History of Soho LMD

[59CosG95]

Hi all,
As part of my final year research project at uni, I'm trying to find out the history of railways in the Midlands, specifically around Birmingham. Does anyone know when Soho LMD was first built, and when it was expanded for the arrival of the 323s? Does anyone also happen to know where most 1960s-era EMUs that operated in the Midlands were stabled until the 232s came along?

Many thanks, Cosmo.

 

[racyrich]

Is this what final year project research comprises now? Asking around internet forums!

 

[RichmondCommu]

Hi all,
As part of my final year research project at uni, I'm trying to find out the history of railways in the Midlands, specifically around Birmingham. Does anyone know when Soho LMD was first built, and when it was expanded for the arrival of the 323s? Does anyone also happen to know where most 1960s-era EMUs that operated in the Midlands were stabled until the 232s came along?

Many thanks, Cosmo.

232's?

From memory 1960's era EMU's would have been class 304's and 310's.

 

[ac6000cw]

232's?

From memory 1960's era EMU's would have been class 304's and 310's.

Yes, they were (mostly 310s in the Birmingham area), and they were stabled out in the open at Soho. They were allocated to Bletchley for maintenance as far as I remember.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Can't answer for Soho, but early DMUs were based at Monument Lane, nearer to New St.
The other main rolling stock depot in the area was at Duddeston, on the Aston (Grand Junction) line, which I think was for loco-hauled stock.
http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/monumentlane_shed.htm
All part of the LNWR/LMS assets in the area.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Can't answer for Soho, but early DMUs were based at Monument Lane, nearer to New St.
The other main rolling stock depot in the area was at Duddeston, on the Aston (Grand Junction) line, which I think was for loco-hauled stock.
http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/monumentlane_shed.htm
All part of the LNWR/LMS assets in the area.

Duddeston was certainly carrying out wagon repairs in the early 1980's and seemed to be a busy place given the number of wagons parked outside the maintenance sheds.

 

[ac6000cw]

The other main rolling stock depot in the area was at Duddeston, on the Aston (Grand Junction) line, which I think was for loco-hauled stock.

It was, with DMUs at Tysley, and London/Birmingham/Wolves IC stock at Oxley. Diesel locos at Saltley and Bescot. DMUs were also stabled overnight at places like Stourbridge Junction and Four Oaks.

 

[RichmondCommu]

It was, with DMUs at Tysley, and London/Birmingham/Wolves IC stock at Oxley. Diesel locos at Saltley and Bescot. DMUs were also stabled overnight at places like Stourbridge Junction and Four Oaks.

From I've read / recall loco's were also maintained at Tysley in the 1970's and possibly the 1980's.

 

[Lemmy99uk]

304, 310 and 312 units were all stabled at Soho. The 304 units were based at Longsight and he 310 and 312 units were allocated to Bletchley.

After the cross city electrification was completed, the 308 units that operated the service initially were also stabled at Soho and maintained at Bletchley.

 

[ac6000cw]

From I've read / recall loco's were also maintained at Tysley in the 1970's and possibly the 1980's.

I don't remember that, but Tyseley had/has a wheel lathe (the only one in the area AFAIK) so locos would visit the depot for tyre turning.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

There's still a lathe at Tyseley.

 

[Ianno87]

The Central trains 323s were originally allocated to Bletchley as I recall (despite all their work being in the West Midlands, and some Brum-Liverpool workings for a short while).

I think they were reallocated to Soho around 1998ish?

 

[Harbornite]

There's still a lathe at Tyseley.

Indeed, recently used by the 323s; obviously they were dragged there.

 

[Helvellyn]

Does seem odd that West Midlands EMUs were based at either Longsight/Crewe Electric (304s) or Bletchley (310s/312s) with no "local" EMU depot until the late 1990s.

 

[ac6000cw]

Does seem odd that West Midlands EMUs were based at either Longsight/Crewe Electric (304s) or Bletchley (310s/312s) with no "local" EMU depot until the late 1990s.

Until WMPTA/Centro started to take a real interest in local rail services, there wasn't that much need for EMUs - from memory in the early 1970s, off-peak B'ham-Wolves locals were 1 tph, B'ham-Walsall was 2 tph (one via Aston, one via Soho) and B'ham-Cov was 2 tph (one of which was a B'ham - Euston via Northampton working). Everything else was diesel, and mostly 1 tph as well.