Hednesford

Hednesford

 Hednesford should be a busy place this week – now that the regeneration has started!On Friday there is, of course, the fun event in the town for the Royal Wedding – complete with a big screen for the event itself.  There will be lots going on so please support your local traders by coming into Hednesford to have a day of fun!Following Monday’s 6 – 0 away win at Halesowen, Hednesford Town should be in top form when they receive Leamington on Thursday evening, April 28^th in the Semi Final of the Zamaretto League play-offs for promotion.  They have already won the ‘Red Insure’ Cup this season so promotion would make a great double for the team!

Get down to Keys Park for the 7.45 kick-off and give the team your support!

© Copyright Geoff Pick and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

The things they find in Hednesford….

West Cannock Colliery

West Cannock Colliery No.5,  from Hednesford Hills

This week saw the launch of the Cannock Chase Mining Historical Society’s latest book – the Annals of West Cannock Collieery – written by Alan Dean, which coincided with the unveiling of a memorial information sign at the site West Cannock No.5 pit, now the Cannock Chase Enterprise Centre.

Also around  this time the bridge from West Cannock 1, 3 and 4 pits was partly uncovered by the road builders working on the new road through the Pye Green Valley.   I have spoken to one of my dog walking friends, who was a relief fireman, and had actually been on a train under the bridge on the way up to No.1 to collect some rail!

The map below shows the position of the West Cannock pits.

Pic – CCMHS

This follows another bit of underground West Cannock Colliery activity from a few years ago.

It is actually the tunnel that went from West Cannock No.4, 1 and 3 plants down to the other side of the main Cannock to Rugeley mineral line, from where it emerged alongside West Cannock No.2 plant which closed in 1887 in the valley below East Cannock Colliery, it then ran over land going under the East Cannock Road below the Globe Inn to end at East Cannock canal basin.

For much more information about the West Cannock Colliery Company a new book has been published by the Cannock Chase Mining Historical Society, written by Alan Dean – price £10.00

Hednesford – a Town of Two Halves!

Hednesford – a Town of Two Halves?

In the ‘Chase Post’ this week (early September) the headline reads: ‘It’s a sign of the times: but is it art or eyesore?’For me, it has to be art – something to brighten the place up and although I can take the point about spending cuts, it must have been well under way before the cuts came along.  The picture in the paper is of the Landywood sign, and although I like it, I don’t think that it’s a patch on the Hednesford one, featuring the ‘suicidal cyclist’ (well that’s what it puts me in mind of!).  I suppose that it’s a pit-head/bike symbol with the railway signals, and Mick Thacker has done a first-class job.  Congratulations, Mick.Taking things a bit further, while I had my camera out, I took a few shots of both ends of Hednesford – quite a difference!  A new station sign and station improvements, and walking into Hednesford,

the Lightworks shopping experience and the town looking generally tidy, but down to the traffic lights on the Rugeley Road and what a difference.  All four corners up for sale or redevelopment.  Not at all welcoming.

The site of Doberman Securities has been empty for years, the apartments over the road are brand new but don’t seem to be selling, the Uxbridge Arms is up for sale and boarded up and now the carpet shop has closed.

In the fullness of time I suppose that the redevelopers will do their work, but how long will it stay as it is?

Never mind, we’ve got a new road to nowhere through Pye Green Valley!

Hednesford Garden Festival

Hednesford Garden Festival

Congratulations to all those involved in organising the first ‘GardenFest’ in Hednesford.  According to the local press, they were keeping their fingers crossed for good weather – I just hope that it wasn’t too good!!

I have always thought that Hednesford street layout lends itself very well to an occasional event like this, when part of the town centre is closed to traffic for a while.

Well done to the Hednesford Events Committee and the Hednesford Gardening Club – I hope, as you do, that GardenFest will become an annual event.The Bouncy Castle has arrived!

Ellie the Dobermann and Hednesford in the snow.

Hednesford in the snow

and other bits

This way to the town centre!

As you may know, our Dobermann Ellie has had a problem with the tendons in her leg, and even now, some four months after her operation, she still has trouble walking.  She has a metal plate in her leg which we think may be affected by deep snow, and the snow we had was certainly deep enough.  The last few days I have been giving her a ball to carry – she obviously can’t chase it, – and just doing that seems to have bucked her up no end, she seems much happier when she’s out – she doesn’t like just walking on her lead.  So I decided, snow or no snow, she desperately needs the exercise and – ball in mouth – off we went.  She enjoyed every minute.

The leg that looks bent isn’t the bad one – it’s the angle of the photo!!

While I had my camera handy, I thought I’d pop down to the railway and see if there were any trains about – got the one due in Hednesford from Birmingham at about 8.50am

Passing under the bridge in Stafford Lane before entering the station.

Norton Branch – Hednesford, Staffordshire

Norton Branch – Hednesford, Staffs.

While writing about the railways around Hednesford it was always my intention to at least mention the Norton Branch, but, when thinking about it, there was so much going on between Hill Top and the railway towards Hawks Green that I thought I would try to describe the area as it was back in the 1950s and before.

As you can see from the left-hand side of the map, the Norton Branch joined the Walsall to Rugeley line at the East Cannock Junction, having reached this point from Norton Junction at Pelsall on the Walsall to Lichfield line – also LNWR.  It was an important line as it connected pits of Cannock & Leacroft, Conduit No.3 at Norton, also connecting with Coppice Colliery from Heath Hayes, the Cannock Chase Collieries, the Wilkin Colliery, and, after passing under the A5 near the Rising Sun (the bridge is still there) passing Brownhills Colliery and the Grove and Harrison’s collieries at Wyrley, then passed the Slough branch of the Wyrley & Essington Canal, under High Bridge past the sidings and on to the line from Lichfield to Walsall.

The Littleworth Extension also connected to the Norton Branch, giving another outlet for the Cannock & Rugeley Collieries.

The picture shows a Stephenson Railway Society special passing the East Cannock signal box and leaving the Norton Branch to join the line to Rugeley.

This next picture was taken from the signal box and shows a Diesel Multiple Unit heading for Hednesford and Rugeley.  The branch off to East Cannock Colliery can also be seen, along with some coal wagons.

This picture shows the two bridges on the Cannock side of the Globe, now only one remains.  The bridge closer to the camera carried the Norton Branch.

The track-bed can be seen behind the BDF – Newlife store, where it is on an embankment, at the foot of which is all that is left of the canal and its basin.

The canal shown on the map is the Cannock Extension Canal.  It’s the extension from the Wyrley & Essington Canal from Pelsall.  It runs past the site of the Grove Colliery and Norton Canes Docks, ending now at the Watling Street Bridge on the A5.  It used to run from there across the back of Norton Canes and on to Hednesford.  There were wharves for each of the pits along the way – the Conduit Collieries, Cannock & Leacroft, Coppice Colliery and when it reached Hednesford, East Cannock, West Cannock and Cannock & Rugeley Collieries.

Looking at this photo now, it seems impossible that it was ever there!

On the map at the start of this post can be seen a tramway from the West Cannock pits.

It follows the tunnel that went from West Cannock No.4, 1 and 3 plants down to the other side of the main Cannock to Rugeley mineral line, from were it emerge alongside West Cannock No.2 plant which closed in 1887 in the valley below East Cannock Colliery, it then ran over land going under the East Cannock Rd below the Globe Inn to end at East Cannock canal basin.

For more information please go to the Cannock Chase Mining Historical Society website, www.CCMHS.co.uk the ‘Fame, Facts and your story’ section.

In the middle of the map another tunnel can be seen on the other side of the ‘Globe’, from East Cannock pit to a tramway and down to the canal.

The Littleworth Extension of the London & North Western Railway came down to the canal basin from Cannock Wood via Wimblebury Colliery and the Cross Keys, passing to the right of the pub when facing it.

Three stages of the Globe

Mark 1

Mark 2

Mark 3

Many thanks to Alan Dean for his help in putting this post together.

The East Cannock Colliery site today.

Tackeroo – The Military Railway

Cannock Chase Military Railway

We have been asked on a number of occasions about the whereabouts of the Tackeroo Railway, so in this post I have tried to explain its route from Hednesford to Milford and its purpose.

This railway was constructed during 1915 to serve the Brocton and Rugeley Military camps located on Cannock Chase.  One line was constructed during the spring of 1915 from the LNWR Cannock to Rugeley line near West Cannock No.5 Colliery across the Chase to the Rugeley Camp.  Between January and April a second railway was made from the LNWR Trent Valley line at Milford to the Brocton Camp, and by mid 1915 the lines had been joined.  In addition to army and prisoner of war camps this railway system served Central Stores Depots at Brocton Camp.  The locomotive shed was also located at Brocton Camp. After the war the camps and railway were dismantled and locomotives disposed of.

Locomotives used:  (Gauge 4ft 8½in)

Manning Wardle    0-6-0ST     166/1875     Messenger

Beyer Peacock      0-4-2ST     1140/1871   Blackcock

Hudswell Clarke     0-6-0T       319/1889

Hudswell Clarke     0-6-0ST     333/1890

Hawthorn Leslie     0-6-2T       2879/1911   Pyramus

Hunslett                 0-6-0ST      397/1886    Monmouth

Avonside Engine    0-6-0ST     1742/1916   Avonside  (New)

Manning Wardle     0-6-0ST      812/1881

Possibles, identified by spares orders to Trollope & Sons, & Colls & Sons

Manning Wardle     0-6-0ST      1513/1901    Grassholme

Hunslett                  0-6-0ST       761/1902      Uxbridge

The line started from Hednesford and passed West Cannock No.5 Colliery, who laid the track, which crossed the Chase to Milford, servicing the Military Camps situated on the route.

Tackeroo

No one seems to know exactly where the name came from or when. Various possibilities have been suggested though none can actually be proven.

One idea is that the original houses were built in one row by a Mr. Thacker and became known locally as Thacker’s Row and eventually the local dialect changing it to Tackeroo.

Another suggestion is that the village took its name from the ‘Tackeroo Express’, a train which used to take men and supplies from Hednesford to the First World War Camps on the Chase which were under construction.  The line was first built for the West Cannock Colliery Company to service their No.5 pit but it was taken over to aid the construction of the Camps. (But where did the ‘Tackeroo Express’ get its name from?!)

The line and camps were largely built by Irish labourers and one story has it that the local foreman, George Taylor, had so much trouble with his workforce that to gain their respect he actually challenged their leader in a bare-knuckle fight.  Fortunately he won and the gang’s bad behaviour eased.

Another difficulty faced by the railway was the route – the straight line went up a fairly steep hill, men often had to get off and walk the last part.  In 1915 the route was changed to run along Brindley Valley up to the White House.  The engine still had problems, as did the locals, who often had to put out fires caused by sparks from the engine.

Hednesford Railways 3

The second part of my last post, Hednesford Railways 2, went missing – the photos were in the library and according to the library information, attached to Hednesford Railways 2 – but, nowhere to be seen.  Very frustrating! So here we go again!

I shall start with the first photo again.The line that we are interested in is behind the rake of coal wagons heading off to Cannock Wood.This photo shows where the line moves away from the Cannock Wood branch, and the next shows the trackbed a little further along.The line is now approaching the Rugeley Road, which was crossed by an over-bridge.Now that there are houses on the opposite side of the road, it is not easy to find the exact spot where it crossed, but it couldn’t have been far from this point.In this photo, the line came up from the Rugeley Road and passed in front of the chimneys, passed all the buildings, went under a footbridge and up the valley for a short distance.  This is the site of the footbridge.

The footbridge was erected for miners from Hazel Slade and Rawnsley to gain access to the colliery without crossing the railway (and was used as a short-cut to get to the shops in Hednesford!).

Up the valley the line ended and the train went over a set of points which enabled it to change track and come back down the valley to the sidings to the front of the photo.  The line also carried on through to rejoin the up-line below the buildings, and travel back to Hednesford.This is the present view of the old Corn Stores, now housing the Museum of Cannock Chase, the down-line would have followed the line of the tarmac road for a short distance before swinging over to join the up-line.

If anyone has a photo of the road bridge or the footbridge, I would be very grateful for a copy.  Thank you.

Hednesford Railways 2

The previous post took care of lines to the left from Hednesford to Rugeley, now to sort the right hand ones out!  This first photo is a busy one…..From the front, view of half a coal wagon on the line to West Cannock, then the double track main line Hednesford to Rugeley and then, the first home of the Railway Preservation Society (West Midlands Branch), with the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway loco now No.9  ‘Cannock Wood’ 0-6-0T.  The next line is up to Cannock & Rugeley Colliery’s Cannock Wood pit and somewhere between that line and the pit in the background is the line to the CRC Valley pit.  The buildings to the rear of the photo are those of the Valley pit, and in between the two sets of head-gear is the old corn stores which now houses the Museum of Cannock Chase.The line to Cannock Wood crossed the Hednesford-Rugeley Road at Bates’ Corner.

It’s a bit different nowNo bridge, no general stores!   And as for the Paddy train….But now….It carries on in a similar vein – the track bed completely overgrown.  From the sidings to the bridge, the Council have put down a cycle/footpath,whichturns sharp left at the bridge and passes the former West Cannock 5s site instead of crossing the road and following the trackbed.  I think there were some objections from residents about a high level path at the bottom of their gardens – quite understandable, I think.Further up the line, approaching the level crossing, is ‘Rawnsley’ Lilleshall built No.4 0-6-0ST, formerly 2-2-2 built fot the Paris Exhibition.A similar view showing just how overgrown it has become.  Moving on towards Cannock Wood pit there is a level crossing at Hazel Slade.Well overgrown nowOne more level crossing, in Cannock Wood StreetThen the train carries on into Cannock Wood pit

Hednesford Railways 1

The view today, looking towards Rugeley from Hednesford Station bridge.As it was in the late 1950s, a very busy railway location, with pits sending coal into the sidings from all directions.

Looking forward and to the left, the line leads to West Cannock Colliery No.5 and to the right, to Cannock & Rugeley Collieries at Cannock Wood and the Valley Pit.

From the rear, coal comes in from West Cannock Collierys Nos. 1, 3 and 4 – situated in the  Pye Green Valley.

The picture shows the site of West Cannock No.1 and No.4 Plants circa 1920s, it looks north east towards the top end of Green Heath Road.  No.4 Plant is just above the top of the chimney and steam can be seen coming from its winder stack.  The brickworks is the furthest building centre/right at the base of the mound.  A fourth shaft to the north of the brickworks has been covered by the mound.  The picture shows the enormity of the West Cannock Company’s operation in the middle of Pye Green Valley.

From here, the railway ran down to Hednesford Station via a bridge under the road by the ‘Bridge’ public house.  It then went through the left-hand arch (looking towards Rugeley) and into the sidings.With the closure of West Cannock Collieries 1-4, lines to the left found little usage.  The old station building, imposingly symetrical on the overbridge, castle-like dominated the access to the platforms.  One of  Bescot’s 0-8-0s, 49373, sorted out the empties to transfer to the collieries.

On the other side of the bridge, the sidings opened out into the marshalling yard.William Stanier designed 2-cylinder 2-6-4T no.2579, built by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow in 1936 and withdrawn in June 1962, runs in with a Rugeley Trent Valley to Walsall local passenger.  The station was demolished after the passenger service was withdrawn in January 1965 and the sidings were removed following the closure of almost all local collieries in the 1970s.  The signal box (formerly No.1), seen behind the water tower remains in operation. No.2 signal box closed on January 14th 1973 and No.3 from 18th December 1977.  Passenger services were reinstated from Walsall to Hednesford in 1989, using newly built platforms.  The service was later extended to Rugeley and Stafford, although, by 2009, it terminated at Rugeley Trent Valley.This is a cold view of West Cannock No.5, which continued producing coal until 1982.  The locomotive in the photo is Bagnall 0-6-0ST  ‘Topham’ 2193/1922.

The line to Cannock Wood will be added later.