1955. This image comes from David Clarke’s collection and was kindly shared with me by email in March 2023. [33]
This appears to be the interior of the loco shed in 1955. Someone has taken a great deal of trouble to keep the building tidy, (c) F.W. Shuttleworth. This image comes from David Clarke’s collection and was kindly shared with me by email in April 2023. [41]
Looking East towards the buffer stops at Coalport East in 1955. The pedestal of the water tank is evident as is the retaining wall which gradually reduces in height as it extends eastward. This image comes from David Clarke’s collection and was kindly shared with me by email in April 2023. [41]
Loco No. 8148 was an LNWR Goods Class 0-6-0 tender loco(2F) built at Crewe between 1880 and 1902. It is seen here adjacent to the carriage shed at Coalport East in 1932, (c) W.A. Carpenter. This image comes from David Clarke’s collection and was kindly shared with me by email in April 2023. [41]
A very derelict looking Coalport East looking West towards the overbridge in May 1961, (c) R. Carpenter. This image comes from David Clarke’s collection and was kindly shared with me by email in April 2023. [41]
Coalport East after closure and the lifting of the rails, but well before reconstruction of the overbridge. (c) Lens of Sutton (W133). This image comes from David Clarke’s collection and was kindly shared with me by email in April 2023. [41]
This colourised postcard view of Coalport Bridge includes the length of the station site to the East of the road overbridge. The significant arched retaining wall is central to the image and the station water tank can be seen centre-right. [40]

Locomotives and Rolling Stock on the Coalport Branch

In LNWR days the branch passenger service was generally served by small tank locos and goods by 0-6-0 tender locos. However, details are are a bit sketchy. William H. Smith points to allocation of locomotives to Shrewsbury Shed (LNWR No. 30) as a way to narrow down the field of possible motive power on the line. He says that there is only one eyewitness confirmation of a locomotive that operated on the line 2-4-0 LNWR No. 1000. [15] Locomotives from the shed allocation in 1917 which may have operated on the line include, “0‒6‒2T ‘Coal tanks’, LNWR Nos. 119, 292, 2459 and … 2‒4‒2T LNWR No. 1157 … along with 17in Goods 0‒6‒0s 1713, 2437.” [15]

Smith presumes that goods traffic between the two world wars would have been carried predominantly in ‘private owner’ open wagons. He mentions local coalfield owners, Cornish china clay companies, “‘North and Rose’ and ‘St. Austell China Clay Co’ are two such wagons noted from photographs. ‘Lilleshall’ and ‘Madeley Wood Co’ were locals, as was the ‘Mid-Shropshire Coal Co, Coalport’. …. Movement of wagons to and from the Staffordshire and Shropshire Coalfields would be expected and indeed, following a check on some post-war wagon labels from the branch, consignments from Littleton, Baggeridge, Donnington and Rugeley Collieries were confirmed.” [15]

“During the war passenger services were reduced and the branch provided storage sites for ammunition and special trains were observed hauled by Stanier Class 5 4‒6‒0s.” [15]

Nationalisation initially brought little change. “The ‘Dodger’, as it was popularly known, was still hauled by the 0‒6‒2T coal tanks and there was still ex-LNWR 2‒4‒2Ts Nos. 46601 and 46757 around in 1949 and 1950 as a reminder of past days. However, in December 1949 Wellington shed received its first allocation of Fowler 2‒6‒2Ts (40005 and 40006) and these took over much of the passenger work.” [15]

Throughout much of the life of the branch, passenger services consisted of four trains on weekdays, the journey taking 30 minutes. [42] It seems that the quality of the service deteriorated somewhat over the last 2 to 3 years of the life of the line. If a train arrived at all, it was often made up of a single coach. Midland Red replacement bus services became more frequent and passenger numbers became unsustainable.

By 1952, Fowler 2‒6‒2T No. 40058 was in use on the line often pulling a single coach, bunker first down the line to Coalport before running round it’s coach and returning to Wellington smoke-box first. Rumours of closure during the autumn of 1951 “became fact and it was 40058 which hauled the final regular passenger train over the branch on 31st May 1952. Malins Lee station was also closed completely from this time.” [15]

The goods service was also undergoing changes, “in May 1953 the 0‒6‒2T Coal Tanks were withdrawn from the Shrewsbury shed and ex-Midland 2F 0‒6‒0s began to appear on Coalport goods trains. Soon afterwards control of the line passed to the Western Region and Coalport became known as Coalport ‘East’, supplies of stores now arriving from Swindon.” [15]

By December 1960, very little goods traffic was being generated on the southern portion of the line and the section of the line from Dawley and Stirchley Station to Coalport was closed. It seems that traffic from the Lilleshall Company had also ceased. The remainder of the line was clearly in terminal decline and was closed in July 1964. [15]

And finally …

It seems as though the Coalport Branch was given some serious consideration as a home for a Railway Preservation Society. … The group which eventually became the Chasewater Railway (Chasewater Country Park, Brownhills West Station, Pool Lane (Off the A5), Burntwood, Staffs WS8 7NL).

The Coalport Branch was one of three lines under consideration when looking for a permanent home for the railway. These notes were made in 1960 after a visit to Coalport. [43]

“On Sunday, October 23rd 1960, a small party consisting of David Ives, James Slater, T. Jones, Frank Harvey and D. Noel Draycott visited the Coalport to Hadley line in North Shropshire. Built by the London & North Western Railway, it runs from the very attractive Vale of Severn across high land and through an early centre of the iron and steel industry to a junction on the Wellington to Stafford line.

The branch had a terminus at Coalport Station which stands on a long shelf, part cut out and part built up on the steep bank of the Severn. The station buildings comprise a booking office, general and ladies waiting rooms, backing on to the station master’s house. The signal box was demolished and a ground frame installed shortly before services were withdrawn in 1952. The goods shed has also been demolished, but the three short sidings remain in the yard.

Further along the shelf past the station, there is a carriage shed sufficient for four bogie carriages, and an engine shed for two locomotives.  These buildings are in fair condition, and the engine shed contains a large workshop space as well as a pit.  All these buildings back on to the hillside, and on the opposite side there is a pleasant stretch of wooded land before it falls steeply away to the river which forms the boundary of the railway property.

The line rises steeply from Coalport Station with attractive views across and up the Severn Valley before it turns away to cross pleasant rolling countryside to the small town of Madeley.  Here the station building is used as an office by an engineering firm, but the yard of some half dozen sidings is practically disused.

The line then continues to Dawley and Stirchley Station where a total of some 15 wagons of coal showed that an active coal merchant used the yard.  As dusk was falling, the tour of inspection finished at this point.  All the members of the party were impressed by the potentialities of the line for day trippers.” [43]

It seems that, had the decision been made to create a preservation line on the alignment of the Coalport Branch, Telford Steam Railway on the Wellington and Severn Junction line would have been very unlikely to have been formed. The line would, however, have been an excellent partner to the museum developments in the Severn Gorge which were to follow over the following decades, even if there would have been little room for the Silkin Way.

References

  1. Bob Yate; The Shropshire Union Railway: Stafford to Shrewsbury including the Coalport Branch; Oakwood Press, Usk, 2003.
  2. https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/nostalgia/2020/06/25/party-time-at-the-end-of-the-coalport-line, accessed on 16th March 2023.
  3. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Madeley_Market_Station_-geograph.org.uk-_723053.jpg, accessed on 16th March 2023.
  4. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18.0&lat=52.63516&lon=-2.44497&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 16th March 2023.
  5. https://www.railmaponline.com/UKIEMap.php, accessed on 16th March 2023.
  6. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.63323&lon=-2.44827&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 16th March 2023]
  7. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101594494, accessed on 16th March 2023]
  8. https://www.branchline.uk/fixture-report.php?id=1422, accessed on 16th March 2023.
  9. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.62839&lon=-2.45167&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 16th March 2023.
  10. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18.0&lat=52.62671&lon=-2.45273&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 16th March 2023.
  11. https://www.ironbridge.org.uk/learn/museum-collections/exhibitions-listing/blists-hill-at-50/blists-hills-industrial-past, accessed on 16th March 2023.
  12. http://www.superlative-walks.com/new-template-directions-added-information-2, accessed on 17th March 2023.
  13. https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMNBT8_Blists_Hill_Tunnel_Madeley_Telford_Shropshire, accessed on 17th March 2023.
  14. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3072350026334492&set=gm.6986061404745136, accessed on 17th March 2023.
  15. http://dawleyhistory.com/Postcards/Coalport%20Branch/Coalport%20Branch.html, accessed on 16th March 2023.
  16. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10209180705550278&set=gm.7054705144547428, accessed on 17th March 2023.
  17. https://youtu.be/_wyo0rdlb40, accessed on 17th March 2023.
  18. https://www.ironbridge.org.uk/media/1112/blists-hill-map.pdf, accessed on 17th March 2023.
  19. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10223918879215810&set=gm.5440699525948006, accessed on 20th March 2023.
  20. https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/EPW061722, accessed on 20th March 2023.
  21. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101594689, accessed on 29th March 2023.
  22. https://maps.nls.uk/view/121151432, accessed on 31st march 2023.
  23. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coalport_East_railway_station,Shropshire–geograph.org.uk-_334985.jpg, accessed on 31st March 2023.
  24. https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/nostalgia/2020/06/25/party-time-at-the-end-of-the-coalport-line, accessed on 31st March 2023.
  25. https://m.facebook.com/groups/674238619260811/permalink/5046212988729997, accessed on 31st March 2023.
  26. https://m.facebook.com/groups/674238619260811/permalink/1515410175143647, accessed on 31st March 2023.
  27. https://m.facebook.com/groups/674238619260811/permalink/1119660834718585, accessed on 31st March 2023.
  28. https://m.facebook.com/groups/674238619260811/permalink/1525092054175459, accessed on 31st March 2023.
  29. https://m.facebook.com/groups/794448773917764/permalink/5395234133839182, accessed on 31st March 2023.
  30. https://m.facebook.com/groups/113082092048275/permalink/1126311514058656, accessed on 31st March 2023.
  31. https://www.flickr.com/photos/72213853@N03/8420366847, accessed on 1st April 2023.
  32. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.6163667,-2.4421551,303m/data=!3m1!1e3, accessed on 1st April 2023.
  33. Just after I completed the first article in this series, David Clarke, who wrote the book ‘The Railways of Telford‘, [34] contacted me to offer some photographs from his collection for inclusion in this short series of articles. I reviewed David’s book soon after we moved to Telford. It was an invaluable first step for me in exploring the railways and plateways (tramroads/tramways) of the area. That review can be found here.
  34. David Clarke; The Railways of Telford; Crowood Press, Marlborough, Wiltshire, 2016.
  35. https://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&id=406251202&type=S&loco=7755, accessed on 1st April 2023.
  36. https://www.brdatabase.info/locomotives.php?loconum=549, accessed on 1st April 2023.
  37. https://www.brdatabase.info/locomotives.php?loconum=2516, accessed on 1st April 2023.
  38. https://www.brdatabase.info/locomotives.php?loconum=7768, accessed on 1st April 2023.
  39. https://www.brdatabase.info/locomotives.php?loconum=40058, accessed on 1st April 2023.
  40. https://images.app.goo.gl/LadGMeFx1nnpdena8, accessed on 1st April 2023.
  41. David Clarke sent a further batch of photographs by email on 2nd April 2023.
  42. http://www.lnwrs.org.uk/BygoneLines/Coalport.php, accessed on 3rd April 2023.
  43. https://chasewaterstuff.wordpress.com/tag/coalport-branch-line, acessed on 3rd April 2023.

The Railways of Telford – the Coalport Branch – Part 1A

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Very soon after publishing the first article about the Coalport Branch, [7] I was contacted by David Clarke with an offer of relevant photographs from his collection.

David Clarke is the author of a relatively recent book, “The Railways of Telford” which I reviewed soon after we moved to Telford. It was an invaluable first step for me in exploring the railways and plateways (tramroads/tramways) of the area. [1]

My review can be found here.

In the remaining articles about the Branch, relevant photographs for David’s collection will be included in the main article. As those relevant to Part 1 appeared after its publication, there are two of these and they are included in this addendum to Part 1.

This is a photograph from David Clarke’s collection of Hadley Junction in 1964, looking East towards Donnington. David comments: This photo “shows a long building on the right not shown on the aerial photo you posted. You can just make out some of the fighting vehicles Sankey made for the British Army on the wagons.” I have since been contacted by Ian Martin who tells me that the building is the covered stand along the touchline of the long gone Sankey football stadium.  (Thank you, Ian). [3]
This image shows an 0-6-0 locomotive (43652) descending towards the Coalport Branch (which just be picked out on the bottom-right of the photo) from the sidings adjacent to Snedshill Iron Works. The Lilleshall Brick and Tile Works at Priorslee can be made out at the top-right of the picture. The Greyhound Bridge carrying the A5 is off the image to the right. 43652 was a 3F locomotive designed by Johnson and built at the Vulcan Foundry. It entered service in 1900 and was scrapped in 1960. At the time of this photograph it was probably based at Burton Shed (17B). [3][4]

In addition to David’s photographs, I have found further images on line which I am permitted to share with you. The first is an aerial image from 1949 of the Castle Car Works at Hadley which incidentally includes Hadley Junction.

This aerial image looking towards the Southeast shows Castle Car Works as they appeared in 1949. The Works was rail-served at this time with an extended siding running to the West of the Works and providing access to sidings on both the South and North sides of the Works. Hadley Junction is visible in the top-right of this image, (c) Copyright Historic England, Britain from Above (EAW027684, 1949). [5]
An enlarged extract from the above image focussing on Hadley Junction and its signal box. The sidings alongside the line were used by the Castle Car Works., (c) Copyright Historic England, Britain from Above (EAW027684, 1949). [5]
Another extract from the Britain From Above image No. EAW027684. The Hadley Junction signal box it evident top-centre of this image. The extensive sidings alongside the mainline are visible, together with the junction providing access to Castle Works, (c) Copyright Historic England, Britain from Above (EAW027684, 1949). [5]
Castle Car Works again, this time the aerial image is taken looking West in 1949. The Works siding running to the West of the Works and providing access to sidings on both the South and North sides of the Works can be seen in full. Hadley Junction is visible in the centre of this image. The bridge over Castle Street can be seen at the bottom-left of this picture. Castle Lane runs left to right across the image, passing under both the line to Coalport and that to Donnington and beyond, (c) Copyright Historic England, Britain from Above (EAW027682, 1949). [6]
Castle Street Bridge in 1949, shown at the fullest magnification possible from the aerial image. A slight amount of flare has affected the image at this location, (c) Copyright Historic England, Britain from Above (EAW027682, 1949). [6]

I will add any further images relating to the first article about the Coalport Branch which come to light here.

References

  1. David Clarke; The Railways of Telford; Crowood Press, Marlborough, Wiltshire, 2016.
  2. https://rogerfarnworth.com/2021/12/26/the-railways-of-telford-part-1-a-book-review/
  3. This image was received by email on 23rd March 2023.
  4. https://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&id=119962&type=S&loco=43652
  5. https://britainfromabove.org.uk/image/EAW027684, accessed on 24th March 2023.
  6. https://britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EAW027682, accessed on 24th March 2023.
  7. https://rogerfarnworth.com/2023/03/14/the-railways-of-telford-the-coalport-branch-of-the-lnwr-part-1-hadley-to-malins-lee-station/

The Railways of Telford – the Coalport Branch of the LNWR – Part 2 – Malins Lee Station to Madeley Market Station

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Wikipedia provides this schematic map of the Coalport Branch which highlights the key stations and sidings. [17]

History

The history of the Coalport Branch begins with competition between rival rail companies in the area during the mid 1850’s. The GWR had control of the industrial areas of East Shropshire, whereas the LNWR only had access to the area via the Shropshire Canal which ran from Trench down to Coalport. The first article in this short series about the Branch covered the history of the line as well as following the line from its junction with the LNWR main line at Hadley as far as Malins Lee Station. It can be found on this link:

The Railways of Telford – the Coalport Branch of the LNWR – Part 1 – Hadley to Malins Lee Station

The Coalport Branch of the Shropshire Canal.

The history of the LNWR branch line is built on the story of the Canal and it is with that story that any investigation should begin. Separate articles cover the route of the Canal. The first of these can be found on this link:

The Coalport Branch of the Shropshire Canal – Part 1 – The length as far South as Stirchley Iron Works.

Malins Lee Station to Stirchley Ironworks

A first extract from the 1901 25″ Ordnance Survey shows Dark Lane village and Malins Lee Railway Station just to the South of Dark Lane. Also evident alongside the LNWR Coalport Branch is a length of the old Coalport Branch of the Shropshire Canal. [43]
The same area on the satellite imagery provided by Railmaponline.com. After crossing Dale Acre Way, the route of the old line heads South-southwest across open ground and then over land used for housing development. [44]
Malins Lee Station as in appeared in 1932.The photograph seems to have been taken facing South from the bridge which carried Dark Lane over the line. The passenger facilities at the station seem to be a little different to others on the Coalport Branch. It is possible that this might reflect an earlier original use for the two storey element of the building? The station was closed for two years during WW1 as an economy measure and finally closed in 1952 with the line remaining open for goods traffic for more than a decade. Just to the South of the station a single siding which served immediately local industries can be seen. The chimney to the right of the image beyond the station buildings is probably that of Dark Lane Foundry. This picture was shared by Lin Keska on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 15th August 2018. [45]
Marcus Keane shared this composite image on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 20th July 2014 which shows the location of Malins Lee Station in relation to the modern blocks of flats in Hollinswood. [46]
Malins Lee Railway Station, seen from the Southeast. The bridge over the line to the North of the Station carries Dark Lane. This image is embedded here from an article on the dawleyhistory.com website, (c) Collection of William H. Smith. [47]
The Western arm of Downton Court looking North in the 21st century. The Coalport Branch route crosses the field ahead of the camera and then runs underneath the flats at this location. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
The Eastern Arm of Downton Court looking Northeast. the purple line again approximates to the route of the old railway, passing under the buildings to the extreme right of the image which front onto Deercote. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
K=Looking Southeast along Deercote with the approximate line of the Coalport Branch shown by the purple line. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking South on St. Quentin’s Gate with the approximate line of the Branch shown in purple. [Google Streetview, June 2022]

Loops of the Coalport Branch of the Shropshire Canal adjacent to, and South of, Malins Lee Railway Station

The Canal bed behind Malinslee Railway Station buildings in 1962. This image was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Marcus Keane on 27th February 2022. This view looks to the South along the back of the station buildings. The 25″ OS map extract above shows that at the time of the survey this area had a railway siding in place. The line of the canal curved away from the railway to the West before returning to the same alignment a short distance further South. [48]
An extract from the 1881 Ordnance Survey, published in 1882 showing approximately the same area as that on the 25″ survey of 1901. Interestingly this earlier survey uses the name ‘Malinslee’ for the railway station rather than ‘Malins Lee’ as on the 1901 survey. Little Dark Lane Colliery, to the immediate West of the Station was still in use at the time of this survey. The standard-gauge siding to the West of the Station buildings, can be seen on this extract as serving a tramroad wharf, as can the longer siding visible in the 1932 picture above. Tramroads are not the subject of this article, but given that the tramroads shown seem to only serve the Little Dark Lane Colliery and the Dark Lane Foundry, the traffic on these lines may have either been horse-powered or even man-powered. When the Canal was active a wharf would have existed on the West side of the canal. [49]
A further extract from the 1881 6″ Ordnance Survey, showing the next length of the railway. The route of the old canal is indicated approximately by the light blue dashed line. [49]
A similar length of the railway is shown on this next extract from the 25″ 1901 Ordnance Survey. Of note, is Randlay Brickworks which has a connection to the Coalport Branch and the disused Wharf Colliery which was active in 1881. There is a Mineral Railway running to the West of the Wharf Colliery site and the GWR Stirchley Branch to the Southeast of Randlay Brick Works. [50]
The same area on the satellite imagery provided by Railmaponline.com. [44]
This image was sent to me as an email attachment by David Clarke in March 2023. It shows the rail siding leading from the LNWR Coalport line to Randlay Brick Works. David Clarke is the author of a relatively recent book, “The Railways of Telford” which I reviewed soon after we moved to Telford. It was an invaluable first step for me in exploring the railways and plateways (tramroads/tramways) of the area. My review of his book can be found here. [58]
The route of the Randlay Brickworks Siding in 1962. This image was also sent to me as an email attachment by David Clarke in March 2023.
This next extract from the 25″ 1901 Ordnance Survey takes us as far as the Stirchley Iron Works. The buildings can be picked out right at the bottom of the map extract on the left. Of note, is the Wrekin Chemical Works on the site of what was for a time Old Park Ironworks. This is connected both the LNWR Branch line via a tramway bridge over the line and to the GWR Stirchley branch denoted Mineral Railway on the right of the extract. [51]
The same area on the satellite imagery provided by Railmaponline.com. Some of the old tramways are shown on this extract. [44]

A Loop of the Coalport Branch of the Shropshire Canal near Stirchley Ironworks

This section of the line on the 1901 25″ Ordnance Survey. [52]
This is Railmaponline.com’s representation of the same area as that shown on the OS map extract above. The tramroads around Stirchley/Hinkshay Pools are shown as well as the Coalport Branch. The abandoned loop of the old canal can just about be made out through the trees. [44]

Andy Tidy surveyed the route of the Coalport Branch of the Shropshire Canal in March 2012 the majority of which lies underneath the formation of the LNWR Coalport Branch. He highlighted two areas worthy of note. The first adjacent to Hinkshay/Stirchley Pools and the second to the South of Dawley and Stirchley Railway Station where the Canal was in tunnel during its working life. [15]

Adjacent to the Hinkshay Pools, the Canal alignment deviated from the formation of the later Railway. Andy Tidy provided a plan (below) of the location which I have annotated with the key features he refers to. His pictures of the canal deviation can be seen here. [15]

Andy Tidy says: “No sooner has the line moved off the modern Silkin Way than it is in water, first in the undergrowth but then as it passes the first reservoir the bed squeezes through the foundations of a collapsed bridge and on into open water. … The towpath sits on a narrow strand of land between the canal and the Stirchley Pools Reservoir, a pretty spot which is carefully maintained as a nature reserve. This clear stretch of canal is haunting and as you walk under the shade of the trees you almost expect to meet a horse plodding the other way towing a string of loaded tub boats. … All too soon this enduring stretch of canal slides back into the railway bed, all traces are lost at it passes through the recently rebuilt Stirchley Station.” [15]
This picture shows the length of the canal on the map above. It was shared by Andy Rose on the Telford Memories Facebook Group in February 2022. [16]
Andy Tidy’s photograph in 2012 of the Stirchley Ironworks Bridge which crossed the Canal and later the railway. Stirchley Ironworks were on the right-hand side of the photographer, on the near side of the bridge, (c) Andy Tidy. [15]
A relatively poor photo showing a steam service on the LNWR Coalport Branch heading North. The train has passed through Dawley & Stirchley Railway Station and is heading towards Malins Lee Station with Stirchley Chimney in the background. The picture was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Marcus Keane on 9th January 2022. [22]

Dawley and Stirchley Railway Station

Dawley and Stirchley railway station was opened in 1861 and closed to passengers in 1952. [3] When it opened, it was given the name ‘Stirchley’. The station was renamed Dawley & Stirchley in 1923, although closed to passengers as early as 1952 the line through the station site was not finally closed to freight until 1964. Although the goods service which originally served Coalport was restricted to only travelling to Dawley and Stirchley Station in 1960.[4][5]

The London and North Western Railway Society comments on the standard-gauge Coalport Branch as follows: “The first half of the route was originally part of the Shropshire Canal which the LNWR bought in 1857 and filled in, the line opening four years later. The passenger service, referred to locally as the Dawley Dodger, consisted of four trains on weekdays, the journey taking 30 minutes. It was withdrawn in 1952 but a string of private sidings between Wellington and Stirchley helped to keep that section open a further twelve years.” [5]

Through Telford Town Park and on through Dawley and Stirchley Station, the old railway line is now part of The Silkin Way. [6][7]

Dawley and Stirchley Railway Station was in close proximity to the old hamlet of Stirchley. This map extract is taken from the 1881/82 6″ Ordnance Survey mapping which was published in 1888. Note the location of the Goods Shed on the East side of the Station site and the presence of a tramway line North of the Station platform on the West side of the line. Note also the presence, on the down (East) side of the line, of a platform and waiting shelter. [8]
This extract from a later survey (25″ OS Map of 1901/02) shows the station and goods yard in greater detail. [9]
These two images show the station location at an enlarged scale. The station provided a passing loop but, by the turn of the century, only one platform face. The downside platform has been removed. (This is confirmed by Bob Yate in his book about the Shropshire Union Railway. [1: p179] It might have been possible to load waiting goods wagons from the tramway track at a higher level on the upside of the line without impeding traffic on the other line. North of the station the old tramway route turned away to the left. The point providing access to the tramway line is shown at the top of the higher of these two map extracts. [9]
This is Railmaponline.com’s representation of the same area as that shown on the OS map extracts above. The goods yard can be seen to the East of the old railway. [44]
Dawley and Stirchley Railway Station looking South towards Stirchley Lane Bridge from the track-bed of the Coalport Branch. [10]
Roughly the same view taken from alongside the remaining platform at Dawley and Stirchley Station but using a telephoto lens. [My photograph, 15th June 2022]
And from a little further North, just after the footpath and station were refurbished, © Copyright Richard Law, 2014 and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [11]
Dawley and Stirchley Railway Station from Stirchley Lane Bridge. [Google Streetview]
Dawley and Stirchley Station looking North in 1932 from Stirchley Lane Bridge. The red line shows the approximate location of the tramway tracks just North of the station. It is likely that the old tramway route was replaced by a standard-gauge tramway line at some stage in the second half of the 19th century, after the LNWR’s Coalport Branch was opened. [12]
In this extract from the 25″ OS Map surveyed right at the start of the 20th century, the tramroad/tramway alignment can be seen bearing away to the left from the bottom of the extract. There is, however, a connection to the Coalport Branch evident at the top of the extract which suggests that by the turn of the 20th century the connection and by inference the tramway was now an edge-railway of standard-gauge, whatever its status in earlier years. [13]

In the first half of the 19th century, before the LNWR branch line was built the tramway had a wharf on the Western bank of the Coalport Branch of the Shropshire Canal which was sited a little to the Northwest of the bottom of the map extract above. When the Coalport Branch of the LNWR was built the tramway was extended a little to run alongside the standard-gauge railway.

The Telford Town Park information board at Dawley and Stirchley Railway Station. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Dawley & Stirchley Station on Closing Day. Wellington & Coalport train 40058. Dated 1952. After the passenger service was withdrawn, goods services continued into the mid-1960s. This photograph was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Marcus Keane on 20th May 2020. [21]
Another view of Dawley & Stirchley Station taken from the road bridge. This was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by David Bradshaw on 5th September 2017. [24]
Dawley and Stirchley Railway Station in the 21st century. This view was taken from beneath Stirchley Lane road bridge at the South end of the station. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Looking South along the Silkin Way from the location of Dawley and Stirchley Railway Station showing the bridge which carried Stirchley Lane over the old railway. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
The view from the South under Stirchley Lane bridge towards the station platform. The information board at the end of the platform can be seen under the bridge, to the left. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Facing West on Stirchley Lane across the bridge over the railway. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Facing East along Stirchley Lane across the railway bridge. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Looking North from Stirchley Lane across what was the Stirchley and Dawley Good yard in the 1950s. This picture was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Lin Keska on 26th February 2017. [20]
Stirchley Goods Yard in the 21st century. This photo was taken from Stirchley Lane looking North, © JoshuaIsTheFalco, shared here under a Creative Commons Licence, Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) [19]
The area around Dawley and Stirchley Railway Station as shown on Google Maps in 2023. The old goods yard is in use as a storage yard for cut timber. This is a much clearer image than that used by railmaponline.com. [27]

The Stirchley Canal Tunnel and later Railway Cutting

Immediately South of the overbridge the station loop continued as shown on the 6″ Ordnance Survey (1883) map extract below.

South of Stirchley Lane the station loop continued for some distance. [18]

A very short distance further South, the Canal which preceded the railway entered a 281 yard long tunnel – Stirchley Tunnel. When the railway was built, the tunnel was opened out into a cutting. At this location the Ordnance Survey mapping shows a rock face to the West side of the line.

The location of what was once a canal tunnel but which remains as a disused railway cutting and, in the 21st century, a cycleway and footpath. [18]
The Silkin Way to the South of Stirchley Lane as shown on Google Maps in 2023. [28]
Looking South along the Silkin Way towards the cutting mentioned above. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Continuing to the South along the Silkin Way, we are now in the cutting and facing South. The original canal tunnel at this location was opened out when the railway was built. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
At various points along the cutting the original canal tunnel’s walls, below arch springing level, can be seen. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Beyond the end of the original canal tunnel the railway cutting opens out to have more normal sloping sides. The remains of a railway workmans’ (platelayers) hut sit on the East side of the old line. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]

There is little remaining of the canal structure at this location. However Andy Tidy points out that cottages adjacent to the site are called ‘Tunnel Cottages’ and that “a careful inspection of the west wall of the cutting reveals the unmistakable curve of the old canal tunnel as it was carved out of solid rock spanning 10ft at the waterline.” [15]

Remnants of Stirchley Canal Tunnel (c) Andy Tidy [15]
Looking South along the Silkin Way under the arch bridge at the end of the rock cutting. This bridge carries a footpath in the 21st century. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Looking North towards Dawley and Stirchley Station along the Silkin Way under the same arch bridge at the end of the rock cutting. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Looking West across the same bridge. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]

Aqueduct village and the GWR Madeley Branch

The OS Map extract below shows the next length of the branch line. To the South of what had been Stirchley Canal Tunnel there was a canal junction. One arm of the canal turned West and ran across towards Lightmoor, the other arm first turned East and then South down the incline near Windmill Farm. Neither branch survived the coming of the railway. The hamlet of Aqueduct straddled the old turnpike road to Bridgnorth which passed under the canal arm to the West. The aqueduct used to carry the canal is still standing in the 21st century although the old turnpike road is not in use as a modern highway. The railway cut through the village of Aqueduct as shown on the map extract.

This extract from the 6″ OS mapping of 1883 shows the new railways and has the old canal routes superimposed. Note the canal incline close to Windmill Farm and the branch running to the West. The aqueduct which carried this arm over the old turnpike road can be seen on the extract. It gave a name to the hamlet immediately next to it. As will be seen from the satellite image below, Madeley Court Station is long gone. The GWR Madeley Branch remains in the early 21st century as it was used for merry-go-round coal trains serving Ironbridge Power Station until the power station closed. [25][26]
A Google Maps satellite image extract showing approximately the same area as the OS map extract above. Sketched onto the satellite image are: the very approximate canal routes in blue; the length of the LNWR branch which is not used by the Silkin Way in red; and the old Bridgnorth Road alignment in black. The diversion of the Silkin Way was required with the building of the A4169 and the removal of the bridge deck where the LNWR Coalport Branch line crossed the GWR Madeley Branch. There are no features on the ground in the 21st century to define the line of the old canal as it passed through the are now called Brookside. The old road bridge next to Madeley Court Railway Station remains and carries the diverted Silkin Way across what was the GWR Madeley Branch. Towards the top of this satellite image Southall Road crosses the old railway by means of the bridge shown below. [29]
Looking South along the Silkin Way under Southall Road bridge. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Looking North along the Silkin Way under Southall Road bridge. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
The same bridge from the top of the embankment on the Southwest corner of the bridge. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Looking Southwest across Southall Road, this image shows the roadside parapet of the bridge above. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]

South of Southall Road Chapel Lane crossed the old railway at level.

The point at which Chapel Lane crossed the old railway. This view is taken looking South along the Silkin Way. The aqueduct which carried the old canal arm is off the the right of this image. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Looking North from Chapel Lane with the Southall Road bridge in the distance. The aqueduct is off the the left of this photograph about half the distance to Southall Road bridge. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Looking Southwest across the aqueduct along what would have been the line of the branch canal. After crossing the turnpike road on this aqueduct, the branch canal turned sharply to the North before heading West towards Lightmoor. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Looking Northeast across the aqueduct along what would have been the line of the branch canal heading towards what is now the centre of Telford. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Looking Southeast along what was the turnpike road to Bridgnorth, through the arch of the aqueduct which was built in around 1792. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Looking Northwest towards modern-day Telford along what was once the Bridgnorth turnpike road. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
The plaque placed on the aqueduct after its restoration in 2001, (c) Neil Brittain, 19th March 2013. [30]
Continuing to the South along the Silkin Way another arched underbridge is encountered. This bridge carried the LNWR Coalport branch over an access road. This view looks South over the bridge. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
The stone arch underbridge viewed from the West looking towards what was once the main Bridgnorth Road. It is worth noting that some observers have indicated that this is the aqueduct. This is not the case, the bridge was built for the railway and at this point the Coalport Branch is no longer following the old Shropshire Canal. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
A couple of hundred metres beyond the underbridge, the Silkin Way diverges from the route of the Coalport Branch. At this point the formation of the old line was crossed by the new A4169 and no features remain in the immediate vicinity of the new road. The road is a few tens of meters ahead. The red line shows the route of the old railway. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Railmaponline.com shows the are we are looking at with the line Coalport Branch in purple and that of the GWR Madeley branch in turquoise. [44]
The same immediate area as shown on the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1901. Madeley Court just edges onto the map extract in the bottom-left.Madely Court Iron Works is shown active and with a network of tramroads which do not seem to have access to the Coalport Branch. [53]
Looking West along the A4169, Queensway at the point where the old railway crossed the line of the road. The formation would have been a little under 2 metres higher than the present road. [Google Streetview, June 2022]

Immediately South of the modern A4169, the old Coalport Branch crossed what was the GWR Madeley Branch. The abutments of the bridge remain and can be seen by trekking from the South towards the still remaining Madeley Branch.

Looking from the South across the Madeley Branch from adjacent to the South abutment of the bridge which carried the Coalport Branch over the Madeley Branch. The graffitied North abutment is visible beyond the railway track. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
A view of the North abutment from a short distance further to the West. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Looking South-southeast from the South abutment of the old bridge along the formation of the Coalport Branch. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Just before the diverted Silkin Way re-joins the line of the Coalport Branch, the old railway crossed another stone-arched accommodation Bridge which provided access between Madeley Court and its windmill. The windmill is off to the left, Madeley Court is some distance to the right (West). [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Madeley Mill alongside the Silkin Way, one cold January in the snow. A short walk under the arch bridge in the background is Madeley Court which is now a hotel. …The arch bridge carries the LNWR Coalport Branch. Just to the East of the line, and shown here, are the remains of a windmill, Madeley Mill. There has been a mill on the site since at least 1702 and the mill was last known to operate in 1840. It was later, apparently, used as a bunkhouse for the railway navvies. No machinery survives. The picture was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Lin Keska on 19th November 2022. [23]
A similar view to that taken in snowy conditions. The Silkin Way is on the left of the picture, the underbridge is directly ahead. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
While I was wandering around near the old windmill, the sun came out. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
The underbridge viewed from the West. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]
Madeley Court in 2023 is a Hotel, temporarily in use to house Afghan refugees who worked with the British in Afghanistan. This picture was taken from just to the West of the underbridge in the last photo. [My photograph, 2nd March 2023]

Madeley Court Iron Works

In 1845-6, James Foster built three blast furnaces near the newly opened mines on his Madeley Court estate. They replaced his Wombridge furnaces, and Foster moved workmen and plant from Wombridge to create a modern ironworks. For most of their life only two of the three furnaces were in blast together. All the Madeley Court pig iron was sent to the Fosters’ ironworks in Staffordshire and Worcestershire to be blended with other types for the manufacture of high quality bar. The ironworks ceased working in 1902 but in 1912 were taken over by Thomas Parker, an electrical engineer. He and his son C. H. Parker established Court Works Ltd., a foundry firm which, seventy years later, had long specialized in iron castings for the electrical industry. [54]

The tramroads in this are will feature in a future article in the series about Telford’s tramroads/tramways. An overview of the wider area’s tramroads/tramways/plateways can be found on this link:

Early Tramroads Near Telford – Part 10 – An overview of the East Shropshire Area’s Historic Tramroad Network

Madeley Court

Historic England records this Grade II* listed building as being, “Mainly C16 with traces of C13 fabric. Built as a grange to Wenlock Priory. At the Dissolution bought in 1553 by Sir Robert Brooke, Speaker in the House of Commons, and stayed in the Brooke family until early C19. Tenanted by Abraham Darby I from 1709 until his death. Large ashlar house, at time of survey (1980) being restored. Tiled roofs with gables with parapet coping. Large brick shafted chimney stacks. Two-storeys and attics. L-shaped on plan, originally on west wing as well. The north-west hall range extensively rebuilt. Gabled stone attic windows with finials. Large stone mullion transom windows with dripmoulds. Early C17 stone porch to right hand of hall range with moulded round arch and ornate gables with volutes, pediments and strapwork foliage decoration. The east wing contains large C16 timber newel staircase and rooms with bolection moulded panelling and chimney piece.” [39]

Madeley Court, Shropshire as it appeared in the mid 20th century, (c) John Piper (1903-1992). [37]
Madeley Court, sketch held by Historic England. [38]
Madeley Court, image held by Historic England. [38]
Madeley Court, an early 20th century postcard. [40]

Madeley Court to Bridge Street/High Street, Madeley

Returning to the route of the Coalport Branch, we continue to follow the old line in a South-southeasterly direction.

This extract from the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1901, published in 1902, shows the length of the Coalport Branch from the Madeley Court area to the town of Madeley. Along this length the old railway was on a relatively high embankment. At the bottom-right of the extract it can be seen bridging Bridge Street, Madeley which became Madeley High Street. [55]
The same area as shown by Railmaponline.com. [44]
These two photographs show the line beginning to curve back from a South-southeast alignment to head South to the East end of Madeley High Street. [My photographs, 6th March 2023]
The Madeley bypass is known as Parkway. The old railway was on embankment at this location and the Silkin Way required a concrete structure to span the route on the new road. [My photograph, 6th March 2023]
The view East along Parkway on the approach to the roundabout at the East end of Madeley High Street. The bridge was constructed in the late 1960s. [My photograph, 6th March 2023]
The Silikn Way approaching the bridge over Madeley High Street. [My photograph, 6th March 2023]

The Coalport Branch crossed Bridge Street on a single-span girder bridge. The road is now known as High Street. These next few pictures show the location through the years.

Looking East along Bridge Street, Madeley in the 1950s. The Coalport Branch Bridge is visible in the distance. This image was shared on the Telford memories Facebook Group on 9th December 2013 by Rob Pooler. [36]
Bridge Street Madeley in 1905 looking East. The road is now known as High Street and the girder bridge shown has been replaced by a modern concrete structure which carries the Silkin Way along the line of the Coalport Branch. This postcard image was shared by Grace Thunderwing Hartley on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 10th June 2014. [31]
A glimpse of the same bridge in an aerial image from 1939 looking West towards Madeley town centre, © Copyright Historic England (EPW061722). [57]
A similar view taken in 2023 from the corner of Station Road. The buildings along this length of the High Street show remarkably little change. [My photograph, 7th March 2023]
The new footpath and ctcleway bridge under construction in the late 1960s. This image was shared on the Telford memories Facebook Group by Rob Pooler on 17th November 2013. The view looks East towards what is now a large roundabout. [32]
This image was taken in 2019 by Lin Keska looking East from High Street, Madeley through the pedestrian and cycleway bridge over what was once Bridge Street. The photograph was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Lin Keska on 28th April 2019. [34]
This photograph was taken in 1963, after the removal of the deck of the Coalport Branch Bridge. The photograph looks West along Bridge Street towards the Forester’s Arms and the Bridge in the distance. This image was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Marcus Kean on 15th April 2018. He commented: “The bottom of Madeley High Street, also known as Bridge Street taken in March 1963. The timber framed building on the right was the Blacksmith and you can just make out the abutments for the railway bridge which had been removed and not yet replaced with the footbridge which currently carries the Silkin Way across the High Street. This whole area is now occupied by Madeley Roundabout.” [35]
A View East from the railway bridge carrying the Coalport Branch across Bridge Street. This was shared by Lin Keska on the Telford memories Facebook Group on 11th May 2017. [33]
The Forester’s Arms and the bridge over High Street. This photograph is taken looking West along Madeley High Street. [My photograph, 6th March 2023]
This next extract from the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1901, shows Madeley High Street/Bridge Street close (to the top of the extract) and Madeley Market Station and goods yard (at the bottom of the extract). [56]
A similar area from Railmaponline.com with the Coalport Branch superimposed on Google Maps satellite imagery. [44]
The old Coalport branch heading South from Madeley High Street as it appears in the 21st century. [My photograph, 6th March 2023]

In a very short distance, the line passed through Madeley Market Station. The line was single through the station and a small goods yard was provided immediately South of the station on the West side of the line.

Madeley Market Railway Station. This photo was shared on the Disused Stations Facebook Group by Josh Guest on 8th March 2018. [42]
Madeley Market Railway Station. This photograph was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by David Bradshaw on 5th September 2017. [24]
This photo was taken from a similar position to the monochrome image above and looking South towards the Station building which now sits behind secure fencing. [My photograph, 7th March 2023]
Looking Northwest from the Silkin Way, this photograph shows the platform elevation and the building to better advantage. [My photograph, 7th March 2023]
Madeley Market Railway Station in 2008. Passenger services ceased in the 1950s. This photograph is taken from the West on the road access to the Station. By 2008 it had been refurbished and was in use by Social Services, © Copyright John M and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence, (CC BY-SA 2.0). [41]

We complete this segment of the journey having looked at Madeley Market Station.

The next leg of the journey will take us to Coalport East Railway Station as the end of the branch line. This can be found on this link:

The Railways of Telford – the Coalport Branch of the LNWR – Part 3 – Madeley Market Station to Coalport East Station

References

  1. Bob Yate; The Shropshire Union Railway: Stafford to Shrewsbury including the Coalport Branch; Oakwood Press, Usk, 2003.
  2. http://www.shropshirerailways.photo-bikes.com/wellington%20to%20coalport.htm, accessed on 27th August 2022.
  3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawley_and_Stirchley_railway_station, accessed on 18th June 2022.
  4. http://www.dawleyheritage.co.uk/cd-content/themes/dawley_heritage/gui/Dawley-Leaflet.pdf, accessed on 18th June 2022.
  5. http://www.lnwrs.org.uk/BygoneLines/Coalport.php, accessed on 18th June 2022.
  6. https://www.telford.gov.uk/info/20465/walking/5220/silkin_way_walking_route, accessed on 18th June 2022.
  7. https://www.telford.gov.uk/downloads/file/3060/silkin_way_-_walking_and_cycling_route, accessed on 18th June 2022.
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  11. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3933743, accessed on 18th June 2022.
  12. http://www.dawleyhistory.com/Postcards/Dawley%20and%20Stirchley%20Station/Dawley%20and%20Stirchley%20Station%20.html, accessed on 18th June 2022.
  13. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18&lat=52.65952&lon=-2.45156&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 18th June 2022.
  14. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/salop/vol11/pp185-189, accessed on 18th June 2022.
  15. http://captainahabswaterytales.blogspot.com/2012/03/shropshire-canal-stirchley.html, accessed on 22nd June 2022.
  16. This photograph was shared as a comment by Andy Rose on a group post by Marcus Keane dated 27th February 2022 which showed the length of the Shropshire Canal bed directly behind Malinslee Railway Station; https://m.facebook.com/groups/674238619260811/permalink/7378452445506028, accessed on 29th August 2022.
  17. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalport_branch_line, accessed on 3rd March 2023.
  18. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101594470, accessed on 3rd March 2023.
  19. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dawley_and_Stirchley_station_goods_yard_in_2018..jpg, accessed 3rd March 2023.
  20. https://m.facebook.com/groups/674238619260811/permalink/1550626868288644, accessed on 3rd March 2023.
  21. https://m.facebook.com/groups/674238619260811/permalink/4090909460927026, accessed on 3rd March 2023.
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  23. https://m.facebook.com/groups/674238619260811/permalink/8637445036273423, accessed on 3rdvMarch 2023.
  24. https://m.facebook.com/groups/674238619260811/permalink/1805378129480182, accessed on 3rd March 2023.
  25. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101594470, accessed on 6th March 2023.
  26. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101594494, accessed on 6th March 2023.
  27. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.6571025,-2.4515307,168m/data=!3m1!1e3, accessed on 6th March 2023.
  28. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.6546913,-2.4507931,673m/data=!3m1!1e3, accessed on 6th March 2023.
  29. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.6470173,-2.4467698,1346m/data=!3m1!1e3, accessed on 6th March 2023.
  30. https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101377111-canal-aqueduct-at-national-grid-reference-695-057-dawley-hamlets/photos/73853#.ZAYLvnbP2Uk, accessed on 6th March 2023.
  31. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10152157354663862&set=gm.792563120761693, accessed on 7th March 2023.
  32. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10202786832937144&set=gm.680566501961356&idorvanity=674238619260811, accessed on 7th March 2023.
  33. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1489065254471240&set=pcb.1655109441173719, accessed on 7th March 2023.
  34. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=2407662872611469&set=pcb.2839476689403649, accessed on 7th March 2023.
  35. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10204474116168485&set=gm.2106059992745326, accessed on 7th March 2023.
  36. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10202959959945211&set=gm.692805317404141&idorvanity=674238619260811, accessed on 7th March 2023.
  37. http://www.tate.org.uk/art/archive/TGA-8728-1-31-210-1, accessed on 7th March 2023.
  38. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1352026?section=comments-and-photos, accessed on 7th March 2023.
  39. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1352026?section=official-list-entry, accessed on 7th March 2023.
  40. https://www.thedicamillo.com/house/madeley-court-madeley-hall, accessed on 7th March 2023.
  41. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/723058, accessed on 7th March 2023.
  42. https://m.facebook.com/groups/1730959503584733/permalink/2318531471494197, accessed on 7th March 2023.
  43. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.67444&lon=-2.43940&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 10th March 2023.
  44. https://www.railmaponline.com/UKIEMap.php, accessed on 8th March 2023.
  45. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2036718353039258&set=pcb.2318496184835038, accessed on 10th March 2023.
  46. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4469098141110&set=p.4469098141110&type=3, accessed on 10th March 2023.
  47. http://dawleyhistory.com/Postcards/Coalport%20Branch/Coalport%20Branch.html, accessed on 13th March 2023.
  48. https://m.facebook.com/groups/674238619260811/permalink/7378452445506028, accessed on 29th August 2022.
  49. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101594470, accessed on 13th March 2023.
  50. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.66994&lon=-2.44245&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 13th March 2023.
  51. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.66547&lon=-2.44615&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 13th March 2023.
  52. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.66119&lon=-2.45017&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 14th March 2023.
  53. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.64511&lon=-2.44866&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 14th March 2023.
  54. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/salop/vol11/pp40-56#h3-0005, accessed on 14th March 2023.
  55. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.0&lat=52.64030&lon=-2.44531&layers=168&b=1, accessed on 14th March 2023.
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  57. https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/EPW061722, accessed on 20th March 2023.
  58. David Clarke; The Railways of Telford; Crowood Press, Marlborough, Wiltshire, 2016, my review: https://rogerfarnworth.com/2021/12/26/the-railways-of-telford-part-1-a-book-review

The Railways of Telford – the Coalport Branch of the LNWR – Part 1 – Hadley to Malins Lee Station

5 Replies
Wikipedia provides this schematic map of the Coalport Branch which highlights the key stations and sidings. [3]

History

The history of the Coalport Branch begins with competition between rival rail companies in the area during the mid 1850’s. The GWR had control of the industrial areas of East Shropshire, whereas the LNWR only had access to the area via the Shropshire Canal which ran from Trench down to Coalport.

The Canal was going into disrepair and suffering from water shortages and subsidence. Canals in the area were difficult to maintain as the various mines in the area were causing significant subsidence.

The LNWR decided that it was best to discontinue costly maintenance and instead to build a railway line along the length of the Canal from Hadley to Coalport. Parts of the Canal were converted into railway track bed.

The use of a canal to provide a route for the railway was something that a number of railway companies pursued. In this case, the Canal provided a route for the railway down the East side of Dawley through what is now Telford Town Park, taking it past Aqueduct, Madeley and onto Coalport by the River Severn.

It is important not to confuse the LNWR station at Coalport with that on the opposite bank of the River Severn. The Severn Valley Railway chose to name its station ‘Coalport’ when it was subsequently built. Two stations with the same name on opposite sides of the river.

Eight months later, the LNWR decided to call their station on the north bank of the river Coalport East. It appears that at one time there were ambitious plans to join the two stations together by a bridge. These never came to fruition.

The LNWR branch opened as a single track on 17th June 1861. Unfortunately passenger numbers were low, but passengers were not the main reason for constructing the line. Freight traffic was expected to make the line profitable. The slow speed of the trains was not commensurate to passenger use, neither was the steep incline down to Coalport. Apparently, “some passengers were frightened to go on in case the train didn’t stop at the bottom!” [2]

The passenger service on the line closed on 2nd June 1952. Freight traffic continued until 1964.

The southern section of the line, from the northern end of Telford Town Park is now on the Silkin Way, a walkway named after Lord Silkin who was a pioneer of the Telford New Town development in the 1960’s. The northern length of the line has been lost under the development of the New Town. Part of the northern length of the line, North of Oakengates, is now a section of the A442 dual carriageway.

The Coalport Branch of the Shropshire Canal.

The history of the LNWR railway branch line is built on the story of the Canal and it is with that story that any investigation should begin. A Separate article cover the route of the Canal and the first of these can be found on this link:

The Coalport Branch of the Shropshire Canal – Part 1 – The length as far South as Stirchley Iron Works.

Wellington Railway Station to Hadley Railway Station

Wellington Railway Station was the junction station for the Coalport Branch passenger services. The bay platform on the South side of the Wellington Station site was shared with the GWR Coalbrookdale line (Wellington & Severn Junction Railway). The station and the line to its East are covered in the link below:

The Railways of Telford – the Wellington to Severn Junction Railway (W&SJR) – Part 1 – Wellington to Horsehay

Coalport East trains left the Shrewsbury to Birmingham line and for a short distance, to Hadley Junction, travelled along the line from Wellington to Stafford. After passing through Hadley Railway Station trains took to the Branch which curved away to the South of the main line.

Hadley Railway Station to Wombridge (Goods)

Experience shows that it is very difficult to plot a line on the ground when significant development has taken place. For the first section of this line the redevelopment from the 1960s into the 21st century has been very significant. In this article I have relied on modern satellite images provided by railmaponline.com. [4] As usual, historic mapping comes from the NLS (National Library of Scotland).

Hadley Railway Station appears on the left of this extract from the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1901, published in 1902. The trackwork associated with the junction and with Castle Car Works can be seen at the top right of the extract. [60]
The same area in the 21st century as shown on the ESRI satellite imagery provided by the NLS. [60]
An enlarged extract from the 25″ Ordnance Survey which shows the area immediately around Hadley Station. [61]
The same area on the modern satellite imagery of Google Maps. [62]
Caren Craft shared the photograph of modern Hadley taking shape on the Hadley History Facebook Group on 26th June 2022. The photo was carried by the Shropshire Star on 15th August 2011. Both of the two railway bridges can be seen on the left of the image carrying the new single track railway line. [80]

Hadley Railway Station served the former Stafford to Shrewsbury Line and was the start of the branch to Coalport. The station was opened in 1849 and closed in 1964. The line through Hadley was closed from 1964, with the last remaining stretches of track being taken up in 1991. In the late 2000s a stretch of track was re-laid to the Telford International Railfreight Park for freight purposes only. [63]

Telford International Railfreight Park (known as TIRFP) is rail freight depot and construction development site located in Donnington to the north of Telford, on the former route of the Stafford to Shrewsbury Line. The terminal was opened in 2009. [64]

The old bridge at Hadley Station viewed from the North. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
The old bridge at Hadley Station viewed from the South. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
An early view looking North up Station Road under the railway bridge. This image was shared on the Hadley History Facebook Group by Caren Craft on 3rd July 2022. [71]

A later view (1963) of the bridge which was shared on the Hadley History Group by Tony Handley on 22nd March 2021. [73]

An even later image (1986) of the same bridge with the new pedestrian/cycleway bridges in place. This view was shared on the Hadley History Facebook Group by Lynne Purcell on 5th February 2021. [74]

This aerial image looks North across the old bridge in the 1960s. Hadley Railway Station platforms can just be seen entering the image from the left. The picture was shared on the Hadley History Facebook Group on 22nd March 2021 by Tony Handley. [76]
A view from the then new flats across Hadley Railway Station to the School. The photograph was taken in either 1967 or 1968. It was shared on the Hadley History Facebook Group by Tony Handley on 3rd April 2021. [77]
The view Northwest from the junction between Leegate Avenue and Haybridge Road/Britannia Way showing the new rail bridge with the older arched bridge alongside. The new bridge is on the site of the old Hadley Railway Station. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
A similar (panorama) view but taken, this time, from the foot/cycle bridges which span the junction. [My photograph, 12th March 2023]
Hadley Railway Station. This image was shared by Lynne Purcell on Hadley History Facebook Group on 7th July 2021. [65]
This picture was taken at Hadley Railway Station LNWR 0-6-0 locomotive No 45 is seen with a train of Tramcars for Blackburn Corporation. The picture was taken sometime between 1900-1908 (LNWRS reference LNWRS1822). The Trams were built by G F Milnes of Birkenhead at the Castle Car works at Hadley. The Tram making business at this site was short lived closing down in 1908. The site remained derelict for 2 years when the site was taken over by Joseph Sankey who made steel wheels and other steel pressings. The image was shared on the Hadley History Facebook Group by Gwyn Thunderwing Hartley on 17th September 2021. [66]
Hadley Railway Station, shared on the Hadley History Facebook Group on 4th February 2021 by Lin Keska. [67]
Hadley Railway Station, shared on the Hadley History Facebook Group on 4th February 2021 by Lin Keska. Both these views are taken looking East towards Donnington. [68]
The view East along the single track line which was reinstated to serve Telford International Railfreight Park. This image was shared on the Hadley History Facebo0ok Group by Lynne Purcell om 5th February 2021. [72]
A diesel shunter at the East end of Hadley Railway Station with the bridge parapets beyond the platform ends. This image was shared on the Hadley History Facebook Group by Simon FP on 12th October 2021. [75]
Hadley Railway Station looking West along the North platform towards Wellington. The picture was also shared on the Hadley History Facebook Group on 4th February 2021 by Lin Keska. [69]
Hadley Town Centre from the West in the 1960s, the main railway line between Hadley Station and Hadley Junction features on the left of the image. This photo was shared on the Hadley History Facebook Group on 3rd February 2021 by Sion William Bradford. [78]
Looking from the Northeast across the the main line between Hadley Station and Hadley Junction towards Hadley town centre. This photo was taken by Victor Hadley and first shared on the Hadley History Facebook Group by Rhiannon Urquhart his granddaughter. The photo is included here with her kind permission. [79]
Hadley Junction as shown on the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1901, published 1902. [8]
Hadley Junction in 1925. [6]
Hadley Junction as shown by railmaponline.com superimposed on Google Maps satellite imagery. The Coalport branch curves away to the South of the mainline. [4]
Hadley Junction with the Coalport Branch heading away to the right of the image, Castle Lane crosses both the branch and the main line just above the centre of the image, (c) Historic England, Britain from Above No. EPW050454. [5]
This image was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Simon FP on 28th September 2021. He comments: “While sorting out more photos at my parent’s former house. I found this little gem, bringing back many railway memories. It shows Hadley sidings, looking towards Trench and clearly shows Sankey’s on the left and the Coalport Junction on the right. The photo was taken by my Father, Bill Parton, but I’m wondering where from? Could he have climbed a signal gantry?” [17]
This underpass can be seen on both of the 25″ OS map extracts above. It used to provide access from Hadley to fields North of the railway. This view is taken looking North through the structure. [My photograph, 12th March 2023]
The same underpass viewed from the North. [My photograph, 12th March 2023]
The single track line which occupies the old main line formation in 2023. 100 meters or so to the right (East) of this location Hadley Junction trackwork commenced, as did sidings for Castle Car Works. [My photograph, 12th March 2023]
This is a still from a video shared on the Hadley History Facebook Group by Tony Handley on 10th May 2021. It shows a Pannier Tank and brake van awaiting clearance to leave the Coalport Branch heading towards Hadley Railway Station. [70]
This image shows a short section of National Cycle Route 81 which runs alongside the formation of the old mainline. The Coalport Branch turned away from the mainline along this length, initially at the same level at the mainline above the fence on the left. The modern cycleway is at a slightly lower level. [My photograph, 12th March 2023]
National Cycle Route 81 again. The cycle route drops down to the level of Castle Lane which provided access under the main line to Castle Car Works. The purple line shows the approximately line of the Coalport Branch which crossed Castle Lane at high level and continued to turn away from the main line. [My photograph, 12th March 2023]
Looking back to the West from Castle Lane towards the point where the Coalport Branch left the main line at Hadley Junction. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking North along Castle Lane towards the mainline which was crossed by means of an arched underpass, visible in the photo. The Coalport branch follows the purple line nearer to the camera. The height of the land to the right of Castle Lane is close to the formation height of the branch. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
A closer view of the underpass Works access in 2023. [My photograph, 12th March 2023]
This view is taken looking South towards the Branch from adjacent to the embankment of the old main line. The conifers are planted on the line of the Coalport Branch. [My photograph, 12th March 2023]
Castle Street Railway Bridge in the mid-1960s, looking Northeast along Castle Street. The Shropshire Star, carried this photograph on 30th July 1960 and commented: “Hadley has its own Bridge of Sighs – but the sighs come from lorry drivers as they approach the notorious Coalport railway bridge. During the past 10 years lorries have become stuck scraped and been forcibly unloaded as they have tried to squeeze under its 18ft 6in [headroom]. There has been at least one serious accident there!” Their story went on to say that local residents and councils all wanted the bridge made safer, or completely removed. The railway lines which crossed the bridge no longer led anywhere. The bridge was only used as a short extension to the goods yard of Joseph Sankey and Co Ltd. but the bridge’s demolition would only have meant the loss of about 50 yards of track. The bridge was demolished in April 1967. [7]
The demolition of the bridge in 1967. This photograph was shared on the Oakengates History Facebook Group by Gwyn Thunderwing Hartley on 23rd April 2018. [53]
The view Northwest from Castle Street along the line of the old railway. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking Northeast along Castle Street with the line of the old railway shown in purple. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking South from Castle Street with the route of the old railway highlighted by the purple line. The footpath on the centre-left of the image crosses the route of the old railway. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
This Google Streetview image is taken from Redlands Road, Hadley. The footpath in the last photo is on the left and the Coalport Branch ran on embankment across the line of that footpath and then along the line of the trees to the right and centre of this image [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Turning through 90 degrees to look East from the same point on Redlands Road, the route of the Coalport Branch runs along the tree line at the left of this picture and then through the flats at the centre of the image. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
The next length of the branch shown on the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1901, published 1902. Hadley Brick & Tile Works were on the South side of the line. [9]
Approximately the same area as shown on the OS map extract above. Railmaponline shows the route of the old railway which ran to the South side of what is now Blockley’s warehousing. [4]
Looking Northeast along one of the cul-de-sac arms of Redlands Road. The old line approximately followed the purple line on this image. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking North along Buxus Road. The old line crossed what is now Buxus Road just to the North of the property on the left of this image. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking Northeast on Marlborough Road, the roue of the Coalport Branch is indicated by the purple line. [Google Streeetview, June 2022]
Looking Southwest from the end of Viburnum Way, then is nothing at this location to show that the old railway once ran along the purple line in the image. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Turning through 90 degress to look Southeast at the same point as in the image above, the trees which form the Southwest boundary of Blockley’s building materials warehousing are on the line of the Coalport branch. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
This length of the branch was on embankment as it crossed Middle Pool/Valley Pool and passed to the South of Wombridge Iron Works. The Iron Works are shown as disused on this 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1901. [10]
This view appears to have been taken from a point on the extreme left of the OS map extract above. It faces Southeast towards Oakengates. Wombridge Church can be discerned in the right background. This image is © Copyright Dr Neil Clifton (23rd June 1964) and used here under a creative Commons Licence (CCB Y-SA 2.0). [18]
The earlier Ordnance Survey of 1880 to 1882, published in 1885, as this enlarged extract indicates, shows the Iron Works at Wombridge in use, served by both a rail connection and an arm of the Shropshire Canal. [11]
A similar area to that on the 25″ OS map extract above. Railmaponline shows the sidings which served Wombridge Iron Works towards the top-right of the picture, and St. Mary & St. Leonard’s Church at the bottom of the image. The old railway embankment has been removed apart for an island which sits in the centre of Middle Pool in the 21st century. [4]
Looking North along Sommerfield Road through the approximate line of the Coalport Branch. [Google Streetview]
This photograph is taken looking South along the side of Middle Pool. The bench in the picture is approximately at the point where the old embankment carrying the Coalport Branch stood. Middle Pool is to the left of this shot, Sommerfield Road to the right. [My photograph, 13th March 2023]
Looking East across Middle Pool along what was the old Coalport branch! The island in the centre of the pool can just be made out through the vegetation. The line crossed the South side of the island. Summer vegetation would preclude this picture being taken. [My photograph, 13th March 2023]
The island in Middle Pool viewed from the Northwest. The purple line shows the approximate line of the railway embankment. [My photograph, 13th March 2023]
The same island viewed from the South of Middle Pool. The Coalport branch ran through Middle Pool on an embankment crossing the location of the island close to its southern end. [My photograph, 13th March 2023]
Looking West, back along the line of the Coalport Branch towards Hadley Junction. As already noted, the old railway was on embankment across Middle Pool which was separated into two halves. The northern part being know as Middle Pool, the southern part being called Valley Pool. [My photograph, 13th March 2023]
Turning through 180° to look East along the line of the old railway. [My photograph, 13th March 2023]
This photograph is taken looking North along Wombridge Way towards the A442 roundabout. The purple line gives the approximate position of the old railway. Wombridge Way is a modern invention running close to the Eastern shore of Middle Pool (off the image to the left). An open grassed area is beyond the treeline on the right of the image. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking South from National Cycle Route 81. Wombridge Way is beyond the trees to the right of the image. Immediately to the right is an underpass under Wombridge Way. The A442 is behind the camera. To the left of the image the cycleway runs round the prominent confiers in a loop in order to gain height. The route of the railway runs to the North of the southernmost extent of the loop in the cycleway. [My photograph, 13th March 2023]
A closer view of the location on Google Maps. Wombridge Cemetery is in the bottom-right of the image. [Google Maps, March 2023]
Looking back West along the line of the Coalport Branch. Wombridge cemetery is just off to the left of the photo at a lower level. The railings on the right lead onto a cycle/footbridge over the A442. The purple line indicates the route of the railway. [My photograph, 13th March 2023]
This next image faces Southeast. The A442 is just beyond the railings to the left, Wombridge Cemetery is on the right. [My photograph, 13th March 2023]
This image shows the view Southeast along the A442. The footpath/cycleway in the last image is just behind the vegetation on the right of this image. The approximate route of the old railway is again drawn onto the picture as a purple line. [My photograph, 13th March 2023]
St. Mary and St. Leonard, Wombridge was built in 1869 by George Bidlake. It is the fourth church on the site of an Augustinian Priory. The church has been sympathetically re-ordered with a fine reredos, pulpit and Vicar’s stall. The remains of the Augustinian Priory were excavated in 2011. Some remaining floor tiles and masonry from the Priory are on view. [13][14]
The view North from the end of Wombridge Road. The cemetery is on the left, the A442 is beyond the trees directly ahead. The old railway ran beyond the tree line to the rear of the cemetery (in this view) and across the line of Wombridge Road.at the point where the A442 now crosses the old Wombridge Road. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
This enlarged extract from the 1881 6″ Ordnance Survey shows St. Mary and St. Leonard, Wombridge in the bottom-left. Today’s cemetery location is on the North side of Wombridge Corn Mill. Wombridge Pool no longer exists, nor does the Augustinian Priory. The bridge over Wombridge Road is shown just to the left of the centre-top of the image. [11]

Wombridge Church and Priory

Wombridge Priory was a small Augustinian monastery established in the early 12th century, it was supported by a network of minor nobility and was never a large community. Despite generally good financial management, it fell within the scope of the Suppression of Religious Houses Act 1535 and was dissolved in the following year. [82]

The priory was dedicated to St Leonard. St Leonard was particularly popular in the 12th century following the release of Bohemond I of Antioch, a captured crusader – a circumstance which he seems to have attributed to the saint’s intercession. White Ladies Priory, another Shropshire Augustinian house, was also dedicated to St Leonard, as was the parish church at Bridgnorth, [82] and at a later date, Malinslee Parish Church. Remains of the priory buildings remained visible until the 19th century but are now hidden beneath the churchyard and other development. They were excavated in the 1930s and again in 2011 and 2012. [82]

The church was designated to St. Mary and St. Leonard and was built in 1869 by George Bidlake. It is the fourth church on the site of the Priory.

An aerial view of Wombridge Church with some of the remains of the Priory evident. This photograph was shared on the Telford – The Ultimate Guide Facebook Group by Steve Bowers on 27th February 2023. [83]

The bridge which carried the Coalport Branch over what was once Wombridge Road was demolished to make way for the A442 Queensway.

This photograph was taken during the demolition of the bridge. It is the only photo I have been able to find of the old railway bridge. It appears to have been taken from the South. Headroom would have been quite limited. The photograph was shared by Paul Wheeler on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 23rd November 2017. [84]

We continue on our journey along the old Coalport Branch with a ground-level shot along the A442 showing the line of the old railway.

Looking Southeast along the A442, Queensway from the Northwest-bound off slip road. The A442 was built over the line of the Coalport branch which was curving along the length ahead towards the Southeast. [Google Streeetview, June 2022]
The 25″ Ordnance Survey from the turn of the 20th century again. The important feature on this length of the Coalport Branch was the bridge which carried Stafford Road over the line. [12]
Once again, this satellite image covers approximately the same area as that covered by the OS map extract above. The purple line is the route of the Coalport Branch as recorded on railmaponline.com. [4]
An image from the Southbound carriageway of the A442 from a position at the top-left of the satellite image above. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
From the same Southbound carriageway, the bridge which carries Stafford road over the A442 is visible in the distance. The Coalport Branch followed a tighter curve than the modern road, passing under Stafford Road to the South of the modern bridge over the A442. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Stafford Road, Oakengates looking North across the bridge over the A442. The bridge over the Coalport Branch would have sat just to the South side of the modern A442 in roughly the location indicated by the purple line on the photograph. [Google Streetview, June 2022]

A Brown’s Sentinel bus crosses the Stafford Road bridge in Oakengates in March 1963. For much of his married life, Ron Dean was in the driving seat. And his wife Greta was his conductor. The camera is pointing towards the South. [15]

Stafford Road Bridge again, sometime in the 1960s before the A442, Queensway dual carriageway was built. This was probably taken at the time that a footbridge was being installed alongside the road bridge. The photo is taken facing South along the Brach line. It was shared on the Telford memories Facebook Group by Bear Yeomans on 7th February 2016. [16]
Looking North from Stafford Road Bridge along the Coalport Branch towards Hadley Junction. This image was shared on the Oakengates History Facebook Group by Gwyn Thunderwing Hartley on 23rd May 2020. [50]
Looking North under Stafford Road Bridge along the Coalport Branch. This image was shared on the Oakengates History Facebook Group by Gwyn Thunderwing Hartley on 30th July 2018. [51]
This aerial photo of Oakengates was taken in November 1970. Just to the right of the top-centre of the image, Stafford Road bridge can be seen with the footbridge alongside it. The A442 is not evident, but the Coalport Branch cutting can be followed from the road bridge to the right. This image was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Marcus Keane on 22nd March 2022. [19]
An enlarged extract from the picture immediately above showing Stafford Road bridge in the top-left. [19]
This next length of the line takes us through Oakengates Market Street Railway Station and Goods yard. The 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1901, published in 1902 shows the station and goods yard to full advantage. [20]
The railmaponline.com satellite image of the same area as in the map extract above. This begins to show how congested the area around Oakengates was with a variety of railway lines and sidings. [4]
The level crossing to the immediate North of Oakengates Market Street Station with the gates closed to road traffic to allow the passage of a goods train in the capable hands of a Pannier tank! We are looking East up Station Hill. This view was shared by Gwyn Thunderwing Hartley on the Oakengates History Facebook Group on 10th March 2017. [55]
Looking East up Station Hill from Oakengates Market Street Station forecourt. This image was shared by Metsa Vaim EdOrg on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 2nd November 2019. [26]

This photograph is taken from a point just off the left of the above image and also looks East up Station Hill across the railway line, which was by the time the picture was taken, closed. The image was shared on the Telford memories Facebook Group by Marcus Keane on 13th November 2016. [27]

Oakengates Market Street Station from the East. This image was shared on the Oakengates History Facebook Group by Gwyn Thunderwing Hartley on 29th March 2021. [49]
Oakengates Market Street Station as seen from the East on Station Hill, adjacent to the Police Station. This image was shared by Paul Wheeler on the Telford memories Facebook Group on 16th August 2017. [21]
A view from almost exactly the same location in 2022. The police station site is on the left of the image, the modern railings in the same location as on the image above. The A442, Queensway, overbridge now dominates the scene. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking West into Oakengates after the removal of the passenger facilities at Oakengates Market Street Station. Rails remain in the road. It is possible that this photograph was taken in the late 1950s or the very early 1960s. It was shared on the Oakengates History Facebook Group by Gwyn Thunderwing Hartley on 10th March 2017. [56]
This little tableau of three images (one above and two below) were shared on the Oakengates History Facebook Group on 16th July 2019 by Gwyn Thunderwing Hartley. Two of the pictures show the work going on to deal with a derailment of a Pannier Tank. The photographs of the derailment were sent to the Group by John Wood and were taken by Mike Dodd. Gwyn Thunderwing Hartley writes: A “derailment at Oakengates Crossing sometime before 1958. This is the LNWR LMS Rail line Market Street/Station Hill. Pic 3 shows where the then disused Line cuts across the Station Hill Road (the line ran between the Building and the Bus Stop traveling in the direction of Wellington), the building is the old Whitefoots Showroom, this was formerly a Pub, the building you can see the back of in the derailment pic is this same as in Pic 3. Much of this info is from John Wood.” The first picture shows the level crossing gates in the background and was taken looking Southeast with the Goods Yard and erstwhile Station Buildings beyond the Crossing gates to the South. The first of the two pictures below is taken looking North from the crossing gates. [57]
History
Looking South from the level-crossing at the bottom of Station Hill and the top of Market Street. Market Street Railway Station buildings were off the image on the right. The station platform edge can be seen through the crossing gates. The line curves round passed the Goods Yard, under Canongate Bridge and on towards the A5 at Greyhound Bridge. The photo was shared by Gwyn Thunderwing Hartley on the Oakengates History Facebook Group on 9th November 2019. [58]
Oakengates Market Street Station in the 1930s looking North towards Hadley, (c) C.L. Mowat used here with permission from dawleyhistory.com. [81]
The view North through Oakengates Goods Yard and Market Street Station. The crossing gates at Station Hill/Market Street appear to be closed to rail traffic. The station building sits to their left in the centre of this image. This image was shared by Paul Wheeler on the Telford memories Facebook Group on 16th August 2017. An equivalent modern view from Canongate is not feasible because the industrial site is now screened by trees. [22]
Looking North towards Oakengates Market Street Station through the Goods Yard in 1932. This picture was shared on the Oakengates History Facebook Group by David Bradshaw on 27th November 2016. The goods train is hauled by an unidentified 0‒6‒0 and is passing a Super D 0‒8‒0 waiting in the goods yard. The very sharp curve just apparent on the extreme left is Millington’s timber yard siding. The shed on the left was latterly used by the CWS as a store, (c) C.L. Mowat. [54] [81]
Looking North through the area that was Oakengates Market Street Station Goods yard from the Eastern end of Commercial Way. The purple line shows the approximate route of the Coalport Branch. The white building at the centre of this image is the old goods shed now put to a different use! [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking Southeast from the same location. The mainline of the Coalport Branch would have run along the treeline behind the industrial units. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
The view from the Southeast on Canongate. The purple line shows the approximate location of the Coalport Branch which passed under the road by means of a bridge. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Canongate Railway Bridge was a brick-arched structure. It is seen here infilled to support the road above. This image was posted by BruceS on Waymarking.com on 2nd June 2015. [23]
Looking North under Canongate Bridge towards Oakengates Market Street Station. This picture was shared on the Oakengates History Facebook Group by Gwyn Thunderwing Hartley on 12th October 2017. [52]
An aerial image looking North along the line of the Coalport Branch in 1948. Canongate bridge is in the centre of the image, the Station is towards the top of the image beyond the goods yard, (c) Historic England, Britain from Above (EAW013748). [24]
An extract from the above image which shows Canongate, the Goods Yard and the Station in greater detail, (c) Historic England, Britain from Above (EAW013748). [24]
The next length of the Coalport Branch took it passed Snedshill Iron Works and into a tight corridor which included the GWR Shrewsbury to Birmingham railway Line, the Coalport Branch and a Mineral Railway. This area is again shown on the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1901, published in 1902. [26]
Railmaponline.com’s satellite imagery shows the same area as in the OS map above as it appears in the 21st century. All the lines mentioned above are included in the overlay to the satellite imagery. [4]
Another extract from the aerial image of 1948 which showed Canongate Bridge, this shows the area to the South of Canongate. Snedshill Iron Works are on the right of the image. In the centre of the image are John Maddock and Co.’s works for whom the aerial photographs were taken. Those works do not feature on either the 1901 Ordnance Survey or the modern satellite imagery. [24]
Looking North from the A5 bridge over the Coalport branch. Snedshill Ironworks are on the right of the image. The bridge at the centre of the image is the same one that appears at the bottom of the aerial image immediately above. This photograph was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Paul Wheeler on 18th March 2018. [37]
Looking Northwest along Reynolds Drive, Oakengates. The Coalport Branch was in cutting at this location. The purple line gives an idea of its Route. Its route crosses Hawkshaw Close a 100 yards or so to the left, as shown below. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking South along Hawkshaw Close, Oakengates with the line of the Coalport Branch shown. As noted above the line was in relatively deep cutting at this location. Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking North from Newlands Road, Oakengates, towards Oakengates Market Street Station. At this point on the line we are a little to the North of the accommodation bridge shown on the 1948 aerial image above. The approximate route of the line is again shown by the purple line. The line was, however, in deep cutting at this location. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking South from Newlands Road, Oakengates, along the line of the Coalport Branch which was in deep cutting at this location. The road to the right of this image is Station Road which once ran immediately alongside the old railway line a little further to the South.[Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking North along Station Road across the line of the old railway. Station Road was diverted when the new roundabout (immediately behind the camers) was constructed. The next two monochrome images focus on this location as it was in 1948. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
The same length of line, but this time as shown in an aerial image from the Northwest, also taken in 1948. The image features John Maddock’s works with Snedshill Iron Works beyond, (c) Historic England, Britain from Above (EAW013752). [25]
A closer view of the top-right of the above image with the Coalport branch heading away to the South. This area saw significant alterations in the later years of the 20th century. The significant bridge carries what is designated the B5061 in the 21st century, but was the A5 Trunk Road. The works immediately beyond the bridge and alongside the A5 are the Lilleshall Company’s Snedshill Brickworks, (c) Historic England, Britain from Above (EAW013752). [25]
The 1″ OS Map of 1898, published 1899, shows the location of the bridge. The immediate area is now under the Greyhound Roundabout which sits alongside the A442. [28]
Looking Southeast along the A5 towards the Lilleshall works at Priorslee. The dominant building with the curved roof on the left of this image is the Lilleshall Company’s Snedshill Brickworks. The Coalport Branch passed under the bridge at the centre of the image. This phot was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 23rd February 2014 by Vince Allen. [29]
Looking down into the cutting of the Coalport Branch from the East in 1973. The road running across the image is the A5. The arch bridge is the Greyhound Bridge which is eventually replaced by the Greyhound Roundabout. The picture was shared on the Oakengates History Facebook Group by Gwyn Thunderwing Hartley on 14th May 2019. [58]
A local collapse of parapet walling alongside the bridge occurred in 1966. The bridge is off to the left of the photograph, the running line of the Coalport Branch just below the image. This press cutting was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Paul Johnson on 1st March 2014. [30]
In this postcard aerial view of Snedshill Brickworks from the West, the Mineral Railway adjacent to the Coalport Branch is visible, crossing the A5 at the bottom edge of the image. The Coalport Branch is just off the bottom of the picture. [32]
Snedshill Brickworks again, this time in the 1950s and viewed from the East. The A5 runs away to the right of the image. The cutting of the Coalport Branch runs across from middle-right to middle-left. The A5 bridge over the line is hidden by the Works buildings. This picture was shared on the Telford Memories Facebook Group by Marcus Keane on 26th March 2014. [36]
From a similar angle to the last picture but taken from the Lilleshall Brickworks buildings in 1974, this image was carried by the Shropshire Star at the time. The A5 runs diagonally across the shot with the dwarf wall above the arched Greyhound Bridge visible to its right. The cutting of the Coalport Branch runs left to right across the centre of the image. The picture was shared on the Oakengates History Facebook Group on 22nd October 2020 by Gwyn Thunderwing Hartley. [59]

This photo does not have the best of definition, but it is worth including as it shows the view South across the Brickworks before redevelopment work in the area. The Shrewsbury to Birmingham line curves away to the East. The A5 bridge over the Coalport Branch is visible at the bottom of the image. [33]

This aerial image looks to the South at a time of great change in the local landscape. In the bottom-eft of the image, the A5 still runs on its route passed the Snedshill Brickworks and across what was once the Coalport Branch. Greyhound roundabout is under construction. South of the roundabout the mainline from Shrewsbury to Birmingham appears out of its tunnel and the A442 construction alongside it is well advanced. Toward the top of the image is the M54 construction work and in the top-right corner, part of Telford’s new town centre. [33]
This aerial image is taken facing North. The Coalport Branch no longer features. Snedshill Brickworks remain and the A442 is not yet completed and there is little or no evidence of it North of Greyhound Roundabout. What will be the Northbound off-slip road from the A442 runs South away from the newly completed Greyhound Roundabout. [33]
Looking North under the A5 towards Oakengates, apparently the bridge was known as Greyhound Bridge and gave its name to the roundabout that replaced it. This photo was shared on the Oakengates History Facebook Group by David Bradshaw on 27th November 2016. [54]

From this point South the A442 now occupies the space which once was used by the Coalport Branch. The Northbound slip road from the A442 can be seen following the line of the old railway on the Railmaponlin.com satellite image below.

The 25″ Ordance Survey of 1901, published 1902, shows the Coalport Branch passing over the GWR Shrewsbury to Birmingham main line. The GWR line passed under the area in a deep tunnel with the Coalport Branch above it also in a relative deep cutting. The two lines ran approximately parallel for a short distance. [31]
Railmaponline.com shows the same area with the local lines overlaid on the satellite imagery from Google Maps. [4]
The view North, back towards Oakengates from the northbound slip road of the A442. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
The view South from the same location showing the approximate route of the Coalport Branch. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
A little further South along the A442 with the approximate line of the Coalport Branch marked once again. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Further South again, this time the camera is on the southbound carriageway. The Coalport Branch ran approximately along the modern treeline. Beyond the horizon the A442 curves back over the formation of the old line. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Further South again the A442 crosses the line of the Coalport Branch. The next Railmaponline.com satellite image shows that the footbridge in this view is very close to the point where the A442 leaves the formation of the Coalport branch. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
This next extract from the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1902 shows the Shrewsbury to Birmingham line to the East of the Coalport branch and running parallel to it. Both pass under the road leading Northeast out of Hollinswood. The Coalport branch remains in cutting along much of its length on this map extract. [34]
The same area on the satellite imagery provided by Railmaponline.com. The purple line shows the route of the Coalport Branch which, from close to the top-left of the image ran along a route immediately adjacent to the modern A442. Hollinswood Road has been replaced by a footbridge over the A442 and the Shrewsbury to Birmingham main line. It is further cut to the Southwest by the M54 and its junction arrangement, just off this image to the bottom-left. [4]
Looking North towards Oakengates from the cycle track on the West side of the A442. The approximate route of the Coalport Brnach is indicated by the purple line. [My photograph, 13th March 2023]
Looking Southeast from the cycleway alongside the A442. [My photograph, 13th March 2023]
Another view looking North, but this time taken from the Footbridge/Cycleway bridge over the A442. [My photograph, 13th March 2023]
Looking South from the same bridge with the route of the old railway indicated by the purple line. The bridge ahead carries the M54 over the A442. [My photograph, 13th March 2023]
Looking South again, this time from the cycleway/footpath which runs under the M54 bridge over the A442. [My photograph, 13th March 2023]
This is now the view South towards the Telford Station footbridge. My photograph, 13th March 2023]
A few steps ahead and turning a half-circle, this is the view looking North under the M54 Bridge with the old railway route marked by the same purple line. [My photograph, 13th March 2023]
The view South once more showing the line of the old railway. [My photograph, 13th March 2023]
Looking North-northwest on Rampart Way under the footbridge leading to Telford Railway Station. The approximate line of the Coalport Branch is shown by the purple line. The M54 runs parallel to and beyond the purple line [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking to the Southwest under the Station Footbridge with the line of the Old Coalport Branch shown in purple. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Old Dark Lane Colliery and Brickworks appear at the top of the next extract from the 25″ Ordnance Survey of 1901, published in 1902. Dark Lane Village is at the bottom of the image. Dark Lane village was lost as part of the development of Telford. The Branch has turned away from the Shrewsbury to Birmingham line towards the South. [35]
The same area on the satellite imagery provided by Railmaponline.com. The route of the old line cuts across the West side of the A442 interchange and then South through housing and across Dale Acre Way. [4]
Looking South across Hollinswood Interchange along the line of the Coalport Branch. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking East along the northern arm of Dunsheath. The line of the old railway crosses the housing development immediately this side of the black car and the van (approximately)! [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking East along the southern arm of Dunsheath. The line of the old railway crosses the housing development as shown by the purple line. [Google Streetview, June 2022]

Old Darklane Colliery and Brickworks

The Colliery was opened in 1855 and closed finally in 1885. The owners were: Beriah Botfield (1855-1860]; Leighton and Grenfell (1869-1870); and Haybridge Iron Co. Ltd (1875-1885). [38]

Dark Lane Village

Dark Lane Village was lost in its entirety to the redevelopment which produced Telford. Dark Lane Row and the Methodist Chapel appear at the bottom of the OS map extract above. The remainder of the village features at the top of the OS Map extract below. Malins Lee Station was on the South side of the village. Little Dark Lane Colliery to the West. There were three long rows of cottages which were known locally as: Long Row (about 550ft long and containing 20 houses); Bottom Row (a little over 500ft long and containing 25 houses); and Short Row (nine houses built by the Botfield family in around 1825). A full description of the village and pictures of the buildings can be found on the Dawleyhistory.com website. [39]

The last extract from the 1901 25″ Ordnance Survey in this article covers Dark Lane village and Malins Lee Railway Station. [47]
The same area on the satellite imagery provided by Railmaponline.com. After crossing Dale Acre Way, the route of the old line heads South-southwest across open ground and then over land used for housing development. [4]
Looking West on Dale Acre Way. the approximate location of the old railway is shown by the purple line. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
The view West in the 1960s along Dark Lane the GWR mineral railway was hidden in the dip. The road then rose relatively steeply to cross over the Coalport Branch. The bridge can be seen middle-left of this image. [40]
This Streetview image is taken from approximately the same location as the picture immediately above. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
This bucolic colour image shows the road featured in the image above but this time from a location adjacent to Bottoms Row, Dark Lane. The bridge over the Coalport Branch can be seen again on the horizon. This photo was shared on the Telford memories Facebook Group by Marcus Keane on 28th February 2023. It was colourised by Simon Alun Hark. [42]
This image is taken from the same geographical location as the one immediately above, facing in the same direction. The light blue line indicates the alignment of the old Dark Lane. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
This postcard view shows Bottom Row with the Methodist Chapel beyond. The bridge on the right of the image carried Dark Lane over the Coalport Branch. Malins Lee Station was beyond the bridge to the right of the image. A matching modern image is not practical as the camera location is now in the midst of a copse of trees close to the boundary of the exhibition centre car park. [39]

‘The Miner’s Walk‘ website provides more information about the area around Dark Lane village. [41] It includes a hand-drawn overlay of modern roads over the Ordnance Survey of the 1880s.

Malins Lee Station as in appeared in 1932.The photograph seems to have been taken facing South from the bridge which carried Dark Lane over the line. The passenger facilities at the station seem to be a little different to others on the Coalport Branch. The station was closed for two years during WW1 as an economy measure and finally closed in 1952 with the line remaining open for goods traffic for more than a decade. Just to the South of the station was a single siding which served immediately local industries. This picture was shared by Lin Keska on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 15th August 2018. [45]
Marcus Keane shared this composite image on the Telford Memories Facebook Group on 20th July 2014 which shows the location of Malins Lee Station in relation to the modern blocks of flats in Hollinswood. [48]
Malins Lee Station once again. This photo seems to have been taken from the filed opposite the station. The tall chimney behind the station was probably that of Dark Lane Foundry. This photograph was shared by Marcus Keane on the Telford memories Facebook Group on 24th January 2018, (c) Ray Farlow, circa 1907. [43]
Malins Lee Station passenger facilities. The photograph was shared on Telford Memories Facebook Group by Marcus Keane on 20th September 2017. [44]
Malins Lee Station had been closed to passengers for 12 years when this photograph was taken of a goods service on the Coalport Branch. The picture was shared on the Telford memories Facebook Group by Lin Keska on 15th August 2018. [46]

We have reached the end of this article. Two further articles will cover the remaining length of the LNWR Branch to Coalport East. The next article can be found on this link:

The Railways of Telford – the Coalport Branch of the LNWR – Part 2 – Malins Lee Station to Madeley Market Station

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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

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Part A – The Main Line to and from Sutton Wharf

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 up this tramroad when we look at that network.

References

  1. Bob Yate; The Railways and Locomotives of the Lilleshall Company; Irwell Press, Clophill, Bedfordshire, 2008.
  2. 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.
  3. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101594689, accessed on 8th February 2023.
  4. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.0&lat=52.61334&lon=-2.43435&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 8th February 2023.
  5. https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=16/52.6122/-2.4342, accessed on 8th February 2023.
  6. https://planning.org.uk/app/32/QQSNFYTDLXO00, accessed on 8th February 2023.
  7. http://www.dawleyhistory.com/Maps/1808.html, accessed on 8th February 2023.
  8. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Coalport_br1.jpg, accessed on 9th February 2023.
  9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalport_Bridge, accessed on 9th February 2023.
  10. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101594494, accessed on 9th February 2023.
  11. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.0&lat=52.63640&lon=-2.42745&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 14th February 2023.
  12. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.0&lat=52.64436&lon=-2.43028&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 14th February 2023.
  13. https://www.shropshirecmc.org.uk/below/2007_3w.pdf, accessed on 14th February 2023.
  14. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=14.6&lat=52.65918&lon=-2.43605&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 20th February 2023.
  15. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101594470, accessed on 20th February 2023.
  16. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/salop/vol11/pp185-189, accessed on 20th February 2023.
  17. 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.
  18. Christopher Greenwood; Map of the County of Salop, 1827; Facsimile Copy, Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society, 2008.
  19. https://www.telford.gov.uk/info/20629/local_nature_reserves/6525/holmer_lake_with_kemberton_meadow_and_mounds, accessed on 21st February 2023.
  20. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.0&lat=52.66125&lon=-2.44016&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 21st February 2023.
  21. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/salop/vol11/pp189-192, accessed on 22nd February 2023.
  22. https://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/06/24/ancient-tramroads-near-telford-part-6-malinslee-part-2-jerry-rails
  23. http://www.canalroutes.net/Shropshire-Canal.html, accessed on 22nd February 2023.
  24. https://rogerfarnworth.com/2020/10/21/coalport-incline-ironbridge
  25. https://rogerfarnworth.com/2021/06/10/coalport-incline-ironbridge-addendum-2021
  26. https://www.railmaponline.com/UKIEMap.php, accessed on 23rd February 2023.
  27. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.0&lat=52.67026&lon=-2.44101&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 23rd February 2023.
  28. https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2007/04/26/brickworks-at-turn-of-century, accessed on 23rd February 2023.
  29. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.0&lat=52.67807&lon=-2.43952&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 24th February 2023.
  30. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.0&lat=52.68562&lon=-2.43991&layers=6&b=1, accessed on 24th February 2023.
  31. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilleshall_Company#:~:text=The%20Lilleshall%20Company%20was%20a,operated%20a%20private%20railway%20network, accessed on 4th March 2023.

Early Tramroads near Telford – Part 8 – Malinslee Part 4 – the East side of Malinslee in the vicinity of the later Coalport (LNWR) and Stirchley (GWR) Branches

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The area covered by this article is the area on the East side of Savage & Smith’s tracing [1: p164] and is as shown in the adjacent extract.

They included the line of the Coalport Branch on their plan (the continuous thin black line with circular dots). The Stirchley Branch was a little to the East of the Coalport Branch. It ran down past the Randlay Brickworks towards Old Park Ironworks which were South of the bottom end of Randlay Pool. Savage & Smith grouped the two ironworks in the vicinity under one title of ‘Stirchley Furnaces’.

It should be noted that the Shropshire Canal pre-dated the Coalport Branch but was on very much the same line as the railway. Small deviations in the alignment remain visible in the 21st century, particularly the length close to Hinkshay Pools and that close to Wharf and Lodge Collieries.

Tramroads on the remainder of the tracing [1:p164] are covered in previous articles, particularly those noted below.

This is the full page referred to. [1: p164]

Earlier articles about the tramways covered on this map can be found at:

Early Tramroads near Telford – Part 4 – Malinslee Part 1

Early Tramroads near Telford – Part 6 – Malinslee Part 2 – Jerry Rails …

Early Tramroads near Telford – Part 7 – Malinslee Part 3

The tramways alongside first the old Shropshire Canal and the later LNWR Coalport Branch were not all operational at the same time. However, Savage and Smith were highly confident of the routes of most of these tramways. Only a few lengths are shown as dotted on these plans. The solid red lines are those which they could locate relatively precisely.

As can be seen on these drawings, the lines associated with the Shropshire Canal Coalport Branch and the later LNWR Coalport Branch railway are shown as solid red. The lines shown with the longer red dashes are translated from the 1836 Shropshire Railway Map. The scale of that map is relatively small – just ½” to a mile. The shorter red dashes denote lines as drawn on the 1833 1” Ordnance Survey. Enlarging from both of these maps leaves room for discrepancies to be introduced.

Savage and Smith highlight many of these lines on a 1″ to the mile map representing tramway additions between 1851 – 1860. During that decade their 1″ plan shows the Shropshire Canal as active to the North of Stirchley but without a northern outlet to the wider canal network. At the southern end of the active canal, the Lightmoor branch to the South of Dawley Magna suggests that much of the movement of goods on the canal was related to the Lightmoor Ironworks and the Lightmoor Brick and Tile Works. Unless there was only local movements during this period, perhaps associated with the Priorslee Furnaces and any other works in that immediate area.

Tramway/Tramroad changes in the 1850s. [1: p95]
An enlarged extract from Savage & Smith’s 1″ to a mile plan of the Malinslee area (1851-1860), showing some of the tramroad routes alongside the Shropshire Canal. [1: p95]
The Ordnance Survey of 1881/1882 published in 1888. The lettered locations match those on the Savage & Smith extract above. Further details are provided below. [2]

Savage & Smith provide notes about the Tramways/Tramroads close to the line of the LNWR Coalport Branch (and the Shropshire Canal Coalport Branch). They comment: “By 1856, there is a considerable amount of industry along the canal from Hinkshay to Shedshill. The upper reservoir at Hinkshay had appeared before 1833, but the site of the lower reservoir was in 1856 just a small canal basin with a line running to it probably from Langleyfield Colliery. A line from Jerry Furnaces to the ironworks at the rear of New Row crosses it at right angles and a common type and gauge of rail cannot be assumed. This second railway from Jerry Furnaces reverses and continues in to Stirchley Furnaces. … To the north of Stirchley Furnaces the line runs on the west side of the canal on the towpath. There is a branch near Stone Row, perhaps to pits; to Randley Brickworks and perhaps to pits to the north of the brick- works; to Wharf Colliery and Lodge Colliery; past Dark Lane Foundry; to old Darklane Colliery and Lawn Colliery with a branch to old Darklane Brickworks. After a reverse the line carries on to Dudleyhill Colliery and Hollinswood Ironworks ” [6: p166]

The tramroads marked are:

  • A: Tramroads in the immediate area of Stirchley Ironworks.
  • B: A line to the North of Stirchley Ironworks on the West side of the Canal, on or alongside the towpath.
  • C: a branch near Stone Row which probably extended further than shown by Savage & Smith to Wood Colliery to the Northwest of Stone Row.
  • D: a looped branch probably serving Wharf Colliery, Darklane Foundry, Lodge Colliery, Little Darklane Colliery and Lawn Colliery.
  • E: a short branch to pit heads to the Southwest of Randlay Brickworks, perhaps also serving the Brickworks.
  • F: Tramways around Old Darklane Colliery.
  • G: a short branch serving the Brickworks at Hollinswood.
Another enlarged extract from Savage & Smith’s 1″ to a mile plan of the Malinslee area (1851-1860), showing their remaining tramroad routes close to the Shropshire Canal. The red letters match those on the 6″ Ordnance Survey plan immediately below [1: p95]
An extract from the 1881/1882 Ordnance Survey published in 1888. The redlines drawn on the extract match those drawn by Savage & Smith on their plan above. In the period from 1855 through to 1880 the profile of theland in this vicinity was markedly altered by the construction of the railways shown on the map. Lines to A, B, C and D have all gone by 1881. The line to E connects with the line running East-southeast from Priorslee Furnaces and shown on plans below. [2]

By the 1860s, Savage & Smith show that the Shropshire Canal was no longer in use. Between the 1870s and the turn of the 20th century, some further minor additions to the network in the immediate are of Stirchley and just to the South of Oakengates associated with the Priorslee furnaces can be seen on their 1″ to the mile

Tramway/Tramroad changes between 1876 and 1900. [1: p99]

The later changes to the tramroad/tramway network relate partly to the coming, in 1861, of the Standard-Gauge LNWR railway branch to Coalport. Stirchley and Jerry Furnaces – on the 1876-1900 map, have tramroad links to the railway.

The tramroad/tramway network changes to permit access to the LNWR line close to Stirchley. The locations marked with red letters match those on the OS map extract below. [1: p99]
The Ordnance Survey of 1881/1882 published in 1888. The lettered locations match those on the Savage & Smith extract above. [2]
  • A: Langley Fields Brickworks, at on e time this line extended Northwest towards St. Leonard’s, Malinslee to serve Little Eyton Colliery.
  • B: Langleyfield Colliery.
  • C: Jerry Ironworks – serve by two different lengths of tramroad, one at high level and one at low level.
  • D: A connection which crossed the old Shropshire Canal to a wharf running alongside the LNWR Branch.
  • E: a line connecting Stirchley and Oldpark Ironworks to the network and so providing access to the wharf at D.
  • F: access to an ironworks to the Northwest of Hinkshay Row.
  • G: A line which curved round the West side of Hinkshay Pools to provide access to another length of wharf alongside the LNWR branch close to Dawley & Stirchley Railway Station. This is not shown on the plan drawn by Savage & Smith.

The lines noted above were all walked when I was looking at the immediate area for an earlier article (https://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/06/15/ancient-tramroads-near-telford-part-4-malinslee-part-1).

The other changes between 1876 and 1900 relate to Priorslee, where tramroads are shown to the Southeast of Priorslee Furnaces. The 6” Ordnance Survey of 1903 shows the bottom arm at this location linking Darklane Colliery to the Furnaces. The upper arm is shown on the 6” Ordnance Survey of 1885 as serving a colliery adjacent to the Lion Inn. The tramroad link to the colliery is not shown on the later survey.

The tramroad/tramway network changes associated with Priorslee Furnaces. The locations marked with red letters match those on the Ordnance Survey extract below. [1: p99]
The 1880/1882 Ordnance Survey published in 1885 showing the Oakengates/Priorslee area. The locations marked by red letters match those highlighted on the Savage & Smith extract above. [3]
  • A: Priorslee Furnaces.
  • B: Darklane Colliery.
  • C & D: tramroads serving a colliery adjacent to the Lion Inn..
  • E: the tramroad access from Priorslee Furnaces.

Telford in the 21st century

The area covered by these maps has been dramatically altered by the construction of Telford Town Centre. The centre of Telford sits directly over the area covered by this article. This is demonstrated by the side-by-side image provided below. 21st century satellite imagery is set alongside the 1901 Ordnance Survey.

The National Library of Scotland provides a version of its mapping software that allows two different images to be placed side by side and geographically related to each other. The image on the right covers the same area as that on the left. [4]

There is nothing to be gained by attempting to walk most of the routes covered in this article. However, some limited areas can still be seen (topographically) roughly as they were. That is true of the Priorslee area, Northeast of the town centre and the area North from Stirchley to the North end of Randlay Pool. Most of the second of these two areas is the subject of earlier articles (https://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/06/15/ancient-tramroads-near-telford-part-4-malinslee-part-1, https://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/06/24/ancient-tramroads-near-telford-part-6-malinslee-part-2-jerry-rails, and https://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/08/11/ancient-tramroads-near-telford-part-7-malinslee-part-3). The remainder of this article focusses on the area around Priorslee Furnaces. (NB: these tramroads really fall into another series but we will pick them up again when we look at the area around Oakengates and Priorslee)

The area around Priorslee Furnaces in 1901 and in the 21st century. By 1901 the Furnaces made use of the Mineral railway to their Southside rather than access to the tramroad along Holyhead Road. On the 1901 mapping the tramroad link into the works ahs been cut. This suggests that the line along Holyhead Road was probably no longer active by 1901. [5]
Facing Northwest along Holyhead Road in June 2022. The access road from the A442 Queensway is ahead on the left. The old tramroad would have run roughly where the footpath is on the left. [Google Streetview]
Turning through 180 degrees and now looking Southeast, the tramroad was on the south side of the road. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
A little further to the Southeast and the tramroad was still alongside Holyhead Road (B5061). [Google Streetview, June 2022]
we are now running alongside the site of what were Priorslee Furnaces. There was a tramroad access from the site to the tramroad running alongside Holyhead Road. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Further Southeast the tramroad continued to follow the verge of Holyhead Road. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
East of Priorslee Furnaces the tramroad ran on the South side of Holyhead Road. A branch headed South towards Darklane Colliery. The ‘mainline’ only contiued a short distance further East. [6]
Further Southeast and now approaching the modern roundabout shown on the side-by-side image from the NLS above. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking Southeast across the roundabout towards Shiffnal Road. The tramroad alignment remains on the south side of the road. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
On the other side of the roundabout and now on Shiffnal Road. The tramroad ‘mainline continues Southeast toward Stafford Colliery, the branch heads towards Darklane Colliery and, as it is under modern buildings cannot be followed on the North side of theM54. Photos of the area it travelled on the South side of the M% can be found further below [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Both the Darklane branch and the ‘Mainline’ terminate in these images. The DarkLane route cannot easily be found on site, apart from the approximate location of what would have been its at-level crossing of what was once a road and is now a footpath. That to the Stafford Colliery near the Red Lion Pub can still be followed! [7]
For a short distance further the tramroad remained alongside the old road before turning sharply to the South along what is now a footpath and cycleway. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking South from Shiffnal Road along the footpath/cycleway which follows the route of the old tramroad to Stafford Colliery. [Google Streetview, June 2022]
Looking South from a point 100 metres or so along the footpath/cycleway which follows the route of the old tramroad to Stafford Colliery. [My photograph, 2nd February 2023]
The approximate limit of the tramroad heading South. [My photograph, 2nd February 2023]
This view from the Eastbound carriageway of the M54 shows the footbridge which carries the path that followed the line of tramroad. The Stafford Colliery was on the North side of what is now the motorway. Somewhere close to the top of the motorway cutting is the location of two tramroad arms which ran approximately East-West serving the Stafford Colliery site. [Google Streetview, November 2022]
Looking North along the line of the footbridge which crosses the M54. Shiffnal Road is ahead beyond the site of the old Stafford Colliery. The redlines are indicative of the tramroads serving the colliery. [Google Streetview, March 2021]

The tramway/tramroad route which led to Darklane Colliery crossed the line of the M54 a short distance to the West of the modern footbridge.

Looking North across the M54, on the approximate line of the old tramroad/tramway. [My photograph, 2nd February 2023]
Looking approximately in a northerly direction. The old tramway ran approximately as shown by the red line. [My photograph, 2nd February 2023]
Turning through around135 degrees to the East this is the view along the line of the tramway/tramroad. The alignment is roughly as shown by the red line. [My photograph, 2nd February 2023]
The tramroad ran on a line which now runs from the rear of Syer House towards the Volkswagen dealership on Stafford Park 1. It would have passed the spoil heaps from Darklane Colliery as it did so. Darklane Colliery straddled the line of Stafford Park 1.
Sketch of the old tramroad route on the modern ‘Street Map’ of the immediate area. [8]
The footbridge over Stafford Park 1 sits over the site of Darklane Colliery. [My photograph, 2nd February 2023]
Looking East along Stafford Park 1 which is spanned by a modern footbridge. The photograph is taken from within the site of Darklane Colliery. [My photo, 2nd February 2023]
Two views looking South over the site of Darklane Colliery from the footbridge spanning Stafford Park 1. [My photo, 2nd February 2023]
This final photograph looks North along the footpath/cycleway and shows the approximate route of the tramway/tramroad which terminated a short distance to the East of the modern footpath. [My photograph, 2nd February 2023]

References

  1. 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.
  2. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101594470, accessed on 1st February 2023.
  3. https://maps.nls.uk/view/101594308, accessed on 1st February 2023.
  4. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=15.0&lat=52.67809&lon=-2.44688&layers=6&right=ESRIWorld, accessed on 1st February 2023.
  5. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.68634&lon=-2.44238&layers=6&right=ESRIWorld, accessed on 1st February 2023.
  6. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.68432&lon=-2.43633&layers=6&right=ESRIWorld, accessed on 1st February 2023.
  7. https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=17.0&lat=52.68130&lon=-2.43190&layers=6&right=ESRIWorld, accessed on 1st February 2023.
  8. https://streetmap.co.uk/map?x=505180&y=249173&z=0, accessed on 2nd February 2023.