Spring Road railway station
Encyclopedia
Spring Road is a small railway station in the Acocks Green
area of Birmingham
, England
. It is situated on the Birmingham to Stratford Line
, between Tyseley
and Hall Green
stations. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by London Midland
.
, Zaccheus Walker IV. The station consisted of two platforms with shelters, with ramps leading from street level to the station below. Passengers had to purchase their tickets on the train.
The station served as a request stop for the railmotor
excursions throughout the years before the First World War, with Acocks Green building up around it. Zaccheus Walker IV, who was a well-respected philanthropist
in the area, used the station for school trips (paid for by him personally) to the countryside and Stratford upon Avon.
At the end of the Second World War, a factory consisting of two buildings was built alongside the station, belonging to Lucas. The larger of the two known as BW3 and BW4 were later sold to Magneti Marelli in the early 1990s, before passing into the hands of Denso
in 2003. The smaller BW5 stayed in the hands of Lucas as part of Lucas Aerospace. Lucas was bought out by TRW in 1998, BW5 has been in the hands of Goodrich since October 2002 When TRW sold off all their Aerospace businesses.
In the 1950s, a permanent ticket-office was placed at the top of the ramp leading to Platform 1 (towards Birmingham
). An older shelter at the top of this ramp built after the Second World War was converted into a toolshed, which it is used as today.
Workers at the factory first used the station to travel to and from work, which kept the station open during the era of the Beeching Axe
, but traffic became less with the appearance of the private car.
and Birmingham Snow Hill
to Stourbridge Junction
, with some trains continuing onward to Kidderminster
and Worcester
. Southbound trains also operate every 20 minutes - there are two trains per hour to Whitlocks End
, and one train per hour which continues to Stratford-upon-Avon
. On Sundays, there is an hourly train between Worcester, Birmingham, Shirley and Stratford-upon-Avon.
Acocks Green
Acocks Green is an area and ward of south Birmingham, England. It is named after the Acock family who built a large house in the area in 1370. Acocks Green is one of the four wards making up Yardley formal district...
area of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is situated on the Birmingham to Stratford Line
Birmingham to Stratford Line
The Birmingham to Stratford Line, also known as the North Warwickshire Line is a commuter railway line predominantly in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom...
, between Tyseley
Tyseley railway station
Tyseley railway station serves the district of Tyseley in Birmingham, West Midlands, England. It is situated at the junction of the lines from Birmingham towards Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon, and is adjacent to a large railway depot and Tyseley Locomotive Works.The station is served by...
and Hall Green
Hall Green railway station
Hall Green railway station serves the Hall Green area of Birmingham in the West Midlands of England. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by London Midland.-Services:...
stations. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by London Midland
London Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
.
History
The station was opened in 1908 as a halt named Spring Road Platform to ease traffic from the station at Tyseley, and to serve a cluster of cottages on the nearby land, which were owned until 1925 by the landowner at Fox Hollies HallFox Hollies Hall
Fox Hollies Hall was a manor house situated in Acocks Green, Fox Hollies, Birmingham, England, belonging to the Walker family.The Hall itself was built as a mock-Italianate in 1869 to replace the nearby Hyron Hall, and was commissioned by a retired merchant, Zaccheus Walker III...
, Zaccheus Walker IV. The station consisted of two platforms with shelters, with ramps leading from street level to the station below. Passengers had to purchase their tickets on the train.
The station served as a request stop for the railmotor
Railmotor
Railmotor is a term which was used by several British railway companies for a steam railcar.-Overview:William Bridges Adams started building railmotors as early as 1848, but only in small numbers...
excursions throughout the years before the First World War, with Acocks Green building up around it. Zaccheus Walker IV, who was a well-respected philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
in the area, used the station for school trips (paid for by him personally) to the countryside and Stratford upon Avon.
At the end of the Second World War, a factory consisting of two buildings was built alongside the station, belonging to Lucas. The larger of the two known as BW3 and BW4 were later sold to Magneti Marelli in the early 1990s, before passing into the hands of Denso
DENSO
is a global automotive components manufacturer headquartered in the city of Kariya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Established December 16, 1949 as , in 1996 the company became DENSO Corporation worldwide...
in 2003. The smaller BW5 stayed in the hands of Lucas as part of Lucas Aerospace. Lucas was bought out by TRW in 1998, BW5 has been in the hands of Goodrich since October 2002 When TRW sold off all their Aerospace businesses.
In the 1950s, a permanent ticket-office was placed at the top of the ramp leading to Platform 1 (towards Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
). An older shelter at the top of this ramp built after the Second World War was converted into a toolshed, which it is used as today.
Workers at the factory first used the station to travel to and from work, which kept the station open during the era of the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
, but traffic became less with the appearance of the private car.
Services
During Monday to Saturday daytimes, northbound trains operate every 20 minutes via Birmingham Moor StreetBirmingham Moor Street railway station
Birmingham Moor Street railway station is one of three main railway stations in the city centre of Birmingham, England. The Grade II listed old station building has been partially renovated to its 1930s condition at a cost of £11 million....
and Birmingham Snow Hill
Birmingham Snow Hill station
Birmingham Snow Hill is a railway station and tram stop in the centre of Birmingham, England, on the site of an earlier, much larger station built by the former Great Western Railway . It is the second most important railway station in the city, after Birmingham New Street station...
to Stourbridge Junction
Stourbridge Junction railway station
Stourbridge Junction railway station is a railway station on the Birmingham, Worcester and Kidderminster Line in West Midlands, England. Stourbridge Town Branch Line runs from the station to Stourbridge town centre...
, with some trains continuing onward to Kidderminster
Kidderminster railway station
Kidderminster railway station is the main station serving the large town of Kidderminster, Worcestershire. The station is operated by London Midland.-Facilities:...
and Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
. Southbound trains also operate every 20 minutes - there are two trains per hour to Whitlocks End
Whitlocks End railway station
Whitlocks End railway station serves the village of Whitlock's End in the West Midlands of England. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by London Midland.-Services:...
, and one train per hour which continues to Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon railway station
Stratford-upon-Avon railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England. It was once a through station on the Great Western Railway route from Birmingham to Cheltenham, but has been the terminus of the line since 1976.There are plans for a new...
. On Sundays, there is an hourly train between Worcester, Birmingham, Shirley and Stratford-upon-Avon.